1 John 5:14

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:14-17

Here we have, I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us, 1 John 5:14. The Lord Christ emboldens us to come to God in all circumstances, with all our supplications and requests. Through him our petitions are admitted and accepted of God. The matter of our prayer must be agreeable to the declared will of God. It is not fit that we should ask what is contrary... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:14-15

5:14-15 And this is the confidence that we have towards him, that, if we ask anything which is in accordance with his will, he hears us; and, if we know that he hears anything that we ask, we know that we possess the requests that we have made from him. Here are set down both the basis and the principle of prayer. (i) The basis of prayer is the simple fact that God listens to our prayers. The word which John uses for confidence is interesting. It is parrhesia ( Greek #3954 ).... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:14

And this is the confidence that we have in him ,.... Either in God, to whom prayer is made; or in the Son of God, through whose blood and righteousness believers in him have confidence with God at the throne of grace; they can come with boldness and intrepidity, and use freedom and liberty of speech, as the word here used signifies; especially when they have the Spirit of Christ with them, and are under the sprinklings of the blood of Christ, and have a comfortable assurance of being heard... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:14

This is the confidence - Παρῥησια , The liberty of access and speech, that if we ask any thing according to his will, that is, which he has promised in his word. His word is a revelation of his will, in the things which concern the salvation of man. All that God has promised we are justified in expecting; and what he has promised, and we expect, we should pray for. Prayer is the language of the children of God. He who is begotten of God speaks this language. He calls God Abba, Father, in... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 5:14

Verse 14 14And this is the confidence He commends the faith which he mentioned by its fruit, or he shews that in which our confidence especially is, that is, that the godly dare confidently to call on God; as also Paul speaks in Ephesians 3:12, that we have by faith access to God with confidence; and also in Romans 8:15, that the Spirit gives us a mouth to cry Abba, Father. And doubtless, were we driven away from an access to God, nothing could make us more miserable; but, on the other hand,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:13-17

Assurance. I. THE AIM OF THE EPISTLE CONNECTED WITH ASSURANCE . "These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God." At the beginning of the Epistle, the apostle's aim was stated to be Divine fellowship and completed joy. In looking back, he feels that he has kept his end in view. In the restatement of his aim, he goes the length of completed joy. Beyond the quickening of their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:13-21

4. CONCLUSION OF EPISTLE ; without, however, any marked break between this section and the last On the contrary, the prominent thought of eternal life through faith in the Son of God is continued for final development. This topic is the main idea alike of the Gospel ( John 20:31 ) and of the Epistle, with this difference—in the Gospel the purpose is that we may have eternal life; in the Epistle, that we may know that we have eternal life. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:14

And the confidence that we have towards him consists in this. The thought of knowing that we have eternal life ( 1 John 5:13 ) leads back to the thought of confidence before God in relation to prayer ( 1 John 3:21 , 1 John 3:22 ). This idea is now further developed with special reference to intercession for others; a particular form of prayer which is in close connexion with another main idea in the Epistle—love of the brethren. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:14-15

Liberty and prevalence in prayer. Connecting link: The knowledge that we have eternal life is, in fact, a coming to feel perfectly at home in the redeeming love of God in Christ Jesus. Where this is the case, confidence, freedom of speech, is enjoyed towards God; and this holy freedom will find expression in prayer. The thought uttered here by the apostle is nearly akin to that in 1 John 3:22 (see homily on 1 John 3:19-22 ). There are, however, one or two not uninteresting points of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 5:14-15

The Christian's confidence toward God in relation to prayer. "And this is the confidence that we have in him," etc. We have in our text. I. AN ASSURANCE THAT GOD HEARS PRAYER . "This is the boldness that we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us." Prayer is much more than petition. Canon Liddon admirably defines it: "Prayer is the act by which man, conscious at once of his weakness and of his immortality, puts himself into real and... read more

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