1 John 4:14

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,

I. He proclaims the fundamental article of the Christian religion, which is so representative of the love of God: And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, Jo1 4:14. We here see, 1. The Lord Jesus's relation to God; he is Son to the Father, such a Son as no one else is, and so as to be God with the Father. 2. His relation and office towards us - the Saviour of the world; he saves us by his death, example, intercession, Spirit, and power against the enemies of our salvation. 3. The ground on which he became so - by the mission of him: The Father sent the Son, he decreed and willed his coming hither, in and with the consent of the Son. 4. The apostle's assurance of this - he and his brethren had seen it; they had seen the Son of God in his human nature, in his holy converse and works, in his transfiguration on the mount, and in his death, resurrection from the dead, and royal ascent to heaven; they had so seen him as to be satisfied that he was the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 5. The apostle's attestation of this, in pursuance of such evidence: "We have seen and do testify. The weight of this truth obliges us to testify it; the salvation of the world lies upon it. The evidence of the truth warrants us to testify it; our eyes, and ears, and hands, have been witnesses of it." Thereupon,

II. The apostle states the excellency, or the excellent privilege attending the due acknowledgment of this truth: Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God, Jo1 4:15. This confession seems to include faith in the heart as the foundation of it, acknowledgment with the mouth to the glory of God and Christ, and profession in the life and conduct, in opposition to the flatteries or frowns of the world. Thus no man says that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost, by the external attestation and internal operation of the Holy Ghost, Co1 12:3. And so he who thus confesses Christ, and God in him, is enriched with or possessed by the Spirit of God, and has a complacential knowledge of God and much holy enjoyment of him. Then,

III. The apostle applies this in order to the excitation of holy love. God's love is thus seen and exerted in Christ Jesus; and thus have we known and believed the love that God hath to us, Jo1 4:16. The Christian revelation is, what should endear it to us, the revelation of the divine love; the articles of our revealed faith are but so many articles relating to the divine love. The history of the Lord Christ is the history of God's love to us; all his transactions in and with his Son were but testifications of his love to us, and means to advance us to the love of God: God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, Co2 5:19. Hence we may learn,

1. That God is love (Jo1 4:16); he is essential boundless love; he has incomparable incomprehensible love for us of this world, which he has demonstrated in the mission and mediation of his beloved Son. It is the great objection and prejudice against the Christian revelation that the love of God should be so strange and unaccountable as to give his own eternal Son for us; it is the prejudice of many against the eternity and the deity of the Son that so great a person should be given for us. It is, I confess, mysterious and unsearchable; but there are unsearchable riches in Christ. It is a pity that the vastness of the divine love should be made a prejudice against the revelation and the belief of it. But what will not God do when he designs to demonstrate the height of any perfection of his? When he would show somewhat of his power and wisdom, he makes such a world as this; when he would show more of his grandeur and glory, he makes heaven for the ministering spirits that are before the throne. What will he not do then when he designs to demonstrate his love, and to demonstrate his highest love, or that he himself is love, or that love is one of the most bright, dear, transcendent, operative excellencies of his unbounded nature; and to demonstrate this not only to us, but to the angelic world, and to the principalities and powers above, and this not for our surprise for a while, but for the admiration, and praise, and adoration, and felicity, of our most exalted powers to all eternity? What will not God then do? Surely then it will look more agreeable to the design, and grandeur, and pregnancy of his love (if I may so call it) to give an eternal Son for us, than to make a Son on purpose for our relief. In such a dispensation as that of giving a natural, essential, eternal Son for us and to us, he will commend his love to us indeed; and what will not the God of love do when he designs to commend his love, and to commend it in the view of heaven, and earth, and hell, and when he will commend himself and recommend himself to us, and to our highest conviction, and also affection, as love itself? And what if it should appear at last (which I shall only offer to the consideration of the judicious) that the divine love, and particularly God's love in Christ, should be the foundation of the glories of heaven, in the present enjoyment of those ministering spirits that comported with it, and of the salvation of this world, and of the torments of hell? This last will seem most strange. But what if therein it should appear not only that God is love to himself, in vindicating his own law, and government, and love, and glory, but that the damned ones are made so, or are so punished, (1.) Because they despised the love of God already manifested and exhibited. (2.) Because they refused to be beloved in what was further proposed and promised. (3.) Because they made themselves unmeet to be the objects of divine complacency and delight? If the conscience of the damned should accuse them of these things, and especially of rejecting the highest instance of divine love, and if the far greatest part of the intelligent creation should be everlastingly blessed through the highest instance of the divine love, then may it well be inscribed upon the whole creation of God, God is love.

2. That hereupon he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him, Jo1 4:16. There is great communion between the God of love and the loving soul; that is, him who loves the creation of God, according to its different relation to God, and reception from him and interest in him. He that dwells in sacred love has the love God shed abroad upon his heart, has the impress of God upon his spirit, the Spirit of God sanctifying and sealing him, lives in the meditation, views, and tastes of the divine love, and will ere long go to dwell with God for ever.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Jn_4:14

And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world

Christianity a fact and a power

I.

Christianity is an external fact in the history of the world.

1. The condition of the world was desperate. Man through sin had destroyed himself. Nothing short of salvation would have met the case of man as a sinner. The sinner can destroy himself, but he cannot save himself.

2. This salvation was of necessity a fact. It was a great act. Thoughts and words would not have sufficed to save us; good wishes would not have availed us. To speak would not have been enough. To do was essential. Redemption was a work of infinite greatness and difficulty. And it is this that we find in the history of the Man Christ Jesus--the eternal thoughts and feelings of the Godhead realised in glorious works.

II. Christianity is a spiritual power, or a source of permanent influence on the world.

1. The Incarnation of the Son of God was the indispensable condition of the reunion of man with God. This is the highest greatness that any creature is ever capable of attaining--that God should dwell in him, and he in God. This does not mean to be lost like a wavelet in the ocean of Godhead, as the Pantheist imagines, but to become one with God in the affinity of holiness and the fellowship of love, and yet to preserve forever our personal individuality in the conscious enjoyment of that union. Man could not have been saved by ascending--by the mere development of his natural powers. Our salvation has been wrought by a descent of unparalleled magnitude. Descent is the ground of ascension.

2. It follows that the Incarnation and death of the Son of God form the spiritual power that is to create the world anew the moral lever for raising humanity to God. If we see a Christian of extraordinary attainments in godliness, we may be sure that this is the secret of his strength his thoughts and affections revolve constantly around this great centre, God manifest in the flesh; he abides by faith and love in Christ, and thereby God dwells in him, and he in God. This is the secret of godliness.

3. Hence the facts of our redemption accomplished in Palestine years ago remain in the world yet, as great spiritual forces operating on the souls of men to raise them to God.

Conclusion.

1. Let us appreciate the gospel above all things.

2. Let us ever remember that godliness, and all progress in holiness, draws its strength from Christ and His Cross, His life, death, and resurrection. (G. Parry.)

The Saviours mission and its blessed consequence

I. The evidence for the truth.

1. We have seen. The apostles and others had sensible evidence of the truth of the gospel. It was impossible they could be deceived. The life of Jesus was a fact about which there could be no mistake. It may be supposed the early disciples had an advantage over us in the sensible evidence which they enjoyed of the truth of the gospel. Yet it is doubtful whether our privileges are not greater than theirs. The benefit of their satisfaction is enjoyed by us in the record of it contained in their writings. We have found the Saviour to be all that they have declared.

2. There is, however, the testimony as well as the personal observation of the apostles. We have seen and do testify, they say. And is not theirs a credible testimony? They were competent to observe and report accurately. They deserve our confidence, and while we give it to them, we put their testimony to the proof. We have found that the gospel of Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God unto salvation.

II. The truth so attested, that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1. The origin of the gospel. The Father sent the Saviour. Redemption arose from the counsel of the Godhead. It could have no other origin. Had it been revealed to the intelligent creation that men might be saved by the death and incarnation of the Son of God, they would have pronounced the sacrifice to be impossible. But the mystery has been solved by the great fact.

2. The agent whom the Father employed. He sent His Son. He did so, because no other was sufficient. He was chosen because He alone is equal to the task.

3. The design of His mission. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour. What a precious name and office! It is a complete salvation which He has provided.

4. The universal efficacy of the gospel of Christ. The world is the object whose redemption is proposed.

III. The view which the text presents of its reception--Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

IV. The blessed consequence--God dwelleth in him, and he in God. These terms, so often used by the apostle, express the endeared communion, that arises out of faith in Christ, between the believer and God. It supposes an enjoyment of the Divine favour. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus. It supposes confidence in the Divine strength. Waiting upon God in prayer, that he may be enabled to resist temptation and faithfully perform the duties required of him, he is sustained by the assurance, My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. It supposes an earnest effort after the Divine holiness. Sin is more and more seen to be hateful, and holiness to be increasingly excellent. It supposes unreserved devotedness to the Divine service. (J. Morgan, D. D.)

Christ the Saviour of the world

I. Take notice of some things imported in this testimony.

1. The world needed a Saviour; otherwise one had not been provided for them by Him who does nothing in vain.

(1) It was a sick world (Mat_9:12).

(2) It was a cursed world, and needed a Saviour to remove the curse, and bring in the blessing (Act_3:26).

(3) It was a lost world (Luk_19:10).

2. None of inferior dignity to the Son of God could be the Saviour of the world.

3. Christ was sent Saviour of the world from heavens proper motion. The plot to save man was concerted entirely without him.

4. Christ is fully furnished for the saving of a lost world. His being sent in that character speaks His ability to answer it (Heb_7:25).

5. The salvation of lost sinners of the world of mankind is very acceptable to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, as well as to Himself, otherwise He had not sent His Son Saviour of the world (1Ti_2:3-4).

II. Open this character, Saviour of the world, is which Christ was sent.

1. In what sense Christ is Saviour of the world.

(1) He is the actual and eventual Saviour of the elect.

(2) He is the official Saviour, not of the elect only, but of the world of mankind indefinitely.

2. What is the business committed to Him as Saviour of the world.

(1) It is to save sinners from their sin (Mat_1:21).

(2) It is to save sinners from misery, to free them from destruction (Hos_13:9).

Use

I. Of information.

1. Behold here, admire, and believe the great love of God to a lost world, in providing a Saviour, and such a Saviour, for them, even His own Son.

2. Behold here a broad and firm foundation of faith for all and every one of you; that you may come to Christ, whatever your case is, and claim His righteousness and His whole salvation for yourselves.

3. Sinners living in their sins, pining away, and about to perish eternally in them, are without excuse.

4. Believers themselves may be ashamed and confounded, for that iniquity prevails so against them. Alas! it is a sad sign the Saviour is little employed among us.

Use

II. For trial,

1. If Christ has really begun to save you, ye will have the saved mans thoughts of sin, and of the wrath of God.

2. Ye will have a transcendent esteem of and love to your Saviour (1Pe_2:7).

3. Ye will be groaning under the remains of the disease of sin ye are saved from; your conscience will witness ye would fain be wholly rid of it (Rom_7:24).

Use

III. Receive the Lord Jesus, then, O sinners, in that character wherein His Father sent Him, as the Saviour of the world, and your Saviour.

1. Consider you need a Saviour. Your disease of sin will ruin you, if ye be not saved from it.

2. There is no Saviour besides Christ (Act_4:12). (T. Boston, D. D.)

The Saviour of the world

I. The fact.

II. The author. The Son.

1. Because He was the most precious of all Gods possessions.

2. Because He was in sympathy with Gods own heart. No one else understood the mysteries of Divine love.

3. Because no one else was able to effectually carry out the work of salvation, or to accomplish redemption.

III. The originator. The Father.

1. This reminds us that although the Father is a God of justice, He did not desire to destroy.

2. It shows us how intense is His love.

3. It suggests the Divine purpose of elevating the lost, for none but a Divine Being could set a perfect example.

IV. The proof. We have seen and do testify.

1. The persons who record their testimony are above suspicion.

2. They saw Christs life, teaching, power, death. (Homilist.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Jn 4:14. Καὶ ἡμεῖς) and we ourselves. Thus Joh 15:27.—τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν; have seen and do testify) This is inferred from that which follows, we have known and believed, 1Jn 4:16. By the word, we have known, the first knowledge is marked, as it appears, as it is in the German Kennen lernen, to become acquainted with. For there is a kind of knowledge which is antecedent to faith: and faith is antecedent to μαρτυρίαν, testimony. But the word, we have seen, denotes the full food of the eyes, in beholding.—τὸν Υἱὸν, the Son) There are two foundations and proofs [tests] of our dwelling in God, and God in us: the fellowship of the Spirit, and the acknowledging of the Son of God: 1Jn 4:13; 1Jn 4:15.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Jn_4:14-15. That love brings with it fellowship with God, is caused by the fact that God is love and love springs from God. But Gods love was made manifest by the sending of His Son, and this is testified by the apostles, who themselves have seen Him. The last thought which 1Jn_4:14 expresses serves as an introduction to the thought that follows in 1Jn_4:15, in which the believing confession (and therefore faith) is described as the condition of fellowship with God, and hence also of true love.

καὶ ἡμεῖς] By ἡμεῖς John means here himself and his fellow-apostles; comp. 1Jn_4:6.

τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν, comp. chap. 1Jn_1:1-2. τεθεάμεθα expresses the direct seeing (Gospel of Joh_1:14), not knowledge through the medium of others. The apostles saw that the Father sent the Son, inasmuch as they saw the Son Himselfand not after the flesh merely, but also as the μονογενὴς παρὰ πατρός. With τεθεάμεθα corresponds the closely-connected idea μαρτυροῦμεν, which presupposes ones own direct experience; comp. Gospel of Joh_1:34.

The subject of this testimony is: ὅτι ὁ πατὴρ ἀπέσταλκε τὸν υἱὸν σωτῆρα τοῦ κόσμου, comp. 1Jn_4:9-10; σωτῆρα τ. κ. states the purpose of the sending, which does not refer to particular elect ones, but to the whole number of sinners (comp. chap. 1Jn_2:2 and Gospel of Joh_3:16).1Jn_4:15. With ὁμολογήσῃ, comp. 1Jn_4:2. The subject of the confession is: ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ; this is precisely what the antichrists deny; comp. 1Jn_4:2-3.

Weiss erroneously interprets: Whosoever abides in this confession, in him it is seen that God is in him; the words in him it is seen are a mere interpolation.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Jn 4:14 . The apostolic testimony ( cf. 1Jn 1:1-3 ). ἡμεῖς , either the editorial “we” or “I and the rest of the Apostles who were eye-witnesses”. ἀπέσταλκεν , see note on 1Jn 4:9 .

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

He underlayeth this charity with another foundation, to wit, faith in Jesus, which joineth us indeed with him, even as charity witnesseth that we are joined with him. Furthermore he testifieth of Christ, as who had seen him with his eyes.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

And we--primarily, we apostles, Christ's appointed eye-witnesses to testify to the facts concerning Him. The internal evidence of the indwelling Spirit (Jo1 4:13) is corroborated by the external evidence of the eye-witnesses to the fact of the Father having "sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world."

seen--Greek, "contemplated," "attentively beheld" (see on Jo1 1:1).

sent--Greek, "hath sent": not an entirely past fact (aorist), but one of which the effects continue (perfect tense).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 14. And we have seen] Jesus Christ manifested in the flesh; see 1Jo 1:1, c. and do testify-bear witness, in consequence of having the fullest conviction, that the Father sent the son to be the Saviour of the world. We have had the fullest proof of this from his doctrine and miracles, which we heard and saw during the whole time that he sojourned among men.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14 And we have seen He now explains the other part of the knowledge of God, which we have referred to, that he communicates himself to us in his Son, and offers himself to be enjoyed in him. It hence follows, that he is by faith received by us. For the design of the Apostle is to shew, that God is so united to us by faith and love, that he really dwells in us and renders himself in a manner visible by the effect of his power, who otherwise could not be seen by us.

When the Apostle says, We have, seen and do testify, he refers to himself and others. And by seeing, he does not mean any sort of seeing, but what belongs to faith by which they recognized the glory of God in Christ, according to what follows, that he was sent to be the Savior of the world; and this knowledge flows from the illumination of the Spirit.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

14. And we have seen and do testify] Better, as R. V., And we have beheld and bear witness: see on 1Jn_4:12 and 1Jn_1:2. ‘We’ is emphatic, and, as in the Prologue, means S. John and the other Apostles. See on 1Jn_1:4. With their own eyes they saw the Son working out His mission as the Saviour of the world. ‘Beheld’ points back to 1Jn_4:12 : ‘God Himself no one hath ever yet beheld; but we have beheld His Son’.

sent the Son] Better, hath sent the Son; as in 1Jn_4:9. ‘Of the world’ is important; not of the Jews only, or of the ‘enlightened’ Gnostics only, but of all. There is no limit but the willingness of men to accept salvation by believing on the Saviour. ‘For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him’ (Joh_3:17). See on 1Jn_2:2.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And we have seen, and do testify,.... This seems to be particularly said of the apostles, who had a clear discerning of the love and grace of God, manifested in the mission of Christ into the world; for though no man had seen his nature and his person, yet they had seen his love, and the exceeding riches of his grace, which he had shown forth in Christ Jesus; and they had also seen Christ, God manifest in the flesh; they had seen his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the Father; they had seen him with their bodily eyes; they had seen his works and miracles; they had seen him dying and risen again from the dead, and go up to heaven; they were witnesses, and eyewitnesses of him, and bore a faithful testimony of him, and for him, and particularly set their seal to this truth,

that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world; not of every individual person in it, for there are some that will go into everlasting punishment, and even a world that will be condemned; Christ is not in fact the Saviour of all the individuals of human nature, and therefore was not sent to be such; for if he was, the end of his mission is not fully answered; nor of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also, and who are chiefly intended by "the world"; See Gill on Jo1 2:2; and even of all the elect of God, styled his people, his sheep, his friends, his church, and the sons of God; and it may be said of all that believe in him throughout the whole world, without any distinction of nation, age, sex, state, or condition: and Christ is the Saviour both of the souls and bodies of these, from all their sins, original and actual; from the power of Satan, the bondage and curse of the law, and wrath to come, and he is the only, able, willing, and complete Saviour, and who saves with an everlasting salvation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

Ver. 14. And we have seen] sc. By special privilege (that which natural eye never saw, 1Jn 4:12), the backparts of Jehovah, his wisdom, justice, mercy, &c.; we can see no more and live, we need see no more that we may live.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And we have seen - Notes on 1Jo 1:1.

And do testify - Notes, 1Jo 1:3. That is, we who are apostles bear witness to you of this great truth, that God has sent his Son to be a Saviour. Compare the notes at Joh 20:31. The reason why this is referred to here is not quite apparent, but the train of thought in this passage would seem to be this: The writer is discoursing of the love of God, and of its manifestation in the gift of the Saviour, and of the proper influence which it should have on us. Struck with the greatness and importance of the subject, his mind adverts to the “evidence” on which what he was saying rested - the evidence that the Father had really thus manifested his love. That evidence he repeats, that he had actually seen him who had been sent, and had the clearest demonstration that what he deemed so important had really occurred.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

He here signifies we are not left at any uncertainties, touching that matter of fact, wherein lies this mighty argument for the exercise of mutual love among Christians, God’s having

sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world; for, as he again inculcates, we testify upon eye-sight, having beheld him, and conversed with him, living and dying.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. We have seen and do testify—This we is mainly the apostles. The coming of the Son as seen, bases the whole doctrine on historic grounds.

Saviour of the world—This is his universal office. His atonement is universal, his salvation is universal, limited only in its effects by its being rejected by its proper subjects.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And we have beheld, and do bear witness. The emphatic hJmeiv clearly means "we apostles;" and "beheld" teqeameqa implies contemplation with bodily eyes, as in verse 12. The invisible God can be only "invisibly seen" by the pure heart. But the incarnate Son has been visibly contemplated; and to bear witness of this fact was the very office of an apostle (Joh_15:27; Act_1:8) The language of this verse, as of chapter 1:1, 3, would be strained and rather unreal in one who had not seen the Christ in the flesh. Note that swthra has no article, and is not in mere apposition, but is a second predicate: "The Father hath sent see on verse 10 the Son as Saviour," i.e., to be such. "The world," as commonly in St. John"s writings, is specially the unregenerate among the human race.

The historic basis of the Christian testimony.

Connecting link: The mutual indwelling of God in us and of our spirits in God is the result of a Divine revelation of love made to us on God"s part, and of the reception of that love on our part. That love, which has been and is still the object of our adoring contemplation, and to speak it out among the people is the business of our lives. "We have seen," etc. We may be permitted here to quote in full a note of unusual value from the "Speaker"s Commentary" upon this verse: have seen with adoring wonder, and the impression of the sight abides with us teqeameqa, and are bearing witness marturoumen, that the Father hath sent perfect the Son as the Saviour of the word." One of the numerous loops that bind the Epistle to the Gospel". (comp Joh_1:32, Joh_1:34; 1Jn_1:1-3; Joh_19:35)

I THE RECORD BEFORE US IS THAT OF THOSE WHO WERE EYE-WITNESSES OF THE FACTS OF THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST. (Joh_1:16 Joh_19:35) In this Epistle (and in the Gospel by the same apostle) we have the history of our Lord"s life given us by one who had followed with him, and who understood the meaning of that life at least as well as any other of the apostles. But we note

II THAT THE EYE-WITNESSES OF THE EXTERNAL FACTS OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST LOOKED ALSO BENEATH THE SURFACE, AND BEHELD THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FACTS. Four distinct and leading features thereof are given here.

1. That Jesus Christ was "the Son" of God. Not merely a Son. Not a Sonmerely in the same sense that others may become. But the only begotten Son; of the same nature with the Father.

2. That he was "sent" by the Father.

3. That he was sent to save to save from sin.

4. That his mission was for the race. "The Saviour of the world.

III THAT TO BEAR WITNESS TO THESE FACTS WAS THE GREAT BUSINESS OF THEIR LIVES. "We do testify." They lived for this. They suffered for this. If need be, they were prepared to die for it. To assert it over and over again they gave up all that earth calls dear; they encountered opposition and fiery persecution; they counted not their lives dear unto them. So that their testimony was of such a kind as could not possibly be false. We say this, well weighing our words, and fully assured that the scientific value of the testimony to the facts of our Lord"s life, death, and resurrection cannot be overestimated, and that it is a question which demands more careful study from the unbeliever than many will consent to give to it. The testimony stands thus:

1. It rests on a clear and distinct historical basis.

2. It is given by men who were eye-witnesses of the main facts they relate.

3. The meaning of the facts was directly opposed to their nationalexpectations and prepossessions, and such as they could only have been induced to give when all their prejudices were overborne by a Power from on high.

4. In such a life and work, so full of Divine meaning, there was a messagepresented to the people for them to believe. (Joh_20:31) The reception of the message was intended to lead up to a living faith in Jesus as the Saviour of the lost. (comp Joh_4:42)

5. Such faith in Jesus would ensure the privileges of sonship (Joh_1:12). With sonship would come fellowship, with fellowship knowledge of God. In this knowledge would be the eternal life. (1Jn_5:9-12)

IV TO HAVE SUCH TESTIMONY BEFORE US INVOLVES US IN GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. Such a testimony, so given, with such a purpose, cannot leave us where it found us. We are responsible to God for the use we make of such a message as this. We are bound

(1) to hear devoutly and thoughtfully;

(2) to receive it believingly and lovingly;

(3) to use it (a) for the purpose of being saved by him who has come that he might save, and (b) for the purpose of joining in the witness-bearing, and so co-operating with Jesus in saving others. His name is called "Jesus," for he saves his people from their sins.

The great mission of Christ.

we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son," etc. The mission of Jesus Christ appears here in a threefold relation.

I IN ITS RELATION TO THE WORLD. "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." Notice.

1. The world"s need of a Saviour. It was in a morally lost and undone condition. It was perishing by reason of its sins. Take the world of St. John"s day, or of our own day, in confirmation of this.

2. The world"s inability to provide for itself a Saviour. Many times and in various ways it has made the attempt, but it has always failed. Schemes of political organization, or liberal education, or social amelioration, or even moral reformation, do not reach the central depths of the need of our race. Man needs salvation, redemption.

3. The son of God came to the world as its Saviour. "The Saviour of the world." The expression "the world" is to be understood in its plain, natural meaning. (cf 1Jn_2:2; Joh_3:16) He saves men from sin by the influence of his life and work upon earth, of his sacrificial death, his glorious resurrection, and his effectual intercession. How benevolent is this mission! He might have come to judge, condemn, and destroy our rebellious race. But "God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved?" How stupendous is this mission! Creation is a great and glorious work. The Divine agency in upholding the universe, and presiding over its vast and infinitely diversified affairs, baffles our every attempt to comprehend it. The immensity of its extent, the minuteness of its attention, the infinity of its wisdom, the almightiness of its power, immeasurably transcend our utmost thought. But the salvation of lost men is God"s greatest and most glorious work. In the Divine Son accomplishing his redemptive mission we have the clearest and fullest manifestation of God.

II IN ITS RELATION TO THE FATHER. "The Father hath sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

1. The Saviour is the Son of the Father. Frequently is this relationship expressed in the sacred Scriptures, and in a way which indicates its ineffable sacredness and dearness. (see Mat_3:17 Mat_17:5; Joh_1:14, 18 17:24; Rom_8:3; and verse 9)

2. The Saviour is the Sent of the Father. "The Father hath sent the Son." This is affirmed again and again in the writings of St. John. (Joh_3:17, 34 7:16 10:36 16:5 17:3, 4, 5, 18, 21, 23, 25) Being thus sent by the Father, the Son"s mission as a Saviour is Divine in its authority. He claimed this himself: "I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment," etc.. (Joh_12:49, Joh_12:50) The apostles made the same claim on his behalf. (see Act_2:22 Act_10:38)

III IN ITS RELATION TO THE APOSTLES. "And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent," etc.

1. Their knowledge of the Saviour. St. John, writing of himself and his fellow-apostles, says, "We have beheld," etc. They had seen their Lord in the exercise of his miraculous powers, and in wondrous glory on the Mount of Transfiguration; they had beheld the perfect purity and beauty of his daily life; they had seen him dead upon the cross, and his sacred body laid in its rocky sepulcher; they had afterwards repeatedly seen him living; and they beheld him as "he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

1. Their testimony concerning the Saviour. "We have beheld and bear witness that the Father," etc. They testified to the facts which we have already noticed:

1. That Jesus Christ was the Son of God.

2. That he was the Sent of God.

3. That he was sent of God as the Saviour of the world.

Their Lord had appointed them to be witnesses for him. (Joh_15:27; Act_1:8) And this may fairly be said to be the sum of their testimony: "The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world." And it is beyond reasonable question that their testimony is "worthy of all acceptation.

Thus we have seen that the great mission of Jesus Christ

(1) meets man"s deepest need;

(2) rests upon the supreme authority; and

(3) is attested by competent and trustworthy witnesses.

Therefore let us believe their testimony, and turn heartily to the Son of God as our Saviour. W.J.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And in consequence of this we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son - These are the foundation and the criteria of our abiding in God and God in us, the communion of the Spirit, and the confession of the Son.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Saviour (See Scofield "Rom 1:16").

world kosmos = mankind. (See Scofield "Mat 4:8").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

As if the apostle had said, "Though no man hath seen God at any time, yet the apostles, who preach the doctrine of faith unto you, and press the duty of love upon you, have seen with our bodily eyes the Lord Jesus Christ, and do testify, that God the Father glorified his love, by sending his Son to be the Saviour of a perishing world; not of Jews only, but of the Gentiles also.

And we further declare, That whosoever believing this our testimony, shall confess with his moouth, and believe in his heart, that this Jesus, whom we preach, is the Son of God, and shall evidence the truth of his faith by the sincerity of his love, and other good fruits, it is certain that God dwelleth in him by his Spirit, and he dwelleth in God by repeated acts of love.

And finally, we apostles well knowing, and firmly believing the love, the wonderful great love, which God hath manifested towards us, in and through his Son Jesus Christ, we again affirm and conclude that God is love.

Love originally, the fountain from whence all love flows. Love efficiently, the producing cause of all love in the hearts of our people. Love subjectively, a God full of love and mercy, of goodness and pity towards his creatures. Love objectively, he is deservedly the first and chief object of our love, as he is the first and chief good. Love declaratively, both his word and works declare the purposes of his love unto us, and give demonstrations of innumerable instances of his beneficence towards us. But especially God is love essentially.

Love in us is an adventitious and accidental quality; in God it is an essential property, it is his very essence and nature, inseparable from his being; he can as soon cease to be, as cease to love.

And as God is love, so we again affirm, that he that dwelleth in love, that is, he who has love, as the prevailing habit in his heart, and as the governing principle of his life, dwelleth, by communion, in God, as the eye dwells in the light, and as one friend by love dwells in another; and God, by his Spirit of love, dwelleth in him.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. We have seen and do testify. See John 15:27. This is John's personal testimony as an apostle.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

14. τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτ. As R.V., we have beheld and bear witness: see on 1Jn 4:12 and 1Jn 1:2. ἡμεῖς is emphatic, and as in the Prologue and in 1Jn 4:6, means S. John and the other Apostles. See on 1Jn 1:4 and 1Jn 4:6. With their own eyes the Twelve saw the Son working out His mission as the Saviour of the world. Τεθεάμεθα points back to τεθέαται in 1Jn 4:12: ‘God Himself no one hath ever yet beheld, but we have beheld His Son’.

ἀπέσταλκεν. Hath sent, as in 1Jn 4:9. τοῦ κόσμου is important. The Son has been sent as Saviour, not of the Jews only, nor of the ‘enlightened’ Gnostics only, but of all. There is no limit to His mission to save, and no limit to its success, excepting man’s unwillingness to accept salvation by believing on the Saviour. See on 1Jn 2:2 and comp. Joh 3:17. Only twice in his writings does S. John use the word σωτήρ, here and in the Samaritans’ confession (Joh 4:42). In both places it is followed by τοῦ κόσμου.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

14. Beside the internal witness of the Spirit, there is also the external witness of those who saw the great proof of God’s love. Their vision was complete, and lasting in its results. The testimony, therefore, which they bear is sure.

ἡμεῖς] The word must here refer to the actual eye-witnesses of the life of Jesus on earth. The exaggeration of the view which finds “the αὐτόπται of the Province”1 in each use of the first person plural of the pronoun in the Epistle, should not be allowed to obscure the natural meaning of certain expressions which it contains; cf. 1Jn 1:1. The verb looks back to ver. 12: “God Himself no one has ever yet beheld; but we have beheld His Son.

σωτῆρα] Cf. Joh 4:42, οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ σωτὴρ τοῦ κόσμου. The purpose of the mission was to restore the fellowship which had been gradually forfeited.

τεθεαμεθα א B K L al. longe. pler. cat. Thphyl. Oec.] εθεασαμεθα A 27. 29. 33. 34. 66**. 68. 98 al. aliq. Cyr.

μαρτυρουμεν] testati sumus sah.

απεσταλκεν] απεστειλενIa 396fff (96) Ib 78-157 (—) O46 (154).

υιον] + αυτουIc 364, 259 (137).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

We have seen [πεθεαμεθα] . Have deliberately and steadfastly contemplated. Compare 1Jo 1:1, and see on Joh 1:14.

Do testify [μαρτυρουμεν] . Rev., bear witness. See on Joh 1:7. Sent. See on ver. 9.

The Savior of the world. See the same phrase, Joh 4:42, and compare Joh 3:17. Swth. r Savior, occurs in John only here and Joh 4:42. Elsewhere it is applied both to God (1Ti 1:1; 1Ti 2:3; Tit 1:3; Tit 2:10; Tit 3:4; Jude 1:25), and to Christ (Luk 2:11; Act 5:31; Act 13:23; 2Ti 1:10; Tit 1:4, etc.). The title is found in Paul 's Epistles of the Captivity (Eph 5:23; Phi 3:20), and in the Pastorals (see above), but not in Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, or Thessalonians. In classical writings the term is applied to many deities, especially to Zeus (Jupiter); also to Hermes [μερχυρψ] , Apollo, Hercules, and even to female deities, as Fortune and Aphrodite (Venus). "Zeus Soter" (Zeus Savior) was used as a formula in drinking at banquets. The third cup was dedicated to him. Compare Plato : "Then, by way of a third libation to the savior Zeus, let us sum up and reassert what has been said" (" Philebus, "66). The drinking of this cup was a symbol of good fortune, and the third time came to mean the lucky time." Twice then has the just man overthrown the unjust; and now comes the third trial, which, after Olympic fashion, is sacred to Zeus the savior,... and surely this will prove the greatest and most decisive of falls "(Plato," Republic, " 583). Hence the proverb, to triton tw swthri, lit., the third to the savior; i e., the third or lucky time. The name was also given later to princes or public benefactors. The kindred noun swthria salvation, does not occur in John's Epistles, and appears only once in the Gospel (iv. 22). It is found thrice in Rev 7:10; Rev 12:10; Rev 19:1). Swzein to save occurs six times in John's Gospel, and once in Revelation (xxi. 24). It does not appear in the Epistles.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

14. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ref....] Ht nos vidimus V., And we have beheld.... The emphatic pronoun (2. 6, i. 4; John i. 16) brings into prominence the experience of the Christian Society gathered up in that of its leaders. The apostle does not speak of himself personally but as representing the Church for which he had a special work to do. His experience (John i. 14) was in another form the experience of all (John i. 16). The vision and witness of the immediate disciples correspond with the knowledge and belief of the disciples in all ages. Or, to express the same truth otherwise, that vision and witness remain as an abiding endowment of the living Body.

τεθεάμεθα] Strictly speaking the immediate objects of τεθεάμεθα and μαρτυροῦμεν are different. The object of contemplation was the revelation of the Lord’s Life: the object of witness, the declaration of its meaning. In ἃ wider sense spiritual facts can become the objects of direct vision (comp. John i. 33, μένον). Here however the thought is that the sig- — nificance of the Lord’s Mission was made known to those who carefully regarded His Life and observed the necessary tendency of all His actions. In this respect His Life was the object of contemplation (θεᾶσθαι) and not of vision. Compare John i. 34 (ἑώρακα) with John i. 32 (τεθέαμαι). See also c. i. 1, 2.

The use of τεθεάμεθα carries the mind back to Ὁ. 12, θεὸν οὐδεὶς τεθέαται. Though God Himself had not been the object of direct human regard, yet Christian faith rests upon a historic revelation of His Nature.

τεθεάμεθα καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν] Comp. i. 2, ἑωράκαμεν καὶ μαρτυροῦμεν, iii. 11, 32, and contrast John i. 34, ἑώρακα καὶ μεμαρτύρηκα, xix. 35. The continuous witness was based upon the abiding experience.

ὁ πατήρ] Comp. Ὁ. 10 (ὁ θεός) note.

ἀπέσταλκεν]Ἶ hath sent. The testimony is borne not simply to the historic fact (0. 10, ἀπέστειλεν), but (as in ὁ. 9) to the permanence of Christ’s mission. Of this believers have direct knowledge. Comp. Additional Note on ¢. ili. 5.

σωτῆρα τοῦ x.| salvatorem mundi V. (seculi F.), as Saviour of the world. The full title occurs once again in the N. T. as the confession

which is yet partly future in its human application (Phil. iii. 20 σωτῆρα ἀπεκδεχόμεθαλ) is complete in the divine idea.

It is worthy of notice that the words σώζειν and σωτηρία are not found in the Epistles of St John.

Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1889) and The Epistles of St John (1883) — public domain (pre-1929). Text recovered from Internet Archive / Google Books OCR scans. Westcott’s Gospel of John commentary is not included (its OCR lost the chapter running-heads required for reliable verse-keying). Some Greek quoted in the Hebrews volume is imperfectly rendered by the OCR.