Ver. 4. μὴ τηρῶν, in classical Greek a gentle hypothesis, merely suggesting a possible case; but in later Greek py is the regular negative with participles. It was an actual error, else the Apostle would hardly have spoken so emphatic- ally about it. ψεύστης, see note on i, 6. ἀλήθεια, see note on i. 8.
Ver.5. Ἡἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ, “ the love of
God,” is ambiguous like mim Nl,
amor Det, l’ amore di Dio, Lamour de Dieu, die Liebe Gottes. It might be objective genitive, “ love for God,” “die Liebe zu Gott” (Rothe). But the be- liever’s love for God is never perfected in this life. The genitive is subjective (cf. iv. 9), amor Dei erga hominem, per Christum nobis reconciliatus (Bengel),
3---δ,
”"ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ τετελείωται.
n an a ἐσμεν.] 6. ὁ λέγων ° ἐν αὐτῷ µένειν, ? ὀφείλει, καθὼς 4 ἐκεῖνος περιε- πάτησε, καὶ αὐτὸς οὕτω 3 " περιπατεῖν. 7. ἀδελφοί,ι οὐκ ἐντολὴν ’ καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐντολὴν παλαιάν, ' ἣν εἴχετε ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς' ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν 6 λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς.' 8. > ΔΝ 4 ε 3 ϱ 5 > Q Β SUA nM πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, 6 ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν
4-7. Heb. ν. 12.
q Cf. comm. Mark i. 27.
1 Punct. éopev* WH, Nest.
nD
IVs το, τη
ἐν τούτω γινώσκοµεν ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ῃ oY μ. t 18; Luke
Xili. 32; John iv. 34, ν. 36, XVii. 4, 23 Heb. ii. TO; X. I; 14, Xi. 40
n 2 Cor. v. 17.
ο John xv.
p ili. 16, iv. 11; 3 John § ; John xiii. 14; Matt. xxiii. 16,18; Luke xvii. το; Rom. xv. 1 r Eph. v. 2; Col. ii. 6. t John xiii. 34, xv. 12; Mark xii. 29-31.
s Matt. xiii. 52, xxvi. 28, 29, xxvii. 60
? ka. αντος ουτως ΝΟΚΡ, Syrph, Cop., Arm., Tisch., Nest.; om. ουτως AB, Vg.
Sah., Aeth., Aug., WH.
3 αγαπητοι ΝΑΒΟΡ, Syrvg ph, Vg., Cop., Sah., Arm., Aug., edd. ‘am αρχης om. SABCP, many minusc., Syrvg ph, Vg., Cop., Sah., Aeth., Arm.
Aug., edd.
and the idea is that the redeeming love of God has attained its end in the man who observes His Word. Cf. Isa. ΠΠ. Ir. St. Augustine understands ‘‘ the love
of God” as His love for sinners, a for- -
giving love like that of Jesus when He prayed on the Cross ‘“ Father, forgive them”. ‘What is the perfection of love? It is both to love one’s enemies and to love them in order that they may be brethren.” By cultivating a love like this we get to know that we know Him. ἐν τούτῳ (b) points forward to 6 λέγων, κ.τ.λ., introducing a second assurance. It is not enough to know Him; we must be sure of continuing in fellowship with Him, of “abiding in Him” to the end. This assurance comes by “ walking even as He walked”; 1.ε. the conformation of our lives to His is an _ evidence of our abiding interest in Him, our vital union with Him. We get like Him by imitating Him, and our likeness to Him is an irrefragable evidence to ourselves and the the world that we are His, as a son’s likeness to his father proves their relationship. ὀφείλει, “is bound,” “ist schuldig ” (Rothe), of moral obligation. The claim (λέγων) must be honourably attested. αὐτὸς in this sec- tion refers grammatically to Jesus Christ vv. I, 2). The change of pronoun (ἐκεῖ- vos) does not imply a change of person, since here as in fii. 3, 5, 7, 16, iv. 17, ἐκεῖνος is not a mere pronoun. It is used like 1211ε, and signifies ‘that great One, the Master”) Cf. 2 Timi. 22, 13. περιπατεῖν,δεε note oni.6. Aug.:, “‘ Perhaps He admonishes us to walk in the sea. Far from it! He admonishes us to walk in the way of righteousness.”
Vv. 7-11. A New Meaning in an Old Commandment. ‘ Beloved, it is no new commandment that I am writing to you,