1 João 5

Oecumenius

1 João 5:1

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. And whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. John confirms the discourse again with others, thereby strengthening it in a certain way: If we have received the command from the Master to love one another mutually, surely if we believe that our Master and Teacher is Jesus Christ, who is Christ in the same way that God and man are: we shall also observe his commandments as both a Teacher and as God. Furthermore, believing him to be God, we are called his children: just as it is said in the Gospels: "But as many as received him, that is, as many as believed in him, he gave them the power to become the children of God." (Jn. 1:12) If, therefore, we are born of him, we shall also fulfill what is fitting for him who begot us. What is this? That we love him who created us, since it follows from the nature of children that they love their parents. Since this is the case, all of us who have believed are born of the same. If we are born of the same, we are also indebted to love one another: both because we are brothers and because we are born of the same. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:2

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep his commandments. And John adds this persuasion: that whoever loves the one who created him loves also the one who is born of him. Then he uses a change of discourse and says that love for brothers or the children of God confirms love for Him who created. For John previously said: "he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 Jn. 4:21):" now, however, in an inverted discourse, he says that whoever loves the children of God also loves God: and he places the sign of love for God as love for the brother. Then he also says that love for God brings about the observance of His commandments: rightly saying this: for "Whoever loves me," says the Savior, "keeps my commandments."(Jn. 14:21 — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome. "For this is the love of God." In the superlative (ὑπερθατῷ), that what is proposed should be understood in this way: For this is the love of God that we keep His commandments, because whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Furthermore, and his commandments are not burdensome, it has been interpolated. "and His commandments are not burdensome." Not as Christ said, "My yoke is easy (Matt. 11:30);" thus He Himself said that the commandments are light, but that they are not burdensome: for to him who is brought to virtue, even what is light is considered very heavy; just as to one who has lost strength and health, everything that makes for good, even what is very light, seems heavy. Indeed, because the commandments of God seemed burdensome to some, as they are God's, for this reason He says that His commandments are not burdensome. For what burden is there in loving a brother? Furthermore, what burdensome does it cause to visit one who is in prison? For he does not command to free him who is in prison, which would be difficult, but only to visit; nor does he command to free the sick from their illness, but only to visit; nor does he command to set a lavish table for the hungry, nor to provide clothing to the naked prepared with unnecessary embellishment; but he requires what provides necessary use for him who is hungry or naked. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. After he has arranged these things in this way, he adds to what has already been said another thing that leads to the showing of love, what is that? Victory (ὴν νίκην). For John says: you who establish yourselves as sons of God by love for your neighbor, you already have this that accompanies that excellent deed, namely, to conquer the world; For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. Then John adds victory, and what is the cause of victory, and he says that both agree with faith, namely, that which is towards God, which also born of God, has conquered and driven away all disbelief; neither Jew, nor Greek, nor Heretic can do anything against it. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:5

Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? And since faith does not conquer alone, but together with the one who possesses it, John adds: "And who is it that overcomes the world, except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" But who is this Jesus? "He who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ". (1 Jn. 5:6) — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:6

This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ: not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is the truth. Since John also remembered the birth of children, saying: "Everything that is born of God" (1 Jn. 5:4): these things, however, happen to us through sacred baptism; therefore he says: "This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ." And for what purpose did he come? To renew us and make us children of God. For this is also understood as a consequent statement, so that this is the meaning. "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world." But how was it born? He says, by water and blood. Indeed, Jesus Christ who came renews through water and blood. John adds again, repeating the statement, saying: not by water only, namely regenerating, but by water and blood. For he wishes first to show the name of Christ who adopted us: since the man who was in him, the first adopted by God, also gave us through his adoption such dignity, which has been demonstrated three times: namely in the baptism in the Jordan, when the heavenly Father testified that he who was being baptized was his beloved Son. (Matt. 3:17) But who was he that entered the water except the man who was taken up together with the Word of God? Certainly, he who appeared in secret, for he needed a testimony. Therefore, by the water, that is, in the baptism that takes place through water, the Son of God, Jesus, was demonstrated to be so by the testimony of the Father. And by the blood, when he was to be crucified, he said: "Glorify me, Father," (Jn. 17:1) and a voice was heard: "And I have glorified and will glorify again;" (Jn. 12:28) which those who heard thought to be thunder. By the Spirit, however, when He rose from the dead as God. For it is left to God alone to raise Himself. Furthermore, by the term Spirit, God is signified: since the Spirit is God. (Jn. 4:24) — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:8

For there are three that bear witness: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three are one. Therefore, since three bear witness to Jesus' adoption, namely baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection, there is no uncertainty in the Lord's adoption: by which adoption He also granted us, as He who was the first fruits of the entire human mass (Rom. 11:16), to be children of God. And these three are united in one Christ: for this is what it signifies, saying: "These three are one," that is, as a testimony concerning Christ. It should be noted that some of the fathers received the Spirit, not because of the resurrection, but the Father Himself when He cried out in the Jordan: "This is my beloved Son (Matt. 17:5);" because God is also called Spirit, as we have predicted. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:9

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: for this is the testimony of God, which he has testified of his Son. Having said these things, he adds a persuasion of the things that are said, by a lesser argument, saying: If we receive the testimony of men about any common matter, ought we not to receive the testimony from God who is greater? Indeed, is not this testimony about His Son or Christ from God? — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:10-11

He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he does not believe the testimony that God has given of his Son. And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life: and this life is in his Son. Therefore, whoever believes in the Son of God, that He is God as the Son of God, has testimony in himself, that is, in himself, believing that he too has been adopted by God through Jesus, the adopted one. Whoever does not believe the truth is subject to two evils, namely disbelief, making God a liar: and furthermore depriving himself of adoption, and thus also of eternal life, which Christ has promised to those who would be adopted by Him: which he also has in himself as it is written in the Gospel: "In Him was life." (Jn. 1:4) — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:12

He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. Therefore, whoever has the Son through holy baptism has life. For as many as we have been baptized into Christ, we have also, according to His command, put on Christ. But whoever does not have the Son of God through baptism does not have life, but is dead. For indeed, receiving the dead through sins, He awakens them through holy baptism. (Rom. 6:4) How? As it has often been said, that having been buried with Christ through the immersion that takes place in baptism, he is dead to the world (Gal. 6:14; Col. 2:20), or to worldly desires, and now lives not for himself, but for Christ (Gal. 2:20), walking according to His commandments in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), and no longer giving sin an opportunity to enter covertly. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:13

I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God: that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe in the name of the Son of God. As if in a summary at the end, John repeats the aforementioned and says: I have written these things to you as heirs of eternal life: for these things would not be written for those who do not live according to the hope of eternal life: because neither should holy things be given to dogs nor pearls be scattered before pigs, (Matt. 7:6) for they do not deserve praise. Therefore, writing these things as heirs of eternal life, John briefly repeats, as we have said, suggesting to them what has already been said: first, that it is necessary to firmly believe in the name of the Son of God, that is, in the divine worship handed down to us by Him: for this is what the name of the Son of God signifies, as we have said, to whom, namely, the grace of sacred baptism prepares the way. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. Then, since there is no other sign of this unquestionable faith except trust, which we find in Him through irreproachable faith, as we have also said before. Again, He has set a sign of this trust, that we are not to be frustrated in all that is asked of us. But since not everyone achieves all that they ask for, nor are they always heard in what they request, He adds: according to His will: revealing indeed that the one asking, outside the will of the Master, is not to be heard, in accordance with blessed James: for he also said, "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives," (James 4:3) that is, as it does not benefit you. However, converting this sign into a clearer indication, John says: "And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him:" saying something like this: If we ask according to His will, He hears us: and if He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we make our requests according to His will, and we have in ourselves the requests that we have asked. These, however, are His kingdom and righteousness (Matt. 6:33): which He also commanded us to ask for. Having said this, He also clearly proposes something of what He wants us to ask according to God's will. For the entire letter is largely about extolling love for the brother and expressing the desire that we keep our love for the brother incorrupt, John now says that this is one of his wills, that "if anyone sees his brother sinning not unto death, he should ask, and it will be given to him." (1 Jn. 5:16) And what will be given? "Eternal life." To whom? "Those who sin not unto death." — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:16-17

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin not leading to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death; I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. "If anyone sees his brother sinning." This is one will. For it is righteous to feel compassion for the brother who has sinned and to be of help for salvation. "There is a sin leading to death." Let this be the order: There is a sin that leads to death, and there is a sin that does not lead to death. I do not say that one should pray for the one that leads to death, but for the one that does not lead to death. Then he explains the distinction making between the sin that leads to death and the one that does not lead to death. For John simply divides it as a kind of sin and says: All unrighteousness is sin: whether it leads to death or does not lead to death. But because it is unto death, let him not pray or ask, for he will not be heard because he asks with wrong motives (James 4:3), especially when he shows no sign of conversion. For this alone is the sin that leads death, which does not regard repentance: when Judas fell ill with this, he was taken to eternal death. And those also sin that leads death who are mindful of injuries. For the paths of those who remember injuries lead to death (Prov. 12:28 LXX.), says Solomon. Nor do they convert by remembering, retaining the memory of injuries, and keeping anger against their neighbor, but they sin without repentance. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:18

We know that whoever is born of God does not sin, but he who has been born of God guards (τηρεῖ) himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. Having declared this, he subsequently indicates whose sin is the sin leads to death; and he says that whoever is born of God does not sin. For when he has once entrusted himself to the one dwelling in him through adoption in Christ, he remains inaccessible to sin. However, lest anyone think that such a nature has been completely changed, so that he can no longer be seized by sin, he adds: "He guards himself," as if to say: Unless he were to keep and guard himself from the evil one, he would certainly sin. Therefore, it is not nature that leads to perfection, but rather the glory of God, who, because He has adopted us, has deemed us worthy of such grace: that by keeping and guarding what has been given to us by Him, we may also have it, so that we do not sin. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:19

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. For unless it were so, since the world is established in evil (and the world refers to those who have not committed themselves to God through good works), nothing would prevent us from being examined along with those who perish: because the mind of man is continually inclined to evil from early youth, as God revealed during the time of the flood. (Gen. 8:22) — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:20

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. But since, John says, the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding by which we may know the true God through internal understanding, and be in His true Son Jesus Christ: we have come to know through this glory that He is the true God and eternal life, and by knowing we are safe from the onslaught of evil and its offenses. "This is the true God." This, also, serves as a demonstrative article. Here, the article indicates relationship. — Commentary on 1 John

1 João 5:21

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. "keep yourself from idols." Some have questioned: If John writes this to the perfect, why does he now command them to beware of idols? We therefore say that because he wrote to the whole Church, which was not made up of a select people, but there were also some among them who were less affected. Therefore, he commands all these, looking at their slippery nature. — Commentary on 1 John