1Jo 3:16, 4:9 | JFB | STEP | 16. What true love to the brethren is, illustrated by the love of Christ to us. Hereby — Greek, "Herein." the love of God —The words "of God" are not in the original. Translate, "We arrive at the knowledge of love"; we apprehend what true love is. he —Christ. and we —on our part, if absolutely needed for the glory of God, the good of the Church, or the salvation of a brother. lives —Christ alone laid down His one life for us all; we ought to lay down our lives severally for the lives of the brethren; if not actually, at least virtually, by giving our time, care, labors, prayers, substance: Non nobis, sed omnibus. Our life ought not to be dearer to us than God's own Son was to Him. The apostles and martyrs acted on this principle.

1 John 3:16

16. What true love to the brethren is, illustrated by the love of Christ to us.

Hereby—Greek, "Herein."

the love of God —The words "of God" are not in the original. Translate, "We arrive at the knowledge of love"; we apprehend what true love is.

he—Christ.

and we—on our part, if absolutely needed for the glory of God, the good of the Church, or the salvation of a brother.

lives—Christ alone laid down His one life for us all; we ought to lay down our lives severally for the lives of the brethren; if not actually, at least virtually, by giving our time, care, labors, prayers, substance: Non nobis, sed omnibus. Our life ought not to be dearer to us than God's own Son was to Him. The apostles and martyrs acted on this principle.

1 John 4:9

9. toward us—Greek, "in our case."

sent—Greek, "hath sent."

into the world—a proof against Socinians, that the Son existed before He was "sent into the world." Otherwise, too, He could not have been our life (1Jo 4:9), our "propitiation" (1Jo 4:10), or our "Saviour" (1Jo 4:14). It is the grand proof of God's love, His having sent "His only-begotten Son, that we might live through Him," who is the Life, and who has redeemed our forfeited life; and it is also the grand motive to our mutual love.