Christ, 1 John ii. 1; iii. 7. Compare Acts iii. 14; vii. 525 xxii. 14.
Is born of Him (é adrod yeyérvntas). Rev., begotten. The first occurrence of the phrase in the Epistle.
1. Behold (i8ere). Lit., behold ye. The plural is peculiar. The usual form is the singular ie or ‘Sov. See John i. 29; xi. 3, etc.; iv. 35; xix. 26,27. Elsewhere the plural is used of something actually visible (Gal. vi. 11).
What manner of (ota77v). The word is of infrequent occurrence in the New Testament, but is found in all the Synop- tists and in 2 Pet. iii.11. Only here in John’s writings. Orig- inally it means from what country or race ; then, of what sort or quality. It is used of the quality of both persons and things.
Hath bestowed (8éSwxev). Emphasizing the endowment of the receiver. Compare yaplfouar, from xdpis grace, favor, which emphasizes the good-will of the giver. See Gal. iii. 18; Philip. ii. 9; i. 29.
That (#a). See on John xv. 13.
We should be called («An9apev). Or, named. As Matt. ii. 23; xxi. 18; Luke i. 13, 31, etc. The verb is never used by John of the divine call. In John x. 3, for «anrei calleth, read pwvel.
The sons (réxva). Rev., better, children. See on Johni. 12.
And such we are (kal éopev). Lit.,and we are. Added by Reyv., according to the best texts. A parenthetical, reflective comment, characteristic of John. See on i. 2.
344 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 2. Beloved. See ii. 7.
Now are we and, etc. The two thoughts of the present and the future condition of God’s children are placed side by side with the simple copula, and, as parts of one thought. Christian condition, now and eternally, centres in the fact of being child- ren of God. In that fact lies the germ of all the possibilities of eternal life.
It doth not yet appear (ov7w épavepoIn). Rev., more cor- rectly, et 2s not yet made manifest. See on John xxi. 1. The force of the aorist tense is, was never manifested on any oc- Casion.
What we shall be (ti éooue9a). “This what suggests some- thing unspeakable, contained in the likeness of God” (Bengel).
But we know. Omit but.
When He shall appear (éav gavepwd9). Rev., correctly, if He (or it) shall be manifested. We may render either “if 7¢ shall be manifested,” that is what we shall be; or, “if He,” etc. The preceding épavepody tt is (not yet) made manifest, must, I think, decide us in favor of the rendering 7. We are now children of God. It has not been revealed what we shall be, and therefore we do not know. In the absence of such rev- elation, we know (through our consciousness of childship, through His promise that we shall behold His glory), that if what we shall be were manifested, the essential fact of the glorified condition thus revealed will be likeness to the Lord. This fact we know now as a promise, as a general truth of our future state. The condition of realizing the fact is the mani- Jestation of that glorified state, the revealing of the r/ éodueIa what we shall be ; for that manifestation will bring with it the open vision of the Lord. When the what we shall be shall be manifest, it will bring us face to face with Him, and we shall be like Him because we shall see Him as He is.
As He is (xaos éoriv). Strictly, just as. Rev., even as.