V. 1. my little children.
1 This is the praise that the holy Scriptures give to true Christians. What Paul testified Rom. 15, 4, "that all things which were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures
John testified even more clearly to this. This I write unto you, saith he, that ye sin not," as if to say, "Without this preaching of Jesus Christ ye cannot possibly have a quiet mind, a pure heart, and a good conscience.
(2) There are things in this chapter which not only concern the timid consciences, but also provoke all other Christians to see that they do not sin wantonly. For the Scriptures give us a twofold instruction: first, how we are to be freed from sin; but afterwards, how we are to avoid it. Those who closed the access of the fallen to the grace of God took this admonition and what is read in the epistle to the Hebrews as their reason, and therefore did not want to receive the fallen back into the community. On the other hand, it should be noted that through Christ one can obtain forgiveness of sins at any time, if only the fallen are serious about being received back into grace.
If anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father.
(3) There is a pleasant confusion of persons here. John includes himself among the three and says that he also needs such an intercessor, since he also has sin in himself and therefore also needs forgiveness of it. As St. Paul also writes about himself: "I wretched man, who will deliver me from the body of this death", Rom. 7, 24.
That you do not sin.
What this means: "not to sin", Paul explained with the words Rom. 6, 12: "Let not sin reign in our mortal body, to render obedience to it in its lusts. Therefore, "there is nothing condemnable in those who are in Christ JEsu," Rom. 8, 1. Among men in the world this rule is not unknown: Qui non peccat, est beatus, he who does not sin is blessed. But there are many kinds of blessedness, among which the last alone is worthy of this name. 1) A happiness of the world, which a man can attain by often repeated actions, according to the saying: Ex actibus saepe iteratis fit habitus [if one does something often, it becomes a habit]. If you want to learn to write, write often; if you want to become orderly, do it often. To this belongs what Paul says about the Gentiles, Rom. 1, 21. The Gentiles have
They did not recognize and glorify God as God, but whoever did something good for them, they worshipped as a god. 2) A blessedness of the law, which comes from the outward observance of the ten commandments, ceremonies and worldly ordinances. 3) A blessedness of the gospel, which is contained in the words, "He who believes shall also be saved. 4) The greatest blessedness is this, that Christ Himself is the propitiation for our sin. This is widely explained in the 16th Psalm, which in the superscription XXXX is called Michtam, or a golden jewel. In the letter to Timothy, Paul gave the exhortation that bodily exercises are of little use, but godliness is profitable for all things, and has the promise of this life and the life to come, 1 Timothy 4:8.
5) "Do not sin" also means to sigh after committing a sin: "Oh, what have I done?
So we have an advocate.
6 Augustine says: "Just as he who entrusts something to an eloquent and experienced man to carry out in the affairs of this life, does so in order that he may not lose the thing, should you then be lost if you entrust yourself to this intercessor? Christ is a most excellent guardian.
V. 2. for the sin of the whole world.
Here John meets the objection that a despondent person might make: Yes, I am not one of the number of the apostles. Therefore Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. This is a phrase that means a perpetual continuation of a thing. As it is said in the 19th Psalm, v. 2. 3.: "The heavens tell the glory of God; one day tells another, one night proclaims another"; which means: As long as in nature one day will follow another, one night another, so long shall God's glory be proclaimed and spread! So also here it is said of the atonement of Christ: "It is for the sins of the whole world", that is, for all sins that have ever been committed and will be committed until the end of the world.
V. 3 And by this we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
(8) Here John has summarized many things, all of which are as follows: 1) How is it possible not to sin? 2) How do we know that we have an Advocate when we fall into sin unawares? 3) How then do we know that we have known Him in truth? 4) What do we have to do if we want to keep his commandments? 5) What must be done if the truth is to be in us and we do not want to be liars? 6) How shall we know that the love of God is perfect in us? John answers: All this does the same one word of God, if we keep it. The apostles learned this from Christ when he answered the woman who cried out to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that you sucked," "Yes, blessed are those who hear and keep the word of God," Luc. 11:27 ff. In the Greek the wordwhich
means such preservation, which is demonstrated by a precious and valuable treasure. Whoever keeps the word of God in this way does not sin. We have a similar combination of so many truths in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John, the main content of which is that we should remember the word of Christ. And if it seems to us to be a particularly difficult thing to remember the word in the hours of challenge, then for this reason the Holy Spirit was promised to us by Jesus, who is to remind us of it. Whoever has this Holy Spirit also has the Word in his heart. Whoever has this word in his heart and believes in it is also chosen by God to be blessed; but whoever does not have this word and does not believe in it is also not chosen to be blessed.
V. 5. And by this we know that we are in him.
(9) Up to this point John has taught how we should be before God, but now he goes on to show why all this is done for the sake of the word and not for the sake of other things.
1) Luc. 11, 28. does not stand but which, by the way, has the same meaning.
V. 6 Whoever says that he will abide in him, let him also walk as he walked.
Paul writes Rom. 8, 1. what this means to be and remain in Christ. "So then," it says, "there is nothing condemnable in those who are in Christ Jesus," or who cry out with earnest desire, "Who will deliver us from the body of this death?" Rom. 7, 24. For to those who have the Spirit of JEsu Christ in them, by which they kill the business of the flesh, and who cry in their heart, "Abba, dear Father!" to them, I say, God does not impute their sin.
How he has changed.
This walk of Jesus is the rule of all good works pleasing to God; it is an instruction how to walk properly in the world. If John had shown us before how we should be before God, he now also teaches how our conduct should be before men. The emphasis of this expression, however, lies in the word "walk". For the doctrine of the works of a Christian is a most important doctrine; he is to walk as Christ walked. O! how much a Christian has to do there. For here it is called going out and walking. When dealing with God, there is no staying inside, standing still, and waiting for what God will give us and how He will deal with us. In the sight of God, no work or life should be valid, nor should we help, but we should only fetch and take from God; but in the world we should only give, lend, give, help and advise.
12. Christ has given himself completely with all his gifts and benefits to us; so we are also to present ourselves to our brothers for service with everything that God has given us. John summarized both in the word "walk". Paul described it thus in the epistle to the Galatians: "Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ." But this is a great canon poenitentiae. But it is not meant that we should follow Christ in extraordinary things, and walk with him as it were on the sea. That is far away. But we are to walk in the way of righteousness, and pray for our enemies, as Christ does.
stus, even as he was pinned to the cross, walked in this way and prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," Luc. 23:34. Therefore, if you learn from Christ to pray even for your enemies, you will walk in the ways of the Lord.
V. 7 My brothers, I am not writing you a new commandment.
(13) This is indeed a dark saying, for here the apostle says that he is not writing a new commandment, and yet immediately after this he says that he is writing a new commandment which seems to be in conflict with one another.
(14) It should be noted, however, that the commandment to love may well be called both a new and an old commandment. The old commandment is the one when the law says: "You shall love God above all things, and your neighbor as yourself." And this is truly an old commandment, because it does not renew man. Therefore the fulfillment of that prophecy is necessary: "Behold, I make all things new," Revelation 21:5. But such a commandment is also called new, because the explanation of the true understanding of it goes further, and a new power for the accomplishment of it is given to man from above. For this is what Christ, the new interpreter of the law, says in Matthew, Cap. 22, 39: "The other commandment is like unto it," as if to say, "Abide in the world, and love thy neighbor, and give thanks unto the Father, which forgiveth all thy sins. But if you cannot love your neighbor on earth, do not think that you are qualified to enter heaven and love God there.
V. 8. which is true with him and with you.
(15) This means that just as He, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, voluntarily served His heavenly Father and gave Himself for our sake, you also do the same, serving others voluntarily, without constraint, without seeking human rewards and retribution.
For the darkness has passed away, and the true light now shines.
16 That is: You now muck out what you are to do and why it is to be done. The old
was that God at all times commanded us to love Him; but now it is something new that by the bright light of the Gospel we can also know how to love Him.
V. 9 He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.
17) "To be in the light" means as much as: to know where one is and what one has to do. To "walk in the light" indicates that occupation of a Christian that he daily becomes better and more and more puts away evil, according to the exhortation of Paul Eph. 4:25, 28: "Put away lies and speak the truth. He that stole, let him steal no more." "Remain in the light" means to be ruled and governed by the new leader, of which likewise Paul says Rom. 8, 14.: "Whom the Spirit of God impels, they are the children of God." On the other hand, this is called "being in darkness" when one does not know where he is. And "to walk in darkness" is nothing else than to stand in carnal security, not recognizing one's own misery. "But to remain in darkness means to be controlled by the evil spirit and to be driven into darkness. As John says, v. 11: "The darknesses have blinded his eyes."
V. 11: He who hates his brother is in darkness.
18 Flesh and blood will object to this and say: 1) Every man has a natural antipathy and enmity towards some other men. 2) The goods I possess are all mine, and I may do with them as I please. - But for this very reason God has given me such goods, namely good health, skill, temporal ability, that we should thank Him for them and serve others with them. 3) Against my neighbor who offends me, I may defend myself by right. - This is nothing else, 1) as if Christ had endured nothing adverse and hostile. He who defends himself brings his neighbor into greater bitterness; but he who does this also hates him, so that defending oneself is not a right.
1) "This is nothing else" put by us instead of: "Not different" in the old edition.
I am not allowed to do anything that comes from a hostile heart. 4) My wife and children are my neighbor to whom I owe everything. - This is nothing else, 1) as if Christ had not said Matth. 10, 37: "Whoever loves his wife and children more than me is not worthy of me. 5) He to whom I do good, does evil to me. He is unfaithful in trade and conduct, therefore he is also unbelieving against God. 6) Ingratitude and violent oppression and tyranny are very contrary to love for one's neighbor.
The darkness has blinded his eyes.
With this, John describes the real reason why we are not the people we are supposed to be before God and man, and what prevents us from being. Satan blinds us by his darkness; he seduces us either by our own sins or by the evil examples of others. Natural unkindness is the source of all offences against our neighbor, and this mischief dwells in the heart. Now those whom he cannot seduce by their own sins, he seeks to ensnare by evil examples of others. To these latter now belongs the world, and what is in the world. Therefore the apostle does not want us to love the world.
V. 12. Dear children, I write to you that sins are forgiven you through his name.
20 These words indicate in general that this doctrine belongs to all men, to all classes and orders among them.
V. 13. I write to you fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning.
21. He who is from the beginning is none other than from whom all fatherhood comes in heaven and on earth, Eph. 3, 15. Now this Father has commanded that for his sake also the fathers on earth should be honored and followed. Hatred and enmity dwells in all men, and in all among them.
1) "This is nothing else" set by us instead of: "Not different" in the old edition.
Among children, young men and parents. Young men, ζα^ίσχο, are called those who now apply themselves to a certain way of life, and choose something with which they want to ply their trade in the world.
I am writing to you children because you know the Father.
(22) Children, when they are to be instructed in virtue and godliness, generally harbor ill will toward those who are their parents, or who take the place of their parents with them, and show them the right way; therefore, forgiveness of sins is necessary for them. If one lets the child have its will, it does not cry. Therefore, John here inculcates exactly what is written in the fourth commandment, namely, that the children should show obedience to their parents. And Solomon, Proverbs 1:8, admonishes the children that they should not despise the discipline of their father, because then God will follow with discipline and punishment for the sake of the parents. But by nature, children are such that they like it when you let them shoot the reins. Youth is no different; and though it is held so tightly that it cannot break through, yet it grumbles against it. The right of fathers over children derives from God; "he is the right father over all that are called children in heaven and on earth," Eph. 3:15. Therefore, even the rule of fathers over their children on earth should not be stubborn and unkind. He that ruleth wrathfully maketh evil worse. If the fathers and masters on earth do not recognize God, God also makes that no child and servants will be wronged.
23 This verse also brings to mind the proper affection that should prevail between parents and children. Paul exhorts Eph. 6:4: "Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be afraid; but bring them up in discipline and admonition unto the Lord." Experience teaches that far more can be accomplished by love than by servile fear and coercion. This also concerns the masters, to whom Paul also reproaches this, Eph. 6, 9, "that they also have a Lord in heaven". They should not put themselves in God's place, but rather this
consider godly: God must make pious. Parents are required first of all to be diligent and careful, and then to have a true fear of God. Therefore, they should not try to keep the youth in their place with grubs and frightening images. It is the duty of children to learn to fear God above all things, and also to love those who work to raise them. The fear of God must never come out of their hearts, otherwise they are unfit for any business, and neither God nor man is useful. The discipline that is done on children, both by words and by works, saves the soul of a child from the eternal punishments of hell. A father does not spare ruths, but considers that this honor of raising children is given to him by God, indeed, that it is God's own work if children are to turn out well. He who does not know this hates his children and family, and walks in darkness.
V. 14. I have written to you fathers.
24 Parents who love their children too much leave them with no will to be brave; they basically do nothing but hate them. They raise a villain whom they must once accompany to the Rabenstein, and who bites off his own parents' noses. The parents are commonly to blame for the children's ruin. They generally provide it from these two sides: either by too much coddling and pampering, or by too much severity and bitterness. Moderation must be kept on both sides.
I have written to you young men that you may be strong, and that the word of God may abide with you, and that you may overcome the wicked one.
25 In the Proverbs of Solomon, Cap. 30, 18, 19, it says: "Three things are too strange for me, and the fourth I know not: the way of the eagle in heaven, the way of the serpent on a rock, the way of the ship in the midst of the sea, and the way of a youth with a virgin. The affections and desires of youth are so hot and fierce that they are always unstable and cannot decide on anything definite; they are like a wheel, one half of which goes up and the other down. The fiery tempers want everything with the blade.
and it is almost a miracle that they still grow old. John adds, "I have written that you may be strong, and that the word of God may abide with you," for otherwise you would not sing out your vocation. For where the word of God is not, such things cease, and men fall from one to another. And the world also hates all those who keep it.
I have written to you that you are strong.
But in whom is such strength? In him in whom the word of God abides.
You have overcome the villain.
This would be quite impossible in itself, especially because of the disorderly lusts and desires to which the youth is subjected. These make them disgusted with all good intentions and advice, whereas they are more inclined and ready to accept heated and harmful suggestions. They are the more inclined and ready to accept them.
V. 15. Do not love the world or what is in the world.
This saying is very convenient to teach us that the sins and vices do not belong to the essence of the world created by God, but have been introduced into it by Satan. And in these words is a vivid picture of the world in trouble. Notice that John does not command: Come out of the world, but he only says: "Do not love the world." This is also what Paul taught. Whoever did not want to have any contact with evil people would have to leave the world. Let him who lives in the world be as one who does not live in it; let him who rejoices be as one who does not rejoice; and let him who needs this world not abuse it. To go out of the world is good; but to remain in it (and yet keep oneself unspotted from the world) is better still.
If anyone loves the world, the Father's love is not in him.
This means that the Father does not love the same one who loves the world. A hard blunder! One should rather lose a thousand necks.
V.16. For all that is in the world (namely, carnality, lust of the eyes, and hopefulness) is not of the Father, but of the world.
30 This is the world's conterfei; it is a description quoad subjectum et materiam. In Scripture, "flesh" means everything that is opposed to the spirit. The word libido is still too weak to express the apostle's opinion, for it includes everything that is good for the body. The flesh contends against the spirit. The nature of the flesh is to seek what is pleasing to the natural man and to flee what is painful to him. To such temptation of the flesh belongs all misfortune that a man can conceive, which he may also imagine, 1) be it disease, fire, water, pestilence, or whatever other names it may have. "Lust of the flesh" is therefore called when man strives for all the sensible comforts of the flesh, when he does not want to freeze and sweat, to suffer any lack of honor and good, of abundance. Satan puts the fuse in the heart, and then he fills it. But when it fails us, how we rage, how we murmur, proving that we belong to the world. When we see a rich and distinguished man, we wish: Oh, I wish I were like that! Or when those who have children wish: Oh, if only I could raise and tax them so high and honestly! Now this is a carnal desire. Another sees one acting here, acting there, and wishes: Oh, if only I could come to that! In such people there is not the love of the Father. Others say: Should I not enjoy the trade? Likewise: It is mine, I will give it as I will. Those who begin to do business and trade in the world are wont to say, "We have to pay an apprenticeship! To children they say: they should think of the old man. Or also: that one must take the soul on one's back until one has become rich. But what if you lose your soul and Satan gets hold of it?
1) "imagine may" put by us instead of: "disguise must" in the old edition.
Eye candy.
31 To such "lust of the eyes" belongs the desire either to acquire temporal goods in the world, or to maintain and increase the acquired ones. In particular, however, such lustful eyes include 1) the insatiable urge that is found in the corrupt heart for a loose way of life. According to the common saying, this is called: You can fill their belly, but not their eyes. For the eyes of man are insatiable. No one is happy with his condition as long as he sees people next to him whom he considers better than himself. Everybody is disgusted by the profession in which he stands. He always wants to mean something greater and more in the world.
32. 2) It belongs to this lust of the eye, when one looks at others with an envious eye, and does not begrudge them their condition. When Cain saw that his brother and his sacrifice were pleasing in God's eyes, his eye not only became envious, but he himself became a fratricide. There are many things in the world that man cannot escape. His eye gets to see many rare, new things. From it the desire arises with him: Eh! would it were also so good for me. Here the eye sees a trade, there a field, there a garden, and the heart immediately desires to share in them. This desire is often very much aroused in children by their parents. Dear child, they say, think of the old man. So, too, when they marry, they think only of rich houses and families. The divine commandment says: A wife comes from the Lord; but the eye says: By the staff it is good to leap. Therefore it seeks only riches. Now this is a lust of the eye. The love of the Father is not with such a one. God is not pleased with him, but the world is, and therefore it does not love God.
33. 3) It is to be noted that for the sake of such lust for the eyes, much injustice also goes on in the world. When a man gets into office, becomes mayor, city bailiff, he should administer justice and punish the guilty, but protect the innocent. But his eye is then a mischievous one. If I punish, he says, I damage my property,
Honor, wife and child. Therefore, the eye looks only at how it remains with good and honor, be it per fas or nefas [with right or with wrong, it goes thereby right or wrong.
34. 4) It is part of such lust for the eyes, when one closes his eyes to all good advice, which the word of God as well as the general best gives, and thinks to himself: You must also see what people think of you. But a true Christian is satisfied, even if the world does not think much of him. He says: Lord, you know how I am before you. Jeremiah and Paul call this "human days", 1 Cor. 4, 3, about which a Christian should not worry. Such diarists and listeners generally have a double misfortune. For when they have heard something that is not decent to them, they want to burst. In the courts of princes, this eye of the world is very common, which also happens when princes and lords attach themselves to the mob. Wise men have long since judged that he who attaches himself to the mob is not worthy to rule. A wise and brave lord does right and does not shy away from anyone, even though he cannot lack enemies. The authorities are God's order and, as it were, a wall against all evil and godless people, and God is within them. Whoever dies for the sake of such order, dies well, his wife and children will not perish and perish. But such popularity is of a threefold nature. First the personal, then the civil, third the spiritual. Of the latter, Paul says Gal. 1:10: "If I were pleasing to men, I would not be Christ's servant." Such a servant of Christ knows nothing but Jesus crucified. This concerns the servants of the divine Word, and Satan cannot stand it, nor the world. Now, because a servant of Christ in this play knows nothing of any popularity and human pleasing, it soon affects me, soon you. Therefore it is no wonder at all if one does not like an evangelical teacher. The world's eye wants teachers to be completely pure as angels, and complains when they are not. But they do not consider that they also
They have flesh and blood, and can make many a mistake. It is said, however, of a teacher: Spartam, quam nactus es, adorna, or, do now the office which thou hast been charged with; thou shalt not have a scarf's eye. In this, too, a poor man who does his part is better than a boaster who does not have the bread, or who does not faithfully preside over what he is commanded to do. Jacob and David are angry in the eyes of others and do their part, but Esau and Absalom swarm around and do nothing.
35. 5) Among them are the weak minded, who take everything in contempt and cannot look at those who are more than them with a good eye. They think that they are more capable than all others, and say: I should be in their place. They interpret everything they perceive in their neighbor as evil: Thus he has walked, thus he has stood, thus he has spoken; and everything that he does is declared by them to be detrimental.
36. 6) Among them are those who feast their eyes on money, who turn back a penny twice before spending it, who make themselves poor because they do not want to spend the good money. Not differently, as if between coin and coin, between earth and earth, there were such a big difference. The eye makes such a difference. Investigate your heart in this. For the love of the Father cannot dwell in such lust of the eye.
37. 7) Finally, it belongs to the lust of the eye, if one looks so greedily at the supply of food, and either wants to save everything, or to make everything money. Solomon says Proverbs 22:9: "A loving eye is blessed by God"; and he who does good to the poor will never go hungry, but will lend it to the Lord, who will repay him. But the stingy heart says, "If I have nothing, no one will give me anything. But, "He who holds back grain, people curse him," Proverbs 11:26.
38 It is therefore, if one is to put it briefly, a lust of the eyes, when one is either not satisfied with one's status and strives for a higher status, which unfair desire one might rightly call astidium vocationis, a disgust with one's profession, or when one wants to give others their gifts and privileges.
The eye of the man is not pleased with the way he looks at us. Against such a displeased eye one must remember with a godly heart that Christ, our head, has condescended so low to all of us that we may all have an equal share in him. Therefore a poor shepherd can say: Christ has done enough for me as well as for the emperor and for the richest. I am as comfortable in the huts as the emperor is in his imperial palace.
Hopeful Life.
(39) By this is understood all that in the world is called honor, dignity, and prestige. In and of itself, honor is nothing harmful. For God Himself loves honor, and not shame. But honor is followed by respectability, and disgrace by prudence. 1) Therefore, people should be brought up to keep honor, discipline and moderation. For this reason he has also decreed that those who live dishonestly will be punished. How far will he have kept it now? So far that he would not become Pilate. As Christ says Matth. 10, 37: "Whoever does not love me more than father, mother and brother is not worthy of me. Why does the world not believe in Christ? It is so blinded by the conceit of its own advantages that it despises Christ, along with everything that belongs to Christ. Pilate does not like to have the emperor as an enemy for the sake of Christ, because in his eyes he is a great and wise man, and for the sake of this title he despises the gospel. The best remedy is to remember that Christ died for our sake. In the Gospel of John it says Cap. 12, 43: "Therefore they could not believe, because they preferred glory with men rather than glory with God."
The following three things are not of the Father: 1) hatred of the brethren; 2) the three idols of the world, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and hopeful living; 3) false and seductive doctrine, as being of Satan. The conclusion or enthymema,2) which the apostle makes.
1) Here, this redaction seems to us to be deficient again.
2) enthymema, a short conclusion of reason from the
Antithesis.
is taken from the loco oppositorum: "The love of the Father is not in him". There it says: "The law causes wrath", Rom. 4, 15., consequently it cannot make righteous. So it is also said here: These three pieces are of the world, therefore they cannot be of the Father. Likewise: Righteousness comes from the promise, therefore it cannot come from the merit of works.
V. 17: The world perishes with its lust.
41. Where do we remain? In the will of the Father. Therefore, it is immediately added:
But he who does the will of God abides forever.
(42) It is clear enough that these words are here applied as if they were repeated from a sermon of the Lord Jesus. For in that sermon, the will of God was indicated with the following words, John 6:40: "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that whoever sees the Son (who is the image of the divine being and the radiance of glory, Hebr. 1:3), sees also the Father," namely that He is just as minded toward us as we see that the Son is minded toward us. Whoever believes in this Son of God has eternal life. But that John says here, "He who does the will of God abides forever," belongs to the righteousness of faith, which has both a heart and ears to hear. Therefore, such faith truly does the law and the will of God contained therein. Augustine writes beautifully: In corde sunt aures spirituales, quae satisfaciunt Deo, externae manus non satisfaciunt. That is: In the heart of a believer is found the spiritual hearing, which alone satisfies the will of God; the external hands are not able to do this. And Rom. 2:13 says: "Not those who have the law, but those who do it, will be saved.
43) The reason why these three kinds of lusts are presented here is to show how they are partly in the nature of man, but partly were introduced into the world by Satan and are still used for seduction. Therefore, since Satan has
stum, he needed these three lusts, namely lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and hopefulness. Although it is rightly said of Christ: "He did no sin", 1 Petr. 2, 22; and just as in his mouth no deception was ever found, so Christ also tempts no man to sin. But if Christ is tempted by these three lusts, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the life of hope, it is a sign that these three things belong to the nature of the corrupt world, and are only used by Satan for seduction.
God dealt with Christ as He should have dealt with sin. We were actually nothing but a curse and sin, therefore Christ was made a curse and sin. The man Jesus Christ, who was both the Son of God and the Son of Mary, suffered for the sake of sin; yes, this one person alone, and no other. But how did this happen? God knows. It is an article of faith for us. To reason it seems inconsistent, but not to faith. Therefore it is a great mystery of godliness. If this person were to be divided from one another, one would fall into the coarse swarm of the Anabaptists, who separate the divinity and the humanity of Christ far enough from one another. But if they do this with the green wood, what will they do with the dry? God was certainly serious about the suffering of His Son.
Satan uses these lusts as a means to make us forget how much God loves us. The confirmation that these three things, lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and hopeful life, were not put into the nature of man, but are used by Satan for seduction, is sufficiently evident from looking at the young children. These are not dominated by such lusts, they do not ask what the grain is worth, they do not care about any way of life, about goods, honor, dominion, food, clothes, but walk around naked in their simplicity. Therefore Christ also took a child and placed it in the midst of His disciples and said: "Unless you become like this child, you cannot enter the kingdom of God", Matth. 18, 2. 3.
Comparison of these threefold lusts with the temptations of Christ in the wilderness.
46. 1) Reason does not want to leave hope in the heart, but drives to despair. But Christ overcomes, and says: "Thou mischievous one, wilt thou lead me from word to bread? The world says, If I have not bread, I must ever starve. But faith says: "Even if there is no bread, the word is still there. And "man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes through the mouth of God", Matth. 4, 4.
47. 2) It was a seduction to the lust of the eyes, when Satan said to him: Let yourself go down; leave your profession. But this is called tempting God. Every man shall wait out his profession abundantly. Such a command from Satan is even a dangerous profession; for if you neglect your ordinary profession and leave it, you are in danger of breaking your neck. The world generally judges such undertakings thus: This was good, and this even better. But Christ overcomes with the word: "You shall not tempt God, your Lord", Matth. 4, 7. For he who tempts God has no faith, accuses God of lies, and says in his heart: Fie on you! You cannot help me. That is not what GOtt wants. Yes, that is spitting under the eyes of God.
48. 3) The temptation to the hopeful life was contained in Satan's request: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me", Matth. 4, 9. With this he carries to him the administration of great things in the world. Behold! there lie the countries. So whoever prefers great administrations and positions of honor in the world to the gospel is worshipping Satan. Likewise, whoever holds the favor of the lord higher than God's grace and his gospel.
But he who does the will of God abides forever.
In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Cap. 4, 3. ff., what the will of God is, in the following words: 1) "This is the will of God, your sanctification, that you abstain from all fornication (as which makes a man quite carnal, his body to be used for the purpose of
(The first is "that no one should overreach his neighbor in trade and commerce, for God is an avenger of all things.") "That no one overreach his neighbor in trade and commerce, for God is an avenger of all things. 2) "That no one should overreach his neighbor in trade and commerce, for God is an avenger of all these things." Trade and commerce must be honest among men, in buying and selling; as one means it in the heart, so one should speak it. Cicero himself, a pagan, saw and presented this justice in buying and selling. One word, one man; so I can give it. 3) 1 Thess. 4:13: "But I will not restrain you, brethren, from them that sleep, lest ye sorrow, as others which have no hope." This is part of the Christian's cross. And also in this there must be a difference between Christians and Gentiles. A woman and a child die, and God takes away what is dear. Now, as a Christian, one should not grieve harshly.
V. 18. Little child, it is the last hour.
50 This saying contains a reason for admonition, which is taken from the nature of time, and is called thus: "Little children, the last hour is now here, with which the end of the world has also come near; therefore you should not love the world, nor what is in the world. Let the world be fine; it is a matter of a handful of days. But by the last hour he also understands the time in which God will take vengeance on the lovers of the world, as well as on the despisers of His gospel. John summarizes two things. First, he says: The world will pass away, its last hour is here; second, he proves it with this: The Antichrist has come. But who is this Antichrist? Two descriptions of him are given: 1) He who denies the Father and the Son. 2) He who denies that Jesus came into the world, or, which is the same, he who denies that we are saved by the merit of Jesus Christ, but attributes such salvation to his own works.
51: That this last hour has dawned, he proves with a strange
Sign, after he meets first an objection. For this has always been a constant and firm opinion that the last day will not break unless the Antichrist comes first. After the light follows darkness. And this happens not only in bodily and civil matters, since war and unrest often follow an unsettled peace, but also in spiritual matters, so that godliness is followed by carnal prudence, and then by those sins that can happen more leisurely in the darkness than in the light. In the first letter to the Thessalonians Cap. 5, Paul gave good advice concerning this last day. Because people are pointed to a last day, they want to leave everything behind. But this should not be fine. Rather, one should work as if one lived forever; and live and be minded as if one would die today. If you need a house, build it, even if you know that the last day is near. By the way, Paul gave this instruction, 1 Cor. 7:29-31: "They that have wives, as if they had none; they that buy, as if they had none; they that have need of this world, that they abuse it not: for the things of this world pass away." So to those who say, "I will now become lazy, because the last day is near," Paul says, "This is no good.
52 From Daniel we learn two things about the Antichrist: First, that the Roman Empire must first become great; second, that when this empire has fallen, the Antichrist will be revealed. This Antichrist is called a god of Mausim, a god of whom the fathers knew nothing, and who will be honored with gold, silver, precious stones and jewels; and great honor will be done to those who help strengthen this god, and they will become lords over great goods, and the land will be given to them as a reward, Dan. 11:37 ff. This gives us a picture of the kingdom of the Antichrist; it is a kingdom in which gold, silver, blades, songs, buildings, golden pieces and ornaments will be found. This god cannot advise souls, but he can put money in the box. As soon as a man reads the scripture, he will easily find the pope, fine priests and monks in it. This Mausim is also supposed to be rex facierum, a
Larva King, be. Why do our adversaries change the form of the sacrament? Because they want to make the difference between the clergy and the laity even greater. It is further said that he shall become strong, have great honor, set himself high in the temple of God, and everything he does will have happy success. He will sit in his place for quite some time and will not be recognized; but finally he will be revealed and recognized by the doctrine of the devils, which he will introduce to propitiate God. For he denies that Christ has come into the world, or that one must be saved by his grace and mercy.
V. 19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us, but that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
This is actually an occupation [that is, an interjection] in which the apostle seeks to prevent both trouble and safety.
54. The annoyance that could have come from this would have been this: "They have gone out from us. Should so many holy people have erred? Against this now this rule is to be observed: See whether these people deny the Father and the Son, they may be called popes, fathers, concilia, or bishops. If they deny the Father and the Son, they are also the Antichrist.
In the following fourth chapter [v. 2.f.] a rule is given for testing the spirits as to whether they are of God, and this is truly an excellent place: "Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come into the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come into the flesh is not of God. This is therefore the right password: Jesus is Christ; Jesus is our mediator. So it is not enough to believe that there is a God in heaven who created all things, that he had a Son who died for us, and that he sent his Holy Spirit to us; but it must also be known that all these things are done for our sake, and that we must grasp them by faith. Of this the schools know
teacher nothing. It does not help the Turks if they believe only in one God who created everything. Therefore, it does not help the pope and his followers to maintain only a historical science of it, but we must believe in the God who raised Jesus from the dead and anointed him to do the work of redemption, that he might be our Redeemer, Mediator and Reconciler.
If they had been ours, they would have stayed with us.
In the church, there is no other way than that good and evil are mixed together. The weeds, according to Christ's conception, should not be rooted out, but should grow at the same time. A paternoster on the neck, and a mischief in the heart, is a saying, but also a true saying. Likewise: He goes to church a lot, but he is not reformed. Why? Because a completely different service is required. The outward appearance has been kept in the church, but the spirit has been lost. But there is no other true service than that commanded in the Gospel.
So they would have stayed with us.
That is, they would have remained in the purity of the doctrine. In the church there are evil people, just as in the human body there are evil and harmful dampnesses. Now, as the human body is preserved when the harmful moistures are swept out, so also the church when such people go out from it. In the church, therefore, good and evil are together, and therefore they do not really belong to it; just as ulcers and sores are on a body, but do not really belong to it. We confess a holy Christian church, but the hypocrites and the ungodly are not holy. The Church is a communion of saints, a workshop of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers; consequently, outward customs do not essentially belong to the Church. The Church is a communion in which the saints stand among themselves, for they have God, His Word, Christ and baptism. The Church also has its marks, its court color, namely the Word of the Gospel and the holy sacraments. That is, just as Christ was behind
they also have his word and his sacraments, just as he instituted them. But whoever teaches and believes otherwise about his word and sacraments is the antichrist.
(58) So this is what John said here against the offense and against the prejudice: Should so many holy people have erred?
V. 20. And ye have the anointing of him that is holy, and know all things.
(59) Hereby he describes how those who went out from them and denied Christ could be discovered. And it is to be noted:
This anointing is from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the truth.
3. believers follow this truth.
4. the truth is further explained with the lie opposing it.
60 The anointing has its intention on JEsum, who therefore is called Christ, and has the right χρίσμα or anointing. This χρίσμα is described by Paulo in another place στερέομα πίσ- τεως, a fortification of faith, likewise πληροφορία, a firm conviction of the
Heart, 1) called. Paul's στερέομα seems to be taken from Moses, who thought of a firmament that distinguishes and separates the waters of heaven from the waters of earth; thus faith sustains the heart, and is a certain conviction of what God has promised, that it will not depart, even if an angel comes from heaven and wants to preach another gospel, Gal. 1, 8.
V. 22. But who is a liar without denying that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
With this he describes the lies, by virtue of the contrast. In the world there is a double righteousness, namely the righteousness of one's own works and the righteousness of others' works. This righteousness condemns, but this righteousness makes blessed. Tauler writes: We are by grace what Christ is by nature and essentially. He is an heir by virtue of his nature, but we are by grace. He is an inheritor of life, of the Ge-
1) Put by us instead of: "a frankness of spirit" in the old edition. - "called" added by us.
righteousness and all blessedness. Augustine has also written about it: Another meaning has the name Jesus, another the name Christ. In so far as Jesus Christ is our Beatificator, it is of course one name. Nevertheless, JEfus was his real name, attached in circumcision; as the name of Moses, Elijah, Abraham, was proper to these persons, so the name Jesus was proper to him. But Christ is the right sacrament name, which has the greatest meaning, and is as much as if he were called a prophet, a priest. Thus Christ is presented to us as the only one in whom all Israel shall be saved. John repeats this in the following fourth chapter. From this Christ we now bear the name Christians; God give with honor. The weak must be instructed here, first, from whom they have their name, namely, from Christ; then, who Christ is; and then they may be safely left to die.
But this is the Antichrist.
62 Then John knocks the bottom out of the barrel. Who then is the Antichrist is evident, namely:
Who denies the father.
63. that he sent his son into the world as a savior.
And who denies the Son.
(64) That he was sent by the Father to restore us to grace through him, or to devise some other means by which we may not be received into grace through Christ in vain. Here are many opportunities, many impulses, against which we should keep ourselves prepared, so that we do not fall into Satan's kingdom.
V. 24: What you have heard from the beginning, let it remain with you. If what you have heard from the beginning remains with you, you will also remain with the Father and the Son.
65 This is an exhortation to stand firm against the aversions. And this whole verse contains a praise of the word and what fruit it produces. Our present times are dangerous. We have
the spirits of the swarm, furthermore the peasant cult, further the sacramentirans, and finally the Anabaptists. Whoever is not infected by them in our times, may thank God.
There are always three predatory ships moving around us. First, our corrupt nature; second, the world; third, false teaching. For the sake of these three pieces, it is almost dangerous to be in the world. In the third part, Satan needs people of great intellect and abilities, whose word spreads like cancer. Therefore, it is necessary to keep above the Word and pray, so that we do not accept the opinion of some people who say: "There is no harm in dealing with such people. This delusion corrupts very many. There is much harm in dealing with them, there is the devil underneath.
So stay with you.
(67) Namely, that Jesus is Christ the Beatificator.
In this way you will also remain with the Father and Son.
68. This is the great benefit you get from it. This is the spiritual blessing in heavenly goods. What greater thing can be said? The kingdom of God is not in words, but in power. It helps in adversity. Judaism says: If you hear me, God will not be ungracious to you. Judaism is the basis of the law and ceremonies. It also has this great promise: "In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." Afterwards the prophets pointed to this seed and exhorted: "You shall hear him", over whom the Holy Spirit will rest.
But "to hear" means as much as to uphold the word of God. Eve was commanded: "Whichever day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die," Genesis 2:17. This was a simple command, and she was supposed to stand firm. But when Satan came upon her, she did not ask her husband, but wavered, doubting. And because she is nequaquam to Satan, "by no means", to
When she hears the word, she falls into idolatry. The apple is beautiful to look at in her eyes, and through affect she is led further and further away from the word. It is still the same for us. Christ has given us the simple word; but if we believe in it
If we do not know and reprove that it might be understood this way or that way, we deny God with Eve and become inveterate devils.
This is how you will stay with the Son.
70. as with which everything shall be given to us. If you stay with the Son, you must not worry if you have to have the emperor, pope, bishop at your mercy. Some think: Yes, where will you stay?
You will stay with the Father.
For He has given us all things with the Son. In the third chapter, v. 1, it says: "Behold, what love the Father has shown us, that we should be called children of God. My son had to be begotten from my being; but to you I will give eternal life.
V. 25. And this is the promise that he promised us, namely eternal life.
This is the right fruit that we have from Jesus. Everyone is now free to search for the treasures of eternal life. To the Timothy Paul writes [1 Tim. 3, 13]: "He who serves well earns for himself a good degree"; similarly, the great reward that the righteous shall have in eternal life is spoken of. In the Law it is written that the shepherds should stand before God's face at all times. The pope makes this a sacrament, 1) but he is a robber of the church, for this was only his intention on the word. For as the shewbread must always be in the temple, so also the word of God, especially the word of the forgiveness of sins, must always be in the temple. He who serves God in it acquires a good level of godliness. For just as in external sciences there are degrees according to which one can increase in them, so there are also degrees in godliness. It should taste better, learn better, do better over four weeks. Here belongs the psalm: "You shepherd Israel, listen, you who shepherd Joseph like sheep", Ps. 80, 2. This whole psalm is about the word of God. Various parables belong to it. As,
1) Here, at any rate, the rendering of what Luther said is again deficient.
The likeness of the man who sold a field for the sake of a pearl of great price, that is, the man who disparages all that belongs to the world for the sake of the word. So also the 119th Psalm. Under the emperor Decio there were three young men who did not want to renounce the Christian faith. When his governor, who had been tormenting the Christians for thirty years, saw the insurmountable steadfastness of these, he thought to himself: How? if I myself provoked them to such steadfastness? Then he was taught the truth and became not only a Christian but also a martyr. This is the anointing and the seal of the Christians. There are more examples of this kind in church history.
V. 27. As the anointing teaches you everything, it is true and not a lie.
This is a strong word, and teaches us that we are not saved by our own merit, but by the grace of Jesus Christ. And this makes consciences quite secure. The wicked cannot stand in their temptations, but the pious are humbled in them, call upon the name of God, and so are saved.
V. 28. And NUN little children, abide with him, that, when he shall be revealed, we may have joy, and not be ashamed before him in his coming.
This is a new benefit of faith in Jesus. The time is coming when everything will be revealed in judgment, just as the heart has been. Then the faithful shall not be put to shame when he appears.
and that suddenly, as it is written elsewhere about the future and revelation of Jesus. The saints will say: Yes, come, Lord Jesus; but the wicked: Where will we stay? As the eagles gather where there is a carrion, so will the faithful be gathered to Christ Jesus on the day of the last judgment.
And not become a disgrace.
75 Which shall be unto all them that have the anointing of the word.
V. 29. If you know that he is righteous, know also that he who does right is born of God.
76. If you know, that is, you know that God is righteous, that He loves righteousness and hates all unrighteousness. He is also effectively or efficaciously righteous in making others righteous. This is the right righteousness, not which we have, but which is given to us by God.
Who does right.
77 This is he who abides in the anointing he has received from him.
He is born of God.
That is, they have received a spiritual and heavenly sense from God. Or, as John 1:12 says, "He has given power to become children of God to those who believe in His name." Those born of nature also have a natural sense and fleshly desires. Now follows another description of what actually is God's love, in the third chapter.