João 1
Thomas Constable · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 1:9
Constable - The Quakers… use this verse to support their doctrine of the “inner light.” They believe that God has placed some revelation in the heart of every person. A person can elicit that revelation by meditation. This is not general but special revelation. Their view is very close to the charismatic belief that God gives new revelation today. Non-Charismatics see no basis in Scripture for this view. We believe that while God now illuminates the revelation that He has previously given He does not give new revelation now. Blaise Pascal said "There is enough light for those who only desire to see the light, and enough darkness for those who only desire the contrary." COMMENTARIES FAVORING NATURAL REVELATION The Westminster Confession of Faith begins by saying that 'the lights of nature, and the works of creation and providence do so far manifest the goodness, wisdom and power of God as to leave men inexcusable'. (Barclay) Westcott explains enlightens every man - Describes the universal extent of its action. The words must be taken simply as they stand. No man is wholly destitute of the illumination of “the Light.” In nature, and life, and conscience it makes itself felt in various degrees to all. The Word is the spiritual Sun (Ed: so to speak): Jn 8:12 (Jn 11:9). (Ibid) John Wesley on enlightens every man - By what is vulgarly termed natural conscience, pointing out at least the general lines of good and evil. Job alludes to natural revelation asking "Is there any number to His troops? And upon whom does His light not rise?" (Job 25:3) J M McGarvey says that "All men are enlightened in some degree and enlightened in Christ; some by nature, some by conscience, and some by Bible revelation." Leon
João 1:11
Constable - The specific people whom Jesus visited in the Incarnation were the Jews. They were His own in a double sense. He had not only created them but also bought them for Himself out from the nations. Jesus had created the earth as a house, but when He visited it He found it inhabited by people who refused to acknowledge Him for who He was. In the Incarnation Jesus did not come as an alien; He came home. This has been called one of the saddest verses in all of Scripture. The Logos went to the Jews lost in sin and there was no "welcome mat" put out for Him, the nation as a whole rejecting His claim as their long expected Messiah! But this rejection did not come as a shock to God or His Son, for over 200 years earlier His prophet Isaiah had asked rhetorically "Who has believed our message?" (Isaiah 53:1) As John
João 1:13
Constable - new spiritual life does not come because of a human decision either, specifically the choice of a husband to produce a child. It comes as the result of a spiritual decision to trust in Jesus Christ. The Greek word for “man” here is andros meaning “male.” The NIV interpreted it properly as “husband” here. NET Note on the will of man - The third phrase, oude ek thelēmatos andros, means much the same as the second one. The word here (anēr) is often used for a husband, resulting in the translation “or a husband’s decision,” or more generally, “or of any human volition whatsoever.” L. Morris may be right when he sees here an emphasis directed at the Jewish pride in race and patriarchal ancestry, although such a specific reference is difficult to prove (John [NICNT], 101). Will (2307)(thelema from thelo= to will with the "-ma" suffix indicating the result of the will = "a thing willed") what one has decided to do. (See above) BUT OF GOD But - This is a term of contrast which in context clearly sets man's natural way of salvation versus God's supernatural way. A W