1 John 1:1 NIV

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 1:1-4

The apostle's aim and method. "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard," etc. I. HERE IS AN OBJECT EMINENTLY WORTHY OF AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST . "That ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full." St. John sought to lead his readers into: 1 . Participation in the highest fellowship. "That ye also may have... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 1:1-4

Introduction. I. SUBJECT OF APOSTOLIC PROCLAMATION . 1 . What is thrown into prominence. One must be thought of as having timelessness and all that belongs to timelessness. 2 . Parenthetical statement. 3 . Former statement, which was left incomplete, resumed. "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also." We are not told who the recipients of this Epistle were. They were not all Christians, for, having declared their message to others, they... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 1:1

That which was from the beginning - There can be no doubt that the reference here is to the Lord Jesus Christ, or the “Word” that was made flesh. See the notes at John 1:1. This is such language as John would use respecting him, and indeed the phrase “the beginning,” as applicable to the Lord Jesus, is unique to John in the writings of the New Testament: and the language here may be regarded as one proof that this Epistle was written by him, for it is just such an expression as “he” would use,... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 1:1

1 John 1:1. That which was That is, as the expression here means, the word which was, namely, with the Father, (1 John 1:2,) before he was manifested; from the beginning This phrase sometimes means the beginning of the gospel dispensation, as 1 John 2:7-8, and is thus interpreted here by Whitby, Doddridge, and Macknight. But if the apostle be speaking, as the context seems to show he is, of the eternal Word, the Son of God, he could not mean to tell us merely that he existed from the... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 1:1-10

1:1-2:17 LIVING IN THE LIGHTFellowship with God (1:1-2:6)In the opening few words of his letter, John states clearly certain facts about Jesus Christ that are basic to Christianity. Jesus Christ is the eternal God and he became a real man whom John and his fellow apostles have seen, heard and touched (1:1-2). John’s joy will be complete if he knows that he and his readers share together in the eternal life that comes to them through Jesus Christ. This life unites them to one another as well as... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 1:1

from the beginning . Greek. ap ' ( App-104 .) arches. See John 8:44 . Occurs nine times in this epistle. seen . App-133 . have . Omit. looked upon . App-133 . handled . Greek. pselaphao. See Acts 17:27 . Word . App-121 . Figure of speech Anabasis. App-6 . life . App-170 . Compare John 1:4 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 1:1

JOHN'S FIRST LETTERThe beautiful prologue (1 John 1:1-4) is like the one in John's gospel, having the profoundest dimensions and embryonically stating the theme as: "God manifested in Jesus Christ, that man may have fellowship with the Father through the Son."[1] The remaining six verses are part of a complicated paragraph running through 1 John 2:28 and which begins with "God is light" (1 John 1:5), the first of three epic statements about God which are usually cited by scholars as marking in... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 1:1

1 John 1:1. That which was from the beginning, &c.— Though from the beginning (απ αρχης ), and in the beginning (εν αρχη ), as we have it, Joh 1:1 are somewhat different expressions; yet, as Christ is here styled in the next verse eternal Life, it is natural to take in his eternal existence, correspondent to this apostle's assertion of it, John 1:1. The phrase Ye have known him that is from the beginning (απ αρχης ), ch. 1Jn 2:13-14 whether applied to the Father or Son, evidently relates to... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 1:1

1. Instead of a formal, John adopts a virtual address (compare :-). To wish joy to the reader was the ancient customary address. The sentence begun in :- is broken off by the parenthetic :-, and is resumed at 1 John 1:3 with the repetition of some words from 1 John 1:3- :. That which was—not "began to be," but was essentially (Greek, "een," not "egeneto") before He was manifested (1 John 1:2); answering to "Him that is from the beginning" (1 John 1:2- :); so John's Gospel, 1 John 1:2- :, "In... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 1:1

The "beginning" (Gr. arche) may refer to the beginning of all things (John 1:1) or the beginning of the creation (Genesis 1:1). It could also refer to the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry (i.e., His incarnation; John 1:14), the beginning of the readers’ experience as Christians, or the beginning of the Christian gospel. The last option seems most consistent with what John proceeded to say about that beginning (1 John 2:7; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:11; cf. Mark 1:1-4; Acts 1:21-22). The baptism... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 1:1-4

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 1:1-4

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 1:1

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 1:1

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 1:1-10

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 1:1

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 1:1

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 1:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 1:1

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 1:1

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