1 Behold what manner of charity the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called and should be the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth not us, because it knew not him.
v.1
VERS. 1.-- *See,* etc. Consider diligently with how great and what manner of gifts God has shown his fatherly charity toward us. For he granted that in this world we should be named sons of God in name and in deed, and that in the world to come we should be so, by possessing the inherited blessedness. *He gave.* To this end God gave charity, that we might know how to love him and be able to, yet not as servants a master, but as sons a father. Whence it is said: *And as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God*.
2 Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.
v.2
VERS. 2.-- *We are the sons of God.* As if he should say: To be and to be called sons of God, what dignity is that? he answers: *Dearly beloved, now we are the sons of God.* Now through the miracles which we do and through purity of life it appears that we are sons of God, but whatever is in the present is little in comparison with what is to come. *We shall be like to him.* For when we shall fully enjoy the contemplation of the unchangeable and eternal Godhead, we also shall be immortal and eternal in him: not indeed the same as he, but like, because we are a creature and were made to his likeness. *Because we shall see.* According as the Word was made flesh, the wicked have seen him, and in the judgment they shall see him: but how the Word in the beginning was with the Father, the just alone shall see: the wicked man shall be taken away, lest he see the glory of God.
3 And every one that hath this hope in him sanctifieth himself, as he also is holy.
v.3
VERS. 3.-- *He sanctifieth himself.* He does not take away free will, when he says, etc., *as far as* saying to God: *Thou art my helper, forsake me not*.
4 Whosoever committeth sin committeth also iniquity. And sin is iniquity.
v.4
VERS. 4.-- *And sin,* etc. What the Latins call law, the Greeks, etc., *as far as* they who corrupt the innocence of the natural law are guilty of transgression.
5 And you know that he appeared to take away our sins: and in him there is no sin.
v.5
VERS. 5.-- *And you know.* Lest we (who cannot be free of sins and iniquities) should despair of salvation, he adds that through Christ we are loosed from sins. Not only therefore have we been made sons of God through grace, and do we hope that we shall be like to him, but we are also freed from iniquity: because for this reason *he appeared, that he might take away sins,* from which iniquity let no one excuse himself.
6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: and whosoever sinneth hath not seen him nor known him.
v.6
VERS. 6.-- *He that sinneth hath not seen him.* And he that abideth in him sinneth not. And in this *let no man deceive you,* by saying either that justice is from man, or that anyone can abide in God together with sin, because all justice is from God, and all sin is from the devil.
7 Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.
v.7
VERS. 7.-- *He that doth justice.* That is: he who has the act of justice and the intention is indeed just, but not of himself: but as that one is, he proceeds from the same root. Justice is in that one principally, in this one secondarily, in that one naturally, in this one by adoption. This very thing, that he who is just is just from him.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil: for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God appeared, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
v.8
VERS. 8.-- *He is of the devil.* Not by deriving the origin of the flesh, as Manichaeus would have it, etc., *as far as* Christ was born man, that he might loose the sins of men, that he might lead them back to life.
9 Whosoever is born of God committeth not sin: for his seed abideth in him. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
v.9
VERS. 9.-- *He doth not commit sin.* He does not say it of every sin: *For if we shall say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,* but of the violation of charity, which he cannot commit who has in himself the seed of God, that is, the word of God by which he was born again. *Because it is his own seed.* The true Son of the Father cannot let go the law. The law of the Father is: Love one another.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil. Whosoever is not just is not of God, or he that loveth not his brother.
11 For this is the declaration which you have heard from the beginning, that you should love one another.
12 Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one and killed his brother. And wherefore did he kill him? Because his own works were wicked: and his brother's just.
v.12
VERS. 12.-- *Because his works were wicked.* Where envy is, there is no fraternal love. He does not call Cain's works evil, save envy and hatred of his brother. He does not call Abel's works just, save charity. Hence men are distinguished. Let no one attend to tongues, but to deeds. If the heart does not do good for its brethren, it shows what it has within itself. Cain offered rightly, a creature to the Creator, but he did not divide rightly, when he believed that the gifts pleased which he offered with hatred of his brother. Abel offered with love, and pleased.
13 Wonder not, brethren, if the world hate you.
14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not abideth in death.
v.14
VERS. 14.-- *We know,* etc. Let no one falsely exalt himself over his virtues, let no one fear beyond measure the poverty of his own strength. He who loves his brother gives an open judgment, because he pertains to the lot of the just. *He abideth in death.* The life of the flesh is the soul, the life of the soul is God; the body's death is to lose the spirit; the soul's death is to lose God. He therefore who through hatred of his brother loses God, loses life.
15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself.
v.15
VERS. 15.-- *He that hateth his brother.* He who out of hatred pursues his brother provokes him to anger and to discord, and so, as far as in him lies, kills him in his soul. If anyone makes light of hatred of a brother, will he not make light of murder in his heart? He does not move his hand to kill, and he is already held a murderer: the one lives, and the other is judged a slayer. *He hath not eternal life.* For ever, he who is held by this kind of murder, so that he is at variance with his brethren, will be damned with Cain.
16 In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
v.16
VERS. 16.-- *In this we know,* etc. Many reasons having been set forth concerning the charity that is to be had, at length he subjoins concerning the perfection of charity, under the example of the Lord's passion. Peter is admonished to have this, when to the Lord questioning him he professed that he loved him, to whom it is said: *But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whither thou wouldest not*. In which words he was taught to lay down his life for the sheep. *For no man hath greater charity than that a man lay down his life for his friends*.
17 He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him?
v.17
VERS. 17.-- *He that shall have,* etc. If, whether from the opportunity of the time or from human infirmity, it has not befallen us to lay down our lives, we ought at least to lay down our goods for the brethren, and this is the nourishment of charity. He who has learned to give his own property will one day be able to lay down himself.
18 My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
v.18
VERS. 18.-- *Little children, let us not love,* etc. Because charity is not perfect in him; who does not lay down his life for the brethren, or who at least does not give money. Therefore, that you may have perfect charity, *little children* of the same father. *Let us not love in word, neither in tongue.* By word is understood pure speech, not work; by tongue, manifold discourse, as some wish by often-repeated speeches to commend their affection. *But in deed.* Because even if we are deceived in our love out of human infirmity, we are not deceived in the reward, because God is greater than our heart, and knows with what zeal all things are done. *And in truth.* If we bestow benefits with a simple intention, not for the sake of boasting, nor for the sake of any temporal advantage, but with regard to God alone.
19 In this we know that we are of the truth and in his sight shall persuade our hearts.
v.19
VERS. 19.-- *In this we know,* etc. In this, that we love the truth, we know that we are of the truth, that is, we know that we have this true love from God (who is truth), and from this love we know that we are in his sight, that is, that we deserve his sight, and in this also we persuade our hearts to devise better works. *And in the sight,* etc. That is, we persuade our hearts to have such thoughts as are worthy of the divine sight. For all who set themselves to do anything persuade their hearts to turn to meditating upon that same deed. But he who thinks evil things would hide them from God, if he could: but they who think good things most easily persuade their hearts to desire to be laid open to the sight of God, which is a sign of great perfection, when one's own work or thought rejoices to be seen by God.
20 For if our heart reprehend us, God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things.
v.20
VERS. 20.-- *Because if it shall reprove.* And this is a great thing, that through love we have thoughts so clean that we wish to show them to God: because even if the conscience should accuse us within and should wish to lie hid from God, because we were doing our good deeds not with a good mind, yet we could not hide them from God, because he is greater than our heart, and knows all things: love therefore avails, which commends us to him from whom we cannot lie hid.
21 Dearly beloved, if our heart do not reprehend us, we have confidence towards God.
22 And whatsoever we shall ask, we shall receive of him: because we keep his commandments and do those things which are pleasing in his sight.
v.22
VERS. 22.-- *And whatsoever we shall ask.* A great promise, and one to be desired by the faithful. But *if anyone* is so perverse that he is not delighted by the heavenly promises, let him at least fear what wisdom on the contrary thunders terribly: *He that turneth away his ear that he may not hear the law, his prayer shall be an abomination*.
23 And this is his commandment: That we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as he hath given commandment unto us.
v.23
VERS. 23.-- *And this is the commandment.* He puts the commandment first in the singular number, and subjoins two, because these cannot be separated.
24 And he that keepeth his commandments abideth in him, and he in him. And in this we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us.