1 João 2
John Calvin · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:1-6
Calvin comments that "The intercession of Christ is a continual application of his death for our salvation." Wuest sees the truth in this verse as a strong deterrent to saints to soberly remember when in the midst of strong temptation to commit sin, writing that "Our Advocate is always in fellowship with the Father in order that if the saint loses fellowship with Him through cherished and unconfessed sin, He might plead our cause on the basis of His precious blood, and bring us back into fellowship again. The word “facing” (with - pros) brings us to this solemn thought, that when we saints sin, the Lord Jesus must face the Father with us (OR FOR US) and our sin.The saint has been saved in His precious blood so that he may be able to keep from sinning, and when he does sin, he wounds the tender heart of the Saviour, and forces Him to face God the Father with that saint whom He has saved in His precious blood. How that should deter us from committing acts of sin! (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Steven
1 João 2:12-14
Calvin put it (Calvin’s Commentaries [Baker], p. 182), “having faithfully spoken of good works, lest he should seem to give them more importance than he ought to have done, he carefully calls us back to contemplate the grace of Christ.” Six times John uses the perfect tense in the explanatory (“because”) clauses. It describes action completed in the past with ongoing results. John Stott (BORROW The Letters of John p. 98) explains, “John is laying emphasis on the assured standing into which every Christian has come, whatever his stage of spiritual development.” To grow, we must be assured and encouraged about what God has done and is doing in our lives. In many ways this is a difficult text to understand. It raises several questions: (1) Why does John use “write” in the present tense three times and then shift to the aorist three times? (The NIV obscures this, translating them all the same.) (2) Why does he use different terms for “children”? (The NIV also obscures this; I recommend that you use the NASB or the ESV as a study Bible.) (3) Why does he say the particular things that he says with each group? Is there a reason for each emphasis? (4) Why does he repeat the exact words about the fathers, and almost repeat identical information about the other groups? (5) Why does he use the sequence: children, fathers, young men, rather than a chronological one? (Encouragement for the Family of God 1 John 2:12-14) John
1 João 2:18-23
Calvin - 'Everyone who denies the Son, has not the Father either' (1John 4:2-3); 'inasmuch as God hath given Himself to us wholly to be enjoyed in Christ.' Jude warned that "certain persons have crept in unnoticed (secretly, stealthily, subtly insinuating themselves), those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly (corrupt in doctrine, depraved in conduct) persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness (unrestrained vice, gross immorality) and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4) Paul described individuals in Crete who "(present tense continually) profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny (present tense = the habit of their life, continually disown and renounce) Him (by their actions), being detestable (loathsome, root word means to "stink"!) and disobedient, and worthless (unable to do anything that pleases God) for any good deed." (Titus 1:16+) Guy King (Ibid) summarizes what antichrists deny about Jesus - Movements and teaching professing to be Christian who yet "[deny] the Son" (1Jn 2:23) - some deny His Deity, - some deny His miracles, - some deny His virgin birth, - some deny His Word, - some deny His atoning death, - some deny His bodily resurrection, - some deny His personal return. David
1 João 2:24
Calvin - Here is the fruit of perseverance, that they in whom God’s truth remains (abides), remain (abide) in God. We hence learn what we are to seek in every truth pertaining to religion (Ed: Specifically the Gospel of Jesus Christ). He therefore makes the greatest proficiency, who makes such progress as to wholly cleave to God. But he in whom the Father does not dwell through his Son, is altogether vain and empty, whatever knowledge he may possess. Moreover, this is the highest commendation of sound doctrine, that it unites us to God, and that in it is found whatever pertains to the real fruition of God. (1 John 2 - John Calvin's Commentaries on the Bible) James
1 João 2:24
Calvin - This is the true way of profiting, when the word of God takes root in us, so that, being impressed on our hearts, it has its fixed abode there. Christ affirms that the heavenly doctrine has no place among the Jews, because they do not receive the Son of God, on whom it everywhere bestows commendation. And justly does he bring this reproach against them; for it was not in vain that God spake by Moses and the Prophets. Moses had no other intention than to invite all men to go straight to Christ; and hence it is evident that they who reject Christ are not the disciples of Moses. Bible Knowledge Commentary - Jesus’ opponents are ignorant of God. They have no vision of God and no communication with Him. His Word is His message of salvation. This message had not been received by them (does not dwell [menonta, from menō, “remain, abide”] in them) because they had rejected Jesus. Cambridge Greek Testament - One who had the Word abiding in his heart could not reject Him to Whom that Word bears witness. 1 John 2:14; 1 John 2:24. John 6:27 "Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for (term of explanation - What is Jesus explaining?) on Him the Father, God, has set His seal." Comment: Food is a metaphor in this context for the Word of God (1Pe 1:23-25-note, cp "living water" Jn 4:10, 14) and speaks of the difference between the physical and spiritual realities. The Jews saw and understood only the former (literal bread) (cp 2Cor 4:18-note). The Jews were seeking Jesus because of what they could get from Him in a materialistic sense (see Jn 6:26), but sadly not in an eternal sense, especially eternal life. James wrote about the futility of riches (James 1:11-12-note). Compare the passing nature of this world and its lusts (1Jn 2:17-note) and Jesus' admonition in Mt 6:19-21-note. By using the verb "work" Jesus was not saying we earn salvation as he NET Note: Note the wordplay on “work” here. This does not imply “working” for salvation, since the “work” is later explained (in John 6:29) as “to believe in the one whom he (the Father) sent.”
1 João 2:28-29
Calvin - Those who indulge in their vices without a care are in effect turning their backs on God; nor can they obtain peace in any other way but by forgetting him. This is the security of the flesh, which stupefies people, so that, turning away from God, they neither dread nor fear death; and in the meantime they shun Christ’s tribunal. But a godly conscience delights to look at God. Thus godly people calmly wait for Christ and do not dread his coming. Hiebert picks up on Brown's analysis and explains that "Those who take the verb as passive understand John to mean that the shame comes from Him, that they will be openly put to shame by Christ. Thus Marshall (Borrow The Epistles of John NICNT - 1974) remarks, “For them the coming of Jesus will mean judgment and rejection.… Those who will be ashamed when he comes are the people who did not live in union with him on earth, those who were merely nominal in their allegiance to him, and their rejection at his coming will be the final confirmation of a life of spiritual separation from him.” But others hold that in this context the middle voice is more probable, as depicting the feeling of personal shame of those who have fluctuated in their devotion and service and have allowed things to come into their lives which they will then recognize as evoking Christ’s disapproval. This is suggested in the rendering “shrink away from Him in shame” (NASB). “This intimates divine disapproval at the judgment seat of Christ, referred to in 4:17–19.” Then the picture is not of an unsaved individual but of a born-again believer who has allowed sin in his life because of slackness in his relationship with Christ. In support of this view is the first-person, plural subject of the verb, as denoting John and his readers." (1 John 2:18-28 Exposition) Robert Cameron - John wants these “little children” to have confidence, and not to be shamed away from him at his coming. The figure is that of a loving child, conscious of disloyalty or disobedience when brought into the presence of a father. He does not want us to shrink as a guilty thing surprised. (The First Epistle of John, or, God Revealed in Life, Light, and Love,1899) Warren Wiersbe sees shrink away from Him as related to rewards - Some Christians will be “ashamed before Him at His presence” (1 John 2:28). All believers are “accepted,” but there is a difference between being “accepted” and being “acceptable.” A disobedient child who goes out and gets dirty will be accepted when he comes home, but he will not be treated as though he were acceptable. “Therefore also we have as our ambition... to be pleasing to Him” (2 Cor. 5:9, nasb). A Christian who has not walked in fellowship with Christ in obedience, love, and truth will lose his rewards; and this will make him ashamed. No matter in which direction a Christian looks, he finds reason to obey God. If he looks back, he sees Calvary, where Christ died for him. If he looks within, he sees the Holy Spirit who lives within and teaches him the truth. If he looks around, he sees his Christian brethren whom he loves; he also sees a world lost in sin, desperately needing his godly witness. And if he looks ahead, he sees the return of Christ! “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). The return of Christ is a great inspiration for godly living. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Gary Burge - Christ’s appearance will produce two reactions. Some people will experience confidence, while others will experience shame. Literally, the latter group will “shrink from him,” while the former will enjoy confidence and assurance, even poise....John’s warning about shame is not meant to threaten Christians, who are born of God. He is here addressing those who stand in opposition to Jesus, for whom his climactic coming will be a catastrophe of the first order. (See The Letters of John - Volume 62 - Page 145) J Vernon McGee sees shrink away from Him as related to rewards - A great many people are talking about the coming of Christ, and they get very excited about it; but it certainly is going to be embarrassing for them because they will not have any confidence and they are going to be ashamed before Him at His coming. Why? Because of their lives. The Lord Jesus says, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be” (Rev. 22:12+). Many people will look around for their reward, and they will find that they haven’t got any. Paul wrote, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” ( 1 Cor. 3:15). It is very important to have a life that commends the gospel....The Rapture is not going to be such a thrilling event for a great many believers because of the lives they lived down here. (See Thru the Bible Vol. 56: The Epistles (1 John) Gary Derickson sees shrink away from Him as related to rewards - Of note is John’s inclusion of himself with the first person plural (Lieu, 116). He is not warning about losing one’s salvation or being declared unregenerate by Christ at His appearing. Rather, he is describing the emotional response a believer will have when brought before Christ at His appearing. Every believer, including John, will have one of two responses to Jesus when they stand in His presence for the first time: the believer either will be comfortable in His presence or will be looking for somewhere to hide in humiliation (ED: I DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS INTERPRETATION BASED ON Jude 1:24+)....the judgment alluded to here must be what has been labeled the Bema Seat judgment of Christ, described by Paul in Rom 14:10–13, 1 Cor 3:10–15 and 2 Cor 5:9–11 (ED: SOME FAVOR THIS INTERPRETATION BUT OTHERS SEE UNBELIEVERS SHRINKING FOR THEY KNOW ETERNAL PUNISHMENT IS THEIR LOT). In this judgment every deed of every believer will be judged (ED: BUT NOT FOR SIN BECAUSE JESUS PAID IN FULL!). In 1 Cor that judgment will evaluate the quality of their impact in the lives of others, what value they added to the foundation of Christ in each believer’s life. Paul warns that some believers will find all of their works burned but will themselves be saved “as through fire,” having lost everything. Further, he notes that believers who understand the significance of this judgment from Christ will “fear” Him and persuade men to get right with Him. John, in describing this same judgment does not distinguish Jesus’ two comings (rapture and return), but points to the one judgment believers face. He next explains what will determine how one feels when facing Jesus for the first time as our righteous judge. (1, 2 & 3 John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary) B F Westcott sees shrink away from Him not as related to rewards but as eternal punishment - The same thought of separation is found more plainly expressed 2Th 1:9. The construction shame from (aischunthomen apo) is used in the same sense in the LXX: Isa 1:29 (Lxx uses aischunomai and epaischunomai); Jer. 2:36 (Lxx uses kataischuno), Jer 12:13 (Lxx uses virtually the identical phrase as John - aischunthete apo). Simon Kistemaker agrees with Westcott writing that "Believers do not turn in shame from Christ, for they know that their sins have been forgiven. They are free from shame. But those who have pretended to be Christians cannot stand in the revealing light of his coming. They cannot hide their shame." (New Testament Commentary - James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude) Bruce Barton also agrees with Westcott writing "There are two responses that people will have when Christ returns: 1. Those who are confident can approach him in boldness. They know their relationship is secure in him because they confess him as Christ (1Jn 2:22) and abide in him (1Jn 2:24, 27–28). They have no reason to dread his judgment. 2. Those who are ashamed will be afraid. Those who reject Christ will be rejected by him in the final judgment. (borrow Life application New Testament commentary) C. Crain - The one who professes to have, but has not, life in the Son, will be ashamed in His presence when He appears. The false claim and its presumption will be shamed away from Christ’s presence (1Jn 2:28). (Readings on the First Epistle of John) Marvin Vincent on not shrink away from Him in shame (aischunomai) - The expression is peculiar. Literally, “be ashamed from Him.” The fundamental thought is that of separation and shrinking from God through the shame of conscious guilt. The same construction is found in the Septuagint. Isa. 1:29, “They shall be ashamed from their idols.” Jer. 2:36, “Thou shalt be ashamed of (from) Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of (from) Assyria.” Jer. 12:13. (1 John 2 Word Studies in the New Testament) NET Note - Anyone who does not ‘remain’ (abide) demonstrates (just as the opponents demonstrated by their departure from the community in 1Jn 2:19) that whatever profession he has made is false and he is not truly a believer. No one who professes to believe the gospel but then permanently abandons the faith possesses eternal life John