It is a deliberate rejection of grace. A man puts from him life, while he commits this sin : how then can others procure for him life ? Yet there is also set forth [there is such a thing as] a sin that is to the death of the body ; for instance, in the case of the people, for whom the prophet thrice made entreaty, he is forbidden to make entreaty : Jer. vii. 16, xi. 14, xiv. 11, xv. 1, 2. Yea, even Moses himself committed a sin unto death , of this nature ; unto death, not to be made the subject of entreaty : Deut. iii. 26 ; comp. 1 Sam. ii. 25, iii. 14, respecting the house of Eli ; and, on the other hand, respecting the averting of sins and diseases by means of prayer, James v. 14—18. — a/Y?j<rg/, he shall ask) namely, 6 crotjP/PTjff/afrrjjg, he who has confidence. — duxrsi. He will give) namely, God, when entreated. — ubrti, to him) the brother. — ^ur,v, life) There- fore he who sins unto death is in a state of death, and yet he sins further unto death. — roTg) that is, as far as relates to those who sin not unto death. — g ffriv a^aprla npog davarov, there is a sin unto death) The chief commandment is faith and love. Therefore the chief sin is that by which faith anj love are destroyed. In the former case is life ; in the latter, death. The sin, however, which is here pointed out, is not such as we call mortal, as are all the sins of the unregenerate, ch. iii. 14, and some sins of the brethren wTho relapse : and these alone properly need that life should be given to them. — ov — Xgyw, I do not — say) for I say — not. An expression full of character, and Attic. God does not wish that the righteous should pray in vain : Deut. iii. 26. If, therefore, he who has com- mitted sin unto death is brought back to life, that proceeds entirely from the mercy [the mere prerogative] of God. — Uehyg, for it) The word here has the force of removing. — Iptarr^f) He just before used the word airmen. There is a difference between the two words i1 John xi. 22, note. Here we are enjoined not only not airsTv, but
1 AItscj, like ‘ peto,’ is more submissive and suppliant, and expresses the seek- ing of the inferior from the superior. But eparuco, like * rogo,’ implies a certain equality or familiarity in the asker, with him from whom the favour is sought : therefore nowhere in the New Testament does it express the prayer of mere man to God ; but is appropriated to Christ, who, on the other hand, never uses otlrovpcoci. Here 1 John v. 16 may seem an exception; but its change from ulryjait of the earlier clause to spcoTya?) is a strong confirmation of it : “ If any man see his brother sin a sin not unto death, he shall ask or beg, ochiiaet, and He (God) shall give him (the petitioner) life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death. I do not say that he shall request or intercede (authoritatively), IpuTYiav], for it.” The Christian is not to assume the authority which would be implied in making request for a sinner who has sinned the sin unto death ; Mark iii. 29 ; 1 Sam. xv. 35, xvi. 1. See Trench, Syn. N. T. — E.
1 JOHN y. 17-19.
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not even spurdv. ’’Spurrier] is as it were the generic word : airsh is the species, as it were, of a more humble kind. Not only alriTv is removed, but also the genus. This species, alreTv, does not occur in the prayers of Christ. A irsTv is suitable to the case of one who is as it were conquered, and a criminal.
17. n a<ra adneia) all wickedness. Instances of sin not unto death are of constant occurrence in life. — xa /', and) and that too. The enunciation is this : Every wickedness is sin , (but) not (necessarily sin) unto death : but lest any one should interpret that too lightly, he prefaces it with the words, is sin.