10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make (Ess. iv. 1.) him a liar, and his word is not in us.

10 If, with the Nicolaitans, we say that we have not sinned by any thing we have done, because all actions are free to us, we endeavour to make God a liar, who by appointing his Son to die as a propitiation, and by promising to pardon us on account of that propitiation, hath declared that we are sinners; consequently his word is not in us.

sincere, it will be followed with reformation, without which no sinner will be pardoned, if space of amendment is allowed to him.

ing of God's commandments, that any man can know that he knoweth God aright; consequently, that that is the only right knowledge of God which leadeth men to a holy life, ver. 3.Wherefore, if any one affirmeth that he knoweth God, and doth not keep his commandments, he is a liar, and the true knowledge of God is not in him, ver. 4.-Farther, it seemeth to have been a doctrine of the Nicolaitans, that the enjoying of sensual pleasures without restraint, was a proper expression of their love and gratitude to God, for his having freed them, under the gospel, from the obligations of morality. For the apostle, in opposition to that impious doctrine, declared, that whosoever keepeth God's injunction to obey Christ's precepts, in that man the love and gratitude which he oweth to God is carried to perfection; and that such a person may thereby know, that he is in the fellowship of God, ver. 5.-And with respect to fellowship with Christ, the apostle declared, that he who saith he abideth in fellowship with Christ, ought to live in the holy manner, in which Christ lived while he was on earth, ver. 6.

Next, the apostle told his disciples, that in enjoining them to obey Christ's precepts, he wrote no new commandment, but an old commandment given by Moses in the law, who ordered the Israelites to hearken to the prophet, whom God was to raise up from among their brethren, like to him, ver. 7.-But he wrote a new commandment, when he enjoined them to walk even as Christ walked; because it implied, that they were to lay down their lives for one another, (chap. iii. 16.) as Christ laid down his fife for them, ver. 8.—And, because some of the Jews, like the

initiated in the heathen mysteries, thought themselves enlightened persons, notwithstanding they were void of love to the rest of mankind, and even hated them, the apostle told them, that the person who thought himself enlightened, and yet hated his brother, was still in darkness, notwithstanding he called himself a Christian, ver. 9.-But he who loveth his brother, in such a manner as to do him every good office in his power, is in the light; he is a truly enlightened person, and there is nothing in him to occasion his falling into sin, ver. 10.-Then, to impress his disciples the more strongly, with a sense of the obligation they were laid under by the light to love one another, the apostle repeated the sentiment which he had delivered in verse 9th, that he who hateth his brother is in the darkness of ignorance, and doth not know whither that conduct will lead him, because the darkness of ignorance hath blinded the eyes of his understanding, ver. 11.

Having finished these subjects, John told all the brethren in general, that he was going to write a precept which he knew would be agreeable to them, because their sins were to be forgiven through Christ, ver. 12.-Accordingly, first of all addressing such of them as were of long standing in the church, whom on that account he called fathers, he said he would write to them the precept of which he spake, because they had known Christ from the beginning, consequently they would know that what he should write to them was Christ's precept. Then turning his discourse to those who were in the vigour of the Christian life, whom therefore he called young men, he observed, that his precept would not be difficult to them, because they had already overcome the wicked one, the devil, by resisting his strongest temptations. And with respect to the newly converted, whom he termed young children, what he was going to write would, he believed, be, approved by them, because they were acquainted with the will of the Father, ver. 13. However, before he wrote the precept of which he spake, he told the fathers, that he had written to them the precept of walking as Christ walked, because they had known Christ from the beginning. The same precept he had written to the young men, because they were strong in the Christian virtues through the doctrine of God abiding in them, and because they had already overcome the wicked one, ver. 14.—Having thus roused the attention of the old, the middle aged, and the young, John told them his precept was, Not to be in love with the men and manners of the world, neither with the things which the men of the world pursue: because, if any

one loveth the world much, the love of the Father is not in him, ver. 15. Besides, the evil affections towards the things of the world, which subsist in the minds of idolaters and unbelievers, do not proceed from the Father, as wicked men falsely suppose, who on that account fancy they may safely gratify them; but they are raised in them, by the things of the world, ver. 16.-Further, though wicked men propose to make themselves happy, by the unrestrained enjoyment of the things which are in the world, they delude themselves. For the world, together with the things which it contains, and the lusts which are gratified by these things, passeth away; they are all of a short duration. But he who doth the will of God by not indulging worldly lusts, shall abide in happiness through all eternity, ver. 17.

At the time John wrote this letter, the Christians in Judea and in the neighbouring countries, were greatly harassed by the unbelieving Jews, in the tumults which they excited immediately before their last war with the Romans. Wherefore, to comfort more especially the newly converted under these sufferings, he assured them that it was the last hour of the duration of the Jewish state; so that the power of their persecutors would soon be broken: And to prove that it was the last hour, he put them in mind that Christ, in his prophecy concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, had mentioned the appearing of many false prophets, as a sign of the impending ruin. Wherefore, since many false teachers, whom the apostle called antichrists, because they were opposers of Christ, (ver. 22.) were then going about deceiving many, they might from that circumstance know it was the last hour of the Jewish commonwealth, ver. 18.-These false teachers, the apostle observed, had gone out from them, having been once in the Christian church; but they were not of the number of the teachers, who were commissioned and inspired by Christ. For if they had been of that number, they would have remained with the apostles. But they were permitted to depart from the society of the apostles, that they might be known to be impostors who taught false doctrine, ver. 19.-However, as many of the disciples had the gift of discerning spirits, and could judge with certainty both of teachers and of their doctrine, there was the less occasion to caution them to beware of these deceivers, ver. 20.—The apostle, therefore, added, I have not written to you, because ye know not the truth concerning the life of the word in the flesh, but because ye know it, and know also that the

false teachers affirm an abominable lie in direct contradiction to the truth, when they say Christ did not come in the flesh, neither did any of the things related of him, ver. 21.—Who then, said he, is the liar, or false prophet foretold to arise before the destruc tion of Jerusalem, but he who denieth that Jesus is the Christ come in the flesh. They are antichrists, who deny the Father's testimony, that he hath sent his Son in the flesh, and the Son's testimony that he actually came in the flesh, ver. 22.—Whosoever denieth Jesus to be the Son of God come in the flesh, doth not acknowledge the Father's testimony, delivered at the baptism and transfiguration of Jesus, ver. 23.-Therefore, said the apostle, let the belief of the Father's testimony concerning his Son, which ye have heard from the beginning, abide in you, that ye may abide in the fellowship of the Son and of the Father, and thereby obtain eternal life, ver. 24.-For this is the promise which the Son hath made in the Father's name, to them who abide in his fellowship; namely, that they shall obtain eternal life, ver. 25.

GREEK TEXT.

OLD TRANSLATION. CHAP. II. 1 My little 1 Τεκνια μου, ταυτα γρα children, these things φω ἱμιν, ἵνα μη ἁμαρτητε και εαν τις ἁμαρτῃ, παρακλητον εχομεν προς τον πα τέρα, Ιησούν Χριςον δικαιον.

write I unto you that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

Ver. 1-1. My little children.

The word Texa, being the diminutive of rava, is a tender and affectionate appellation, denoting, as Lardner observes, paternal authority, love, and concern, which, in the character of an apostle, John might have used in any period of his life: but in this epistle it seems to imply, together with apostolical authority, advanced age.

2. These things I write to you, that ye may not sin. Having told them, chap. i. 10. that no man is without sin, it is plain, that by their not sinning, the apostle meant, either their not sinning habitually, or their not sinning wilfully. He wrote the things contained in the preceding chapter to prevent them from sinning, because the consideration, that God is faithful to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from them, suggested chap. i. 9. must have a powerful influence on every good man, to make him solicitous to avoid sin, as far as human infirmity will permit.

3. We have an advocate with the Father. Some critics observe that Пapanλntos, Advocate, here answereth to Patronus, Patron, among the Latins. Doddridge thinks the import of this appellation may be illustrated by the custom of tributary states, who were wont to have certain eminent persons residing in the courts of the princes to whom they were tributaries,

In apology for his writing with such earnestness, against the teachers who endeavoured to deceive them, he told them he had written these things to them, ver. 26.-notwithstanding he knew they possessed the gift of discerning spirits, and had no need that any one should teach them, unless it was to confirm them in the belief of what they were taught by their own gifts. Wherefore, said he, as your own gifts have taught you that these teachers are antichrists, reject their doctrine, and hold fast the truth concerning Christ, ver. 27.—I say, little children, by holding the truth concerning the Son, and practising holiness, abide in his fellowship, that when he appears to judge the world, we may have confidence of your being accepted, and may not be put to shame by the errors and vices of our disciples, ver. 28. This excellent discourse, the apostle concluded by saying to them, if ye have a just idea of the righteousness of God, ye will know that every one who resembles God by working righteousness, is begotten of him; he is a child of God, ver. 29.

NEW TRANSLATION.
CHAP. II. 1 My little

children,' these things I

COMMENTARY.

CHAP. II. My dear children, These things I write to you concern

write to you, that (un apag-ing the faithfulness and righteousTTE, 2. aorist subjunct.) ye may not sin. (Ka, 211.) Yet if any one hath sinned, we have an advocate3 with the Father, Jesus Christ the just one.

ness of God in the forgiveness of sins, not to encourage you to sin, but that ye may not sin; the consideration of the mercy of God being a strong incitement to avoid sin. Psal. cxxx. 4. Yet if any one hath sinned, and hath repented of his sin, let him not despair: We have an advocate abiding with the Father, Jesus Christ the just one, or Messiah.

who negociated their affairs, vindicated their rights, and promoted their interests with the reigning powers.-Concerning the intercession of Christ for his people, See Rom. viii. 34. note 3. Heb. vii. 25.

4. Jesus Christ the just one. Amalov. This appellation is given to our Lord as the Messiah, in different places of the New Testament, to denote either that he was just or righteous, in calling himself the Christ, and the Son of God, (See James v. 6. note 1.) or that he was absolutely free from sin.-It is introduced in this place, to make us sensible of the dignity of our advocate, and of the efficacy of his intercession on our behalf, founded on the merit of his death.