1 John 1:1 Commentary

Commentary bye Albert Barnes

1 John 1:1 This short chapter embraces the following subjects:

I. A strong affirmation that the Son of God, or the "Life," had appeared in the flesh 1 John 1:1-3. The evidence of this, the writer says, was that he had seen him; that is he had the evidence which could be furnished by the senses. His decaration on this point he repeats, by putting the statement into a variety of forms, for he seems to regard it as essential to true religion.

II. He says that he wrote to them, in order that they might have fellowship with him in the belief of this truth, and might partake of the joy which flows from the doctrine that the son of God has acctually come in the flesh 1 John 1:3-4.

III. He states that sum and substance of the whole message which he had to bring to them was, that God is light, and that if we profess to have fellowship with Him we must walk in the light, 1 John 1:5-10.

(a) In God is no darkness, no impurity, no sin, 1 John 1:5.

(b) If we are in darkness if we are igornant and sinful, it proves that we cannot have any fellowship with Him, 1 John 1:6.

(c) If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we partake of His character and spirit then we shall have fellowship one with another, and we mat believe that the blood of Christ will cleanse us from all sin, 1 John 1:7.

(d) Yet we are to guarde ourselves from one point of danger we are not to allow ourselves to feel that we have "no" sin. We are to bear with us the constant recollection that we are sinners, and are to permit that fact to produce its impression on our minds, 1 John 1:8, 1 John1:10.

(e) Yet we are not to be desponding though we do feel this, but are to remember, that if we will truly confess our sins he will be found faithful to His promises, and just to the general arrangements of grace, which our sins me forgiven, 1 John 1:9.

Commentary bye Adam Clarke
1 John 1:1
The testimony of the apostle concerning the reality of the person and doctrine of Christ; and the end for which he bears this testimony, 1 John 1:1-4. God is light, and none can have fellowship with Him who do not walk in the light; those who walk in the light are cleansed from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ, 1 John 1:5-7. No man can say that he has not sinned; but God is faithful and just to cleanse from all unrighteousness them who confess their sins, 1 John 1:8-10.

Commentary bye John Wesley
1 John 1:1
That which was - Here means, He which was the Word himself; afterwards it means, that which they had heard from him. Which was - Namely, with the Father, ver.2, before he was manifested. From the beginning - This phrase is sometimes used in a limited sense; but here it properly means from eternity, being equivalent with, "in the beginning," John 1:1. That which we - The apostles. Have not only heard, but seen with our eyes, which we have beheld - Attentively considered on various occasions. Of the Word of life - He is termed

• the Word, John 1:1;
• the Life, John 1:4; as he is the living Word of God, who, with the Father and the Spirit, is the fountain of life to all creatures, particularly of spiritual and eternal life.