1 John 2:1

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 2:1-2

Our Advocate and Propitiation. "My little children, these things write I unto you," etc. Very tender and eminently Johannean is the opening of this paragraph. "My little children." The appellation suggests: 1 . The spiritual paternity of the apostle. St. Paul addressed the same words to those Galatian Christians whom he had spiritually begotten ( Galatians 4:19 ). He referred with great tenderness and force to the same relationship in writing to the Corinthians ( 1 Corinthians... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 2:1-6

Sin supposed: sin dealt with. There is here a contrast to the statement in the last verse of the first chapter. There, a man was supposed to deny the commission of sin. Here, the apostle supposes its existence, and shows how God has dealt with it. We have here— I. DIVINE PROVISION AGAINST EXPERIENCE OF SIN IN BELIEVERS , 1 . Advocacy as far as our need for it is concerned. "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye may not sin. And if any man... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 2:1

My little children - Τεκνια μοῦ Teknia mou. This is such language as an aged apostle would be likely to use when addressing a church, and its use in this Epistle may be regarded as one evidence that John had reached an advanced period of life when he wrote the Epistle.These things write I unto you - To wit, the things stated in 1 John 1:1.That ye sin not - To keep you from sin, or to induce you to lead a holy life.And if any man sin - As all are liable, with hearts as corrupt as ours, and... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 2:1-2

1 John 2:1-2. My little children So the apostle frequently addresses the whole body of Christians, and so our Lord himself addressed his disciples, John 13:33. It is a tender and affectionate appellation, denoting paternal authority, love, and concern, which, in the character of an apostle, St. John might have used in any period of his life; but as used in this epistle, it seems to imply, together with apostolical authority, the apostle’s advanced age. It is a different word from that which... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 2:1-6

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 2:1

little children . App-108 . Seven times in this epistle. Elsewhere only in John 13:33 .Galatians 1:4 , Galatians 1:19 . In verses: 1Jn 2:2 , 1 John 2:13 , 1 John 2:18 a different word is used. unto = to. that ye . . . sin . Note carefully the telic force of the Greek hina here; "to the end that ye may not (commit) sin (habitually). " that . Greek. hina. sin not = may not sin. sin . App-128 . not . App-105 . if . . . sin = should any man sin, i.e. commit an act of sin if . App-118 . ... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 2:1

My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:In this verse, John seems definitely to have had in mind the possible perversion of the teachings he had just written. "If we can never in this life be done with sin, why strive after holiness?" and "If escape is so easy, why dread falling into sin?"[1] The promise of forgiveness of sins (1 John 1:9) and the mention of its universality (1... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 2:1

1 John 2:1. My little children, &c.— St. John has several times called the Christians to whom he wrote, little children; not that it is to be supposed they were all his converts, though probably many of them were; but he was an apostle, and, as such, he looked upon himself as a father, and all Christians under his care and inspection as his children. It was a tender and affectionate appellation, denoting his paternal authority, love, and concern for them. If any man sin, might be rendered... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 2:1

1. ( :-.) My little children—The diminutive expresses the tender affection of an aged pastor and spiritual father. My own dear children, that is, sons and daughters (see on 1 John 2:12). these things— (1 John 2:12- :). My purpose in writing what I have just written is not that you should abuse them as giving a license to sin but, on the contrary, "in order that ye may not sin at all" (the Greek aorist, implying the absence not only of the habit, but of single acts of sin [ALFORD]). In order to... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 2:1

John’s preceding comments on the inevitability of sinful behavior (1 John 2:6-10) led to his assuring his readers here that he did not want them to sin at all (cf. John 5:14). This was one of his purposes in writing this epistle, and it is the third of John’s four purpose statements (cf. 1 John 1:3-4; 1 John 5:13). Avoidance of sin is important even though it is not entirely possible."Thus far John’s epistle has announced its purpose (1 John 1:1-4), affirmed God’s character as light (1 John... read more

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