1 John 2:3

(5) The fourth inference from the doctrine that God is Light analyses more accurately the general expression of 1John 1:7 , walking in the light. If Christ is, as in 1John 2:1-2 , the Paraclete and Propitiation of the world, it becomes necessary to ascertain whether He is this to us; lest, when this salvation is offered, we condemn ourselves by rejecting it. The test is, “obedience to the commandments, especially in brotherly love.” (3) Hereby means, by what follows. That we know him.—Rather, have known Him (so also in 1John 2:4, I have known Him); that we have not grasped a shadow, but have been in intercourse with the living God, who reveals Himself not through speculation, but through a true inward life of man. If we keep his commandments.—Christ’s—because of the reference to John 14:15. “Keep” like a precious heirloom, watching them against the inroads of our lower nature. (Comp. Matthew 19:17; Matthew 28:20; 1Timothy 6:14.) If each man’s conscience was the standard of practice, confusion would again reign in morals as it reigned in the days of the Sophists at Athens. (Compare Plato’s Republic, Bk. 2, Jowett’s translation.) A code and an example fitted for all times and all circumstances have been given by our Lord. (4) He that saith . . .—In particularising the general proposition according to his custom, St. John rejects the first person plural as shocking, unreal, and artificial, and throws the blasphemy on some third person.

So “is a liar” is stronger than “we lie,” and “we deceive ourselves;” in such a case the lie has entered thoroughly into the man’s nature. (5) But whoso keepeth his word.—The revelation of the will of God, looked at as a whole. In him verily is the love of God perfected.—St. John has before his mind an ideal of a man so filled with the Spirit that in all things he embodies the will of God; the love that such a man has for God is indeed complete. But he knows that the best of the human race can only approach such an ideal in different degrees, at a great distance; and the perfection of the love which they bear to God will vary in the same degree. (Comp. 1John 2:15; 1John 3:17; 1John 4:12; 1John 5:3.) “In him verily;” rather, Truly in him. It is most emphatic, and refers back “the truth is not in him,” in 1John 2:4. Hereby know we that we are in him.—Comp. 1John 2:3 and 1John 1:6; without such a test there Could be no happiness in religion. “In him” implies that we are saved by His grace, surrounded by His love, inspired by His thoughts, partakers of His nature, filled by His Spirit, the dwelling-place of the Father and the Son, with certain access to the divine throne and certain answer to prayer, heirs of the heavenly kingdom. (6) Ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.—Abiding in Him—in Christ—is an evident reference to John 15:4-11.

{2} And hereby we do know that we {e} know him, {e} if we keep his commandments. (2) He returns to the testimony of our union with God, that is, to sanctification, declaring what it is to walk in the light, that is, to keep God's commandments. By this it follows that holiness does not consist in those things which men have devised, neither in a vain profession of the gospel. (d) This must be understood of such a knowledge as has faith with it, and not of a common knowledge. (e) For the tree is known by the fruit.

1 John 2:3-6 . The Proof of our Interest in Christ’s Propitiation and Advocacy. “And herein we get to know that we know Him—if we observe His commandments. He that saith ‘I know Him,’ and observeth not His commandments, is a liar, and in this man the Truth is not; but whosoever observeth His Word, truly in this man the love of God hath been carried to its end. Herein we get to know that we are in Him; he that saith he abideth in Him is bound, even as the Lord ( ἐκεῖνος ) walked, himself also so to walk.” The Apostle foresees a question which may be raised: “How can I be assured that Christ is all this to me—my Propitiation, my Advocate? And how can I be assured that I have an abiding interest in Him?” He answers: (1) We attain to personal and conscious acquaintance with Christ by observance of His commandments ( 1 John 2:3-5 a ); (2) we attain to assurance of abiding union with Him by “walking even as He walked” (5 b , 6).

This faith is often in the Holy Scripture signified by the name of knowledge, Isaiah 53:11 John 17:3 , viz. an appropriative, transformative knowledge, by which we own and accept God in Christ, as ours, (expressed also by acknowledgment, epignwsiv, Ephesians 1:17 Colossians 2:2 ), and are changed into his likeness, 2 Corinthians 3:18 . The meaning then is: That we perceive, or discern ourselves to be sincere believers, and consequently that Christ is both our Propitiation and Advocate, when it is become habitual and easy to us to obey his commandments.

1 John 2:3-6 . Hereby we do know that we, truly and savingly, know him — As he is the Advocate, the righteous One, the Propitiation; if we keep his commandments — Particularly those of faith and love. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar — “The Nicolaitans and Gnostics, notwithstanding they lived in an habitual course of the most criminal sensual indulgences, boasted that they were the objects of God’s love, and sure of obtaining eternal life, merely because they possessed the knowledge of the true God, and of his mercy in forgiving men’s sins. In this boasting the apostle declared them liars, either because they spake what they knew to be false, or at least what was in itself most false.” But whoso keepeth his word — Sincerely endeavours to live in obedience to all his commands; in him verily is the love of God — Reconciled to us through Christ; perfected — Perfectly known, or shows itself to be sincere. See on 1 John 4:12 . Hereby — By our keeping his word; know we that we are in him — Truly united to him by a lively faith, and have communion with him. So is the tree known by its fruits. To know him, to be in him, to abide in him, are nearly synonymous terms; only with a gradation: knowledge, communion, constancy. He that saith he abideth in him — An expression which implies a durable state; a constant, lasting knowledge of and communion with him; ought himself — Otherwise they are vain words; so to walk, even as he walked — In the world.

1 John 2:3 . Ἐν τούτῳ γινώσκομεν ) In this we know ; that is, it is thus, and thus only, that there is true knowledge in us. We know, that we know: a reflex knowledge. Spiritual marks of discernment [Gnorismata, characteristic marks] are often given in this Epistle: manifest, we know , ch. 1 John 3:10 ; 1 John 3:14 ; 1 John 3:19 . The Gnostics are refuted, who boasted of knowledge, but threw aside obedience.— ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν αὐτὸν , that we know Him ) as He is, the Advocate, the righteous, the propitiation . So 1 John 2:4 ; 1 John 2:13-14 ; Isa., the passage cited above.— ἐντολὰς , precepts ) concerning faith and love.— τηρῶμεν , we keep ) John 8:51 , note.

Hereby (ἐν τούτῳ) Lit., in this. Characteristic of John. See John 8:35; John 15:8; John 16:30; 1 John 2:5; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:13; 1 John 5:2; 1 John 3:16; 1 John 3:19; 1 John 4:2. The expression points to what follows, "if we keep His commandments," yet with a covert reference to that idea as generally implied in the previous words concerning fellowship with God and walking in the light. We know (γινώσκομεν) Or, perceive. By experience, from day to day; distinguished from οἴδαμεν we know, expressing absolute, immediate knowledge of a fact once for all. Compare 1 John 3:2. That we know (ὅτι ἐγνώκαμεν) Or, more literally, have come to know. John does not use the compound forms ἐπιγινώσκειν and ἐπίγνωσις (see on Matthew 7:16. See Luke 1:4; Acts 4:13; Romans 1:28; Ephesians 1:17, etc.), nor the kindred word γνῶσις knowledge (Luke 1:77; Romans 2:20, etc.). We keep His commandments (τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν) A phrase peculiar to John and occurring elsewhere only Matthew 19:17; 1 Timothy 6:14. In 1 Corinthians 7:19, we find τήρησις ἐντολῶν the keeping of the commandments. On τηρέω to keep, see on 1 Peter 1:5.