The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 96

Vers. 16-18.-The exhibition and obligation of true love. "Hereby perceive ,ve the love of God, because be la.id down his life for us," etc. Our subject naturally divides itself into two main branches. I. Tim EXHIBTTtoN OF THE NATURE OF TRUE LOVE. "Hereby know we love, because he lai,i <lown bis life for us." "The meaning is not," as Ebrard says, "wherein we (subjectively) have perceived love, but in what (objectively) the nature of love consists." 1. It is of the miture of love to make sacrifices. Love is essentially communicative. It seeks to impart itself and its treasures to others. It does not ask-What shall I receive? but-What shall I give? It takes upon itself the burdens and sorrows of others. 2. The greatest sacrifice is the surrender of life. The strongest self-love in human nature is that of life. Man will perform any labours, confront any perils, make almost any sar.rifice, to save his life. ".All that a man ha.th will he give for his life." Therefore the surrender of life is the costliest sacrifice that even true love c,\u offer. "Greater love bath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends;" "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us." 8. But Christ sacrificed his life for his enemies. "For us." That it was for sinners is not mentioned hue; but it is elsewhere. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us," et.c. ( eh. iv. 10). "Christ died for the ungodly," etc. (Rom. v. 6-8). And the manner in which his life wa.s sacrificed wa.s most painful He was "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." 'fhe derision and degradation, the ignominy a.nd anguish, associated with his great self-sacrifice were such that death itself was but a small portion of what he endured for us.· Behold. then, in him who laid down his life for us what genuine love is. IL THE OBLIGATION TO EXERCISE TRUE LOVE. "And we ought to Jay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the world's goods," etc. It is implied that all true love is one in its essential nature; the love in the heart of God and pure love in the heart of man are alike in kind; the love which we ought to exercise should resemble that of onr Lord Jesus Christ. It should be like his, not in its degree, but in its character; not in its intensity and force, but in its kind. Like his in extent a.nd degree our love can never be; for his is infinite, ours must ever be finite. "A pearl of dew will not hold the sun, but it may hold a spark of its light. A child, by the sea, trying to catch the waves as they dash in clouds of crystal spray upon tho sand, cannot hold the ocean in a tiny shell, but he may hold a drop of the ocean water." So our Jove, though utterly unlike Christ's in its measure, may be like it in its essential nature-it may be as a spark from the infinite fire. 'l'wo forms of expression of genuine affection a.re here set forth as obligatory. 1. Willingness to make the great sacrifice for <Jur brethren. "We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 'l'he principle, as we apprehend it, may be thus stated, that, when a greater good will be accomplished by the sacrifice of our life than by the saving of it, we should be willing to surrender it. We should have such love for the brethren as would inspire us to lay down our life for them, if it were necessary, and we could thereby effectually promote their salvation. Such was the love of St. Paul: "Yea, and if I am offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all." Love which would enable us to imperil our life if by so doing we may save others from death. Such love for our Lord and Sal'iour as would lead us to choose death rather than deny him. Such love for his cause as would impel us to sacrifice our comforts, our home, and even life itself; if thereby we may advance its interests and spread its triumphs. So St. Paul: "I hold not my life of any account, as dear unto myself, so that I ma.y accomplish my couri;e, and the ministry which I received from the Lord J eeus, to testify the gospel ~f the grace of God.." A.nd zeal in this cause is surely one of the highest forms of love, OH, m. 1 -2!.] THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. IJ3