1 John 1:8

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 1 John 1:1-10

1 John 1:1 The ancient philosophers, too, spoke of a wise man who was the type and exemplar of all goodness, about whom strange paradoxes were affirmed that he was a king, that he might be happy on the rack, and the like. This was their mode of describing philosophy. But they never supposed that Socrates or Chrysippus, or any other great teacher, really fulfilled this ideal. They did not 'see with their eyes,' nor 'touch with their hands,' the Word of Life. Nevertheless the Greek ideal, which... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 1 John 1:5-10

II. LIGHT AND DARKNESS AND THE TESTS CHAPTERS 1:5-2:17 1. God is light; walking in darkness and in light (1 John 1:5-7 ) 2. What the light manifests (1 John 1:8-10 ) 3. The advocacy of Christ to maintain the fellowship (1 John 2:1-2 ) 4. The tests of fellowship (1 John 2:3-17 ) 1 John 1:5-7 The message they had heard of Him and which they declared to others is, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Light, perfect, pure light is God’s nature; He is absolutely holy, with no... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 1 John 1:8

1:8 {5} If we say that we have no sin, we {e} deceive ourselves, and the {f} truth is not in us.(5) There is none but need this benefit, because there is none that is not a sinner.(e) This fully refutes that perfectness of works of supererogation (doing more than duty requires, the idea that excess good works can form a reserve fund of merit that can be drawn on in favour of sinners) which the papists dream of.(f) So then, John speaks not thus for modesty’s sake, as some say but because it is... read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 1:1-10

Unlike his second and third epistles, this first from John’s pen waits for no salutation, but more like Paul’s to the Hebrews, immediately begins with a precious declaration of the glory of the Person of Christ. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” Does it not almost startle us with wonder that this blessed Person should be so introduced by the use of impersonal... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - 1 John 1:1-10

GOD IS LIGHT First John is addressed to no particular church or individual, but it is thought that the apostle had in mind a cycle of churches like the seven of Asia (see Revelation 1:0 ). It is likely that the Christians to whom he wrote were of Gentile rather than Jewish origin, as judged by the few references to the Old Testament, and by such allusions as that in 1 John 5:21 . The epistle was written later than the Gospel by the same author, as gathered from the circumstances that an... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 John 1:1-10

"I Don't Know" You may notice how often the Apostle uses the word "know" in the opening chapters of his first Epistle General. Again and again John says, "We know," "hereby we do know that we know." He seems to have anticipated the uses to which that word might be put in after-time, and he insists upon a personal and definite knowledge of things divine or supernatural. He had no doubt of his knowledge. He did not use any lower term; he did not say, I think, I hope, I venture to imagine, I... read more

Joseph Parker

The People's Bible by Joseph Parker - 1 John 1:5-10

The Ministry of Light 1Jn 1:5-10 Light is not only, as we have already said, distance, as suggesting the ideas of largeness and liberty: light is also revelation. It shows a thousand things we could not have seen, but for the very degree of its intensity. A little light is a little revelation, a great light is a great disclosure; the light seems to create what it only displays. We point out to one another, as we stand in the valley, objects of beauty on the hill-top; perhaps these objects of... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - 1 John 1:5-10

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: (7) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins,... read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - 1 John 1:8

Not that we say or pretend we have no sin; [4] thus truth would not be in us, and we should even make God a liar, who has declared all mankind guilty of sin. We were all born guilty of original sin; we have fallen, and still frequently fall into lesser sins and failings. We can only except from this number our Saviour Christ, who, even as man, never sinned, and his blessed Virgin Mother, by a special privilege, preserved from all kind of sin: and of whom St. Augustine[5] says, "that for the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - 1 John 1:5-10

5-10 A message from the Lord Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal Word, we should all gladly receive. The great God should be represented to this dark world, as pure and perfect light. As this is the nature of God, his doctrines and precepts must be such. And as his perfect happiness cannot be separated from his perfect holiness, so our happiness will be in proportion to our being made holy. To walk in darkness, is to live and act against religion. God holds no heavenly fellowship or... read more

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