1 John 4:11-13 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 4:7-13

As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, 1 John 4:7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: ?Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love.? This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as, I. From the high and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

4:7-21 Beloved, let us love one another, because love has its source in God, and everyone who loves has God as the source of his birth and knows God. He who does not love has not come to know God. In this God's love is displayed within us, that God sent his only Son into the world that through him we might live. In this is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Brothers, if God so loved us, we too ought to love each other. No... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

In this passage there occurs what is probably the greatest single statement about God in the whole Bible, that God is love. It is amazing how many doors that single statement unlocks and how many questions it answers. (i) It is the explanation of creation. Sometimes we are bound to wonder why God created this world. The disobedience, and the lack of response in men is a continual grief to him. Why should he create a world which was to bring him nothing but trouble? The answer is that... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

Before we leave this passage we must note that it has also great things to say about Jesus Christ. (i) It tells us that Jesus is the bringer of life. God sent him that through him we might have life ( 1 John 4:9 ). There is a world of difference between existence and life. All men have existence but all do not have life. The very eagerness with which men seek pleasure shows that there is something missing in their lives. A famous doctor once said that men would find a cure for cancer more... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:11

Beloved, if God so loved us ,.... As to send his Son to be a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, and to obtain eternal life for us through his sufferings and death: the apostle uses the same language his Lord and master did, John 3:16 ; we ought also to love one another ; for those who are the objects of God's love ought to be the objects of ours; and if God has loved our fellow Christians and brethren to such a degree, as to send his Son to die for them, we ought to love them too;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time ,.... The same is said by the Evangelist John, John 1:18 ; but here it is observed with a different view, and upon another account; there it signifies that no man has seen and looked into the counsels and designs of God, and been able to make a discovery and declaration of his mind and will, his love and grace, and which is there ascribed to the Son of God; see Gill on John 1:18 ; but here the sense is, that whereas God is invisible in his nature, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:13

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us ,.... That there is a communion between God and us, and a communication of his love and grace to us, and an exercise of grace upon him; for God dwells in his people by his Spirit and grace, and they dwell in him by the exercise of faith and love upon him: and this is known, because he hath given us of his Spirit : not of the essence and nature of the Spirit, which is the same with the nature of the Father and of the Son, and is... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:11

If God so loved us - Without any reason or consideration on our part, and without any desert in us; we ought also, in like manner, to love one another, and not suspend our love to a fellow-creature, either on his moral worth or his love to us. We should love one another for God's sake; and then, no unkind carriage of a brother would induce us to withdraw our love from him; for if it have God for its motive and model, it will never fail. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time - The very words, with the change of ἑωρακε for τεθεαται , of this apostle in his gospel, John 1:18 . We may feel him, though we cannot see him; and if we love one another he dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us - it has then its full accomplishment, having moulded us according to its own nature. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:13

Hereby know we, etc. - See the note on 1 John 3:24 . read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 4:7-13

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 4:7-21

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:12

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 4:13

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