1 John 5

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5

In this chapter the apostle asserts, I. The dignity of believers, 1 John 5:1. II. Their obligation to love, and the trial of it, 1 John 5:1-3. III. Their victory, 1 John 5:4, 5. IV. The credibility and confirmation of their faith, 1 John 5:6-10. V. The advantage of their faith in eternal life, 1 John 5:11-13. VI. The audience of their prayers, unless for those who have sinned unto death, 1 John 5:14-17. VII. The preservation from sin and Satan, 1 John 5:18. VIII. Their happy distinction from... read more

Matthew Henry

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

I. The apostle having, in the conclusion of the last chapter, as was there observed, urged Christian love upon those two accounts, as suitable to Christian profession and as suitable to the divine command, here adds a third: Such love is suitable, and indeed demanded, by their eminent relation; our Christian brethren or fellow-believers are nearly related to God; they are his children: Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, 1 John 5:1. Here the Christian brother is, 1.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:6-9

The faith of the Christian believer (or the believer in Christ) being thus mighty and victorious, it had need to be well founded, to be furnished with unquestionable celestial evidence concerning the divine mission, authority, and office of the Lord Jesus; and it is so; he brings his credentials along with him, and he brings them in a way by which he came and in the witness that attends him. I. In the way and manner by which he came; not barely by which he came into the world, but by and with... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:10-13

In those words we may observe, I. The privilege and stability of the real Christian: He that believeth on the Son of God, hath been prevailed with unfeignedly to cleave to him for salvation, hath the witness in himself, 1 John 5:10. He hath not only the outward evidence that others have, but he hath in his own heart a testimony for Jesus Christ. He can allege what Christ and the truth of Christ have done for his soul and what he has seen and found in him. As, 1. He has deeply seen his sin, and... read more

Matthew Henry

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 John 5:18-21

Here we have, I. A recapitulation of the privileges and advantages of sound Christian believers. 1. They are secured against sin, against the fulness of its dominion or the fulness of its guilt: We know that whosoever is born of God (and the believer in Christ is born of God, 1 John 5:1) sinneth not (1 John 5:18), sinneth not with that fulness of heart and spirit that the unregenerate do (as was said 1 John 3:6, 9), and consequently not with that fulness of guilt that attends the sins of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:1-2

5:1-2 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has experienced the birth which comes from God; and everyone who loves the father loves the child. This is how we know that we must be loving the children of God, whenever we love God and keep his commandments. As John wrote this passage, there were two things in the background of his mind. (i) There was the great fact which was the basis of all his thinking, the fact that love of God and love of man are inseparable parts of the same... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:3-4

5:3-4a For this is the love of God, that we should keep his commandments; and his commandments are not heavy, because everything that is born of God conquers the world. John reverts to an idea which is never far from the surface of his mind. Obedience is the only proof of love. We cannot prove our love to anyone other than by seeking to please him and bring him joy. Then John quite suddenly says a most surprising thing. God's commandments, he says, are not heavy. We must note two general... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:4

5:4b-5 And this is the conquest which has conquered the world, our faith. Who is he who conquers the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (iii) We have seen that the commandments of Jesus Christ are not grievous because with the commandment there comes the power and because we accept them in love. But there is another great truth. There is something in the Christian which makes him able to conquer the world. The kosmos ( Greek #2889 ) is the world apart from God and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 1 John 5:6-8

5:6-8 This is he who came through water and blood--Jesus Christ. It was not only by water that he came, but by water and by blood. And it is the Spirit which testifies to this, because the Spirit is truth; because there are three who testify, the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three agree in one. Plummer, in beginning to comment on this passage says: "This is the most perplexing passage in the Epistle, and one of the most perplexing in the New Testament." No doubt, if we knew... read more

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