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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 1

Evidence given concerning Christ?s person and excellency, 1 John 1:1, 2. The knowledge thereof gives us communion with God and Christ (1 John 1:3), and joy, 1 John 1:4. A description of God, 1 John 1:5. How we are thereupon to walk, 1 John 1:6. The benefit of such walking, 1 John 1:7. The way to forgiveness, 1 John 1:9. The evil of denying our sin, 1 John 1:8-10. read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 1

      THOUGH the continued tradition of the church attests that this epistle came from John the apostle, yet we may observe some other evidence that will confirm (or with some perhaps even outweigh) the certainty of that tradition. It should seem that the penman was one of the apostolical college by the sensible palpable assurance he had of the truth of the Mediator's person in his human nature: That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 1:1-4

The apostle omits his name and character (as also the author to the Hebrews does) either out of humility, or as being willing that the Christian reader should be swayed by the light and weight of the things written rather than by the name that might recommend them. And so he begins, I. With an account or character of the Mediator's person. He is the great subject of the gospel, the foundation and object of our faith and hope, the bond and cement that unite us unto God. He should be well known;... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 1:5-7

The apostle, having declared the truth and dignity of the author of the gospel, brings a message or report from him, from which a just conclusion is to be drawn for the consideration and conviction of the professors of religion, or professed entertainers of this glorious gospel. I. Here is the message or report that the apostle avers to come from the Lord Jesus: This then is the message which we have heard of him (1 John 1:5), of his Son Jesus Christ. As he was the immediate sender of the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 1:8-10

Here, I. The apostle, having supposed that even those of this heavenly communion have yet their sin, proceeds here to justify that supposition, and this he does by showing the dreadful consequences of denying it, and that in two particulars:?1. If we say, We have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, 1 John 1:8. We must beware of deceiving ourselves in denying or excusing our sins. The more we see them the more we shall esteem and value the remedy. If we deny them, the... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 1:1-4

1:1-4 What we are telling you about is that which was from the beginning, that which we heard, that which we saw with our eyes, that which we gazed upon, and which our hands touched. It is about the word of life that we are telling you. (And the life appeared to us, and we saw it, and testify to it; and we are now bringing you the message of this eternal life, which was with the Father and which appeared to us). It is about what we saw and heard that we are bringing the message to you, that... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 1:1-4

Here at the very beginning of his letter John sets down his right to speak; and it consists in one thing--in personal experience of Christ ( 1 John 1:2-3 ). (i) He says that he has heard Christ. Long ago Zedekiah had said to Jeremiah: "Is there any word from the Lord?" ( Jeremiah 37:17 ). What men are interested in is not someone's opinions and guesses but a word from the Lord. It was said of one great preacher that first he listened to God and then he spoke to men; and it was said of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 1:1-4

John's message is of Jesus Christ; and of Jesus he has three great things to say. First, he says that Jesus was from the beginning. That is to say, in him eternity entered time; in him the eternal God personally entered the world of men. Second, that entry into the world of men was a real entry, it was real manhood that God took upon himself. Third, through that action there came to men the word of life, the word which can change death into life and mere existence into real living. Again and... read more

William Barclay

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

1:5 And this is the message which we have heard from him, and which we pass on to you, that God is light, and there is no darkness in him. A man's own character will necessarily be determined by the character of the god whom he worships; and, therefore, John begins by laying down the nature of the God and Father of Jesus Christ whom Christians worship. God, he says, is light, and there is no darkness in him. What does this statement tell us about God? (i) It tells us that he is splendour... read more

William Barclay

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

In God, says John, there is no darkness at all. Throughout the New Testament darkness stands for the very opposite of the Christian life. (i) Darkness stands for the Christless life. It represents the life that a man lived before he met Christ or the life that he lives if he strays away from him. John writes to his people that, now that Christ has come, the darkness is past and the true light shines ( 1 John 2:8 ). Paul writes to his Christian friends that once they were darkness but now... read more

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