1 John 4:14

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:14

The historic basis of the Christian testimony. Connecting link: The mutual indwelling of God in us and of our spirits in God is the result of a Divine revelation of love made to us on God's part, and of the reception of that love on our part. That love, which has been and is still the object of our adoring contemplation, and to speak it out among the people is the business of our lives. "We have seen," etc. We may be permitted here to quote in full a note of unusual value from the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:14

The great mission of Christ. "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son," etc. The mission of Jesus Christ appears here in a threefold relation. I. IN ITS RELATION TO THE WORLD . "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." Notice. 1 . The world's need of a Saviour. It was in a morally lost and undone condition. It was perishing by reason of its sins. Take the world of St. John's day, or of our own day, in confirmation of this. 2 . ... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:14

And we have seen - Notes on 1 John 1:1.And do testify - Notes, 1 John 1:3. That is, we who are apostles bear witness to you of this great truth, that God has sent his Son to be a Saviour. Compare the notes at John 20:31. The reason why this is referred to here is not quite apparent, but the train of thought in this passage would seem to be this: The writer is discoursing of the love of God, and of its manifestation in the gift of the Saviour, and of the proper influence which it should have on... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 4:13-14

1 John 4:13-14. Hereby Εν τουτω , by this, we know Have full proof; that we dwell, μενομεν , we abide in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit In the enlightening, quickening, renewing, and comforting influences thereof. Some commentators understand the apostle as speaking here of the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit; but surely these gifts, of whatever kind they might be, never were to any man a certain evidence of his possessing real piety and union with God, as... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:7-21

The character of Christian love (4:7-5:5)It is God’s nature to love. Love in human nature has been spoiled by sin, but when people are born again by the work of God, they learn to love as God loves (7-8). The character of God’s love is seen in his act of giving his Son to die for those who have rebelled against him. They are worthy of death, but Jesus died to bear the judgment of sin on their behalf. As a result they can now have life (9-10). People cannot see God, but they can see that he... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 4:14

testify = bear witness. Greek. martureo. See p. 1511. Father . App-98 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 4:14

And we have beheld and bear witness that the Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.And we ... This might be an epistolary, or editorial "we," for the apostle John, or, as Smith thought, "a reference to John and the rest of the apostles who were eyewitnesses."[39] The words "bear witness" indicate that the latter meaning is the true one. As Plummer said, "The language of this verse would be strained and unreal in one who had not seen Christ in the flesh."[40]A tremendous weight... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 4:14

1 John 4:14. And we have seen, &c.— "And animated and sealed by this Spirit, as we have seen and known by undoubted evidence ourselves, so we courageously testify to others, how hazardous soever the bearing that testimony may be, that the great almighty Father of all hath sent Jesus his eternal and only-begotten Son, under the infinitely important character of the Saviour of the world; and that it is in him, and by him alone, how proudly soever the infidel world may reject him, and disdain... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:14

14. And we—primarily, we apostles, Christ's appointed eye-witnesses to testify to the facts concerning Him. The internal evidence of the indwelling Spirit (1 John 4:13) is corroborated by the external evidence of the eye-witnesses to the fact of the Father having "sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world." seen—Greek, "contemplated," "attentively beheld" (see on 1 John 4:13- :). sent—Greek, "hath sent": not an entirely past fact (aorist), but one of which the effects continue (perfect tense). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:7-16

3. God’s Indwelling Recognized 4:7-16John now left behind his warning about false spirits that his readers might mistake as the Holy Spirit, spirits that lure believers onto worldly paths. He returned to one of his central themes, namely, love for the brethren. As 1 Corinthians 13 contains Paul’s great statement on God’s love, so 1 John 4:7-16 contains John’s.". . . the present section spells out precisely the nature of the love which is demanded from every believer, and may thus be viewed as... read more

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