1 John 3:23

3:22-24 When believers had confidence towards God, through the Spirit of adoption, and by faith in the great High Priest, they might ask what they would of their reconciled Father. They would receive it, if good for them. And as good-will to men was proclaimed from heaven, so good-will to men, particularly to the brethren, must be in the hearts of those who go to God and heaven. He who thus follows Christ, dwells in Him as his ark, refuge, and rest, and in the Father through him. This union between Christ and the souls of believers, is by the Spirit he has given them. A man may believe that God is gracious before he knows it; yet when faith has laid hold on the promises, it sets reason to work. This Spirit of God works a change; in all true Christians it changes from the power of Satan to the power of God. Consider, believer, how it changes thy heart. Dost not thou long for peace with God? Wouldst thou not forego all the world for it? No profit, pleasure, or preferment shall hinder thee from following Christ. This salvation is built upon Divine testimony, even the Spirit of God.

1 John 3:23-24 . And this is his commandment, That we should believe, &c. — Namely, all his commandments: in one word, That we should believe and love — In the manner and degree which he hath taught. This is the greatest and most important command that ever issued from the throne of glory. If this be neglected, no other can be kept; if this be observed, all others are easy. And he that keepeth his commandments — That thus believes and loves; dwelleth, or abideth in him — In Christ Jesus, or in God the Father; and he — Christ, or the Father; in him — This seems to be an allusion to our Lord’s words, John 14:23 ; If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. That is, in this way we obtain fellowship with the Father, as well as with the Son; yea, the most intimate acquaintance, friendship, and communion, and are thereby made unspeakably happy; and hereby we know that he abideth in us — That we have this intimate union and communion with him; by the Spirit which he hath given us — The Spirit of adoption and regeneration, witnessing with our spirits that we are his children, and producing in us love, joy, and peace, holiness and happiness.

1 John 3:23 . Τῷ ὀνόματι ) on the name . Comp. Hebrews 6:10 .— καθὼς , as ) This particle belongs to the verbs, we should believe and love .[12] [12] ἡμῖν , to us ) This pronoun, though expressed in the Germ. Vers., is regarded by the margin of both Greek Editions as spurious.—E. B. ABC Vulg. Memph. Lucif. Add ἡμῖν : so Lachm. Tisch. omits it, with inferior authorities.—E.

Verse 23. - And his commandment is this (comp. verse 11), that we should believe the Name, etc. "Do not forget," St. John would say, "what the full scope of his commandment is. It is not exhausted by loving the brethren; we must also believe in his Son: and the one implies the other." What is the meaning of "believing the Name πιστεύειν τῷ ὀνόματι ? We can believe a document ( John 2:22 ; John 5:47 ), or a statement ( John 5:47 ; John 12:38 ), or a person ( John 10:37, 38 ); but how can we believe a name? By believing those truths which the name implies: in the present case by believing that Jesus is the Saviour, is the Messiah, is the Son of God. To produce this belief and its consequence, eternal life, is the purpose of St. John's Gospel ( John 20:31 ); it is also the will of God ( John 6:40 ), and the command of his Son ( John 14:1 ). This belief will inevitably produce as its fruit that we "love one another [present tense of what is habitual], even as Christ gave us commandment" ( John 13:34 ; John 15:12, 17 ). Throughout the Epistle, and especially in this passage (verses 22-24), the references to Christ's farewell discourses in the Gospel are frequent. Here the main ideas of those discourses are represented - obedience to the Divine commands, particularly as to faith and love; promised answer to prayer, abiding in God; the gift of the Spirit (see on 1 John 4:5). 1 John 3:23

23. Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment—singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe—once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son—on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His person, offices, and atoning work. as he—as Jesus gave us commandment.

And this is his commandment - His commandment, by way of eminence; the leading, principal thing which he enjoins on us; the commandment which lies at the foundation of all true obedience. That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ - See the notes at Mark 16:16. Compare John 16:1; Acts 16:31. And love one another ... - This follows from the other, and hence they are mentioned as together constituting his commandment. Notes, John 13:35.

23 . And this is his commandment ] Or, And His commandment is this ; see on 1 John 1:5 . Here the singular is right: the various commandments, especially the two here named, faith and love, are summed up as one whole. This verse is the answer to those who would argue from the preceding verses that all that is required of us is to do what is right; it does not much matter what we believe . Not so says the Apostle. In order to do what is right it is necessary to believe: this is the first step in our obedience to God’s commands. that we should believe ] For ‘that’ ( ἵνα ) see on 1 John 1:9 : here perhaps it merely “gives the nature and contents of the commandment, not the aim” (Jelf). believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ ] More accurately, believe the Name of &c. It is not the precise phrase used 1 John 5:13 , John 1:12 ; John 2:23 ; John 3:18 ( πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα ), a construction of which S. John is very fond, but a phrase which occurs nowhere else in N. T. ( πιστεύειν τῷ ὀνόματι ), a construction similar to that in 1 John 4:1 , 1 John 5:10 .

The former is the stronger expression, marking the more permanent trust and repose; but in such a phrase as this there cannot be much difference between ‘believing’ and ‘believing on’. ‘To believe His Name’ means to believe all that His Name (here given with solemn fulness) signifies and implies; His Divinity, His Sonship, and His office as Mediator, Advocate and Saviour. and love one another ] ‘Faith if it have not works is dead’ ( James 2:17 ): hence the necessity for adding ‘and love one another’, which of course means love ‘in deed and truth’ ( 1 John 3:18 ). ‘And’ here is not epexegetic: it adds something fresh, giving active love as the necessary effect of living faith. ‘Love’ is in the present tense of what must be continual. as he gave us commandment ] Or even as (to mark the difference between καθώς and ὡς ). ‘He gave’ refers to Christ, just mentioned; and this limits ‘commandment’ to ‘love one another’ ( John 13:34 ; John 15:12 ; John 15:17 ): moreover love rather than faith is the subject of this portion of the Epistle. ‘To give commandment’ is a phrase which in N. T. is peculiar to S. John ( John 11:57 , John 12:49 , John 13:34 ): it occurs in Demosthenes.