2. By this (€v rovr@). Not dy this or from this, as an infer- ence (see on iy. 6), but in the very exercise of the sentiment toward God, we perceive.
When (Grav). More strictly, whenever. Our perception of the existence of love to our brethren is developed on every oc- casion when we exercise love and obedience toward God.
Keep (rnpa@pev). Read rroidpev do. So Rev. See on John iii, 21; 1 John iii. 4. The exact phrase zroveiy tas évtodads to do the commandments, occurs only here. See on Apoc. xxii. 14.
3. Grievous (Sapeia.). Lit., heavy. The word occurs six times in the New Testament. Acts xx. 29, violent, rapacious ; “grievous wolves”: 2 Cor. x. 10, weighty, wmpressive, of Paul’s letters: Matt. xxiii. 23; Acts xxv. 7, important, serious ; the weightier matters of the law ; sertous charges against Paul.
4, Overcometh (xd). See on ii. 18. The victory (1 vixen). Only here in the New Testament.
That overcometh (% vixjcaca). The aorist tense, overcame. On the cumulative form of expression, the victory, that which overcame, see on iv. 9. The aorist is to be held here to its strict sense. The victory over the world was, potentially, won when we believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. We overcome the world by being brought into union with Christ. On becoming as He is (iii. 17) we become partakers of His victory (John xvi. 33). “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world ” (iv. 4).
Our faith (arlotis hudv). Tiers faith, only here in John’s Epistles and not in the Gospel. Our faith is embraced in the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. On the question of the subjective and objective use of the Jaith, see on Acts vi. 7.