Expositor's Bible: The Epistles of St. John Part 21

Beloved, believe not Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the every spirit, but prove spirits whether they the spirits whether are of G.o.d: because they are of G.o.d; because many false prophets many false prophets are gone out into the are gone out into world. Hereby know the world. Hereby ye the Spirit of G.o.d: know ye the Spirit Every spirit that confesseth of G.o.d: every spirit that Jesus which confesseth that Christ is come in the Jesus Christ is come flesh is of G.o.d: and in the flesh is of G.o.d: every spirit that confesseth and every spirit which not that Jesus confesseth not Jesus is Christ is come in the not of G.o.d: and this flesh is not of G.o.d: and is the _spirit_ of the this is that _spirit_ of antichrist, whereof ye have antichrist, whereof ye heard that it cometh; have heard that it and now it is in the should come; and even world already. Ye are now already is it in the of G.o.d, _my_ little world. Ye are of G.o.d, children, and have overcome little children, and have them: because overcome them: because greater is He that is greater is He that in you, than he that is is in you, than he that in the world. They is in the world. They are of the world, therefore are of the world: therefore speak they _as_ of speak they of the the world, and the world, and the world world heareth them.

heareth them. We are We are of G.o.d: he that of G.o.d: he that knoweth knoweth G.o.d heareth G.o.d heareth us: us: he who is not of he that is not of G.o.d G.o.d heareth us not.

heareth not us. Hereby By this we know the know we the spirit spirit of truth and the of truth, and the spirit spirit of error.

of error.

ANOTHER VERSION.

Beloved, believe not any spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of G.o.d: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of G.o.d: every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ come in the flesh is of G.o.d: and every spirit which confesseth not Jesus is not of G.o.d: and this is that _power_ of the antichrist whereof ye have heard that it cometh, and even now it is in the world already.

Ye are of G.o.d, children, and have conquered them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore of the world is their manner of speech, and the world heareth them. We are of G.o.d; he that knoweth G.o.d heareth us, he who is not of G.o.d heareth not us. From this we know the spirit of The Truth, and the spirit of the error.

NOTES.

Ch. iv. 1, 7.

Ver. 1. _Believe not any spirit_] ? pa?t? p?e?at? p?ste?ete. The different constructions of p?ste?e?? in St. John must be carefully noted. (_a_) With _dative_ as here--"believe not such an one;" take him not upon trust, at his own word; credit him not with veracity. So in the Gospel, our Lord continually complains that the Jews did not even believe Him on His word--strong and clear as that word was with all the freshness of Heaven, and all the transparency of truth. John v. 38, 46, viii. 45, 46, x. 37.

(_b_) p?ste?e?? e?? = to make an act of faith in, to repose in as divine. John iii. 36, iv. 39, vi. 35, xi. 25; 1 John v. 10.

(_c_) With an _accusative_ = to be persuaded of the thing--to believe it with an implied conviction of permanence in the persuasion--as in the beautiful verse (iv. 16)--"we are fully persuaded of the love of G.o.d," we make it the creed of our heart. pep?ste??ae? t?? a?ap??.

SECTION VIII.

GREEK. LATIN.

??ap?t??, a?ap?e? Carissimi, diligamus a? ??????, ?t? ? a?ap? invicem, quoniam caritas e? t?? Te?? est?, ?a? ex Deo est, et pa? ? a?ap?? e? t?? omnis qui diligit ex Te?? ?e?e???ta? ?a? Deo natus est et cognoscit ????s?e? t?? Te??? ? Deum. Qui non ? a?ap?? ??? e??? diligit non novit Deum, t?? Te??? ?t? ? Te?? quoniam Deus caritas a?ap? est??. ?? t??t? est. In hoc apparuit efa?e???? ? a?ap? t?? caritas Dei in n.o.bis, Te?? e? ???, ?t? t?? quoniam Filium Suum ???? a?t?? t?? ????e?? unigenitum misit Deus apesta??e? ? Te?? e?? in mundum, ut vivamus t?? ??s??, ??a ??s?e? per Eum. In hoc d? a?t??. e? t??t? est caritas, non quasi est?? ? a?ap?, ??? ?t? nos dilexerimus Deum, ?e?? ??ap?sae? t?? sed quoniam ipse dilexit Te??, a??' ?t? a?t?? nos et misit Filium ??ap?se? ?a? ?a? suum propitionem pro apeste??e t?? ???? peccatis nostris. Carissimi, a?t?? ??as?? pe?? si sic Deus t?? ?a?t??? ???. dilexit nos, et nos debemus a?ap?t??, e? ??t?? ? alterutrum diligere.

Te?? ??ap?se? ?a?, Deum nemo ?a? ?e?? ?fe???e? vidit unquam: si diligamus a??????? a?apa?. Te?? invicem, Deus ??de?? p?p?te te?eata?? in n.o.bis manet, et ea? a?ap?e? a???????, caritas eius in n.o.bis ? Te?? e? ??? e?e?, perfecta est. In hos ?a? ? a?ap? a?t?? intellegimus quoniam tete?e??e?? est?? e? in eum manemus et ???. e? t??t? ????s??e? ipse in n.o.bis, quoniam ?t? e? a?t? de Spiritu Suo dedit e??e? ?a? a?t?? e? n.o.bis. Et nos vidimus ???, ?t? e? t?? ??e?at?? et testificamur quoniam a?t?? ded??e? ???. Pater misit Filium ?a? ?e?? te?eae?a salvatorem mundi.

?a? a?t????e? ?t? ? Quicunque confessus pat?? apesta??e t?? fuerit quoniam Iesus ???? s?t??a t?? ??s??. est Filius Dei, Deus in ?? a? ??????s? ?t? eo manet, et ipse in ??s??? est?? ? ???? t?? Deo. Et nos cognovimus Te??, ? Te?? e? a?t? et credimus, caritati e?e? ?a? a?t?? e? t? Dei quam habet Te?. ?a? ?e?? e????ae? Deus in n.o.bis. Deus ?a? pep?ste??ae? caritas est, et qui manet t?? a?ap?? ?? e?e? ? in caritate in Deo manet, Te?? e? ???. ? Te?? et Deus in eo. In a?ap? est?, ?a? ? e??? hoc perfecta est n.o.bisc.u.m e? t? a?ap? e? t? Te? caritas ut fiduciam e?e?, ?a? ? Te?? e? habeamus in die iudicii a?t?. ?? t??t? tete?e??ta? quia sicut ille est et ? a?ap? e?' nos sumus in hoc ???, ??a pa???s?a? mundo. Timor non e??e? e? t? ?e?a t?? est in caritate, sed ???se??? ?t? ?a??? perfecta caritas foras e?e???? est? ?a? ?e?? mitt.i.t timorem; quoniam ese? e? t? ??s? timor pnam t??t?. f??? ??? est?? habet, qui autem timet e? t? a?ap?, a??' ? non est perfectus in te?e?a a?ap? e?? a??e? caritate. Nos ergo t?? f???, ?t? ? f??? diligamus invicem quoniam ???as?? e?e?, ? de Deus prior dilexit f???e??? ?? tete?e??ta? nos. Si quis dixerit e? t? a?ap?. ?e?? quoniam diligo Deum, a?ap?e? a?t??, ?t? et fratrem suum oderit, a?t?? p??t?? ??ap?se? mendax est: qui enim ?a?. ?a? t?? e?p?. non diligit fratrem ?t? a?ap? t?? Te??, suum quem videt, ?a? t?? ade?f?? a?t?? Deum quem non videt ?s?, ?e?st?? est??? ? quomodo potest diligere?

?a? ? a?ap?? t?? Et hoc mandatum ade?f?? a?t?? ?? ???a?e habemus a Deo, t?? Te?? ?? ??? ???a?e ut qui diligat Deum p?? d??ata? a?apa?; diligat et fratrem suum.

?a? ta?t?? t?? e?t????

e??e? ap' a?t??, ??a Omnis qui credit ? a?ap?? t?? Te?? quoniam Iesus est a?apa ?a? t?? ade?f?? Christus, ex Deo natus a?t??. est; et omnis qui diligit eum qui genuit, diligit ?a? ? p?ste??? ?t? eum qui natus est ??s??? est?? ? ???st?? ex eo. In hoc cognoscimus e? t?? Te?? ?e?e???ta?? quoniam diligimus ?a? pa? ? a?ap?? t?? natos Dei, c.u.m ?e???sa?ta a?apa ?a? Deum diligamus et t?? ?e?e???e??? e? mandata eius faciamus.

a?t??. e? t??t? ????s??e? Haec est enim caritas ?t? a?ap?e? Dei, ut mandata eius ta te??a t?? Te??, ?ta? custodiamus.

t?? Te?? a?ap?e? ?a?

ta? e?t??a? a?t?? t???e?.

a?t? ?a? est??

? a?ap? t?? Te??, ??a ta? e?t??a? a?t?? t???e?.

AUTHORISED VERSION. REVISED VERSION.

Beloved, let us love Beloved, let us love one another: for love one another: for love is of G.o.d; and every is of G.o.d; and every one that loveth is born one that loveth is begotten of G.o.d, and knoweth of G.o.d, and G.o.d. He that loveth knoweth G.o.d. He not knoweth not G.o.d; that loveth not knoweth for G.o.d is love. In not G.o.d; for G.o.d this was manifested is love. Herein was the love of G.o.d toward the love of G.o.d manifested us, because that in us, that G.o.d G.o.d sent His only begotten hath sent His only begotten Son into the Son into the world, that we might world, that we might live through Him. live through Him.

Herein is love, not Herein is love, not that we loved G.o.d, that we loved G.o.d, but that He loved us, but that He loved us, and sent His Son _to be_ and sent His Son _to be_ the propitiation for our the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if G.o.d sins. Beloved, if G.o.d so loved us, we ought so loved us, we also also to love one another. ought to love one another.

No man hath No man hath seen G.o.d at any time. beheld G.o.d at any If we love one another, time: if we love one G.o.d dwelleth in us, another, G.o.d abideth and His love is perfected in us, and His love is in us. Hereby perfected in us: hereby know we that we dwell know we that we in Him, and He in us, abide in Him, and He because He hath given in us, because He hath us of His Spirit. And given us of His Spirit.

we have seen and do And we have beheld testify that the Father and bear witness that sent the Son _to be_ the the Father hath sent Saviour of the world. the Son _to be_ the Whosoever shall confess Saviour of the world.

that Jesus is the Whosoever shall confess Son of G.o.d, G.o.d dwelleth that Jesus is the in him, and he in Son of G.o.d, G.o.d abideth G.o.d. And we have in him, and he in known and believed G.o.d. And we know the love that G.o.d hath and have believed the to us. G.o.d is love: love which G.o.d hath and he that dwelleth in us. G.o.d is love; in love dwelleth in and he that abideth in G.o.d, and G.o.d in him. love abideth in G.o.d, Herein is our love and G.o.d abideth in made perfect, that we him. Herein is love may have boldness in made perfect with us, the day of judgment: that we may have boldness because as He is, so in the day of are we in this world. judgment; because as There is no fear in He is, even so are we love; but perfect love in this world. There casteth out fear: because is no fear in love: but fear hath torment. perfect love casteth out He that feareth fear, because fear hath is not made perfect punishment; and he in love. We love that feareth is not Him, because He made perfect in love.

first loved us. If a We love, because He man say, I love G.o.d, first loved us. If a and hateth his brother, man say, I love G.o.d, he is a liar: for he and hateth his brother, that loveth not his he is a liar: for he brother whom he hath that loveth not his seen, how can he love brother whom he hath G.o.d whom he hath not seen, cannot love G.o.d seen? And this commandment whom he hath not seen.

have we And this commandment from Him, That he have we from who loveth G.o.d love Him, that he who his brother also. loveth G.o.d love his brother also.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ Whosoever believeth is born of G.o.d: and that Jesus is the Christ every one that loveth is begotten of G.o.d: Him that begat loveth and whosoever loveth Him also that is begotten Him that begat loveth of Him. By this we Him also that is begotten know that we love the of Him. Hereby children of G.o.d, when we know that we we love G.o.d, and keep love the children of His commandments. G.o.d, when we love For this is the love of G.o.d, and do His commandments.

G.o.d, that we keep For this His commandments. is the love of G.o.d, that we keep His commandments.

ANOTHER VERSION.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of G.o.d, and every one that loveth is born of G.o.d, and knoweth G.o.d. He that loveth not knoweth not G.o.d, for G.o.d is love. In this was manifested the love of G.o.d in us, because that G.o.d hath sent His Son His only begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him. In this is The Love, not that we loved G.o.d, but that He loved us, and sent His Son _as_ propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if G.o.d so loved us, we also are bounden to love one another. G.o.d no one hath ever yet beholden: if we love one another G.o.d abideth in us and His love is perfected in us. Herein know we that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us out of the _fulness_ of His Spirit.

And we have beheld and are bearing witness that the Father hath sent the Son _as_ the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of G.o.d, G.o.d abideth in him and he in G.o.d. And we know and have believed the love which G.o.d hath in us. G.o.d is love; and he that abideth in love, abideth in G.o.d, and G.o.d in him. Herein hath The Love been perfected with us that we may have boldness in the Day of the Judgment: because as He is so are we in this world. Fear is not in love: but the perfect love casteth out fear, because fear bringeth punishment with it.

He that is fearing is not made perfect in his love. We love Him because He first loved us. If a man say, I love G.o.d, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, G.o.d whom he hath not seen how can he love? And this commandment have we from Him, that he who loveth G.o.d love his brother also.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of G.o.d, and every one who loveth Him that begat loveth also Him that is begotten of Him. Herein we know that we love the children of G.o.d, when we love G.o.d and do His commandments: for this is the love of G.o.d, that we observe His commandments.

DISCOURSE X.

_BOLDNESS IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT._

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world."--1 JOHN iv. 17.

It has been so often repeated that St. John's eschatology is idealized and spiritual, that people now seldom pause to ask what is meant by the words. Those who repeat them most frequently seem to think that the idealized means that which will never come into the region of historical fact, and that the spiritual is best defined as the unreal. Yet, without postulating the Johannic authorship of the Apocalypse--where the Judgment is described with the most awful accompaniments of outward solemnity[256]--there are two places in this Epistle which are allowed to drop out of view, but which bring us face to face with the visible manifestations of an external Advent. It is a peculiarity of St. John's style (as we have frequently seen) to strike some chord of thought, so to speak, before its time; to allow the prelusive note to float away, until suddenly, after a time, it surprises us by coming back again with a fuller and bolder resonance. "And now, my sons,"[257] (had the Apostle said) "abide in Him, that if He shall be manifested, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed shrinking from Him[258] at His coming."[259] In our text the same thought is resumed, and the reality of the Coming and Judgment in its external manifestation as emphatically given as in any other part of the New Testament.[260]

We may here speak of the conception of the Day of the Judgment: of the fear with which that conception is encompa.s.sed; and of the sole means of the removal of that fear which St. John recognises.

I.

We examine the general conception of "the Day of the Judgment," as given in the New Testament.

As there is that which with terrible emphasis is marked off as "_the_ Judgment,"[261] "_the_ Parousia," so there are other judgments or advents of a preparatory character. As there are phenomena known as mock suns, or haloes round the moon, so there are fainter reflections ringed round the Advent, the Judgment.[262] Thus, in the development of history, there are successive cycles of continuing judgment; preparatory advents; less completed _crises_, as even the world calls them.

But against one somewhat widely-spread way of blotting the Day of the Judgment from the calendar of the future--so far as believers are concerned--we should be on our guard. Some good men think themselves ent.i.tled to reason thus--"I am a Christian. I shall be an a.s.sessor in the judgment. For me there is, therefore, no judgment day." And it is even held out as an inducement to others to close with this conclusion, that they "shall be delivered from the bugbear of judgment."

The origin of this notion seems to be in certain universal tendencies of modern religious thought.

The idolatry of the immediate--the prompt creation of effect--is the perpetual snare of _revivalism_. _Revivalism_ is thence fatally bound at once to follow the tide of emotion, and to increase the volume of the waters by which it is swept along. But the religious emotion of this generation has one characteristic by which it is distinguished from that of previous centuries. The revivalism of the past in all Churches rode upon the dark waves of fear. It worked upon human nature by exaggerated material descriptions of h.e.l.l, by solemn appeals to the throne of Judgment. Certain schools of biblical criticism have enabled men to steel themselves against this form of preaching. An age of soft humanitarian sentiment--superficial, and inclined to forget that perfect Goodness may be a very real cause of fear--must be stirred by emotions of a different kind. The infinite sweetness of our Father's heart--the conclusions, illogically but effectively drawn from this, of an Infinite good-nature, with its easy-going pardon, reconciliation all round, and exemption from all that is unpleasant--these, and such as these, are the only available materials for creating a great volume of emotion. An invertebrate creed; punishment either annihilated or mitigated; judgment, changed from a solemn and universal a.s.size, a bar at which every soul must stand, to a splendid, and--for all who can say I _am saved_--a triumphant pageant in which they have no anxious concern; these are the readiest instruments, the most powerful leverage, with which to work extensively upon ma.s.ses of men at the present time.

And the seventh article of the Apostles' Creed must pa.s.s into the limbo of exploded superst.i.tion.

The only appeal to Scripture which such persons make, with any show of plausibility, is contained in an exposition of our Lord's teaching in a part of the fifth chapter of the fourth Gospel.[263] But clearly there are three Resurrection scenes which may be discriminated in those words.

The first is spiritual, a present awakening of dead souls,[264] in those with whom the Son of Man is brought into contact in His earthly ministry. The second is a department of the same spiritual resurrection.

The Son of G.o.d, with that mysterious gift of Life in Himself,[265] has within Him a perpetual spring of rejuvenescence for a faded and dying world. A renewal of hearts is in process during all the days of time, a pa.s.sage for soul after soul out of death into life.[266] The third scene is the general Resurrection and general Judgment.[267] The first was the resurrection of comparatively few; the second is the resurrection of many; the third will be the resurrection of all. If it is said that the believer "cometh not into _judgment_," the word in that place plainly signifies _condemnation_.[268]

Clear and plain above all such subtleties ring out the awe-inspiring words: "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment;" "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ."[269]

Reason supplies us with two great arguments for the General Judgment.

One from the conscience of history, so to speak; the other from the individual conscience.