---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  1 John 5"
description: "CHAPTER 5   :-. WHO ARE
THE BRETHREN
ESPECIALLY TO BE
LOVED ( :-); OBEDIENCE, THE
TEST OF LOVE,
EASY THROUGH FAITH,
WHICH OVERCOMES THE
WORLD. LAST
PORTIO"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/1-john/5"
---

CHAPTER 5

. WHO ARE
THE BRETHREN
ESPECIALLY TO BE
LOVED (); OBEDIENCE, THE
TEST OF LOVE,
EASY THROUGH FAITH,
WHICH OVERCOMES THE
WORLD. LAST
PORTION OF THE EPISTLE.
THE SPIRIT'S
WITNESS TO THE BELIEVER'S
SPIRITUAL LIFE.
TRUTHS REPEATED
AT THE CLOSE:
FAREWELL WARNING.

**1.** Reason why our "brother"
([1 John 4:21](../../../kjv/1-john/4/21)) is entitled to such
*love,* namely, because he is "born (begotten) of God":
so that if we want to show our love to *God,* we must show it to
God's visible representative.
**Whosoever**—*Greek,*
"Everyone that." He could not be our "Jesus"
(God-Saviour) unless He were "the Christ"; for He could not
reveal the way of salvation, except He were a *prophet:* He
could not work out that salvation, except He were a *priest:* He
could not confer that salvation upon us, except He were a *king:*
He could not be *prophet, priest,* and *king,* except He
were the Christ [PEARSON,
*Exposition of the Creed*].
**born**—Translate,
"begotten," as in the latter part of the verse, the *Greek*
being the same. Christ is the "only-begotten Son" by
*generation;* we become begotten sons of God by *regeneration*
and adoption.
**every one that loveth him
that begat**—sincerely, not in mere profession ([1 John 4:21](../../../kjv/1-john/4/21)).
**loveth him also that is
begotten of him**—namely, "his brethren" ([1 John 4:21](../../../kjv/1-john/4/21)).

**2. By**—*Greek,* "In."
As our *love to the brethren* is the sign and test of our *love
to God,* so (John here says) our *love to God* (tested by our
"keeping his commandments") is, conversely, the ground and
only true basis of *love to our brother.*
**we know**—John means
here, not the *outward* criteria of genuine brotherly love, but
the *inward spiritual* criteria of it, *consciousness of love
to God* manifested in a hearty keeping of His commandments. When
we have this inwardly and outwardly confirmed *love to God,* we
can *know* assuredly that we truly *love the children of God.*
"*Love to one's brother* is prior, according to the order
of nature (see on [1 John 4:20](../../../kjv/1-john/4/20));
*love to God* is so, according to the order of grace ([1 John 4:20](../../../kjv/1-john/4/20)). At one time the former is more immediately known, at
another time the latter, according as the mind is more engaged in
human relations or in what concerns the divine honor" [ESTIUS].
John shows what true *love* is, namely, that which is referred
to God as its first object. As previously John urged the effect, so
now he urges the cause. For he wishes mutual love to be so cultivated
among us, as that *God* should always be placed first [CALVIN].

**3. this is**—the *love* of
God consists in this.
**not grievous**—as so many
think them. It is "the way of the transgressor" that "is
hard." What makes them to the regenerate "not grievous,"
is *faith* which "overcometh the world" (): in proportion as faith is strong, the grievousness of God's
commandments to the rebellious flesh is overcome. The reason why
believers feel any degree of irksomeness in God's commandments is,
they do not realize fully by faith the privileges of their spiritual
life.

**4. For**—(See on ). The reason why "His commandments are not grievous."
Though there is a conflict in keeping them, the sue for the whole
body of the regenerate is victory over every opposing influence;
meanwhile there is a present *joy* to each believer in keeping
them which makes them "not grievous."
**whatsoever**—*Greek,*
"*all* that is begotten of God." The neuter expresses
*the universal whole,* or *aggregate of the regenerate,*
regarded as one collective body [John 3:6](../../../kjv/john/3/6);
[John 6:37](../../../kjv/john/6/37); [John 6:39](../../../kjv/john/6/39),
"where BENGEL
remarks, that in Jesus' discourses, what the Father has given Him is
called, in the singular number and neuter gender, *all*
whatsoever; those who come to the *Son* are described in the
masculine gender and plural number, *they all,* or singular,
*every one.* The Father has given, as it were, the whole mass to
the Son, that all whom He gave may be *one* whole: that
*universal* whole the Son singly evolves, in the execution of
the divine plan."
**overcometh**—habitually.
**the world**—all that is
opposed to keeping the commandments of God, or draws us off from God,
in this world, including our corrupt *flesh,* on which the
world's blandishments or threats act, as also including Satan, *the
prince of this world* ([John 12:31](../../../kjv/john/12/31);
[John 14:30](../../../kjv/john/14/30); [John 16:11](../../../kjv/john/16/11)).
**this is the victory that
overcometh**—*Greek* aorist, ". . . that *hath*
(already) *overcome* the world": the *victory* (where
*faith* is) hereby is implied as having been *already obtained*
([1 John 2:13](../../../kjv/1-john/2/13); [1 John 4:4](../../../kjv/1-john/4/4)).

**5. Who**—"Who" *else*
"but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God:" "the
Christ" ([1 John 5:1](../../../kjv/1-john/5/1))?
Confirming, by a triumphant question defying all contradiction, as an
undeniable fact, [1 John 5:4](../../../kjv/1-john/5/4), that
*the victory* which overcomes the world is *faith.* For it
is by *believing:* that we are made one with *Jesus the Son of
God,* so that we partake of *His victory over the world,* and
have dwelling in us One greater than he who is in the world ([1 John 5:4](../../../kjv/1-john/5/4)). "Survey the whole world, and show me even one of whom
it can be affirmed with truth that he overcomes the world, who is not
a Christian, and endowed with this faith" [EPISCOPIUS
in ALFORD].

**6. This**—the Person mentioned
in [1 John 5:5](../../../kjv/1-john/5/5). This *Jesus.*
**he that came by water and
blood**—"by water," when His ministry was inaugurated
by baptism in the Jordan, and He received the Father's testimony to
His Messiahship and divine *Sonship.* Compare [1 John 5:5](../../../kjv/1-john/5/5), "believeth that Jesus is the *Son of God,*"
with [John 1:33](../../../kjv/john/1/33); [John 1:34](../../../kjv/john/1/34),
"The Spirit . . . remaining on Him . . . I saw and bare record
that this is *the Son of God*"; and [John 1:34](../../../kjv/john/1/34), below, "there are three that bear *witness* in
earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood." Corresponding
to this is *the baptism of water and the Spirit* which He has
instituted as a standing seal and mean of initiatory incorporation
with Him.
**and blood**—He came by
"the blood of His cross" (so "by" is used, [John 1:34](../../../kjv/john/1/34): "by," that is, *with,* "His own blood
He entered in once into the holy place"): a fact *seen* and
so solemnly *witnessed* to by John. "These two past facts
in the Lord's life are this abiding *testimony* to us, by virtue
of the permanent application to us of their cleansing and atoning
power."
**Jesus Christ**—not a mere
appellation, but a solemn assertion of the Lord's Person and
Messiahship.
**not by,** c.—*Greek,*
"not IN *the*
water only, but IN *the*
water and IN (so oldest
manuscripts add) *the* blood." As "*by*"
implies the mean *through,* or *with,* which He came: so
"*in,*" the element *in* which He came. "The"
implies that *the water* and *the blood* were sacred and
well-known symbols. John Baptist came only baptizing with water, and
therefore was not the *Messiah.* Jesus came first to undergo
Himself the double baptism of water and blood, and then to baptize us
with the Spirit-cleansing, of which *water* is the sacramental
seal, and with His atoning *blood,* the efficacy of which, once
for all shed, is perpetual in the Church and therefore is *the
Messiah.* It was His shed *blood* which first gave *water
baptism* its spiritual significancy. We are baptized *into His
death:* the grand point of union between us and Him, and, through
Him, between us and God.
**it is the Spirit,** c.—*The
Holy Spirit* is an additional witness (compare [John 1:34](../../../kjv/john/1/34)), besides the *water* and the *blood,* to Jesus'
*Sonship* and *Messiahship.* The Spirit attested these
truths at Jesus' baptism by descending on Him, and throughout His
ministry by enabling Him to speak and do what man never before or
since has spoken or, done and "it is the Spirit that beareth
witness" of Christ, now permanently in the Church: both in the
inspired New Testament Scriptures, and in the hearts of believers,
and in the spiritual reception of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
**because the Spirit is
truth**—It is His essential *truth* which gives His witness
such infallible authority.

**7. three**—Two or three
witnesses were required by law to constitute adequate testimony. The
only *Greek* manuscripts *in any form* which support the
words, "in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and
these three are one; and there are three that bear witness in earth,"
are the *Montfortianus* of Dublin, copied evidently from the
*modern Latin Vulgate;* the *Ravianus,* copied from the
*Complutensian Polyglot;* a manuscript at Naples, with the words
added in the *Margin* by a recent hand; *Ottobonianus,*
298, of the fifteenth century, the *Greek* of which is a mere
translation of the accompanying *Latin.* All the old versions
omit the words. The oldest manuscripts of the *Vulgate* omit
them: the earliest *Vulgate* manuscript which has them being
*Wizanburgensis,* 99, of the eighth century. A scholium quoted
in *Matthæi,* shows that the words did not arise from fraud;
for in the words, in all *Greek* manuscripts "there are
*three* that bear record," as the Scholiast notices, the
word "three" is *masculine,* because the three things
(*the Spirit, the water,* and *the blood*) are SYMBOLS
OF THE TRINITY. To
this CYPRIAN, 196, also
refers, "Of the *Father, Son* and *Holy Spirit,* it is
written, '*And these* three are one' (a unity)." There must
be some mystical truth implied in using "*three*"
(*Greek*) in the *masculine,* though the antecedents,
"Spirit, water, and blood," are *neuter.* That THE
TRINITY was the truth
meant is a natural inference: the triad specified pointing to a still
Higher Trinity; as is plain also from , "the witness of GOD,"
referring to the *Trinity* alluded to in the Spirit, water, and
blood. It was therefore first written as a *marginal* comment to
complete the sense of the *text,* and then, as early at least as
the eighth century, was introduced into the text of the *Latin
Vulgate.* The testimony, however, could only be borne *on earth*
to men, not in *heaven.* The marginal comment, therefore, that
inserted "in heaven," was inappropriate. It is *on earth*
that the context evidently requires the witness of the three, *the
Spirit, the water,* and *the blood,* to be borne: mystically
setting forth the divine *triune* witnesses, the Father, the
Spirit, and the Son. LUECKE
notices as internal evidence against the words, John never uses "the
Father" and "the Word" as correlates, but, like other
New Testament writers, associates "the Son" with "the
Father," and always refers "the Word" to "God"
as its correlate, not "the Father." Vigilius, at the end of
the fifth century, is the first who quotes the disputed words as in
the text; but no *Greek* manuscript earlier than the fifteenth
is extant with them. The *term* "Trinity" occurs first
in the third century in TERTULLIAN
[*Against Praxeas,* 3].

**8. agree in one**—"tend
unto one result"; their agreeing testimony to Jesus' Sonship and
Messiahship they give by the sacramental grace in the *water* of
baptism, received by the penitent believer, by the atoning efficacy
of His *blood,* and by the internal witness of His *Spirit*
([1 John 5:10](../../../kjv/1-john/5/10)): answering to the
testimony given to *Jesus'* Sonship and Messiahship by His
baptism, His crucifixion, and the Spirit's manifestations in Him (see
on [1 John 5:6](../../../kjv/1-john/5/6)). It was by His
*coming by water* (that is, His baptism in Jordan) that Jesus
was solemnly inaugurated in office, and revealed Himself as Messiah;
this must have been peculiarly important in John's estimation, who
was first led to Christ by the testimony of the Baptist. By the
baptism then received by Christ, and by His redeeming *blood*-shedding,
and by that which the Spirit of God, whose witness is infallible, has
effected, and still effects, by Him, the *Spirit,* the *water,*
and the *blood,* unite, as the threefold witness, to verify His
divine Messiahship [NEANDER].

**9. If,** c.—We do *accept*
(and rightly so) the witness of veracious men, fallible though they
be much more ought we to accept *the* infallible witness of God
(the Father). "The testimony of the Father is, as it were, the
basis of the testimony of the Word and of the Holy Spirit; just as
the testimony of *the Spirit* is, as it were, the basis of the
testimony of *the water* and the *blood*" [BENGEL].
**for**—This principle
applies in the present case, FOR,
c.
**which**—in the oldest
manuscripts, "*because* He hath given testimony concerning
His Son." What that testimony is we find above in [1 John 5:1](../../../kjv/1-john/5/1)
[1 John 5:5](../../../kjv/1-john/5/5), "Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God"; and below in [1 John 5:10](../../../kjv/1-john/5/10);
[1 John 5:11](../../../kjv/1-john/5/11).

**10. hath the witness**—of God,
by His *Spirit* ([1 John 5:8](../../../kjv/1-john/5/8)).
**in himself**—God's Spirit
dwelling in him and *witnessing* that "Jesus is the Lord,"
"the Christ," and "the Son of God" ([1 John 5:1](../../../kjv/1-john/5/1);
[1 John 5:5](../../../kjv/1-john/5/5)). The witness of the
Spirit *in* the believer *himself* to his own sonship is
not here expressed, but follows as a consequence of believing the
witness of God to Jesus' divine Sonship.
**believeth not God**—credits
not His *witness.*
**made him a liar**—a
consequence which many who virtually, or even avowedly, do not
believe, may well startle back from as fearful blasphemy and
presumption ([1 John 1:10](../../../kjv/1-john/1/10)).
**believeth not the
record**—*Greek,* "believeth not IN
the record, or *witness.*" Refusal to *credit* God's
testimony ("believeth not God") is involved in refusal *to
believe* IN (to rest
one's trust in) Jesus Christ, the object of God's *record* or
*testimony.* "Divine "faith" is an assent unto
something as credible upon the testimony of God. This is the highest
kind of *faith;* because the object hath the highest
credibility, because grounded upon the testimony of God, which is
infallible" [PEARSON,
*Exposition of the Creed*]. "The authority on which we
believe is divine; the doctrine which we follow is divine"
[LEO].
**gave**—*Greek,*
"hath testified, and now testifies."
**of**—concerning.

**11. hath given**—*Greek,*
aorist: "gave" once for all. Not only "*promised*"
it.
**life is in his
Son**—essentially ([John 1:4](../../../kjv/john/1/4);
[John 11:25](../../../kjv/john/11/25); [John 14:6](../../../kjv/john/14/6));
bodily ([Colossians 2:9](../../../kjv/colossians/2/9)); operatively
([2 Timothy 1:10](../../../kjv/2-timothy/1/10)) [LANGE
in ALFORD]. It is in the
second Adam, the Son of God, that this *life* is secured to us,
which, if left to depend on us, we should lose, like the first Adam.

**12. the Son . . . life**—*Greek,*
"THE life."
BENGEL remarks, The verse
has two clauses: in the former the Son is mentioned without the
addition "of God," for believers know *the Son:* in
the second clause the addition "of God" is made, that
unbelievers may know thereby what a serious thing it is not to have
Him. In the former clause "has" bears the emphasis; in the
second, *life.* To *have the Son* is to be able to say as
the bride, "I am my Beloved's, and *my Beloved is mine*"
[[Song of Solomon 6:3](../../../kjv/song-of-solomon/6/3)]. *Faith* is the
mean whereby the regenerate HAVE
Christ as a *present* possession, and in having Him *have life*
in its germ and reality now, and shall have life in its fully
developed manifestation hereafter. *Eternal life* here is: (1)
*initial,* and is an earnest of that which is to follow; in the
intermediate state (2) *partial,* belonging but to a part of a
man, though that is his nobler part, the soul separated from the
body; at and after the resurrection (3) *perfectional.* This
life is not only natural, consisting of the union of the soul and the
body (as that of the reprobate in eternal pain, which ought to be
termed *death* eternal, not *life*), but also spiritual,
the union of the soul to God, and supremely blessed for ever (for
*life* is another term for *happiness*) [PEARSON,
*Exposition of the Creed*].

**13.** The oldest manuscripts and
versions read, "These things have I written unto you [omitting
'*that believe on the name of the Son of God*'] that ye may know
that ye have eternal life (compare ), THOSE (of you I
mean) WHO believe (not as
*English Version* reads, '*and that ye may believe*') on
the name of the Son of God." *English Version,* in the
latter clause, will mean, "that ye may *continue* to
believe," c. (compare ).
**These things**—This
Epistle. He, towards the close of his Gospel ([John 20:30](../../../kjv/john/20/30)
[John 20:31](../../../kjv/john/20/31)), wrote similarly,
stating his purpose in having written. In [John 20:31](../../../kjv/john/20/31) he states the object of his writing this Epistle to be, "that
your joy may be full." To "*know that we have eternal
life*" is the sure way to "joy in God."

**14. the confidence**—*boldness*
([1 John 4:17](../../../kjv/1-john/4/17)) in prayer, which
results from *knowing that we have eternal life* ([1 John 5:13](../../../kjv/1-john/5/13);
[1 John 3:19](../../../kjv/1-john/3/19); [1 John 3:22](../../../kjv/1-john/3/22)).
**according to his will**—which
is the believer's will, and which is therefore no restraint to his
prayers. In so far as God's will is not our will, we are not abiding
in faith, and our prayers are not accepted. ALFORD
well says, If we *knew* God's will thoroughly, and *submitted*
to it heartily, it would be impossible for us to ask anything for the
spirit or for the body which He should not perform; it is this ideal
state which the apostle has in view. It is the *Spirit* who
teaches us inwardly, and Himself in us asks according to the will of
God.

**15. hear**—*Greek,* "that
He *heareth* us."
**we have the petitions that we
desired of him**—*We have,* as present possessions,
everything *whatsoever we desired* (*asked*) *from Him.*
Not one of our *past* prayers offered in faith, *according to
His will,* is lost. Like Hannah, we can rejoice over them as
granted even before the event; and can recognize the event when it
comes to pass, as not from chance, but obtained by our past prayers.
Compare also Jehoshaphat's believing confidence in the issue of his
prayers, so much so that he appointed singers to praise the Lord
beforehand.

**16. If any . . . see**—on any
particular occasion; *Greek* aorist.
**his brother**—a fellow
Christian.
**sin a sin**—in the act of
sinning, and continuing in the sin: present.
**not unto death**—provided
that it is *not unto death.*
**he shall give**—The *asker*
shall be the means, by his intercessory prayer, of *God giving*
life to the sinning brother. Kindly reproof ought to accompany his
intercessions. *Life* was in process of being forfeited by the
sinning brother when the believer's intercession obtained its
restoration.
**for them**—resuming the
proviso put forth in the beginning of the verse. "Provided that
the sin is not unto death." "Shall give life," I say,
*to,* that is, obtain life "*for* (in the case of)
them that sin not unto death."
**I do not say that he shall
pray for it**—The *Greek* for "pray" means a
REQUEST as of one on an
equality, or at least on terms of familiarity, with him from whom the
favor is sought. "The Christian intercessor for his brethren,
John declares, shall not assume the authority which would be implied
in making request for a sinner who has sinned the sin unto death
([1 Samuel 15:35](../../../kjv/1-samuel/15/35); [1 Samuel 16:1](../../../kjv/1-samuel/16/1);
[Mark 3:29](../../../kjv/mark/3/29)), that it might be
forgiven him" [TRENCH,
*Greek Synonyms of the New Testament*]. Compare [Mark 3:29](../../../kjv/mark/3/29). *Greek* "ask" implies the humble petition of
an inferior; so that our Lord never uses it, but always uses (*Greek*)
"request." Martha, from ignorance, once uses "ask"
in His case ([John 11:22](../../../kjv/john/11/22)).
"Asking" for a brother sinning not unto death, is a humble
petition in consonance with God's will. To "request" for a
sin unto death [*intercede, as it were, authoritatively for it,*
as though we were more merciful than God] would savor of presumption;
prescribing to God in a matter which lies out of the bounds of our
brotherly yearning (because one sinning unto death would thereby be
demonstrated not to be, nor ever to have been, truly a brother, [John 11:22](../../../kjv/john/11/22)), how He shall inflict and withhold His righteous judgments.
Jesus Himself intercedes, not for the world which hardens itself in
unbelief, but for those given to Him out of the world.

**17.** "Every unrighteousness
(even that of believers, compare [1 John 1:9](../../../kjv/1-john/1/9);
[1 John 3:4](../../../kjv/1-john/3/4). Every coming short of
*right*) is sin"; (but) not every sin is the sin unto
death.
**and there is a sin not unto
death**—in the case of which, therefore, believers may intercede.
*Death* and *life* stand in correlative opposition ([1 John 3:4](../../../kjv/1-john/3/4)). *The sin unto death* must be one tending "towards"
(so the *Greek*), and so resulting in, *death.* ALFORD
makes it to be an appreciable ACT of sin, namely, *the denying
Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of God* (in contrast to confess
this truth, [1 John 5:1](../../../kjv/1-john/5/1); [1 John 5:5](../../../kjv/1-john/5/5)),
[1 John 2:19](../../../kjv/1-john/2/19); [1 John 2:22](../../../kjv/1-john/2/22);
[1 John 4:2](../../../kjv/1-john/4/2); [1 John 4:3](../../../kjv/1-john/4/3);
[1 John 5:10](../../../kjv/1-john/5/10). Such wilful deniers of
Christ are not to be received into one's house, or wished "God
speed." Still, I think with BENGEL,
not merely the *act,* but also the *state* of apostasy
accompanying the *act,* is included—a "state of soul in
which faith, love, and hope, in short, the new life, is extinguished.
The chief commandment is *faith* and *love.* Therefore, the
chief sin is that by which faith and love are destroyed. In the
former case is *life;* in the latter, death. As long as it is
not evident (see on [1 John 5:16](../../../kjv/1-john/5/16),
on 'see') that it is a sin unto death, it is lawful to pray. But when
it is deliberate rejection of grace, and the man puts from him life
thereby, how can others procure for him life?" Contrast [1 John 5:16](../../../kjv/1-john/5/16). Compare [Matthew 12:31](../../../kjv/matthew/12/31);
[Matthew 12:32](../../../kjv/matthew/12/32) as to the wilful
rejection of Christ, and resistance to the Holy Ghost's plain
testimony to Him as the divine Messiah. Jesus, on the cross, pleaded
only for those who KNEW NOT
*what they were doing* in crucifying Him, not for those wilfully
resisting grace and knowledge. If we *pray for* the impenitent,
it must be with humble reference of the matter to God's will, not
with the intercessory *request* which we should offer for *a
brother* when erring.

**18.** (.)
**We know**—Thrice repeated
emphatically, to enforce the three truths which the words preface, as
matters of the brethren's joint experimental knowledge. This warns against abusing [1 John 5:16](../../../kjv/1-john/5/16);
[1 John 5:17](../../../kjv/1-john/5/17), as warranting carnal
security.
**whosoever**—*Greek,*
"every one who." Not only advanced believers, but *every
one* who is born again, "sinneth not."
**he that is begotten**—*Greek*
aorist, "has been (once for all in *past* time) begotten of
God"; in the beginning of the verse it is perfect. "Is
begotten," or "born," as a *continuing* state.
**keepeth himself**—The
*Vulgate* translates, "The having been begotten of God
keepeth HIM" (so one
of the oldest manuscripts reads): so ALFORD.
Literally, "He having been begotten of God (nominative pendent),
*it* (the divine generation implied in the nominative) keepeth
him." So [1 John 3:9](../../../kjv/1-john/3/9), "His
seed remaineth in him." Still, in *English Version*
reading, God's working by His Spirit inwardly, and man's working
under the power of that Spirit as a responsible agent, is what often
occurs elsewhere. That *God* must *keep* us, if we are to
*keep ourselves* from evil, is certain. Compare [1 John 3:9](../../../kjv/1-john/3/9) especially with this verse.
**that wicked one toucheth him
not**—so as to hurt him. In so far as he realizes his
regeneration-life, the prince of this world *hath nothing in him*
to fasten his deadly temptations on, as in Christ's own case. His
divine regeneration has severed once for all his connection with the
prince of this world.

**19. world lieth in
wickedness**—rather, "lieth in *the wicked one,*"
as the *Greek* is translated in [1 John 5:18](../../../kjv/1-john/5/18);
[1 John 2:13](../../../kjv/1-john/2/13); [1 John 2:14](../../../kjv/1-john/2/14);
compare [1 John 4:4](../../../kjv/1-john/4/4); [John 17:14](../../../kjv/john/17/14);
[John 17:15](../../../kjv/john/17/15). The world *lieth*
in the power of, and abiding in, the wicked one, as the resting-place
and lord of his slaves; compare "abideth in death," [John 17:15](../../../kjv/john/17/15); contrast [1 John 5:20](../../../kjv/1-john/5/20),
"we are in Him that is true." While the believer has been
delivered out of his power, the whole world *lieth* helpless and
motionless still in it, just as it was; including the wise, great,
respectable, and all who are not by vital union in Christ.

**20.** Summary of our Christian
privileges.
**is come**—*is present,
having come.* "HE IS
HERE—all is full of Him—His incarnation, work, and abiding
presence, is to us a living fact" [ALFORD].
**given us an
understanding**—Christ's, office is to give the inner spiritual
understanding to discern the things of God.
**that we may know**—Some
oldest manuscripts read, "(so) that *we know.*"
**him that is true**—God,
as opposed to every kind of *idol* or false god (). Jesus, by virtue of His oneness with God, is also "He
that is true" ([Revelation 3:7](../../../kjv/revelation/3/7)).
***even*******—"we
are in the true" God, *by virtue of being* "in His Son
Jesus Christ."
**This is the true God**—"*This*
Jesus Christ (the last-named Person) is the true God"
(identifying Him thus with the Father in His attribute, "the
only true God," [John 17:3](../../../kjv/john/17/3),
primarily attributed to the Father).
**and eternal life**—predicated
of the Son of God; ALFORD
wrongly says, He was *the life,* but not *eternal life.*
The Father is indeed *eternal life* as its source, but the Son
also is that *eternal life manifested,* as the very passage ([John 17:3](../../../kjv/john/17/3)) which ALFORD
quotes, proves against him. Compare also [1 John 5:11](../../../kjv/1-john/5/11);
[1 John 5:13](../../../kjv/1-john/5/13). Plainly it is as the
*Mediator of* ETERNAL LIFE
*to us* that Christ is here contemplated. The *Greek* is,
"The true God and eternal life is this" Jesus Christ, that
is, In believing in Him we believe in the true God, and have eternal
life. The Son is called "He that is TRUE,"
[Revelation 3:7](../../../kjv/revelation/3/7), as here. This naturally
prepares the way for warning against *false* gods ([Revelation 3:7](../../../kjv/revelation/3/7)). Jesus Christ is the only "express image of God's
person" which is sanctioned, the only true visible manifestation
of God. All other representations of God are forbidden as *idols.*
Thus the Epistle closes as it began ([1 John 1:1](../../../kjv/1-john/1/1);
[1 John 1:2](../../../kjv/1-john/1/2)).

**21.** Affectionate parting
caution.
**from idols**—Christians
were then everywhere surrounded by *idolaters,* with whom it was
impossible to avoid intercourse. Hence the need of being on their
guard against any even indirect compromise or act of communion with
idolatry. Some at Pergamos, in the region whence John wrote, fell
into the snare of eating things sacrificed to idols. The moment we
cease to abide "in Him that is true (by abiding) in Jesus
Christ," we become part of "the world that lieth in the
wicked one," given up to *spiritual,* if not in all places
*literal, idolatry* ([Ephesians 5:5](../../../kjv/ephesians/5/5);
[Colossians 3:5](../../../kjv/colossians/3/5)).

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