Vg. (et simus), Cop., Sah., Aeth., Arms,
abrupt transition evinces St. John’s sense of the oneness of the Father and the Son (cf. ver. 24; John x. 30). γινώσκετε, scitote (Vulg.), rather cognoscite (Calv.), ‘get to know,” “recognise” (see note on ver. 3); perceive the blessed inference, appropriate your birthright. It enfeebles the sentence to take the verb as indicat.
ΟΗΑΡΤΕΚ III. Vv. 1-3. Our Present Dignity and Our Future Destiny. “See what unearthly love the Father hath given us, in order that we may be styled ‘children of God’; and so we are. It is for this reason that the world doth not recognise us, because it did not recognise Him. Beloved, now are we children of God, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be. We know that, if it be manifested, we shall be like Him, be- cause we shall see Him even as He is. And every one that hath this hope rest- ing on Him purifieth himself even as the Lord is pure.”
Ver. 1. St. John has been speaking of the salvation which Jesus has brought— His Propitiation and Advocacy, and he sees and would have his readers see in it an amazing expression of the love of God. Cf. John iii. 16. ποταπός (ποδαπός), properly cujas, “οἱ what country,” though approximating in late Greek to motos, qualis, ‘of what sort” (cf. Moul- ton, Gram. of N.T. Gk., i. p. 95), retains something of its proper and original signification. The love of God in Christ is foreign to this world: ‘‘ from what far realm ? whatunearthly love?” Cf. Matt. vill. 27: ‘‘ What unearthly personage ? ” 2 Peter ili. 11: ‘‘ How other-worldly”. ἵνα, κ.τ.λ., the purpose of this amazing