Chapter Two
1 John 2:1. My little children! I write these things to you so that you may not sin; but if anyone should sin, we have an advocate before the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous;
1 John 2:2. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The Apostle, knowing that our nature is inconstant and sinful, that we always carry within ourselves an inclination toward evil, that the envious devil hinders our salvation with his snares, and that therefore even those who have already been reconciled with God through confession, if they live carelessly, will not escape sin, now suggests that even if we have fallen after the forgiveness of our sins, we must not despair. For if we turn back, we can again obtain salvation through the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, because He, interceding for us before the Father, will propitiate for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the whole world. The Apostle said this because he was writing to Jews, and he said it in order to show that the benefit of repentance is not limited to them alone, but extends also to the Gentiles, or that this promise applies not only to contemporaries, but also to all people of subsequent ages. He calls Jesus Christ an advocate for us, one who entreats or persuades the Father. This likening of God to a human being is employed with a special purpose, as are the following words: "The Son can do nothing of Himself" (John 5:19). The latter was said so that He would not be considered an opponent of God. But that the Son also has the authority to forgive sins, He showed by the example of the paralytic (Matt. 9:6). Likewise, when He gave the disciples the authority to forgive sins, He clearly showed that He grants such a right with sovereign authority. But the Apostle, as we have said, speaks this way now with a special purpose, namely to represent that the Son has one nature and one power with the Father, and that the actions of One of the three most holy Persons are common to the other Persons as well.
1 John 2:3. And that we have known Him, we know from this: that we keep His commandments.
It is customary for this blessed man to use the same words to designate different things, as for example in the verse: "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10). So now too he has used the word "to know" in different senses. For the word "to know" expresses both knowledge of something and a very close acquaintance with someone. Such is the meaning in the words: "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim. 2:19), and: "Him who knew no sin He made to be sin for us" (2 Cor. 5:21).
1 John 2:4. He who says, "I have known Him," but does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
1 John 2:5. But whoever keeps His word, in him truly the love of God has been perfected: by this we know that we are in Him.
And from the contrary he confirms the same thing, employing the most complete proof.
1 John 2:6. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Perfect love, he says, is proven by deeds. But since it happens that someone outwardly appears to observe the commandments correctly and precisely, yet his inner disposition is impure, which is why he is far from God, the apostle says that one who has drawn near to God must live as closeness to God requires.
1 John 2:7. Beloved! I write to you not a new commandment, but an old commandment, which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
He begins speaking about love for one's neighbor. He says that closeness or love for God is recognized first of all from love for one's neighbor. For it is impossible that one illumined by the knowledge of God and filled with love for Him should have the darkness of hatred toward his brother, because light and darkness cannot exist together at one and the same time in one and the same subject. Therefore, one illumined by love for God and having God also has light in relation to his brother, which is kindled from love for one's brother. And whoever says that he loves God while hating his brother is in constant darkness; the rational eyes of such a person are always darkened, because he has lost the light of communion with God and with his brother. He no longer knows even what may be beneficial for himself.
1 John 2:8. But also I write a new commandment to you, which is true both in Him and in you: because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.
1 John 2:9. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is still in the darkness.
1 John 2:10. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:11. He who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
Since this epistle is catholic, written generally to all, to both Jews and Gentiles, then with respect to the Jews it can be said that the apostle writes to them a commandment about love that is not new, but ancient. For on the tablets of Moses it was also written: "love," after God, also "your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18). But how, someone will say, does the apostle write to the Gentiles about an ancient commandment, when nothing of the sort is found anywhere among them? We answer: the law about love for neighbors is written among the Gentiles as well. How so? It is written in them on the tablet of the heart by natural thoughts. And that thoughts implanted in us by nature are called natural law, the apostle Paul can confirm, who says: "I see another law warring against the law of my mind" (Rom. 7:23). Thus, the Gentiles also received an ancient law or commandment, since nature itself prescribes us to be gentle toward one another and toward all that is kindred; as a result of this, man is a social animal, and this is impossible without love. In ancient histories there are even recorded many testimonies about people who died for others, and this is a sign of the highest love, as our Savior explained, saying: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). Since the commandment about love for neighbors was given to both Jews and Gentiles, the apostle says that alongside the ancient commandment which you heard, about love for your neighbor, I write to you also a new commandment, which is true both in Him who brought you to God through communion with Him, and in you who have entered into communion with Him; for He says: "I have come as a light into the world" (John 12:46), and the true Light, according to His word, already shines, and in the light there is no darkness. Let then the true light of love shine in a true and unhypocritical disposition toward the brethren, and the darkness of hatred will pass away, that is, will disappear; for the apostle Paul also gives this meaning to the word "passes away" when he says: "for the form of this world is passing away" (1 Cor. 7:31).
1 John 2:12. I write to you, children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.
Having said that he writes them a new commandment, the apostle also indicates the disposition of those who will receive his epistle; he indicates this by the degrees that occur in bodily growth. For he knew that not all would receive his words with equal respect and attention, but some would receive them superficially, like children, to whom he attributes the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Others would receive them as those who have attained "to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13), so that they can be fathers to others: to such he ascribes the knowledge of Him who is from the beginning. And who is this, if not the Word of God, who in the beginning "was with God" (John 1:1)? Still others would receive them as young men: to them, as those in their prime and full of strength, he ascribes the honor of victory over dishonorable passions. Then he repeats the same thing again in a different order, applying his teaching to the measure of spiritual maturity. Since I know, he says, that you will receive my epistle to you according to the difference of your ages, it is necessary for me also to proportion my teaching to the disposition of your maturity and to converse with some of you as with children who have known the Father, that is, God; with others as with fathers who have greater knowledge than children, namely — they have known not only that He is the Father, but also that He is eternal and ineffable, for He was from the beginning: such persons need the most perfect teaching about God; and with others as with young men, strong and capable of struggle and labors. By ascribing to the latter the glory of victory, he shows that they also need words that are bold and warlike.
1 John 2:13. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him Who is from the beginning.
"Children" – those who err due to the immaturity and frivolity of childhood, which is why the apostle also tells them: you were deemed worthy of forgiveness when you came to know that "the Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works" (Ps. 145:9). "Fathers" – those who, with advancement in age, have obtained knowledge of Him who is from the beginning. "Young men" – those who, by reason of their maturity, are skillfully able and ready to bear the signs of victory over enemies.
1 John 2:13. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you have known the Father. I have written to you, fathers, because you have known the Beginningless One.
1 John 2:14. 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.
These very names the apostle previously applied from the perspective of age to moral teaching, and now repeats them from the perspective of disposition, without interrupting his instruction.