1 João 2
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:7-11
Constable - see discussion of Unusual Teachings of Hodges), basing their interpretation on John's use of "brother," reasoning this has to refer to a believer. The majority of conservative commentators (and sermons) favor the interpretation that John is describing the behavior of one who professes to be a believer and yet who continually conducts themselves as an unbeliever (continually hating their brother). Compare 1 John 4:20+ which is similar - "If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. David Smith - He says and perhaps thinks he is in the light, but he has never seen the light; it has never shone on him. (ED: Beloved, this is an excellent description of DECEPTION-when you are deceived, you don't even know that you are deceived! Remember Heb 3:13!) (1 John 2 - The Expositor's Greek Testament) Paul Apple - The claim to be "in the light" is a simple claim to be a Christian. We shouldn't be gullible and assume that all professors of faith are genuine partakers of Christ. (Outline Commentary) Robert Yarbrough - Being in the light means being in fellowship with both God and other believers as the result of the cleansing effected by Christ’s death (1Jn 1:7). It is a condition made possible by the nature of God, who is light (like Christ himself; John 12:46), as the gospel message goes forth and is received (1John 1:5). It is fitting and natural that believers should openly claim their allegiance to the light that is God and Christ; 1 John is itself an extended example of such testimony. But the claim can be bogus… The claim is one thing; the reality is something else… Such a person’s spiritual and practical condition is out of conformity with salvation-historical possibility… and indeed divine expectation. In 1Jn 2:11 John elaborates on this sorry state. (See 1-3 John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) If you hate your brother, no matter what you profess,you are still in darkness. Notice he did not say you may be a real Christian who has fallen into darkness H A
1 João 2:16
Constable writes that "The lust of the flesh is the desire to do something apart from the will of God. The lust of the eyes is the desire to have something apart from the will of God. The pride of life is the desire to be something apart from the will of God. The first desire appeals mainly to the body, the second to the soul, and the third to the spirit. Perhaps the most common manifestation of the lust of the flesh in modern western civilization is illicit sex (hedonism, idolizing pleasure). Perhaps the most common manifestation of the lust of the eyes is excessive buying (materialism, idolizing possessions). Perhaps the most common manifestation of the pride of life is trying to control (egoism, idolizing power). (1 John Expository Notes) (Bolding, color and italics added for emphasis) The lust of the flesh was Israel's problem from the outset of her liberation from bondage in Egypt… Ps 78:18 And in their heart they put God to the test By asking food according to their desire. Note: Acting on the lust of the flesh is to put God to the test! Ps 78:30 Before they had satisfied their desire, While their food was in their mouths, 31 The anger of God rose against them And killed some of their stoutest ones, And subdued the choice men of Israel. Lust (1939) (epithumia from epi = at, toward {the preposition "epi-" in the compound is directive conveying the picture of "having one’s passion toward"} + thumos = passion. Cognate verb epithumeo means to set heart upon) is a neutral term denoting the presence of strong desires or impulses, longings or passionate craving (whether it is good or evil is determined by the context) directed toward an object. Drive/passion directed at an object (epi = toward) most often in NT describes depraved cravings and inner vile unrestrained desires from our fallen flesh nature. There are a few occasions where that can mean a craving for the right thing but usually a bad thing in the NT uses. Lusts denote the varied cravings of fallen human nature pursued in the interest of self in self-sufficient independence of God. (Click article in ISBE) Two of the Ten Commandments are warnings against covetousness, which is expressed in the LXX by the verb epithumeo: “You shall not desire (Lxx - epithumeo) your neighbor’s wife; you shall not desire (Lxx - epithumeo) your neighbor’s house” (Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21) Hiebert sums up the meaning of epithumia in the 3 uses in 1Jn 2:16, 17 - "Lust" is here collective, denoting the varied cravings of fallen human nature pursued in the interest of self in self-sufficient independence from God. . The genitive "of the flesh" is not objective, "lust for the flesh," but subjective, the lust which has its seat in "the flesh," man's fallen nature with its disposition of hostility toward God (Westcott = the desire of the flesh, the desire of which the flesh is the seat.) Plummer calls attention to the fact that John did not say "the lust of the body." The cravings which God has placed in the human body in themselves are not sinful; they are God-given and essential for continuance of life here on earth. But they readily be-come sinful when used for illegitimate ends. The reference is to those temptations that arise from within. (The Epistles of John An Expositional Commentary D. Edmond Hiebert) (See Hiebert's Excellent Online Paper on 1 John 2:2-17 in Bibliotheca Sacra) Epithumia is used 38 times in the NAS - coveting, 2; desire, 4; desires, 8; earnestly, 1; impulses, 1; long, 1; lust, 5; lustful, 1; lusts, 15 (NASB). Other versions translate epithumia as strong impulses or desires, yearnings, longings after. Mk. 4:19; Lk. 22:15; Jn. 8:44; Rom. 1:24; 6:12; 7:7, 8; 13:14; Gal. 5:16, 24; Eph. 2:3; 4:22; Phil. 1:23; Col. 3:5; 1 Thess. 2:17; 4:5; 1 Tim. 6:9; 2 Tim. 2:22; 3:6; 4:3; Titus 2:12; 3:3; James. 1:14, 15; 1 Pet. 1:14; 2:11; 4:2, 3; 2 Pet. 1:4; 2:10, 18; 3:3; 1 Jn. 2:16, 17; Jude 1:16, 18; Rev. 18:14 W. E. Vine summarizes epithumia as follows: epithumia denotes "strong desire" of any kind, the various kinds being frequently specified by some adjective (see below). The word is used of a good desire only in Lk 22:15; Phil 1:23 [note]; 1Thes 2:17 [note]. Everywhere else it has a bad sense. In Ro 6:12 [note] the injunction against letting sin reign in our mortal body to obey the "lust" thereof, refers to those evil desires which are ready to express themselves in bodily activity. They are equally the "lusts" of the flesh, Ro 13:14 [note]; Gal 5:16 [note], Gal 5:24 note]; Eph 2:3 [note]; 2Pe 2:18 [note]; 1Jn 2:16, a phrase which describes the emotions of the soul, the natural tendency towards things evil. Such "lusts" are not necessarily base and immoral, they may be refined in character, but are evil if inconsistent with the will of God. Other descriptions besides those already mentioned are: "of the mind," Ephesians 2:3 [note]; "evil (desire)," Colossians 3:5 [note]; "the passion of," 1Thessalonians 4:5 [note], RV; "foolish and hurtful," 1Ti 6:9; "youthful," 2Ti 2:22 [note]; "divers," 2Ti 3:6 [note]; Titus 3:3 [note]; "their own," 2Ti 4:3 [note]; 2Pe 3:3 [note]; Jude 1:16; "worldly," Titus 2:12 [note]; "his own," Jas 1:14 [note]; "your former," 1P 1:14 [note], RV; "fleshly," 1Pe 2:11 [note]; "of men," 1Pe 4:2 [note]; "of defilement," 2Pe 2:10 [note]; "of the eyes," 1Jn 2:16; of the world ("thereof"), 1Jn 2:17; "their own ungodly," Jude 1:18. In Re 18:14 [note] "(the fruits) which thy soul lusted after" is, lit., "of thy soul's lust." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Vine adds that lust - describes the inner motions of the soul, the natural tendency of men in their fallen estate toward things evil and toward things forbidden." Vine further adds that the phrase the lust of the flesh "stands for the temptation which proceeds from our corrupt nature, a nature which, owing to sin, stands opposed to the will and commandments of God. (Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson) Sin within fallen man is often personified in Paul's writings and is portrayed as an organized power [think of SIN as an evil "king" for example] which ever seeks to rule our will and act out through the members of the body. Thus we see Paul explain that "Sin (the source of the desires)… produced in (him) coveting (epithumia) of every kind." (Ro 7:8+) Lusts occur in our mind and are not actually physical actions per se although they may (and frequently do) lead to physical actions. Thus James warns us of the evil character of "lusts" writing that "each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (Jas 1:14,15+) We can't afford to play with fire Nor tempt a serpent's bite; We can't afford to think that sin Brings any true delight. -- Anon. Warren
1 João 2:24
Constable: Anyone who selfishly lives for himself or herself loses his or her life in the sense that he or she wastes it. Nothing really good comes from it. Conversely anyone who hates his or her life in the sense of disregarding one’s own desires to pursue the welfare of another will gain something for that sacrifice. He or she will gain true life for self and blessing for the other person. Jesus contrasted the worthlessness of what one sacrifices now with the value of what one gains by describing the sacrifice as something temporal and the gain as something eternal. (John 12 - Expository Notes) John 12:34 The crowd then answered Him, "We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'? Who is this Son of Man?" John 12:46 "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. Comment: Clearly meno here means to continue in spiritual darkness and is descriptive of all who refuse to believe in Jesus. "Apart from Christ, men are in deepest darkness. They do not have a right understanding of life, death, or eternity. But those who come to Christ in faith no longer grope about for the truth, because they have found the truth in Him." (MacDonald(BORROW Believer's Bible Commentary) John 14:10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Comment: Jesus is describing His oneness with the Father and speaks of a living relationship. Meno in this context describes a close, intimate and permanent relationship between the Father and the Son. Marvin