1 John 2

That you do not sin, but if you do 1
Knowing that we know Christ 3
Because you have known Him 12
Do not love the world 15
Deceptions; antichrists 18
Let truth abide in you 24
Children of God 28
Text Comments
.1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
.2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
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  1 - Little children From tekina. The diminutive may expresses affection for his readers. Still we assume he was an old man although we have no internal evidence for a date. "Children" may well express both tenderness and the much younger age of his readers. I love it.
  1 - If any man sin The apostle is not condoning sin but showing our reason for an advocate.

  1 - Advocate From parakletos. Only John uses this word in the NT. He used the word for the Holy Spirit as "another comforter." jn1416. Here we see that first comforter as Christ.
  1 - Sin not Specific acts of sin. See jn0309. Freedom from sin is the objective jn0306.
  2 - Propitiation Related to a word meaning reconciliation he0217. Pagans used it for a gift to appease a god. Of course God doesn't need to be made happy. He loves us even while we sin ro0508. Christ was the propitiation – the unequaled gift purchased our freedom!
.3 ¶ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
.4  He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
 5  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
.6  He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
 7 ¶ Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
  3 - Know that we know him How can this be? Obedience is not the means of salvation, and we know Christ by faith. Obedience is the evidence ja0218.
  5 - Whoso keepeth ... in him ... love. Love for God and obedience to Him ultimately cannot be separated.
  6 - Himself also so Obviously true but needs mentioning. Spending time with Him helps us with the walking. The word, "ought" is from opheilo and implies being under obligation. See the word in mt1828, jn1314.
  7 - Brethren Or "beloved."
  7 - New From kainos meaning new in quality rather in age. In verse 8, "old" is from palaios which does refer to age. 
 8  Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you:  because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.
.9  He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
 10  He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
.11  But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
  8 - New ... true in him ... you A clarification for verse 7. See above. The "old" commandment would have been adequate if kept and studied faithfully ps01908. A condition is indicated, "darkness past." John explains in his gospel jn1334
  11 - Hateth his brother We must have the spirit of forgiveness. We may pray for it mt0612.
.12 ¶ I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
.13  I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
 14  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
  12 - I write John now turns to specific problems.
  13 - Fathers Addressed as older or experienced men.
  13 - Known him They knew the Father through His Son and through information passed on.
  14 - Little children See on v1.
  14 - I have written Commentators propose various reasons for the change in verb tense but the commentary I'm presently consulting sees no special reason except what is apparent in the text.
.15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
 16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
 17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
  15 - Love not the world Verse 16 is a good summary of how we are tempted. Compare re0217.
.18 ¶ Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
.19  They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
 20 ¶ But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
 21  I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
 22  Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
 23  Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
  18 - Antichrist According to the rapture theory, this is the little horn da0708, the insolent king da0823, the prince to come da0926, the one who makes desolate da0927b, mt2415, the lawless one of destruction 2th0203ff, all the beasts of Revelation: re1107, re1301, etc., the despicable person da1121,  and the strong-willed king da1136. Thus all the bad individuals except Satan himself are lumped into one. Anti means "in the place of." In that sense, this commentary agrees for the beast of Rev. 13 who is also the little horn of Daniel 7 and some others. However, each needs to be analyzed carefully. See on the false trinity re13tr. Also see the problem for the antichrist theory at da1145.
   In the present context, notice that the term is used for false leaders arising out of the church v19. The word also occurs in v22, 1jo0403, 2jo0007
.24  Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
 25  And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
 26  These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
.27  But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
   24 - Heard from the beginning Jesus had been gone for a number of years now and some of what He (and the Scriptures) had taught was being replaced by human theories. Compare jude03.
  27 - Need not that any man teach ... John isn't arguing against preachers 2ti0111 but against seductive ones v26. Who is to say what is seductive? We know truth only by the Scriptures is0820.
.28 ¶ And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
 28 ¶ And now, dear children, continue in union with Him; so that, if He re-appears, we may have perfect confidence, and may not shrink away in shame from His presence at His Coming. (WNT)
 29  If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
  28 - Confidence Instead of calling to be killed by the rocks and mountains re0616.
The words are not intended to express doubt that He will return but confidence that His return will be a reality jn1401-3.
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No excuse for sin
     "It is impossible to explain the origin of sin so as to give a reason for its existence. Yet enough may be understood concerning both the origin and the final disposition of sin to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all His dealings with evil. Nothing is more plainly taught in Scripture than that God was in no wise responsible for the entrance of sin; that there was no arbitrary withdrawal of divine grace, no deficiency in the divine government, that gave occasion for the uprising of rebellion. Sin is an intruder, for whose presence no reason can be given. It is mysterious, unaccountable; to excuse it is to defend it. Could excuse for it be found, or cause be shown for its existence, it would cease to be sin. Our only definition of sin is that given in the word of God; it is "the transgression of the law;" it is the outworking of a principle at war with the great law of love which is the foundation of the divine government.
     "Before the entrance of evil there was peace and joy throughout the universe. All was in perfect harmony with the Creator's will. Love for God was supreme, love for one another impartial." (Great Controversy, pp. 492, 493). And when all will see that God is true, the universe will be restored to joy and happiness.