by gradation. Both are reassumed in ver. 3, where I say may be understood. John proclaims so great an amount of evidence of this manifestation , that it is not now necessary to adduce the prophets : Comp. 2 Pet. i. 19, note. He speaks in the plural number in his own name, and in the name of other fathers: ch. ii. 13. He appears to have written at a time, when many of the fathers were still alive. — efcaffu/AsOa., we beheld) to a very great degree. — vepi, concerning) They perceived the truth of His flesh, and in it the glory of the only begotten. The word was denotes the latter, was manifested , the former. — rov Xoyov rr\g the Word of life) 6 Xbyog , the Word is used
by itself, and the Life by itself : whence the Apposition, The Word the Life ; then the Word of Life ; The Word in whom was life : John i. 4; and the Life , that is eternal ; and, life eternal: ver. 2. Thus that title, the God of glory , includes the simple title of God .
2. ’EpavepuOr), was manifested) gave Himself in the flesh to our eyes, ears, and hands : John i. 14. The same word is used of His coming in glory : ch. ii. 28. — xa/' /xaprvpovfiev xai &<ro(.yyeX\o/xev, and we testify and declare) Testimony is the genus ; there are two species, declaration and writing , ver. 3 and 4. Declaration lays the founda- tion, ver. 5—1 0 ; writing builds upon it, ver. 4, note. — bfiTv, to you) who have not seen. — r^i/ tyiv aiJmov, Life eternal) In the begin- ning of the epistle mention is made of that Life eternal , which always existed, and afterwards appeared to us : at the end of the epistle mention is made of the same Life eternal , which we shall always enjoy. This title of itself teaches, that the goodness of Jesus in its highest sense is not denied : Mark x. 18, note. — %v, was) A repetition by the figure Epanodos ; comp. ver. 1, at the beginning. — rrpbg rov nccripay with the Father) So John i. 1, with God.
3. ,Ax»jxoa,ttsi', we have heard) This is now put after sight, because the declaration is principally from hearing. — xoivuvtav — fief i/iuv, communion — with us) the same which we have who have seen. — xoivtovlu) that is icri. Communion , so that He Himself is ours ; He in us, and we in Him. — fierd rov era rpbg, with the Father) who sent the Son, ver. 4-10. — fierd rov viou at irov, with His Son) whom the Father sent : ch. ii. 1, 2. Respecting the Holy Spirit, see ch. iii. 24, note.
4. TaDra, these things) From the emphatic singular he comes to the plural, for the sake of greater convenience of expression. These things , and no other : 2 Cor. i. 13, much less, smaller and more trifling things, as the defenders of traditions say. — ypdpofiev vfiTv, we write to you) To this present the past, I have written , ch. v. 13,