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His word) which is true : ver. 8. The word accuses us with truth ; and by contradiction it is driven from the heart. — h in us) and
therefore we are liars : ch. ii. 4.
1. Tsxi//a my little children) The diminutive, used as a
mark of love. Now for the first time he names those to whom he writes. — raura, these things) which follow. — /Va firi dfxdprrjrs, that ye sin not) fir\, lest , to be pronounced with emphasis. He fortifies their minds beforehand, lest they should abuse his discourse concerning reconciliation to a license for sinning. There is in this place npo- fcpanua, a precautionary warning ; and a similar evriDspawre/af an after- qualification of his previous words, ch. v. 18, note. All the Divine purposes, words, and judgments, have for their aim to oppose sin, either to prevent its commission, or to destroy it. — idv ng a/xdprri, if any man sin) and lose the confidence of asking for himself ; respect- ing which, see John xvi. 26. — napdnXrirov, an advocate) who pleads our cause, so that the Father may not turn away His love from us. — d/xaiov, the righteous) ver. 29. Jesus Christ, in the presence of the Father, at His right hand, chiefly from [owing to His] access to Him, having offered a sacrifice for sins, is called The Righteous , John xvi. 10. His righteousness takes away our sin : and it is not itself lessened from this circumstance, that He is the Advocate for sinners : Isa. liii. 11, 12.
2. Aurbg, He Himself ) This word forms an Epitasis [See Append, on this figure] : a most powerful Advocate, because He Himself is the propitiation . — iXaafxog lari, is the propitiation) The word /Xua/xbs, and IfyXaafxbg, is of frequent occurrence in the Septuagint : it de- notes a propitiatory sacrifice : ch. iv. 10 ; comp. 2 Cor. v. 21 : that is, the Saviour Plimself. There had been therefore enmity (offence) between God and sinners. — r\(xZr), of us) the faithful. There is no reference here to the Jews ; for he is not writing to the Jews : ch. v. 21. — are pi oXov) respecting (for) the sins of the whole world . If he had said only, of the world , as ch. iv. 14, the whole must have been un- derstood : now, since of the whole is expressed, who dares to put any
1 See Append, on these figures. — E.
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