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1 John 1 – Text and Notes
Vv.1-4 – Introduction
1 What [ho; Notice the use of the neuter (instead of masculine – He who) in reference to Jesus through verse one – “what.” Probably this was to emphasize the fact, the details, the reality “concerning the Word.”] was from the beginning [Jn.8:44; 15:27; 9 times (2:13 )in 1 Jn.; twice in 2 Jn.], what [ho] we [original eyewitnesses] have heard [perfect active], what [ho] we have seen [perfect active] with our eyes [“Instrumental case and showing it was not imagination on John’s part, not an optical illusion as the Docetists claimed, for Jesus had an actual human body. He could be heard and seen.” (Robertson, v.6, pp.204-205)], what [ho] we have looked at [Jn.1:14; aorist middle; “…marking not the abiding effect of the vision upon the beholder, but the historical manifestation to special witnesses.” (Vincent, v.2, p.304); denotes calm, continuous contemplation of an object which remains before the spectator; not an optical illusion as the Docetists claimed] and touched [Lk.24:39; aorist active] with our hands, [It never expresses the handling of an object as to exercise a molding, modifying influence upon it, but at most a feeling of its surface; this, it may be, with the intention of learning its composition] concerning the Word [Extended Notes; Jn.1:1,14; logos (3056) – “when used in reference to God, logos means `God’s word, command, commission,’ as well as `of divine revelation through Christ and His messengers’ (Arndt/Gingrich); the essence, reason, or cause of a matter, having particular reference to the `thought to which it is connected’ (Cremer); `reasoned speech’ (Vine)” (The Discovery Bible, p.545)] of Life [lit., the life; “the word of the life” occurs nowhere else in N.T.; in Phil.2:16 neither word contains the article; zoe]
2 and the life [or Life] was manifested [aorist passive; phaneroo – “to make known what already exists, whether invisible (B. Weiss) or visible, `intellectual or sensible’ (Brooks).” (Robertson, v.6, p.205)], and we have seen [v.1; perfect] and testify [present active] and proclaim [present active] to you the eternal [aionios – describes the life in its quality of not being measured by time, a larger idea than that of mere duration; “John defines the term by the adjective aionios, used 71 times in the N.T., 44 times with zoe and 23 in John’s Gospel and Epistles….(Robertson, v.6, p.205)] life [zoe – lit., the life the eternal], which was with the Father [en pros ton patera vs. en pros ton theon (Jn.1:1)] and was manifested to us –
3 what we have seen [vv.1,2; perfect] and heard [perfect] we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have [present] fellowship [The gnostics sought “identification with and absorption in the divine.” (Zondervan, p.737)] with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus [both humanity] Christ [and divinity].
4 These things we write, so that our [some manuscripts say your] joy [Gnostics taught two levels of Christians: 1) the Psychic who could reach some purification; 2) the Spiritual, the elite capable of receiving full enlightenment. Surely being a second class Christian would not be a joyful salvation.] may be made complete [perfect passive].
Vv.5-7 – Walk In The Light
5 This is the message [aggelia – only here and 3:11] we have heard [perfect] from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, [The word has an emphatic sense, which its Greek sentence implies or cannot show][Jn.1:4-9; 8:12] and in Him there is no darkness at all.
6 If we say [aorist] that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk [present; lit., walk about] in the darkness, we lie [present middle] and do not practice the truth [lit., are not doing the truth];
7 but if we walk [present active; lit., walk about] in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship [although this is the last occurrence of the word fellowship in 1 John, other descriptive terms are used as explanatory synonyms: to know God (2:3,4); to be in Him (2:5); to abide in Him (2:6)] with one another, and the blood [If Jesus’ body wasn’t real, He could not have shed blood for our forgiveness. No matter what the heresy is, try to trample it with the simple and powerful truth of the death, burial and resurrection. If it cannot pass that simple test, it cannot be true.] of Jesus His [Think of the sublime and unexplainable truth found within the duality of Jesus. In this simple yet profound thought lies the depth of truth that the human yet Divine blood of the Divine, yet human Son saves us.] Son [The fleshly Jesus was the Son of God contrary to the Cerinthians who taught only Christ was the Son.] cleanses us from all sin [Gnostics taught illumination saves from ignorance.].
Vv.8-10 – Confess Our Sins
8 If we say [aorist] that we have no sin, we are deceiving [planao (4105) – “to lead astray; passive; wander from the truth into error, falsity, and delusion.” The focus of the word is “the inevitable pain and confusion that always results from trusting false promises or believing a lie.” (The Discovery Bible, p.528)] ourselves, and the truth [or Truth as in God Himself?] is not in us.
9 If we confess [present active – i.e. keep on confessing; this is the only time John uses “confess” in 1 John in connection with sin.] our sins, He is faithful [pistos] and righteous to forgive [Lit., that He may forgive; aphiemi (863) – “the `undeserved releasing of the man from something that might justly have been inflicted upon him or exacted from him’ (Barclay); to let go or send away; to remit (a sin or debt). Aphiemi centers on the act of unmerited favor or pardon from a debt (The Discovery Bible, p.530)] us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say [aorist] that we have not sinned [perfect active – “This is a denial of any specific acts of sin, while in verse 8 we have the denial of the principle of sin. David Smith observes that the claim to personal perfectionism has two causes, one the stifling of conscience in making God a liar (pseusten, the word used of the devil by Jesus in John 8:44), and the other ignorance of God’s word, which is not in us, else we should not make such a claim.” (Robertson, v.6, p.208)], we make Him a liar, and His word [or Word – Jesus?; logos (cf. v.1)] is not in us.
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