1 João 2

James Montgomery Boice · Citado em PreceptAustin

1 João 2:7-11

Boice - The Gnostic claimed to be the enlightened one. But he is actually in darkness, says John, if he fails to love his brother. (BORROW The Epistles of John : [an expositional commentary]) Until now - Wuest = "Up to this moment." He is still dwelling in the domain of darkness, not in the kingdom of light. How much clearer could John state his case? How could this possibly describe the habitual practice and position of a believer? Marvin Vincent on until now - Though the light has been increasing, and though he may claim that he has been in the light from the first (Ed: In actuality he has remained in the darkness and is still in the darkness now). The phrase occurs in Jn 2:10; 5:17; 16:24; and is used by Paul, 1Cor. 4:13; 8:7; 15:6. John says that he who hates his brother is not a Christian. Ray

1 João 2:7-11

Boice - The idea of stumbling may be applied in either of two ways. First, it may be applied to others in the sense that the one loving his brother not only walks in the light himself but also is free of having caused others to offend. This is the general meaning of the word in the rest of the New Testament. On the other hand, it can also apply to the individual himself in the sense that, if he loves, he walks in the light and therefore does not himself stumble. The context almost demands this second explanation, for the point of the verses is not what happens to others but rather the effect of love and hate on the individual himself. (BORROW The Epistles of John : [an expositional commentary]) Kenneth

1 João 2:7-11

Boice - The first consequence is in the nature of an observation: the one who hates his brother is in darkness. This is the simplest expression of the test in its negative form. The second consequence is that he walks in darkness. This adds the idea of continuing action or a continuing sphere of activity. It is not just that the man who fails to love his brother is without knowledge of God; it is also that everything he does is in darkness and is characterized by darkness. He continues in it. Finally, John adds that although he continues in his darkened walk, he does so without any clear knowledge of a goal. He walks on, for the way of the ungodly is one of restless activity. But he “does not know where he is going” (cf. John 12:35). (borrow The Epistles of John : [an expositional commentary] ) Pulpit Commentary has a vivid description of this soul in the sphere of darkness - What an awful agnosticism! Can anything be more terrible than for a human soul to be compelled to plunge forward wildly, blindly, without a ray of light in any direction, simply because he would not follow the light God sent him, and tampered with his own power of seeing? (1 John 2 - The Pulpit Commentaries) Hamilton Smith distinguishes between temporary darkness and a fixed state of darkness - This is not simply one who is in a state of darkness, as might be the case with a true Christian who, having fallen under a cloud, entertains bitter thoughts against his brother. It supposes one who is in “the darkness”, that is, in a system in which there is no revelation of God. “The darkness” is the absence of the revelation of God, and is an expression used in contrast with “the true light”, which is the revelation of God. Here, then, we have the great characteristics of eternal life — obedience and love. Moreover, the passage clearly shows that if we possess the life, and live the life, it will lead us: Firstly, into the knowledge of God the Father — we shall know Him (1Jn 2:3, 4). Secondly, knowing the Father, we shall walk in obedience to His will (1Jn 2:3, 4). Thirdly, keeping His commandments, we shall be confirmed in His love (1Jn 2:5). Fourthly, thus walking in obedience and love, we shall walk even as Christ walked (1Jn 2:6). Fifthly, walking as Christ walked, we shall love one another (1Jn 2:10). Does not know where he is going - This ignorance IS NOT bliss! THEIR IGNORANCE IS NOT BLISS! Does not know (oida/eido - perfect tense - speaks of fixed state/condition) where he is going (hupago) - The verb for know is oida (eido), which speaks not of knowledge learned by experience, but of knowledge given by the Spirit, which explains why these individuals do not know where they are going! They lack the light provided by by the Spirit! Believer's know "intuitively" that they are aliens and strangers in this present world and are headed for their real, eternal home in the presence of the glory of God. Not so with those who are unregenerate and live their lives continually in spiritual darkness. Indeed, spiritual darkness is what they have chosen to "sow" and spiritual darkness is what they "reap" throughout eternity (HELL IS COMPLETE DARKNESS FOREVER!) (cp Mt 8:12, Mt 22:13, Mt 25:30). Jesus gave a similar warning to His largely unbelieving audience "For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, (Why?) that darkness may not overtake (seize) you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes (This last phrase is virtually identical to 1Jn 2:11 - it is almost as if John is quoting the words of Jesus)." (Jn 12:35) In contrast to those who don't know their destiny, believers (followers or disciples of Jesus) know the way they are going, and in fact are even called "The Way" (their destination is assured. See Acts 9:2, Acts 19:9, 23, Acts 22:4, 24:22). Jesus told His disciples "And you know (oida) the way where I am going." Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know oida) the way?” Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (Jn 14:4-6) As Yarbrough says "John (1Jn 2:11) voices no such assurance regarding those who do not love fellow believers. In their aversion to love, they are charting a course toward the abyss!" Solomon adds that "The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble." (Pr 4:19) Westcott points out "On the other hand that which was true of Christ (Jn 8:12, 13:3) is true also of the believer (cp. Jn 14:4-6). He knows what is the end of life." (In regard to "where he is going" Westcott says) "The idea is not that of proceeding to a definite point ([that would be the verb] poreuesthai), but of leaving the present scene." (Ibid) Those who employ the tactics of hatred inevitably end up under the domination of darkness. Hiebert - such a life means that he "does not know where he is going", has no true perception concerning the direction and destiny of his life. The verb "is going" ("to go or lead under") implies that he is unaware of what he is moving toward and will be controlled by. "Because the darkness has blinded his eyes" simply records the blinding impact of hatred in the human heart. "So hate destroys any windows for light from God." Those who employ the tactics of hatred inevitably end up under the domination of darkness. John's statement is metaphorical, but it is based on observed physical realities. Fish in Echo River in Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, living in perpetual darkness, have eye sockets but their eyes are undeveloped. The darkness has effectively blinded them. The verb rendered "has blinded" is an effective aorist; it simply records the result without calling attention to the time duration involved. Persistence in hatred and sin inevitably leads to moral and spiritual blindness. (I John 2:7-17) Because the darkness (skotia) has blinded (tuphloo) his eyes - Always be alert to terms of explanation like because and ask at least "What is the author explaining?" He is explaining what they do not know where they are going. This is an awful judgment! They are blind to spiritual truth, the things of God. Paul uses the same verb to describe unbelievers writing "in whose case the god of this world (Satan) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (2Cor 4:4+) Kenneth Wuest spares no words in concluding that "This person (the one in whom darkness has blinded his eyes) is, of course, an unsaved person professing Christianity. Habitually conducting one’s self in the sphere of darkness is indicative of an unsaved state." (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) Jesus described the Pharisees as those who were spiritually blind and did not even know it - "Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains." (John 9:41) They claimed to possess the truth about God (like the one in 1Jn 2:9 "who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother [and] is in the darkness until now.") and yet had walked in the darkness for so long, that the darkness seemed like light to them! (cp the question of the Pharisees in Jn 9:40 = clearly they were unaware of their own spiritual blindness!) The paradox is that the Light of Jesus works two effects - it gives spiritual sight to the spiritually blind [who acknowledge their desperate need for healing/salvation], but causes spiritual blindness to all who make a self-proclamation of possessing the light, much like Isaiah had prophesied would come to pass (Isa 6:10, quoted by John in Jn 12:40+)! Westcott agrees commenting that "The image comes from Isa 6:10 (John 12:40), which is the fundamental description of God’s mode of dealing with the self-willed. Comp. Ro 11:10+ (Ps. 69:24)… The original tense (blinded in aorist tense) (cp. 2Cor. 4:4+ and contrast John 12:40) marks the decisive action of the darkness at the fatal moment when it once for all ‘overtook’ the man (John 12:35). This darkness not only hindered the use of vision but (as darkness does physically) destroyed the spiritual organ." (Ibid) Adam

1 João 2:15

Boice writes that John's use of kosmos in this section is in its ethical sense "The idea here is of the world of men in rebellion against God and therefore characterized by all that is in opposition to God. This is what we might call “the world system.” It involves the world’s values, pleasures, pastimes, and aspirations. John says of this world that the world lies in the grip of the evil one (1Jn 5:19), that it rejected Jesus when He came (Jn 1:10), that it does not know Him (1Jn 3:1), and consequently that it does not know and therefore also hates His followers (John 15:18,19, 20, 21; 17:14). It is in this sense that John speaks of the world in the passage before us. (borrow The Epistles of John : [an expositional commentary]) The greater your worldliness, the lesser your walk in the light. H A

1 João 2:16

Boice observes that in this verse John "is not thinking then so much of materialism (“things”) as he is of the attitudes that lie behind materialism. For he knows, as we should all know, that a person without worldly goods can be just as materialistic as a person who has many of them; and, conversely, a rich person can be quite free from this and any other form of worldliness. John is actually thinking of selfish ambition, pride, the love of success or flattery, and other such characteristics. Law recognizes this in his excellent rephrasing of the apostle’s appeal. He writes, “Do not court the intimacy and the favour of the unchristian world around you; do not take its customs for your laws, nor adopt its ideals, nor covet its prizes, nor seek fellowship with its life.” The NEB says, “Do not set your hearts on the godless world or anything in it.” (Borrow The Epistles of John : an expositional commentary) World (2889) (kosmos related to the verb kosmeo = to order or adorn, to put in order [Mt 25:7 = "trimmed"], to adorn literally [1Ti 2:9], to adorn figuratively [Titus 2:9+]) means essentially something that is well-arranged, that which has order or something arranged harmoniously. Kosmos refers to an ordered system or a system where order prevails. As explained below however, kosmos as used here in James 4:4 and many places in the NT, takes on a considerably more negative shade of meaning. In this sense kosmos is much like the Greek word for flesh (sarx), which can be a neutral word, but which many times in the NT takes on an evil connotation. Related Resources: An Out-of-this-World Experience A Look at Kosmos in the Johannine Literature 6 page article on Kosmos in New International Dictionary of NT Theology The basic meaning of order leads to the two main uses… (1) Adornment, decoration, eternal adorning (used this way in NT only in 1Pe 3:3+, where kosmos speaks of the woman wearing that which is fitting with her character as a believer and not incongruous or "out of order". In the context of Jas 4:4+ she should not be a believer who seeks external adornment that mimics that of the world [cp "friendship with the world"]! Beloved, a believing woman's attire should always be so "ordered" as to draw attention to her face, not her form! Compare God's desired "adornment" in 1Pe 3:4+) (2) The world, which has in turn a variety of nuances which must be determined by examining the context in which it is used. Trench summarizes the definition of kosmos, the anti-God world system, as "All that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world, which it may be impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitutes a most real and effective power, being the moral, or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably to exhale." Kosmos/kosmeo give us our English words cosmos (the ordered universe), cosmopolitan (literally a citizen of the world!) and cosmetics (those things we put on in order to bring order out of "chaos"!) English terms. A matter of "cosmic" significance, is something which is important for the whole world. When one speaks of a "cosmopolitan" city, it means a city which has citizens from many parts of the world. Kosmos is the absolute antithesis of chaos (a Greek word meaning a rude, unformed mass), chaos being the fantasized condition with which the theory of evolution begins! The Bible on the other hand uses kosmos to describe the original condition of the universe (cp kosmos in 2Pe 3:6+) as one of perfection ("it was very good" Ge 1:31+, not very chaotic! Kosmos is used the first time in LXX of Ge 2:1+ all their hosts = "and the whole world". The sons of God (the angels) did not shout for joy over chaos, but kosmos when they saw this universe come into existence by the creative fiat of God (Job 38:4, 5, 6, 7)! A W

1 João 2:24

Boice: “The point here is that the one who knows God will increasingly lead a righteous life, for God is righteous. It does not mean that he will be sinless; John has already shown that anyone who claims this is lying. It simply means that he will be moving in a direction marked out by the righteousness of God. If he does not do this, if he is not increasingly dissatisfied with and distressed by sin, he is not God’s child. Kistemaker: How do we know that we are in Him? John answers with a progressive succession of statements: “we are in him,” “[we] live in him,” and “[we] walk as Jesus did.” (New Testament Commentary - James, Epistles of John, Peter, and Jude) 1 John 2:10-note The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 1 John 2:14-note I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

1 João 2:28-29

Boice writes (The Epistles of John [Zondervan], p. 96) that in the New Testament, “… one verse in twenty-five deals with the LORD'S RETURN. It is mentioned 318 times in the 260 chapters of the New Testament. It is mentioned in every one of the New Testament books, with the exception of Galatians, which deals with a particular doctrinal problem, and the very short books such as 2 and 3 John and Philemon.” Jesus repeatedly mentioned His own return. On the night before His crucifixion, He promised the anxious disciples (John 14:1-3), “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” When the disciples watched the risen Jesus ascend bodily into heaven, two angels appeared and said (Acts 1:11), “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.” He will come bodily." (Are You Ready for His Coming- 1 John 2:28-29) THOUGHT - Beloved, you can mark it down - What (Who) you are looking for, will determine what (Who) you are living for! WHAT IF HE APPEARS TODAY! In a word, in that glorious day, the invisible becomes visible! Marshall - The first coming of Jesus was the revelation of the previously hidden Word of God in human form, so that those with eyes to see could confess, “We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14-note). Now he is again hidden from view, although he is spiritually present with his disciples, but one day he will again be revealed from heaven. (Borrow The Epistles of John NICNT - 1974) George G. Findlay - Christ is to be manifested in His promised advent,—when we know not, but it may be soon; and we must appear before Him, with shame or confidence. Abiding in Him, we shall be prepared whenever He may come. If the present should prove to be the world’s last hour and the Lord should appear from heaven while we are yet on earth, how welcome His appearing to those who love Him and keep His word! Christ stands waiting to return. At any moment the heavens may open and He “may be manifested,”…The Christian man, susceptible to these impressions, will surely ask himself, “What if my Lord should now appear? How should I meet Him, if He came to-day: with joy or grief; with shame or rapture?” This is a test that Christ’s servants might often with advantage put to themselves. In this one instance St. John writes of the parousia, as St. Paul has done so frequently, and builds on the anticipation of a definitive return of the Lord Jesus. The fact that he does speak of it in this way, though but once, and that he lays a solemn stress on the expectation, proves his agreement with the prevalent eschatology of the Church. (1 John - An Exposition of the Epistles of St John) Warren