future salvation, and to accept and adopt His precepts and ex- ample as binding upon the life.
Name (dvoya). See on Matt. xxviii. 19. Expressing the sum of the qualities which mark the nature or character of a person. To believe in the name of Jesus Christ the Son of God, is to accept as true the revelation contained in that title. Compare xx. 31.
13. Which (0%). Referring to children of God.
Were born (éyernIncav). Lit., were begotten. The phrase yevvndjvar éx Tod Oecod, to be born or begotten of God, occurs only here in the Gospel, and several times in the First Epistle. It is peculiar to John.
There is a progress of thought in the three following clauses, describing the proper origin of a believer’s new life. Children of God are begotten, not of blood, nor of the will of the jlesh, nor of the will of man. “The new birth is not brought about by descent, by desire, or by human power” (Westcott).
Of blood (€& aiudrwv). Lit., of bloods. The plural is vari- ously explained: by some as indicating the duality of the sexes, by others of the multiplicity of ancestors. The best explana- tion seems to be afforded by a similar use of the plural in Plato, éru év yddaks tpepouevor, “while still nourished by milks” (“ Laws,” 887). The fluids, blood or milk being represented as the sum-total of all their parts. Compare ta téara, the waters.
14. And the Word («ai). The simple copula as before; not yea, or namely, or therefore, but passing to a new statement concerning the Word.
Was made flesh (cdp& éyévero). Rev., “became flesh.” The same verb as in ver. 8. All things became through Him; He in turn became flesh. ‘‘He became that which first became through Him.” In becoming, He did not cease to be the Eternal Word. His divine nature was not laid aside. In be- coming flesh He did not part with the rational soul of man.