9 Herein as to us has been manifested the love of God, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believes on him may not perish, but have life eternal.
And this is the witness, that God has given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son.
As the living Father has sent me and I live on account of the Father, *he* also who eats me shall live also on account of me.
He who, yea, has not spared his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him grant us all things?
Jesus said to them, If God were your father ye would have loved me, for I came forth from God and am come [from him]; for neither am I come of myself, but *he* has sent me.
I am the living bread which has come down out of heaven: if any one shall have eaten of this bread he shall live for ever; but the bread withal which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we have contemplated his glory, a glory as of an only-begotten with a father), full of grace and truth; (John bears witness of him, and he has cried, saying, This was he of whom I said, He that comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me;) for of his fulness we all have received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth subsists through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only-begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, *he* hath declared [him].
but God commends *his* love to us, in that, we being still sinners, Christ has died for us. Much rather therefore, having been now justified in [the power of] his blood, we shall be saved by him from wrath. For if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much rather, having been reconciled, we shall be saved in [the power of] his life.
And *we* have known and have believed the love which God has to us. God is love, and he that abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
For to which of the angels said he ever, *Thou* art my Son: this day have *I* begotten thee? and again, *I* will be to him for father, and *he* shall be to me for son?
for ye have died, and your life is hid with the Christ in God. When the Christ is manifested who [is] our life, then shall *ye* also be manifested with him in glory.
Jesus answered and said to them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom *he* has sent.
that all may honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He who honours not the Son, honours not the Father who has sent him.
[The] Spirit of [the] Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach glad tidings to [the] poor; he has sent me to preach to captives deliverance, and to [the] blind sight, to send forth [the] crushed delivered,
I will declare the decree: Jehovah hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; *I* this day have begotten thee.
and I give them life eternal; and they shall never perish, and no one shall seize them out of my hand. My Father who has given [them] to me is greater than all, and no one can seize out of the hand of my Father. I and the Father are one.
Jesus says to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father unless by me.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 John 4
Commentary on 1 John 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
In this chapter the apostle exhorts to try spirits (v. 1), gives a note to try by (v. 2, 3), shows who are of the world and who of God (v. 4-6), urges Christian love by divers considerations (v. 7-16), describes our love to God, and the effect of it (v. 17-21).
1Jo 4:1-3
The apostle, having said that God's dwelling in and with us may be known by the Spirit that he hath given us, intimates that that Spirit may be discerned and distinguished from other spirits that appear in the world; and so here,
1Jo 4:4-6
In these verses the apostle encourages the disciples against the fear and danger of this seducing antichristian spirit, and that by such methods as these:-
1Jo 4:7-13
As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let us love one another, v. 7. The apostle would unite them in his love, that he might unite them in love to each other: "Beloved, I beseech you, by the love I bear to you, that you put on unfeigned mutual love.' This exhortation is pressed and urged with variety of argument: as,
1Jo 4:14-16
Since faith in Christ works love to God, and love to God must kindle love to the brethren, the apostle here confirms the prime article of the Christian faith as the foundation of such love. Here,
1Jo 4:17-21
The apostle, having thus excited and enforced sacred love from the great pattern and motive of it, the love that is and dwells in God himself, proceeds to recommend it further by other considerations; and he recommends it in both the branches of it, both as love to God, and love to our brother or Christian neighbour.