1 João 2
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:1-6
Vernon McGee - I would call this very plain talk! In the previous verse John has said that we know that we know Him—this is the positive side. We know by experience in contrast to the esoteric knowledge of the Gnostics. Now he presents the negative side: disobedience to Christ is a proof that we do not know Him. This is plain and direct language. Disobedience to Christ on the part of a professing Christian is tantamount to being a liar. In other words, his life is a lie. There are a great many people who say they are children of God, but are they?. It is one thing to say you are a child of God, and it is another thing to be a possessor of eternal life, to have a new nature that cries out to the Father for fellowship and wants to obey Him. You cannot make me believe that all of these church members who have no love for the Word of God and are disobedient to Christ are really His children. I do not believe they have had the experience of regeneration. John is making it very clear that we know that we know Him because we keep His commandments. (See Thru the Bible Vol. 56: The Epistles 1 John) W E Vine on liar - He is not merely guilty of certain statements and acts of falsehood, but is himself false in his moral state. The order, too, in the last sentence is more emphatic than in 1John 1:8. There it was “truth is not in us”; here it is “and in this man truth is not." (Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) The word liar describes the character of the man whose entire conduct is opposed to the truth. Kistemaker - “The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar.” Although this verse parallels the discussion of the last half of the preceding chapter (1Jn 1:6, 8, 10), where John writes comprehensively about the claim of fellowship with God and the failure to live in the truth, here he quotes an individual. He quotes the person who claims to have come to know (perfect tense) God but who fails to keep (present tense) God’s commands. John calls him a liar. That is, this person is a walking lie who says one thing and does the opposite (compare 1Jn 4:20; Titus 1:16). The word liar describes the character of the man whose entire conduct is opposed to the truth. (Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John: Baker Book House) Nothing is taught in the Word of God more clearly— than that faith in Christ always implies surrender to Christ and obedience to His commands J R Miller - The Scriptures never give us the impression that we can sin with impunity because we are saved by grace, and not by our own good works, or because God is so merciful and forgives so readily. Nothing is taught in the Word of God more clearly—than that faith in Christ always implies surrender to Christ and obedience to His commands. There is no true faith, without obedience. This is made very plain here, "We know that we have come to know Him—if we obey His commands. The man who says, 'I know Him!' but does not do what He commands—is a liar, and the truth is not in him!" 1 John 2:3-4 (Devotional Hours with the Bible) A man may have a speculative knowledge— and be no better than a devil.... They are not intellectually ignorant of Christ— yet they are spiritually ignorant. Puritan Thomas Watson - 1 John 2:4: "He who says, 'I know Him,' and keeps not His commandments, is a liar—and the truth is not in him." A man may have a speculative knowledge—and be no better than a devil. This is the reason why men do not embrace Christ, Who is infinitely lovely, because they do not know His worth. Though they are not intellectually ignorant of Christ—yet they are spiritually ignorant (Ed: Like Judas Iscariot!). To this day the veil is upon their hearts. (The Loveliness of Christ) Barker - In 1Jn 2:3 the author dealt with the general question of how we may have assurance that we know God. Here he deals with those who claim that they know God but at the same time break his commandments. For John knowledge of God is clearly not perceived as academic, theoretical, or speculative but as practical and experiential. It is “a relationship to God, in which the one knowing is determined in his existence (and thus also in his ‘walking,’ his conduct) by God” (Bultmann, p. 25). To claim to know God and at the same time to be disobedient to his commandments is, the author asserts, to lie and be devoid of all truth. (The Expositor's Bible Commentary) James (see Jas 2:14-17+) uses different words to say the same thing - He describes someone who says they have "faith" but they have no good, godly works to authenticate their faith, and the conclusion is that they do not possess true, saving, (eternal) life giving faith but dead lifeless faith. LIKE FATHER LIKE SON! And the truth (aletheia) is (present tense - continually) (ouk - absolutely) not in him - It's as if John wants to make sure we did not miss the seriousness of what he just said, calling this person a liar. And so he adds that the truth is not in him. Jesus said "I am...the Truth" (Jn 14:6) and Paul said believers have "Christ in you the Hope of glory." (Col 1:27). It follows that when John says these individuals do not have "the truth" in them, they do not have the indwelling Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Truth, but are still of their father the devil (cf Jn 8:44 = the father of lies, 1Jn 3:8, 10), and thus behave like his children by lying! People can have no authentic relationship with God if they do not obey His commands. Colin Kruse - The statement, ‘the truth is not in him’, is synonymous with ‘he is a liar’. Underlying this whole verse is the recognition that people can have no authentic relationship with God if they do not obey his commands. This does not mean, of course, that those who know God will never fail to obey God’s commands, but rather that those who know God will not be characterised by disobedience to his commands. (See The Letters of John - Note - Many consider this to be the #1 Commentary on First John - He does not seem to equivocate on John's intended meaning in 1 John 2:4). Paul described some on the isle of Crete who claimed to have come to know Him" and yet denied Him with their lying lives... Titus 1:16+ (cf similar description 2Ti 3:5) They profess (pres tense = continually make this claim!) to know God, but (always pause to ponder the contrasts for they mark a "change of direction") by their deeds (cf they do "not keep His commandments") they deny (pres tense = continually say with their life the do not know) Him, being detestable (derived from bdeo which means "to stink!") and disobedient, and worthless (rejected after examination) for any good deed. A QUESTIONABLE COMMENT ON 1 JOHN 2:4 Here is an example of (in my opinion) a highly questionable comment on 1Jn 2:4 from Dr Thomas Constable (who is often similar to Zane Hodges in his comments and frequently quotes Hodges in a positive light). "1Jn 2:4 - The profession in view, in the light of the context (1Jn 1:6, 8, 10), is evidently another claim to having close relationship with God, not a claim to being saved." (bold added) COMMENT - Dear Berean, do you see the potential problem in Constable's comment? "The one who says" is in fact one who is claiming to be a believer. But Constable is equating not keeping His commandments with one who does not have "close relationship". John is saying (as well as all of the commentaries quoted above) such an individual does not have a relationship AT ALL with Christ. Can you see why this distinction is absolutely critical? Liar (5583) (pseustes from pseudomai = to lie) is one who speaks falsehood, untruth, and so attempts to deceive. The most tragic deception is one's own self. Remember sin is deceiving (Heb 3:13-note) and many who claim to know Jesus, are deceived by their sin and are not known by Jesus (Mt 7:21, 22, 23-note) Thayer adds that pseustes describes "one who breaks faith, a false or faithless man." Webster's 1828 Dictionary definition of LIAR - A person who knowingly utters falsehood; one who declares to another as a fact what he knows to be not true, and with an intention to deceive him. The uttering of falsehood by mistake, and without an intention to deceive, does not constitute one a liar. Colin Brown (editor) - In the NT 15 different words contain the root pseud- (false). These are found in nearly all the NT writings, but whereas the Synoptic Gospels make only very sparing use of them, they play an important role in Johannine and Pauline writings. Besides the simple use of vb., noun and adj. (pseudomai, lie; pseudos, lie; pseustes, liar; pseudes, deceitful), which comprise the major part of the NT instances, there are numerous compound words. These include: pseudadelphos, false brother (2 Cor. 11:26; Gal. 2:4; Brother); pseudapostolos, false apostle (2 Cor. 11:13; Apostle); pseudodidaskalos, false teacher (2 Pet. 2:1; Teach); pseudologos, speaking lies (1 Tim. 4:2); pseudomartyria, false witness (Matt. 15:19; 26:59); pseudomartys, one who gives false witness (Matt. 26:60; 1 Cor. 15:15; Witness); pseudoprophetes, false prophet (Matt. 7:15; 24:11, 24; Mk. 13:22; Lk. 6:26; Acts 13:6; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 4:1; Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10; Prophet); and pseudochristos, false Christ (Matt. 24:24; Mk. 13:22). (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology) PSEUSTES - 10V - Jn. 8:44; Jn. 8:55; Rom. 3:4; 1 Tim. 1:10; Tit. 1:12; 1 Jn. 1:10; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:22; 1 Jn. 4:20; 1 Jn. 5:10 Truth (225)(aletheia from a = indicates following word has the opposite meaning ~ without + lanthano = to be hidden or concealed, to escape notice, cp our English "latent" from Latin = to lie hidden) has the literal sense of that which contains nothing hidden. Aletheia is that which is not concealed. Aletheia is that which that is seen or expressed as it really is. The basic understanding of aletheia is that it is the manifestation of a hidden reality. In Greek philosophy the word often carries the sense of that which really exists, “the reality behind all apparent reality.” Truth then is the correspondence between a reality and a declaration which professes to set forth or describe the reality. To say it another way, words spoken or written are true when they correspond with objective reality. Persons and things are true when they correspond with their profession (which we describe with words like integrity, sincerity, non-hypocritical, etc). In other words, "what you see is what you get". Hence a truth is a declaration which has corresponding reality, or a reality which is correctly set forth. Since God is Himself the great reality, that which correctly sets forth His nature is pre-eminently the Truth of Creation (Natural Revelation) and the Truth of Scripture (Special Revelation). Thus it is not surprising that rebellious, sinful men actively hold down or suppress the Truth of Creation (and the glorious Creator) (Ro 1:18+) and even exchange the truth, the clearly manifested (and objective) reality (Creation) for the lie (Ro 1:25+). Jesus comments on the importance of truth in his reply to Pilate - John 18:37+ (cf 1Jn 3:18, 19) Pilate therefore said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” ALETHEIA - IN JOHN'S WRITINGS - Jn. 1:14; Jn. 1:17; Jn. 3:21; Jn. 4:23; Jn. 4:24; Jn. 5:33; Jn. 8:32; Jn. 8:40; Jn. 8:44; Jn. 8:45; Jn. 8:46; Jn. 14:6; Jn. 14:17; Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:7; Jn. 16:13; Jn. 17:17; Jn. 17:19; Jn. 18:37; Jn. 18:38; 1 Jn. 1:6; 1 Jn. 1:8; 1 Jn. 2:4; 1 Jn. 2:21; 1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:19; 1 Jn. 4:6; 1 Jn. 5:6; 2 Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 1:2; 2 Jn. 1:3; 2 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:1; 3 Jn. 1:3; 3 Jn. 1:4; 3 Jn. 1:8; 3 Jn. 1:12 W E Vine - a comparison should here be made with 1 John 1:6 and might be set out as follows: (a) If we say that we have fellowship with Him, (b) And walk in the darkness, (c) We lie and do not the truth. (a) He that saith, I know Him, (b) And keepeth not His commandments, (c) Is a liar and the truth is not in him. A comparison may further be made with parallel clauses in 1 John 1:6, 8 and 10. The apostle increases the forcefulness of his statement concerning the iniquity of mere profession without conformity in the life, till he here reaches the greatest pitch of severity. In such inconsistency— (a) A person does not the truth—1 John 1:6 (b) The truth is not in him—1 John 1:8 (c) He makes God a liar—1 John 1:10 (d) He is a liar himself and in him the truth is not. Sincerity and Duplicity C H Spurgeon Excerpt from Spurgeon sermon (click here for full sermon) THE Epistles of John possess and combine certain qualities which seem, at the first blush, to stand opposite as the poles to one another. Their style of expression is simple, chaste, and unadorned. Short words are used. For the most part words of one syllable—such little homely words as a young child might easily spell. And the sense is so clear and obvious, that the captious critic or the astute reasoner must be puzzled to distort it. Yet there is no lack of dignity in the language, and as for the matter of these Epistles, it is grand and sublime. Where would you turn in the pages of the New Testament, save only to the book of the Revelation, given by the pen of the same writer, for more notable mystery? The language charms our ears, while the Truth it expresses holds us in awe. There are deep meanings and veiled mysteries here. Albeit the hidden wisdom which baffles finite thought is not couched in strange terms, but declared in such plain speech as trips lightly off the tongue, and yet sinks deeply into the heart. Again, the spirit of John is love, all love. Every line he writes is perfumed with charity. And yet to what close self-examination, to what a severe testing does he put us! How truly may it be said that these Epistles are a touchstone by which we may discern between the true gold and the counterfeit! Generous but discriminating, glowing with affection but rigid in fidelity, the Apostle mingles caution with caress, and qualifies the most soothing consolations with such stern warnings, that in well-near every sentence he constrains us to deep searching of heart. The text is a case in point. With a wise discrimination he draws a contrast between him who knows that he knows Christ, and him who says that he knows Christ. The one he acknowledges, but the other he brands with that hard word, that ignominious title, "a liar," and sends him away as unworthy of further consideration. Not only in this case, but all through his Epistles, John continues to unravel the tangled web of hypocrisy. Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle shapes and seem like Truth! To show the diverging point between facts and sayings, between realities and professions, between those who have, and those who only say that they have, was his constant aim. It may interest you just to open your Bibles and turn to one or two of the passages that illustrate this. In his first chapter, at the sixth verse, he has been speaking of those who walk in the light and have fellowship with God, and he adds, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." Then in the text he speaks of those who know Christ, and he adds, "He that says, I know Him, and keeps not His commandments, is a liar, and the Truth is not in him." And further on, in the ninth verse, speaking of those who have the light, he says, "He that says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now." Not to multiply the instances, there is a notable one in the fourth chapter, at the twentieth verse, "If a man says I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God Whom he has not seen?" So to have a thing, or to boast that you have it—to be, or to pretend to be such-and-such a character—are as opposite as white and black, as light and darkness. Indeed, we scarcely need Revelation to tell us this, for it is so in things secular, and it must be certainly applicable to religion. We meet in common life with persons who say that they are rich, but this does not make them so. They apply for credit and say that they are wealthy when they are worth nothing. Companies will ask for your money with which they may speculate, and they say that they are sound, but they are oftentimes found to be rotten. Though some of them make a very fair show in the prospectus, the result appears very foul in the winding-up of the association. Persons have been known to say that they were of distinguished rank, but when they have had to prove their title before the House of Lords, oftentimes has it been discovered that they have made a mistake. Lunatics in Bethlehem Hospi- tal, near here, have been found by scores to say that they were kings or queens. In the old houses, where madmen were confined, it often happened that some poor creature twisted a crown of straw, put it on his head, and said that he was a monarch. But that did not make him so. No armies arose at his bidding. No fleets crossed the ocean to do his will. No tribute was brought to his feet. He remained a poor pauper madman still, though he said that he was a king. Many a time you have found the difference, in your commercial transactions, between blank saying and positive truth. A man has said that he would meet that bill, or that he would discharge that debt. He has said that the rent should be paid when it was due. He has said a thousand things—and you have found out that it was easy enough for him to say, but it was not quite so easy for you to obtain the doing of it. And when the engagement has been turned to writing, registered, and made as fast as black and white can make it, you have not found it thoroughly reliable, for to say by subscribing a contract or covenant does not always make it certain that a man will fulfill it. To say is not necessarily a pledge of good faith, or a warrant against treachery. Rest assured, then, that if in these temporal matters to say is not the same thing as to be or to do, neither is it so in spiritual things. A minister may say that he is sent of God, and yet be a wolf in sheep's clothing. A man may say that he unites himself to the Church of God, but he may be no better than a hypocrite and an alien who has no part in her fellowship. We may say that we pray, and yet never a prayer may come from our hearts. We may say to our fellow men that we are Christians, and yet we may never have been born again—never have obtained the precious faith of God's elect— never have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. And, Sirs, as you would not be satisfied with merely saying that you are rich. As you want the title-deeds of the broad acres. As you want to hear the coins chink in your box. As you want the real thing, and not the mere saying of it— so, I pray you, be not put off with the mere profession of religion. Be not content with a bare assertion, or think that is enough. Seek to have your own profession verified by the witness of Heaven, as well as by that of your own conscience. It is not written, "He that says he believes shall be saved." But "he that believes and is baptized shall be saved." It is not said that he who says he has confessed shall be forgiven. But "He that confesses and forsakes his sins shall find mercy." Your mere sayers, though they say, "Lord, open to us," and aver that Christ did eat in their streets, shall have for an answer, "I never knew you! Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity." Let us not be gulled and deceived. Let us not be duped and taken in by any notion that saying so makes it so! Take heed, lest with a flattering tongue you do impose on your own soul. Standing in view of that Eye which penetrates the inmost heart, may we learn to distinguish between the mere profession and the full possession of real Grace and vital godliness. The matter in hand tonight, in which this distinction is to be made, is the knowing of Christ. Let us speak first about what it is to know Him, then about knowing that we know Him. And after that, solemnly expostulate with those who merely say that they know Him. 1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: (NASB: Lockman) Greek: hos d' an tere (3SPAI) autou ton logon, alethos en touto e agape tou theou teteleiotai. (3SRPI) en touto ginoskomen (1PPAI) hoti en auto esmen; (1PPAI) Amplified: But he who keeps (treasures) His Word [who bears in mind His precepts, who observes His message in its entirety], truly in him has the love of and for God been perfected (completed, reached maturity). By this we may perceive (know, recognize, and be sure) that we are in Him: (Lockman) ESV: but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: KJV: But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. NIV: But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: (Note: The NIV mistakenly renders this as a conditional sentence. In fact it is a statement). NLT: But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him.
1 João 2:7-11
Vernon McGee - As you look around you today, you will see that the darkness has not passed yet. Ignorance of the Word of God is still much in evidence. The “true light,” who is the Lord Jesus Christ, is breaking upon this world. He still is the most controversial person who has ever lived on the earth. (See Thru the Bible Vol. 56: The Epistles 1 John) H A
1 João 2:7-11
Vernon McGee adds the practical comment that "Walking is not a balloon ascension. A great many people think the Christian life is some great, overwhelming experience and you take off like a rocket going out into space. That’s not where you live the Christian life. Rather, it is in your home, in your office, in the schoolroom, on the street. The way you get around in this life is to walk. You are to walk in Christ. God grant that you and I might be joined to Him in our daily walk. ( Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Every Bible should be bound in shoe-leather. -- D L Moody Ray
1 João 2:16
Vernon McGee has a simple classification for sarx writing that "it can be used in three different ways. It can speak of the body, the physical body that we have, the meat that is on the bones. It can speak of weakness, meaning that which is psychological. It can also mean that corrupt nature which you and I have, that fallen nature. That is the spiritual meaning. So this word can be used in a physical sense, in a psychological sense, and in a spiritual sense. Paul uses the word flesh in all three senses but more frequently in the sense of the old Adamic, fallen nature. (See Thru the Bible Vol. 45: The Epistles 2 Corinthians) John Piper defines flesh (in its moral/ethical sense) as "the old ego that is self-reliant and does not delight to yield to any authority or depend on any mercy. Flesh craves the sensation of self-generated power and loves the praise of men… in its conservative form it produces legalism -- keeping rules by its own power for its own glory… (in its more liberal form) produces grossly immoral attitudes and acts (Gal 5:19, 20, 21-see notes Gal 5:19; 20; 21) The flesh is the proud and unsubmissive root of depravity in every human heart which exalts itself subtly through proud, self-reliant morality, or flaunts itself blatantly through self-assertive, authority-despising immorality. (Read John Piper's full sermon Walk By the Spirit!) Harry
1 João 2:24
Vernon McGee: Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. It will produce something. After a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he will want to “continue in His Word.” The proof of faith is continuing with the Savior. As the pastor of a church, I learned to watch out for the person who is active in the church but is not interested in the study of the Word of God. Such a one is dangerous to a church. (Thru the Bible commentary) Leon
1 João 2:28-29
Vernon McGee asks "Why has He not revealed to us the time of His coming? A Christian ought to live in the light of the imminent coming of Christ. If you tell me today that He is not coming for another ten years (I may not live that long!), then I do not need to worry about today, and I can be a little careless in my living. But if He might come today, if He came right at this moment, He would catch me preparing this Bible study and that would be fine. I hope He will come at a time like that, but I don’t know when He will come. There are times when I get behind a driver who won’t let me around to pass him, and I tell him what I think of him. If the Lord were to come at that moment, I might be ashamed at His appearing. So you and I need to be living all the time in the light of His imminent return. (See Thru the Bible Vol. 56: The Epistles 1 John) Lightner explains that "When" may also be translated "if." John uses the subjunctive mood. This construction does not mean that John was expressing doubt about the fact that Christ will appear. Rather, he was acknowledging that there is uncertainty as to the exact time of His appearing. New Testament saints expected the Lord to come again in their lifetime. They believed in the imminent hope of Christ's return. The doctrine of the Lord's return was part of the primitive apostolic faith. Paul used four words (in verbal or substantive form) to describe it—Christ's coming (Greek, parousia), His appearing (Greek, phanerosis related to phaneroo), His epiphany (Greek, epiphaneia), and His revelation (Greek, apokalupsis). Of these John uses the first two in this verse (1Jn 2:28). There is ample evidence in the papyri that at that time in the East the word was the usual expression for the visit of a king or emperor. Parousia means literally "presence," and the two words together imply that our Lord's return will involve the personal presence of one now absent, the visible appearing of one now unseen." (Twenty-First Century Biblical Commentary Series: 1-3 John) Steven