Verse 3
John wanted his readers to appreciate the importance of guarding God’s truth and practicing love for one another. These two things are the basis for grace, mercy, and peace. "Grace" is God’s unmerited favor, "mercy" is compassion, and "peace" is harmony and inner tranquillity.
"The succession ’grace, mercy, peace’ marks the order from the first notion of God to the final satisfaction of man." [Note: Ibid.]
These qualities flourish where truth and love prevail.
"When divorced from truth, love is little more than sentimentality or humanism. If I truly care about my brothers, then I will want them to know, and live according to, God’s truth." [Note: Zane C. Hodges, The Epistles of John, p. 255.]
"Where ’truth and love’ coexist harmoniously, we have a well-balanced Christian character (cf. Ephesians 4:15)." [Note: Bruce, p. 139.]
John’s description of Jesus Christ as the Son of God the Father is reminiscent of his emphasis on Jesus’ full deity both in his first epistle and in his Gospel.
Be the first to react on this!
