1 John 2:9

Contextual Overview

⁷Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the word you have heard. ⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandement vnto you, but an olde commandement which ye had from the beginning: the old commandement is the word which ye haue heard from the beginning. ⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. ⁷ Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. ⁷ Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. ⁷ My dear friends, I am not writing a new command to you but an old command you have had from the beginning. It is the teaching you have already heard. ⁷My dear friends, I'm not writing anything new here. This is the oldest commandment in the book, and you've known it from day one. It's always been implicit in the Message you've heard. On the other hand, perhaps it is new, freshly minted as it is in both Christ and you—the darkness on its way out and the True Light already blazing! ⁷ Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. ⁷Beloved, I am not writing you a new commandment, but an old one, which you have had from the beginning. This commandment is the message you have heard. ⁷ My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one that you were first given, and it is the message you heard.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that saith: 1 John 2:4

he is: 1 John 1:6, John 9:41, Romans 2:18-21

and hateth: 1 John 3:13-17

is in: 1 John 2:11, Psalms 82:5, 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 2 Peter 1:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:8 - brethren Leviticus 19:17 - hate Joshua 23:12 - go back Matthew 5:22 - his brother John 12:36 - the children John 12:46 - am Acts 26:18 - and to Romans 12:10 - kindly Romans 13:12 - works 1 Corinthians 6:6 - brother Ephesians 5:8 - but Hebrews 13:1 - General 1 John 1:7 - If we 1 John 3:10 - neither 1 John 3:14 - that loveth 1 John 4:8 - knoweth

Cross-References

Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden eastward, in `Eden, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
Then the Lord God planted a garden in the east, in a place called Eden, and put the man he had formed into it.

Genesis 2:8
The Lord God planted an orchard in the east, in Eden; and there he placed the man he had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the LORD God planted a garden (oasis) in the east, in Eden (delight, land of happiness); and He put the man whom He had formed (created) there.

Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:8
And the Lord God planted a garden Eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom he had made.

Genesis 2:8
And Yahweh God planted a garden in Eden, toward the east; and there He placed the man whom He had formed.

Genesis 2:8
The Lord made a garden in a place called Eden, which was in the east, and he put the man there.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that saith he is in the light,.... Is in Christ the light, or has the true knowledge of the light of the Gospel, or is illuminated by the Spirit of God; for persons may profess to be enlightened ones, and not be so: wherefore the apostle does not say, he that is in the light, but he that says he is,

and hateth his brother; who is so either by creation, as all men are brethren, having one Father, that has made them, and brought them up; or by regeneration, being born of God the Father, and in the same family and household of faith; and so regards such who are in a spiritual relation, whom to hate internally, or not to love, is inconsistent with being in the light, or having faith, which is always naturally and necessarily accompanied with the heat of love; for as light and heat, so faith and love go together: wherefore, let a man's profession of light be what it will, if love to his brother is wanting, he

is in darkness even until now; he is in a state of nature and unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness and ignorance; he is under the power of darkness, and in the kingdom of Satan; who is the ruler of the darkness of this world; he ever was so from his birth; he never was called nor delivered out of it, but is still in it to this moment, and so remains. This seems to be very much levelled against the Jews, who make hatred of the brother in some cases lawful: for they say d,

"if one man observes sin in another, and reproves him for it, and he does not receive his reproof, מותר לשנאותו, "it is lawful to hate him";''

:-.

d Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora, pr. neg. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He that saith he is in the light - That he has true religion, or is a Christian. See 1 John 1:7.

And hateth his brother - The word “brother” seems here to refer to those who professed the same religion. The word is indeed sometimes used in a larger sense, but the reference here appears to be to that which is properly brotherly love among Christians. Compare Lucke, in loc.

Is in darkness even until now - That is, he cannot have true religion unless he has love to the brethren. The command to love one another was one of the most solemn and earnest which Christ ever enjoined, John 15:17; he made it the special badge of discipleship, or that by which his followers were to be everywhere known, John 13:35; and it is, therefore, impossible to have any true religion without love to those who are sincerely and truly his followers. If a man has not that, he is in deep darkness, whatever else he may have, on the whole subject of religion. Compare the notes at 1 Thessalonians 4:9.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 9. He that saith he is in the light — He that professes to be a convert to Christianity, even in the lowest degree; and hateth his brother-not only does not love him, but wills and does him evil, as the Jews did the Gentiles; is in darkness-has received no saving knowledge of the truth; and, whatever he may pretend, is in heathen ignorance, or even worse than heathen ignorance, to the present time, notwithstanding the clear shining of the light of the Gospel.