1 John 4:12

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 John 4:12

No one hath ever yet beheld God. θεόν stands first for emphasis. and without the article, as meaning the Divine Being rather than the Father in particular: "With regard to God—no one hath ever yet beheld him" τεθεάται , stronger than ἑώρακεν . Why does St. John introduce this statement here? Not, of course, as implying that to love an invisible Being is impossible; but that the only security for genuine and lasting love in such a case is to love that which visibly represents him.... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:12

No man hath seen God at any time - See the notes at John 1:18, where the same declaration occurs. The statement seems to be made here in order to introduce a remark to show in what way we may know that we have any true knowledge of God. The idea is, “He has never indeed been seen by mortal eyes. We are not, then, to expect to become acquainted with what he is in that way. But there is a method by which we may be assured that we have a true knowledge of him, and that is, by evidence that we love... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 John 4:10-12

1 John 4:10-12. Herein is love Worthy of our highest admiration; not that we loved God First; for we were, on the contrary, in a state of enmity to him, in which, if we had remained unsolicited and untouched by his love and grace, we should have persisted and perished; but that he loved us First, (1 John 4:19,) without any merit or motive in us to induce him to do it; and, in his boundless compassion to our necessities and miseries; sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:7-21

The character of Christian love (4:7-5:5)It is God’s nature to love. Love in human nature has been spoiled by sin, but when people are born again by the work of God, they learn to love as God loves (7-8). The character of God’s love is seen in his act of giving his Son to die for those who have rebelled against him. They are worthy of death, but Jesus died to bear the judgment of sin on their behalf. As a result they can now have life (9-10). People cannot see God, but they can see that he... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 1 John 4:12

No man = No one. Greek. oudeis. seen = beheld. App-133 . dwelleth . Greek. meno . See p. 1511. perfected = made perfect. App-125 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - 1 John 4:12

No man hath beheld God at any time: if we love one another, God abideth in us, and his love is perfected in us:No man hath seen God at any time ... Blaney was probably correct in seeing this as a warning to Christians against "trying to know God in any other way than the one he is describing."[35] Some have sought, outside of Christianity, to know more about God, hoping for a clearer perception; but this apostolic warning declares all such attempts to be futile. However, "John is not here... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 1 John 4:12

1 John 4:12. No man hath seen God, &c.— "God himself is an invisible Spirit, whom no man hath seen nor can see with his bodily eyes. But as he is the great Fountain of benevolence, if we love one another with cordiality and entire sincerity, it appears that God dwelleth in us, and that his love is perfected in us; for this is the best proof we can give of our love to him, and of the prevalence of his grace in our hearts, transforming us into his image." read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 1 John 4:12

12. God, whom no man hath seen at any time, hath appointed His children as the visible recipients of our outward kindness which flows from love to Himself, "whom not having seen, we love," compare Notes, 1 John 4:11, 1 John 4:11- :. Thus 1 John 4:12 explains why, instead (in 1 John 4:11) of saying, "If God so loved us, we ought also to love God," he said, "We ought also to love one another." If we love one another, God dwelleth in us—for God is love; and it must have been from Him dwelling in... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:7-16

3. God’s Indwelling Recognized 4:7-16John now left behind his warning about false spirits that his readers might mistake as the Holy Spirit, spirits that lure believers onto worldly paths. He returned to one of his central themes, namely, love for the brethren. As 1 Corinthians 13 contains Paul’s great statement on God’s love, so 1 John 4:7-16 contains John’s.". . . the present section spells out precisely the nature of the love which is demanded from every believer, and may thus be viewed as... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - 1 John 4:11-16

The inspiration of love 4:11-16 read more

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