Job 1:6

Matthew 5:9

Verse 9. Blessed are the peacemakers. Those who strive to prevent contention, and strife, and war. Who use their influence to reconcile opposing parties, and to prevent lawsuits, and hostilities, in families and neighbourhoods. Every man may do something of this; and no man is more like God than he who does it. There ought not to be unlawful and officious interference in that which is none of our but, has business; without any danger of acquiring this character, every man many opportunities of reconciling opposing parties. Friends, neighbours, men of influence, lawyers, physicians, may do much to promote peace. And it should be taken in hand in the beginning. "The beginning of strife," says Solomon, "is like the letting out of water." "An ounce of prevention," says the English proverb, "is worth a pound of cure." Long and most deadly quarrels might be prevented by a little kind interference in the beginning. Children of God. Those who resemble God, or who manifest a spirit like his. He is the Author of peace, (1Cor 14:33) and all those who endeavour to promote peace are like him, and are worthy to be called his children.

(e) "peacemakers" Ps 34:14

Matthew 5:45

Verse 45. That ye may be the children of your Father. In Greek, the sons of your Father. The word son has a variety of significations. Mt 1:1. Christians were called the sons or children of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of him. In this passage, the word is used because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes his sun to rise on the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the just and unjust. So his people should show that they imitate or resemble him, or possess his spirit by doing good in a similar way.

(l) "sun to rise" Job 25:3

Luke 6:35

Verse 35. Mt 5:46-48

(p) "love ye your enemies" Lk 6:27 (q) "lend" Ps 37:26, 112:5 (r) "ye shall be the children" Mt 5:45

John 1:12

Verse 12. To as many as received him. The great mass; the people; the scribes and Pharisees rejected him. A few in his lifetime received him, and many more after his death. To receive him, here, means to believe on him. This is expressed at the end of the verse.

Gave he power. This is more appropriately rendered in the margin by the word right or privilege. Comp. Acts 1:7, 5:4, Rom 9:21; 1Cor 7:37, 8:9, 9:4,5.

Sons of God. Children of God by adoption. Mt 1:1. Christians are called sons of God--

1st. Because they are adopted by him, 1Jn 3:1.

2nd. Because they are like him; they resemble him and have his spirit.

3rd. They are united to the Lord Jesus, the Son of God--are regarded by him as his brethren (Mt 25:40), and are therefore regarded as the children of the Most High.

On his name. This is another way of saying believeth in him. The name of a person is often put for the person himself, Jn 2:23 Jn 2:18, 1Jn 5:13. From this verse we learn,

1st. That to be a child of God is a privilege-far more so than to be the child of any man, though in the highest degree rich, or learned, or honoured. Christians are therefore more honoured than any other men.

2nd. God gave them this privilege. It is not by their own works or deserts; it is because God chose to impart this blessing to them, Eph 2:8, Jn 15:16.

3rd. This favour is given only to those who believe on him. All others are the children of the wicked one, and no one who has not confidence in God can be regarded as his child. No parent would acknowledge one for his child, or approve of him, who had no confidence in him, who doubted or denied all he said, and who despised his character. Yet this the sinner constantly does toward God, and he cannot, therefore, be called his son.

(p) "as many as received him" Isa 56:4,5, Rom 8:15, 1Jn 3:1 (1) "power to become" or, "the right or privilege"

Philippians 2:15

Verse 15. That ye may be blameless. That you may give no occasion for others to accuse you of having done wrong.

And harmless. Marg., sincere. The Greek word (ακεραιος) means, properly, that which is unmixed; and then pure, sincere. The idea here is, that they should be artless, simple, without guile. Then they would injure no one. The word occurs only in Mt 10:16; Php 2:15, where it is rendered harmless, and Rom 16:19, where it is rendered simple. Mt 10:16, Rom 16:19.

The sons of God. The children of God--a phrase by which true Christians were denoted. Mt 5:46; Eph 5:1.

Without rebuke. Without blame; without giving occasion for any one to complain of you.

In the midst of a crooked and perverse nation. Among those of perverted sentiments and habits; those who are disposed to complain and find fault; those who will take every occasion to pervert what you do and say, and who seek every opportunity to retard the cause of truth and righteousness. It is not certainly known to whom the apostle refers here, but it seems not improbable that he had particular reference to the Jews who were in Philippi. The language here used was employed by Moses De 32:6 as applicable to the Jewish people, and it is accurately descriptive of the character of the nation in the time of Paul. The Jews were among the most bitter foes of the gospel, and did perhaps more than any other people to embarrass the cause of truth, and prevent the spread of the true religion.

Among whom ye shine. Marg., "Or, shine ye." The Greek will admit of either construction, and expositors have differed as to the correct interpretation. Rosenmuller, Doddridge, and others, regard it as imperative, and as designed to enforce on them the duty of letting their light shine. Erasmus says it is doubtful whether it is to be understood in the indicative or imperative. Grotius, Koppe, Bloomfield, and others, regard it as in the indicative, and as teaching that they did, in fact, shine as lights in the world. The sense can be determined only by the connexion; and, in regard to it, different readers will form different opinions. It seems to me that the connexion seems rather to require the sense of duty or obligation to be understood. The apostle is enforcing on them the duty of being blameless and harmless; of holding forth the word of life; and it is in accordance with his design to remind them that they ought to be lights to those around them.

As lights in the world. The comparison of Christians with light often occurs in the Scriptures. Mt 5:14, Mt 5:16. The image here is not improbably taken from lighthouses on a sea-coast. The image then is, that as those lighthouses are placed on a dangerous coast to apprize vessels of their peril, and to save them from shipwreck, so the light of Christian piety shines on a dark world, and in the dangers of the voyage which we are making. See the Note of Burder, in Rosenmuller, Alt. u. neu. Morgenland, in loc.

(1) "harmless" "sincere" (c) "sons of God" Mt 5:45, Eph 5:1 (*) "rebuke" "reproach" (d) "crooked and perverse" De 32:5 (2) "ye shine" "shine ye" (e) "lights in the world" Mt 5:14,16

1 John 3:1-2

CHAPTER III

ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER.

THIS chapter embraces the following subjects:--

I. The fact that Christians are now the sons of God, 1Jn 3:1-3.

(1.) We are the sons of God, and this will explain the reason why the world does not appreciate our character, or understand the reasons of our conduct, 1Jn 3:1.

(2.) The consequences of sustaining that relation to God, or of being regarded as his sons.

(a.) We shall be like him when he appears, 1Jn 3:2.

(b.) We shall purify ourselves under the influence of this hope, 1Jn 3:3.

II. The fact that he who is an adopted child of God does not commit sin, 1Jn 3:4-10.

(1.) All sin is the transgression of the law, 1Jn 3:4;

(2.) Christ was manifested to take away our sins, 1Jn 3:5;

(3.) He that commits sin is of the devil, 1Jn 2:8; and,

(4.) as a matter of fact, he who is of God does not commit sin, 1Jn 3:7,9,10.

III. True religion will be manifested by love to the Christian brotherhood, 1Jn 3:10-18.

(1.) As a man who is not righteous cannot be a true Christian, neither can he who does not love his brother, 1Jn 3:10.

(2.) It is the solemn command of the Saviour that his followers should love one another, 1Jn 3:11.

(3.) The importance of this is seen by the opposite conduct of Cain, 1Jn 3:12.

(4.) Love to the brethren furnishes the most certain evidence that we have passed from death unto life, 1Jn 3:14.

(5.) A man who hates another is in fact a murderer, and, of course, cannot be a true child of God, 1Jn 3:15.

(6.) We should be stimulated to the love of the brethren by the example of the Saviour, who laid down his life for us, 1Jn 3:16.

(7.) If we see a brother in want, and have the means of aiding him, and do not do it, we cannot have the love of God dwelling in us, 1Jn 3:17,18.

IV. We may have evidence that we love God by the consciousness of our feelings towards him, as well as by outward acts towards his friends, 1Jn 3:19-21.

V. If we keep his commandments our prayers will be answered, 1Jn 3:22,23.

(1.) There is an assurance that we shall receive what we need if we ask it, and keep his commandments, 1Jn 3:22.

(2.) The particular commandments on which the efficacy of prayer so much depends, are

(a.) that we believe on the name of the Saviour, and

(b.) that we love the Christian brotherhood, 1Jn 3:23.

VI. We may know that we abide in God by the spirit which he has given us, as well as by keeping his commandments, 1Jn 3:24.

This chapter, therefore, is occupied mainly with stating what are the evidences of true piety; and, in order to determine this question, there is perhaps no part of the Bible that may be studied with more profit than this portion of the writings of John.

Verse 1. Behold, what manner of love. What love, in kind and in degree. In kind the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into his family, and in permitting us to address him as our Father; in degree the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor and friendless orphan, and giving him a parent and a home. Even God could bestow upon us no more valuable token of affection than that we should be adopted into his family, and permitted to regard him as our Father. When we remember how insignificant we are as creatures, and how ungrateful, rebellious, and vile we have been as sinners, we may well be amazed at the love which would adopt us into the holy family of God, so that we may be regarded and treated as the children of the Most High. A prince could manifest no higher love for a wandering, ragged, vicious orphan boy, found in the streets, than by adopting him into his own family, and admitting him to the same privileges and honours as his own sons; and yet this would be a trifle compared with the honour which God has bestowed on us.

The Father hath bestowed upon us. God, regarded as a Father, or as at the head of the universe considered as one family. That we should be called the sons of God. That is, that we should be the sons of God --the word called being often used in the sense of to be. On the nature and privileges of adoption, Rom 8:15, seq., and 2Cor 6:18, and practical remarks on that chapter, 1Cor 6:19, 1Cor 6:20.

Therefore the world knoweth us not. Does not understand our principles; the reasons of our conduct; the sources of our comforts and joys. The people of the world regard us as fanatics or enthusiasts; as foolish in abandoning the pleasures and pursuits which they engage in; as renouncing certain happiness for that which is uncertain; as cherishing false and delusive hopes in regard to the future, and as practising needless austerities, with nothing to compensate for the pleasures which are abandoned. There is nothing which the gay, the ambitious, and the selfish less understand than they do the elements which go into the Christian's character, and the nature and source of the Christian's joys.

Because it knew him not. Did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. That is, the world had no right views of the real character of the Lord Jesus when he was on the earth. They mistook him for an enthusiast or an impostor; and it is no wonder that, having wholly mistaken his character, they should mistake ours. On the fact that the world did not know him, 1Cor 2:8, Acts 3:17. Comp. Jn 17:25. On the fact that Christians may be expected to be regarded and treated as their Saviour was, Jn 15:18, Jn 15:19; Jn 15:20. Comp. Mt 10:24,25.

(a) "love" Eph 2:4,5 (b) "the sons" Jn 1:12, Rev 21:7 (*) "sons" "Children" Verse 2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God. We now in fact sustain this rank and dignity, and on that we may reflect with pleasure and gratitude. It is in itself an exalted honour, and may be contemplated as such, whatever may be true in regard to what is to come. In the dignity and the privileges which we now enjoy, we may find a grateful subject of reflection, and a cause of thankfulness, even if we should look to nothing beyond, or when we contemplate the fact by itself.

And it doth not yet appear what we shall be. It is not fully revealed what we shall be hereafter; what will be the full result of being regarded as the children of God. There are, indeed, certain things which may be inferred as following from this. There is enough to animate us with hope, and to sustain us in the trials of life. There is one thing which is clear, that we shall be like the Son of God; but what is fully involved in this is not made known. Perhaps

(1.) it could not be so revealed that we could understand it, for that state may be so unlike the present that no words would fully convey the conception to our minds. Perhaps

(2.) it may be necessary to our condition here, as on probation, that no more light should be furnished in regard to the future than to stimulate us to make efforts to reach a world where all is light. For an illustration of the sentiment expressed here by the apostle, 2Pet 1:4.

But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him. It is revealed to us that we shall be made like Christ; that is, in the bodies with which we shall be raised up, in character, in happiness, in glory. Php 3:21; 2Cor 3:18. This is enough to satisfy the Christian in his prospects for the future world. To be like Christ is the object of his supreme aim. For that he lives, and all his aspirations in regard to the coming world may be summed up in this--that he wishes to be like the glorified Son of God, and to share his honours and his joys. Php 3:10.

For we shall see him as he is. It is clearly implied here that there will be an influence in beholding the Saviour as he is, which will tend to make us like him, or to transform us into his likeness. See the nature of this influence explained 2Cor 3:18.

(d) "the sons" Rom 8:14,18 (*) "sons" "Children" (e) "like him" 1Cor 15:49, Php 3:21, 2Pet 1:4 (f) "see him" Job 19:26, Ps 17:15, Mt 5:8, 1Cor 13:12
Copyright information for Barnes