Ver. 4. ‘pets, clearly the editorial plural. The reading ὑμῶν seems at the first glance more attractive than ἡμῶν as evincing a generous solicitude on the part of the Apostle for the highest good of his readers, viz., the fulfilment of their joy. Rothe: ‘ Wer es weis, dass das uranfangliche Leben erschienen ist und er mit demselben und dadurch mit dem Vater Gemeinschaft haben kann, dessen Herz muss hoch schlagen”. In truth, however, ἡμῶν evinces a still more gener- ous solicitude—the very spirit of Jesus. As He could not be happy in Heaven without us, so the Apostle’s joy was in- complete unless his readers shared it. Cf. Samuel Rutherford :—
“Oh! if one soul from Anwoth Meet me at God’s right hand,
My heaven will be two heavens In Immanuel’s land.”
Vv. 5-10. The Message of the Incar- nation and the Duty which it brings. “And this is the message which we have heard from Him and are announc- ing to you, that God is light, and dark- ness—in Him there is none. If we say
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"i χαρὰ ἡμῶν 1 4 πεπληρωμµένη. 5. Kal αὕτη éotiv®? ἡ ° ἐπαγγελία 55 pe iii.
ἣν ἀκηκόαμεν dm αὐτοῦ, καὶ ” ἀναγγέλλομεν ὑμῖν, ὅτι 6 Geds φῶς ἐστι, καὶ Ἱ σκοτία ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν οὖὐδεμία. κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ σκότει περιπατῶμεν, Ψευ- δόµεθα, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν : περιπατῶμεν, ὡς αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν τῷ wri, κοινωνίαν ἔχομεν μετ
οσο Te xvi. 24, i u νά oe 13 ré 2 John 6. "ἐὰν εἴπωμεν ὅτι ΕΕ ΜΗ ἡμῶν cf. 85 2 . n ‘ 3 John, si 7. ἐὰν δὲ ἐν τῷ wrt ο iii. 11. p Matt. XXVili. 11; John iv.
> , \ A of md a .. 1 ἀλλήλων, καὶ "τὸ αἷμα ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καθαρίζει ὃ 25, xvi. 12,
1 Peter i. 12.
T2, ΧΙ]. 35, 36. s Exod. x. 22, 23.
Syrvg, Sah., edd. 2 eotw αντηΝ ΒΟΚΙ;Ρ, edd.
q John i. 4, 5, 8, 9, viii. 12, ix. 5; Jamesi. 17. t Heb. ix. 13, 14.
Ίνμων ACKP, Syrph., Vg., Cop., Aeth.,
ο. ο SATS 9 τ ii. 4, John iii. 19-21 ; John, viii.
Arm., Aug. ; ημων BL, many minusc.,
ο. NCABKL, Syrve., Vg. (annuntiatio), Aeth., Arm., Aug. (annuntiatio), edd.
‘Inoov Χριστου AKL, Syrph, Vg., Cop., Tert. (de Pudic. 19), Aug.; om. Χρισ-
του BCP, Syrvg, Sah., Arm., edd.
"καθαρισει or καθαριει some lesser authorities, Cop., Sah., Aug. (purgabit).
that we have fellowship with Him and be walking in the darkness, we lie and are not doing the Truth; but if we be walk- ing in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanseth us from every sin. If we say that we have not sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, faithful is He and righteous to forgive us the sins and cleanse us from every unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we are making Him a liar and His Word is not in us.”
Ver. 5. ἀγγελία in N.T. only here andiii. ΙΙ. ἐπαγγελία could only mean “promise” (cf. ii. 25). ἀπαγγέλλειν and ἀναγγέλλειν both mean “ announce ” the former with reference to the source of the message (ἀκηκόαμεν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ) and the latter to its destination. ‘ Quod Filius annunciavit, renunciat apostolus”’ (Haupt). οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδεμία : the double negative makes a stronger negative (cf. Luke xxiii. 53). The manifestation of God in Christ was to those who beheld it a splendid glory, the breaking of a great light into the darkness of a sinful and sorrowful world. Cf. Matt. iv. 14-16. Light means warmth, health, sight, in a word “ life”’ (cf. ver. 2).
Light is given that we may “ walk in it” and enjoy its blessings. It is thus that the Gospel attains its end and ful- fils its purpose in us. The Apostle now proceeds to warn his readers against two heresies which ignored this condition of heavenly fellowship.