Chapter 5
5:1 Whosoever believes that Jesus is aChrist, is bborn of Him. And every one that loves chim which dbegat: eloves him also that was *born of fhim.
Whosoever believes. He believes who lives as Christ has commanded, otherwise even the demons believe.
And works before faith are either null or, even if they seem good, they are empty, because they are apart from the way which is Christ. (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
Whosoever believes. He who truly loves God, also loves his brother. For he who loves God the Father, loves God the Son, who was begotten by the Father, and he who loves the Son of God, loves also the sons of God, who are the limbs of that Head. Therefore let us love the sons of God so that we may love the Son of God whose limbs they are, and, by loving the entire Son, let us love the Father. For love joins together the body of Christ, so that there may be one Christ. So he who loves his brother, loves himself. For he is himself one with him. Nor can he who loves the limbs of Christ not love Christ. So he who loves the Son, who is the same as the Father, necessarily loves the Father too. Whosoever believes. And he who truly loves God, loves also his brother. For he who loves God who begot, loves him who was begotten, since he was begotten by him. And who is born? Whosoever believes, etc. And who is it who begot? God the Father. Therefore, he who loves God who begets in faith, loves him who was begotten in faith. And speaking suitably about love, he mentions faith, because if anyone is so hard as to disdain to love a man for the reason that he is a man, because he is in the same exile, he must be reminded to love him for this reason at least, that he is born of God, that he is a sharer of the same grace. But because many love their neighbors on account of consanguinity, or on account of a temporal advantage, he determines who is a true lover of one’s neighbor. (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
a. Messiah. b. In this faith. c. God. d. In faith. e. Man. * In faith. f. God.
5:2 aIn this we know that when we love the children of God, we love God, and keep his *commandments.
a. He who is rightly proven to love his neighbor is he who also loves God. And so that no one should deceive themselves concerning the love of God, saying in word only that they love God, he adds "and keep his commandments". As a proof of love is the display of work. *This is my commandment, that you love one another (Jn. 15:12).
5:3 For athis is the charity of God that we keep his bcommandments: and his commandments are not heavy.
(They) are not heavy. They do not weigh down as a talent of lead, but they lift up, and the keeping of the commandments of God makes men elevated. (Didymus of Alexandria Expo. 1 John)
Are not heavy. For the yoke of God is sweet, and a light burden. For things that are hard and harsh by their nature, the love of God and the hope of the reward makes light. If someone says that they are heavy, he accuses his own weakness, because for the strong man they are light, and in truth they are not heavy, because all that is born of God, overcomes the world (verse 4). He is born of God who loves God and neighbor, and who about God's commandments has so determined, that he would bring them to action. And he overcomes the world, despises the allurements or hostilities of the age, and the very death of the body.
He seeks the things that are above, not those that are on earth. And so that no one should trust that he can overcome the world by his own merit, he adds, "and this is the victory which overcomes the world: our faith" (verse 4). That faith which works through love, and which solicits God's help. (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
a. Through this is proven that the love of God is in us, if we keep his commandments, by loving the sons of God. I say at the same time that we should love God, and perform his commandments, because otherwise there is no love. He that does not love the king's law, does not love the king. Out of love for the King his law ought to be fulfilled. b. Which ought to be kept willingly, because his commandments are not heavy.
5:4 Because all that is born of God, overcomes the world, aand this is the victory bwhich overcomes the world, our faith.
And this is the victory which overcomes the world, our faith. That faith which works through love, and requires the help of God.
a. Demonstratively, he shows faith, as if with his finger, as being firm and permanent.
5:5 aWho is he that overcomes the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Who is he that overcomes, etc. He determines the kind of faith that conquers, that is, faith in Christ. As if: Truly by faith he conquers the world, because it is not conquered by something else.
Our faith. Here is the faith that conquers: the one which believes that he was a true man and a true God. (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
a. Who could have contempt for the world except him who believes Jesus to be the Christ who was prophesied, and who joins worthy works to faith?
5:6 aThis is he that came by water and blood Jesus Christ: not in water only, but in water and blood. And it is the bSpirit which testifies, that Christ is the truth.
This is he that came by water. And because only faith in and confession of the divinity of Christ is not sufficient for salvation and for conquering the world, he adds also about his humanity.
Spirit. That is the human soul which he let out in the passion, the water and blood which flowed from his side, which would not be possible if he did not have the true nature of flesh. But before the passion too, his sweat that became as drops of blood (reference to Lk. 22:44): showed the reality of his flesh. And the fact that as he was already dead, blood and water flowed vigorously from his side against the law of nature was testifying that the body of the Lord would live better after death, and that his death would give us life. As to the fact that his sweat was flowing onto the ground as blood, it indicated that he would wash the Church in the whole world with his blood. (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
a. He who was eternal came for salvation and the remission of sins through the water of baptism and the blood of the passion; not only did he deign to be baptized for our washing, and to consecrate the sacrament of baptism to us, but he also gave his blood for our redemption. b. And although he suffered as a man, yet the Spirit was seen above him at his baptism in the appearance of a dove; or the spirit, that is every spiritual doctor testifies that Christ is the truth; the true Son of God, not a spectre; a true mediator and reconciliator, free from sin, and having sufficient power to take away the sins of the world.
5:7 For there be three which give testimony in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three be aone.
For there be three. Through this it is apparent that Jesus is truth, true God and true man. Because concerning both we have a sure testimony: concerning his divinity we have testimony through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; concerning his humanity, through the soul, water, and blood.
The Father gave testimony of his divinity when he said, "This is my beloved Son" (Matt. 3:17). The Son himself gave testimony when he was transfigured on the mount, and showed the power of divinity and the hope of eternal happiness. The Holy Spirit gave testimony when he rested above Jesus at his baptism in the form of a dove, or when he filled the hearts of believers for the calling of the name of Christ.
a. They are testifying about the same thing as one God.
5:8 And there be three which give testimony in earth: the Spirit, water, and blood, and these three be one.
5:9 *If we receive the testimony of men, the atestimony of God is greater, because bthis is the ctestimony of God which is greater, that he has testified dof his Son.
If we receive the testimony of men. Great is the testimony of the man David which he provides of the Son of God, "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand" (Psalms, 109:1). And he even represents the Son speaking, "The Lord has said to me: Thou are my son" (Psalms, 2:7). Great is the testimony of the forerunner, who said, "I have baptized you with water; but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mark 1:
. But greater is the testimony of the Father who visibly sent into him the Spirit which he was always full of, as if he said, "If you believe the men foretelling the advent, believe the Father testifying that Christ has now come". (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
*And because we have such certain testimonies, we ought therefore to receive them, because we are accustomed to receiving even the testimonies of men who are able to lie.
a. Which must be better received. b. Through which I prove. c. Namely because it is the testimony. d. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased (Matt. 3:17).
5:10 He that believes in the Son of God, has the testimony of God in himself. aHeb that believes not the Son, makes him a cliar: because he believes not in the dtestimony which God has testified of his Son.
He that believes in the Son of God. He understands that the Father says the truth in the testimony of the Son. Who doesn't believe, he says the Father has lied. In vain do the Jews who despise Christ say that they believe in the Father, because they despise Christ.
In the Son. Since the Father testifies about the Son, let us believe in the Son; for he who so believes in the Son that by doing good works he directs his course to the Son himself, has the testimony of God in himself. As if he were saying "God testifies about him too, that, believing in this way, he will be in the number of the sons of God, As his Son himself thus promises, "If any man minister to me, him will my Father honor" (Jn. 12:26). Therefore if you have God as a witness of your faith, how will the infamy or the persecutions of men harm you? "If God be for us, who is against us?" (Rom. 8:31) (Bede Expo. On 1 John)
a. But... b. He who says that he is not his Son, or that he is less important than the Father. c. In saying, “I and the Father are one.” A liar in this. d. You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased. I made it clear in the passion, and I will again make it clear.