1 John 4:7-10
7. Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every
one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
7. Dilecti, diligamus nos mutuo, quia dilectio ex Deo est; et omnis
qui diligit ex Deo genitus est, et cognoscit Deum.
8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love.
8. Qui non diligit, non novit Deum; quia Deus dilectio est.
9. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that
God sent his only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through
him.
9. In hoc apparuit dilectio Dei in nobis, quod Filium suum unigenituxn
misit Deus in mundum, ut per eum vivamus.
10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us,
and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
10. In hoc est dilectio, non quod nos dilexerimus Deum, sed quod
nos ipse dilexit, et misit Filium propitiationem pro peccatis nostris.
7. Beloved. He returns to that exhortation which he enforces
almost throughout the Epistle. We have, indeed, said, that it is filled
with the doctrine of faith and exhortation to love. On these two points
he so dwells, that he continually passes from the one to the other.
When he commands mutual love, he does not mean that we discharge this
duty when we love our friends, because they love us; but as he addresses
in common the faithful, he could not have spoken otherwise than that they
were to exercise mutual love. He confirms this sentence by a reason often
adduced before, even because no one can prove himself to be the son of
God, except he loves his neighbors, and because the true knowledge of God
necessarily produces love in us.
He also sets in opposition to this, according to his usual manner, the
contrary clause, that there is no knowledge of God where there is no love.
And he takes as granted a general principle or truth, that God is love,
that is, that his nature is to love men. I know that many reason more refinedly,
and that the ancients especially have perverted this passage in order to
prove the divinity of the Spirit. But the meaning of the Apostle is simply
this, — that as God is the fountain of love, this effect flows from him,
and is diffused wherever the knowledge of him comes, as he had at the beginning
called him light, because there is nothing dark in him, but on the contrary
he illuminates all things by his own brightness. Here then he does not
speak of the essence of God, but only shews what he is found to be by us.
But two things in the Apostle’s words ought to be noticed, — that the
true knowledge of God is that which regenerates and renews us, so that
we become new creatures; and that hence it cannot be but that it must conform
us to the image of God. Away, then, with that foolish gloss respecting
unformed faith. For when any one separates faith from love, it is the same
as though he attempted to take away heat from the sun.
9. In this was manifested, or, has appeared. We have the love
of God towards us testified also by many other proofs. For if it be asked,
why the world has been created, why we have been placed in it to possess
the dominion of the earth, why we are preserved in life to enjoy innumerable
blessings, why we are endued with light and understanding, no other reason
can be adduced, except the gratuitous love of God. But the Apostle here
has chosen the principal evidence of it, and what far surpasses all other
things. For it was not only an immeasurable love, that God spared not his
own Son, that by his death he might restore us to life; but it was goodness
the most marvelous, which ought to fill our minds with the greatest wonder
and amazement. Christ, then, is so illustrious and singular a proof of
divine love towards us, that whenever we look upon him, he fully confirms
to us the truth that God is love.
He calls him his only begotten, for the sake of amplifying. For in this
he more clearly shewed how singularly he loved us, because he exposed his
only Son to death for our sakes. In the meantime, he who is his only Son
by nature, makes many sons by grace and adoption, even all who, by faith,
are united to his body. He expresses the end for which Christ has been
sent by the Father, even that we may live through him, for without him
we are all dead, but by his coming he brought life to us; and except our
unbelief prevents the effect of his grace, we feel it in ourselves.
10. Herein is love. He amplifies God’s love by another reason,
that he gave us his own Son at the time when we were enemies, as Paul teaches
us, in Romans 5:8; but he employs other words, that God, induced by no
love of men, freely loved them. He meant by these words to teach us that
God’s love towards us has been gratuitous. And though it was the Apostle’s
object to set forth God as an example to be imitated by us; yet the doctrine
of faith which he intermingles, ought not to be overlooked. God freely
loved us, — how so? because he loved us before we were born, and also when,
through depravity of nature, we had hearts turned away from him, and influenced
by no right and pious feelings.
Were the prattlings of the Papists entertained, that every one is chosen
by God as he foresees him to be worthy of love, this doctrine, that he
first loved us, would not stand; for then our love to God would be first
in order, though hi time posterior. But the Apostle assumes this as an
evident truth, taught in Scripture (of which these profane Sophists are
ignorant,) that we are born so corrupt and depraved, that there is in us
as it were an innate hatred to God, so that we desire nothing but what
is displeasing to him, so that all the passions of our flesh carry on continual
war with his righteousness.
And sent his Son. It was then from God’s goodness alone, as from
a fountain, that Christ with all his blessings has come to us. And as it
is necessary to know, that we have salvation in Christ, because our heavenly
Father has freely loved us; so when a real and full certainty of divine
love towards us is sought for, we must look nowhere else but to Christ.
Hence all who inquire, apart from Christ, what is settled respecting them
in God’s secret counsel, are mad to their own ruin.
But he again points out the cause of Christ’s coming and his office,
when he says that he was sent to be a propitiation for our sins. And first,
indeed, we are taught by these words, that we were all through sin alienated
from God, and that this alienation and discord remains until Christ intervenes
to reconcile us. We are taught, secondly, that it is the beginning of our
life, when God, having been pacified by the death of his Son, receives
us unto favor: for propitiation properly refers to the sacrifice of his
death. We find, then, that this honor of expiating for the sins of the
world, and of thus taking away the enmity between God and us, belongs only
to Christ.
But here some appearance of inconsistency arises. For if God loved us
before Christ offered himself to death for us, what need was there for
another reconciliation? Thus the death of Christ may seem to be superfluous.
To this I answer, that when Christ is said to have reconciled the Father
to us, this is to be referred to our apprehensions; for as we are conscious
of being guilty, we cannot conceive of God otherwise than as of one displeased
and angry with us, until Christ absolves us from guilt. For God, wherever
sin appears, would have his wrath, and the judgment of eternal death, to
be apprehended. It hence follows, that we cannot be otherwise than terrified
by the present prospect. as to death, until Christ by his death abolishes
sin, until he delivers us by his own blood from death. Further, God’s love
requires righteousness; that we may then be persuaded that we are loved,
we must necessarily come to Christ, in whom alone righteousness is to be
found.
We now see that the variety of expressions, which occurs in Scripture,
according to different aspects of things, is most appropriate and especially
useful with regard to faith. God interposed his own Son to reconcile himself
to us, because he loved us; but this love was hid, because we were in the
meantime enemies to God, continually provoking his wrath. Besides, the
fear and terror of an evil conscience took away from us all enjoyment of
life. Thence as to the apprehension of our faith, God began to love us
in Christ. And though the Apostle here speaks of the first reconciliation,
let us yet know that to propitiate God to us by expiating sins is a perpetual
benefit proceeding from Christ.
This the Papists also in part concede; but afterwards they extenuate
and almost annihilate this grace, by introducing their fictitious satisfactions.
For if men redeem themselves by their works, Christ cannot be the only
true propitiation, as he is called here.
1 John 4:11-16
11. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
11. Dilecti, si ita Deus nos dilexit, nos quoque debemus invicem
diligere.
12. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.
12. Deum nemo vidit unquam; si diligimus nos invicem, Deus in nobis
manet, et dilectio ejus perfecta est in nobis.
13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he
hath given us of his Spirit.
13. In hoc cognoscimus, quod in ipso manemus, et ipse in nobis,
quit ex Spiritu suo dedit nobis.
14. And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son
to be the Savior of the world.
14. Et nos vidimus et testamur, testify, quod Pater misit Filium
servatorem mundi.
15. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth
in him, and he in God.
15. Qui confessus fuerit, quod Jesus est Filius Dei, Deus in eo
manet et ipsc in Deo.
16. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us.
God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in
him.
16. Et nos cognovimus et credimus dilectionem quam habet Deus in
nobis: Deus charitas est; et qui manet in charitate, in Deo manet, et Deus
in eo.
11. Beloved. Now the Almighty accommodates to his own purpose
what he has just taught us respecting the love of God; for he exhorts us
by God’s example to brotherly love; as also Paul sets before us Christ,
who offered himself to the Father a sacrifice of pleasant fragrance, that
every one of us might labor to benefit his neighbors. (Ephesians 5:2.)
And John reminds us, that our love ought not to be mercenary, when he bids
us to love our neighbors as God has loved us; for we ought to remember
this, that we have been loved freely. And doubtless when we regard our
own advantage, or return good offices to friends, it is self-love, and
not love to others.
12. No man hath seen God. The same words are found in the first
chapter of John’s Gospel; but John the Baptist had not there exactly the
same thing in view, for he meant only that God could not be otherwise known,
but as he has revealed himself in Christ. The Apostle here extends the
same truth farther, that the power of God is comprehended by us by faith
and love, so as to know that we are his children and that he dwells in
us.
He speaks, however, first of love, when he says, that God dwells in
us, if we love one another; for perfected, or really proved to be, in us
is then his love; as though he had said, that God shews himself as present,
when by his Spirit he forms our hearts so that they entertain brotherly
love. For the same purpose he repeats what he had already said, that we
know by the Spirit whom he has given us that he dwells in us; for it is
a confirmation of the former sentence, because love is the effect or fruit
of the Spirit.
The sum, then, of what is said is, that since love is from the Spirit
of God, we cannot truly and with a sincere heart love the brethren, except
the Spirit puts forth his power. In this way he testifies that he dwells
in us. But God by his Spirit dwells in us; then, by love we prove that
we have God abiding in us. On the other hand, whosoever boasts that he
has God and loves not the brethren, his falsehood is proved by this one
thing, because he separates God front himself.
When he says, and his love is perfected, the conjunction is to be taken
as a causative, for, or, because. And love here may be explained in two
ways, either that which God shews to us, or that which he implants in us.
That God has given his Spirit to us, or given us of his Spirit, means the
same thing; for we know that the Spirit in a measure is given to each individual.
14. And we have seen. He now explains the other part of the knowledge
of God, which we have referred to, that he communicates himself to us in
his Son, and offers himself to be enjoyed in him. It hence follows, that
he is by faith received by us. For the design of the Apostle is to shew,
that God is so united to us by faith and love, that he really dwells in
us and renders himself in a manner visible by the effect of his power,
who otherwise could not be seen by us.
When the Apostle says, We have, seen and do testify, he refers to himself
and others. And by seeing, he does not mean any sort of seeing, but what
belongs to faith by which they recognized the glory of God in Christ, according
to what follows, that he was sent to be the Savior of the world; and this
knowledge flows from the illumination of the Spirit.
15. Whosoever shall confess. He repeats the truth, that we are
united to God by Christ, and that we cannot be connected with Christ except,
God abides in us. Faith and confession are used indiscriminately in the
same sense; for though hypocrites may wisely boast of faith, yet the apostle
here acknowledges none of those who ordinarily confess, but such as truly
and from the heart believe. Besides, when he says that Jesus is the Son,
of God, he briefly includes the sum and substance of faith; for there is
nothing necessary for salvation which faith finds not in Christ
After having said in general, that men are so united to Christ by faith,
that Christ unites them to God, he subjoined what they themselves had seen
so that he accommodated a general truth to those to whom he was writing.
Then follows the exhortation, to love one another as they were loved by
God. Therefore the order and connection of his discourse is this, — Faith
in Christ, makes God to dwell in men, and we are partakers of this grace;
but as God is love, no one dwells in him except he loves his brethren.
Then love ought to reign in us, since God unites himself to us.
16. And we have known and believed. It is the same as though
he had said, “We have known by believing;” for such knowledge is not. attained
but by faith. But we hence learn how different, is an uncertain or doubtful
opinion from faith. Besides, though he meant here, as I have already said,
to accommodate the last sentence to his readers, yet he defines faith in
various ways. He had said before, that it is to confess that Jesus is the
Son of God; but, he now says, We know by faith God’s love towards us. It
hence appears, that the paternal love of God is found in Christ, and that
nothing certain is known of Christ, except by those who know themselves
to be the children of God by his grace. For the Father sets his own, Son
daily before us for this end, that he may adopt us in him.
God is love. This is as it were the minor proposition in an argument;
for from faith to love he reasons in this way: By faith God dwells in us,
and God is love; then, wherever God abides, love ought to be there. Hence
it follows that love is necessarily connected with faith.
1 John 4:17-18
17. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in
the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.
17. In hoc perfecta est charitas nobiscum, ut fiduciam habaemus
in die judicii, quod sieut ille est, nos quoque sumus in hoc mundo.
18. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear:
because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
18. Timor non est in charitate; sed perfecta charitas foras pellit
timorem: quia timor tormentum habet; qui autem timet, non est perfectus
in charitate.
17. Herein is our love made perfect. There are two clauses in
this passage, — that we are then partakers of divine adoption, when we
resemble God as children their father; and, secondly, that. this confidence
is invaluable, for without it we must be most miserable.
Then in the first place, he shews to what purpose God has in love embraced
us, and how we enjoy that grace manifested to us in Christ.. Then, God’s
love to us is what is to be understood here. He says it is perfected, because
it is abundantly poured forth and really given, that it appears to be complete.
But he asserts that no others are partakers of this blessing; but those
who, by being conformed to God, prove themselves to be his children. It
is, then, an argument taken from what is an inseparable condition.
That we may have boldness. He now begins to shew the fruit of
divine love towards us, though he afterwards shews it more clearly from
the contrary effect. It is, however, an invaluable benefit, that we can
dare boldly to stand before God. By nature, indeed, we dread the presence
of God, and that justly; for, as he is the Judge of the world, and our
sins hold us guilty, death and hell must come to our minds whenever we
think of God. Hence is that dread which I have mentioned, which makes men
shun God as much as they can. But John says that the faithful do not fear,
when mention is made to them of the last judgment, but that on the contrary
they go to God’s tribunal confidently and cheerfully, because they are
assured of his paternal love. Every one, then, has made so much proficiency
in faith, as he is well prepared in his mind to look forward to the day
of judgment.
As he is. By these words, as it has been already said, he meant
that it is required of us at our turn to resemble the image of God. What
God then in heaven is, such he bids us to be in this world, in order that
we may be deemed his children; for the image of God, when it appears in
us, is as it were the seal of his adoption.
But he seems thus to place a part of our confidence on works. Hence
the Papists raise their crests here, as though John denied that we, relying
on God’s grace alone, can have a sure confidence as to salvation without
the help of works. But in this they are deceived, because they do not consider
that the Apostle here does not refer to the cause of salvation, but to
what is added to it. And we readily allow that no one is reconciled to
God through Christ, except he is also renewed after God’s image, and that
the one cannot be disjoined from the other. Right then is what is done
by the Apostle, who excludes from the confidence of grace all those in
whom no image of God is seen; for it is certain that such are wholly aliens
to the Spirit of God and to Christ. Nor do we deny that newness of life,
as it is the effect of divine adoption, serves to confirm confidence, as
a prop, so to speak, of the second order; but in the meantime we ought
to have our foundation on grace alone. Nor indeed does the doctrine of
John appear otherwise consistent with itself; for experience proves, and
even Papists are forced to confess, that as to works they always give an
occasion for trembling. Therefore no one can come with a tranquil mind
to God’s tribunal, except he believes that he is freely loved.
But that none of these things please the Papists, there is no reason
for any one to wonder, since being miserable they know no faith except
that which is entangled with doubts. Besides, hypocrisy brings darkness
over them, so that they do not seriously consider how formidable is God’s
judgment when Christ the Mediator is not present, and some of them regard
the resurrection as fabulous. But that we may cheerfully and joyfully go
forth to meet Christ, we must have our faith fixed on his grace alone.
18. There is no fear. He now commends the excellency of this
blessing by stating the contrary effect, for he says that we are continually
tormented until God delivers us from misery and anguish by the remedy of
his own love towards us. The meaning is, that as there is nothing more
miserable than to be harassed by continual inquietude, we obtain by knowing
God’s love towards us the benefit of a peaceful calmness beyond the reach
of fear. It hence appears what a singular gift of God it is to be favored
with his love. Moreover from this doctrine, he will presently draw an exhortation;
but before he exhorts us to duty, he commends to us this gift of God, which
by faith removes our fear.
This passage, I know, is explained otherwise by many; but I regard what
the Apostle means, not what others think. They say that there is no fear
in love, because, when we voluntarily love God, we are not constrained
by force and fear to serve him. Then according to them, servile fear is
here set in opposition to voluntary reverence; and hence has arisen the
distinction between servile and filial fear. I indeed allow it to be true,
that when we willingly love God as a Father, we are no longer constrained
by the fear of punish-merit; but this doctrine has nothing in common with
this passage, for the Apostle only teaches us, that when the love of God
is by us seen and known by faith, peace is given to our consciences, so
that they no longer tremble and fear.
It may, however, be asked, when does perfect love expel fear, for since
we are endued with some taste only of divine love towards us, we can never
be wholly freed from fear? To this I answer, that, though fear is not wholly
shaken off, yet when we flee to God as to a quiet harbor, safe and free
from all danger of shipwreck and of tempests, fear is really expelled,
for it gives way to faith. Then fear is not so expelled, but that it assails
our minds, but it is so expelled that it does not torment us nor impede
that peace which we obtain by faith.
Fear hath torment. Here the Apostle amplifies still further the
greatness of that grace of which he speaks; for as it is a most miserable
condition to suffer continual torments, there is nothing more to be wished
than to present ourselves before God with a quiet conscience and a calm
mind. What some say, that servants fear, because they have before their
eyes punishment and the rod, and that they do not their duty except when
forced, has nothing to do, as it has been already stated, with what the
Apostle says here. So in the next clause, the exposition given, that he
who fears is not perfect in love, because he submits not willingly to God,
but would rather free himself from his service, does not comport at all
with the context. For the Apostle, on the contrary, reminds us, that it
is owing to unbelief when any one fears, that is, has a disturbed mind;
for the love of God, really known, tranquilizes the heart.
1 John 4:19-21
19. We love him, because he first loved us.
19. Nos diligimus eum, quia prior dilexit nos.
20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar:
for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God
whom he hath not seen?
20. Si quis dicit, Deum diligo; et proximum suum odio habeat, mendax
est: qui enim non dillgit fratrem suum quem videt; Deum quem non videt,
quomodo potest diligere?
21. And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God
love his brother also.
21. Et hoe praeceptum habemus ab ipso, ut qui Deum diligit, diligat
et fratrem suum.
19. We love him. The verb ajgapw~men may be either in the indicative
or imperative mood; but the former is the more suitable here, for the Apostle,
as I think, repeats the preceding sentence, that as God has anticipated
us by his free love, we ought to return to render love to him, for he immediately
infers that he ought to be loved in men, or that the love we have for him
ought to be manifested towards men. If, however, the imperative mood be
preferred, the meaning would be nearly the same, that as God has freely
loved us, we also ought now to love him.
But this love cannot exist, except it generates brotherly love. Hence
he says, that they are liars who boast that they love God, when they hate
their brethren.
But the reason he subjoins seems not sufficiently valid, for it is a
comparison between the less and the greater: If, he says, we love not our
brethren whom we see, much less can we love God who is invisible. Now there
are obviously two exceptions; for the love which God has to us is from
faith and does not flow from sight, as we find in 1 Peter 1:8; and secondly,
far different is the love of God from the love of men; for while God leads
his people to love him through his infinite goodness, men are often worthy
of hatred. To this I answer, that the Apostle takes here as granted what
ought no doubt to appear evident to us, that God offers himself to us in
those men who bear his image, and that he requires the duties, which he
does not want himself, to be performed to them, according to Psalm 16:2,
where we read,
“My goodness reaches not to thee, O Lord;
towards the saints who are on the earth is my love.”
And surely the participation of the same nature, the need of so many
things, and mutual intercourse, must allure us to mutual love, except;
we are harder than iron. But John meant another thing: he meant to shew
how fallacious is the boast of every one who says that he loves God, and
yet loves not God’s image which is before his eyes.
21. And this commandment. This is a stronger argument, drawn
from the authority and doctrine of Christ; for he not, only gave a commandment
respecting the love of God, but bade us also to love our brethren. We must
therefore so begin with God, as that there may be at the same time a transition
made to men.
