The Father. In his rightful authority, as a Father over little children.
14. Him that is from the beginning. ‘The eternal, pre- existent Christ, who was from the beginning (John i. 1). The eternal Son, through whom men are brought into the relation of children of God, and learn to know the Father. The knowl- edge of God involves, on the part of both fathers and children, the knowledge of Christ.
Strong (icxyupol). See on was not able, Luke xiv. 30; I can- not, Luke xvi. 3.
15. The world (rov xocpov). See on John i. 9.
The love of the Father (% dydzn rod warpos). The phrase occurs only here in the New Testament. It means love towards the Father, yet as generated by the Father’s love to man. Compare 1 John iii. 1. See on love of God, ver. 5.
Is notin him. This means more than that he does not love God: rather that the love of God does not dwell in him as the ruling principle of his life. Westcott cites a parallel from Philo: “It is impossible for love to the world to coexist with love to God, as it is impossible for light and darkness to co- exist.” Compare Plato. “ Evils, Theodorus, can never pass away; for there must always remain something which is ant- agonist to good. Having no place among the gods in heaven, of necessity they hover around the earthly nature, and this mortal sphere. Wherefore we ought to fly away from earth to heaven as quickly as we can; and to fly away is to become like God, as far as this is possible; and to become like Him is to become holy and just and wise ” (“‘ Thestetus,” 176).
16. All (wav). Not all things severally, but ald that 13 in the world collectively, regarded as a unit.
The lust (% éu9vpia). See on Mark iv. 19.