1 John 1:1

Contextual Overview

¹ We want to tell you about the Word that gives life—the one who existed before the world began. This is the one we have heard and have seen with our own eyes. We saw what he did, and our hands touched him. ¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- ¹ That which was fro the begynninge concerninge which we have hearde which we have sene with oure eyes which we have loked vpon and oure hondes have hadled of the worde of life. ¹ That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life ¹ What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—¹ We write you now about what has always existed, which we have heard, we have seen with our own eyes, we have looked at, and we have touched with our hands. We write to you about the Word that gives life. ¹ That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life ¹ 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; ¹ That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we saw, and our hands touched, concerning the Word of life ¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have beheld, and our hands have handled of the word of life:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

That which: 1 John 2:13, Proverbs 8:22-31, Isaiah 41:4, Micah 5:2, John 1:1, John 1:2-18, John 8:58, Revelation 1:8, Revelation 1:11, Revelation 1:17, Revelation 1:18, Revelation 2:8

which we have heard: 1 John 4:14, Luke 1:2, John 1:14, Acts 1:3, Acts 4:20, 2 Peter 1:16-18

and our: Luke 24:39, John 20:27

the Word: 1 John 5:7, John 1:14, John 5:26, Revelation 19:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 1:1 - beginning Psalms 34:8 - taste Proverbs 8:23 - General Mark 1:1 - Christ Mark 4:22 - General John 3:11 - We speak John 5:37 - Ye have John 6:33 - cometh John 6:40 - seeth John 11:25 - the life John 12:46 - am John 14:6 - the life John 14:19 - because John 14:21 - and will John 15:27 - have John 19:35 - he that John 20:20 - he showed John 21:24 - we know Acts 1:13 - Peter Acts 5:20 - all 1 Corinthians 15:45 - a quickening 2 Corinthians 3:6 - but the Philippians 2:16 - the word Colossians 1:18 - the beginning Colossians 3:4 - our Hebrews 12:2 - Looking 1 Peter 1:25 - this 1 John 1:3 - which 1 John 5:11 - this 1 John 5:13 - ye may know 1 John 5:20 - This is Revelation 1:2 - and of all

Cross-References

Genesis 1:4
And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, so he divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good, so God separated the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God saw the light, that [it was] good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
God saw that the light was good (pleasing, useful) and He affirmed and sustained it; and God separated the light [distinguishing it] from the darkness.

Genesis 1:4
And God seiy the liyt, that it was good, and he departide the liyt fro derknessis; and he clepide the liyt,

Genesis 1:4
And God seeth the light that [it is] good, and God separateth between the light and the darkness,

Genesis 1:4
And seeing that the light was good, God separated the light from the darkness.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

That which was from the beginning,.... By which is meant not the Gospel, as if the apostle's design was to assert the antiquity of that, and clear it from the charge of novelty; for though that is called the word, and the word of life, and is the Spirit which gives life, and is the means of quickening dead sinners, and brings the report of eternal life and salvation by Christ, yet the seeing of it with bodily eyes, and handling it with corporeal hands, do not agree with that; but Jesus Christ is here intended, who in his divine nature was, really existed as a divine person, as the everlasting Jehovah, the eternal I AM, which is, and was, and is to come, and existed "from the beginning"; not from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel by John only, for he was before the Gospel was preached, being the first preacher of it himself, and before John was; yea, before the prophets, before Abraham, and before Adam, and before all creatures, from the beginning of time, and of the creation of the world, being the Maker of all things, even from everlasting; for otherwise he could not have been set up in an office capacity so early, or God's elect be chosen in him before the foundation of the world, and they have grace and blessings given them in him before the world began, or an everlasting covenant be made with him; see John 1:1;

which we have heard; this, with what follows, proves him to be truly and really man; for when the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among men, the apostles heard, and saw, and handled him; they not only heard a voice from heaven, declaring him to be the Son of God, but they often heard him speak himself, both in private conversation with them, and in his public ministry; they heard his many excellent discourses on the mount, and elsewhere, and those that were particularly delivered to them a little before his death; and blessed were they on this account, Matthew 13:16;

which we have seen with our eyes: with the eyes of the body, with their own, and not another's; and they saw him in human nature, and the common actions of life he did, as eating, drinking, walking, c. and his many miracles they saw him raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, restore sight to the blind, cause the lame to walk, the dumb to speak, and the deaf to hear; and they saw him transfigured on the mount. John was one that was present at that time, and saw his glory, as he also was when he hung upon the cross, and saw him bleeding, gasping, and dying there; they saw him after his resurrection from the dead, he showed himself to them alive, and was seen of them forty days; they saw him go up to heaven, and a cloud receiving him out of their sight:

which we have looked upon; wistly and intently, once and again, and a thousand times, and with the utmost pleasure and delight; and knew him perfectly well, and were able to describe exactly his person, stature, features, and the lineaments of his body:

and our hands have handled of the Word of life; as Peter did when Jesus caught him by the hand on the water, when he was just ready to sink; and as this apostle did, when he leaned on his bosom; and as Thomas did, even after his resurrection, when he thrust his hand into his side; and as all the apostles were called upon to see and handle him, that it was he himself, and not a spirit, which has not flesh and bones as he had. Now as this is said of Christ, the Word of life, who is so called, because he has life in himself, as God, as the Mediator, and as man, and is the author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal, it must be understood as he, the Word, is made manifest in the flesh; for he, as the Word, or as a divine person, or as considered in his divine nature, is not to be seen nor handled: this therefore is spoken of the Word, or of the person of Christ, God-man, with respect to his human nature, as united to the Logos, or Word of God; and so is a proof of the truth and reality of his human nature, by several of the senses.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That which was from the beginning - There can be no doubt that the reference here is to the Lord Jesus Christ, or the “Word” that was made flesh. See the notes at John 1:1. This is such language as John would use respecting him, and indeed the phrase “the beginning,” as applicable to the Lord Jesus, is unique to John in the writings of the New Testament: and the language here may be regarded as one proof that this Epistle was written by him, for it is just such an expression as “he” would use, but not such as one would be likely to adopt who should attempt to palm off his own writings as those of John. One who should have attempted that would have been likely to introduce the name “John” in the beginning of the Epistle, or in some way to have claimed his authority. The apostle, in speaking of “that which was from the beginning,” uses a word in the neuter gender instead of the masculine, (ὅ ho.) It is not to be supposed, I think, that he meant to apply this term “directly” to the Son of God, for if he had he would have used the masculine pronoun; but though he had the Son of God in view, and meant to make a strong affirmation respecting him, yet the particular thing here referred to was “whatever” there was respecting that incarnate Saviour that furnished testimony to any of the senses, or that pertained to his character and doctrine, he had borne witness to.

He was looking rather at the evidence that he was incarnate; the proofs that he was manifested; and he says that those proofs had been subjected to the trial of the senses, and he had borne witness to them, and now did it again. This is what is referred to, it seems to me, by the phrase “that which,” (ὅ ho.) The sense may be this: “Whatever there was respecting the Word of life, or him who is the living Word, the incarnate Son of God, from the very beginning, from the time when he was first manifested in the flesh; whatever there was respecting his exalted nature, his dignity, his character, that could be subjected to the testimony of the senses, to be the object of sight, or hearing, or touch, that I was permitted to see, and that I declare to you respecting him.” John claims to be a competent witness in reference to everything which occurred as a manifestation of what the Son of God was.

If this be the correct interpretation, then the phrase “from the beginning” (ἀπ ̓ ἀρχῆς ap' archēs does not here refer to his eternity, or his being in the beginning of all things, as the phrase “in the beginning” (ἐν ἀρχῇ en archē) does in John 1:1; but rather means from the very commencement of his manifestation as the Son of God, the very first indications on earth of what he was as the Messiah. When the writer says 1 John 1:3 that he “declares” this to them, it seems to me that he has not reference merely to what he would say in this Epistle, for he does not go extensively into it here, but that he supposes that they had his Gospel in their possession, and that he also means to refer to that, or presumes that they were familiar with the testimony which he had borne in that Gospel respecting the evidence that the “Word became flesh.” Many have indeed supposed that this Epistle accompanied the Gospel when it was published, and was either a part of it that became subsequently detached from it, or was a letter that accompanied it. See Hug, Introduction P. II. Section 68. There is, it seems to me, no certain evidence of that; but no one can doubt that he supposed that those to whom he wrote had access to that Gospel, and that he refers here to the testimony which he had borne in that respecting the incarnate Word.

Which we have heard - John was with the Saviour through the whole of his ministry, and he has recorded more that the Saviour said than either of the other evangelists. It is on what he said of himself that he grounds much of the evidence that he was the Son of God.

Which we have seen with our eyes - That is, pertaining to his person, and to what he did. “I have seen him; seen what he was as a man; how he appeared on earth; and I have seen whatever there was in his works to indicate his character and origin.” John professes here to have seen enough in this respect to furnish evidence that he was the Son of God. It is not hearsay on which he relies, but he had the testimony of his own eyes in the case. Compare the notes at 2 Peter 1:16.

Which we have looked upon - The word used here seems designed to be more emphatic or intensive than the one occurring before. He had just said that he had “seen him with his eyes,” but he evidently designs to include an idea in this word which would imply something more than mere beholding or seeing. The additional idea which is couched in this word seems to be that of desire or pleasure; that is, that he had looked on him with desire, or satisfaction, or with the pleasure with which one beholds a beloved object. Compare Matthew 11:7; Luke 7:24; John 1:14; John 11:45. See Robinson, Lexicon. There was an intense and earnest gaze, as when we behold one whom we have desired to see, or when one goes out purposely to look on an object. The evidences of the incarnation of the Son of God had been subjected to such an intense and earnest gaze.

And our hands have handled - That is, the evidence that he was a man was subjected to the sense of touch. It was not merely that he had been seen by the eye, for then it might be pretended that this was a mere appearance assumed without reality; or that what occurred might have been a mere optical illusion; but the evidence that he appeared in the flesh was subjected to more senses than one; to the fact that his voice was heard; that he was seen with the eyes; that the most intense scrutiny had been employed; and, lastly, that he had been actually touched and handled, showing that it could not have been a mere appearance, an assumed form, but that it was a reality. This kind of proof that the Son of God had appeared in the flesh, or that he was truly and properly a man, is repeatedly referred to in the New Testament. Luke 24:39; “behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.” Compare John 20:25-27. There is evident allusion here to the opinion which early prevailed, which was held by the Docetes, that the Son of God did not truly and really become a man, but that there was only an appearance assumed, or that he seemed to be a man. See the Introduction, Section 3. It was evidently with reference to this opinion, which began early to prevail, that the apostle dwells on this point, and repeats the idea so much, and shows by a reference to all the senses which could take any cognizance in the case, that he was truly and properly a man. The amount of it is, that we have the same evidence that he was properly a man which we can have in the case of any other human being; the evidence on which we constantly act, and in which we cannot believe that our senses deceive us.

Of the Word of life - Respecting, or pertaining to, the Word of life. “That is, whatever there was pertaining to the Word of life, which was manifested from the beginning in his speech and actions, of which the senses could take cognizance, and which would furnish the evidence that he was truly incarnate, that we have declared unto you.’ The phrase “the Word of life,” means the Word in which life resided, or which was the source and fountain of life. See the notes at John 1:1, John 1:3. The reference is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF JOHN.

Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle.

-Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, and other eastern Writers, 5577.

-Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5571.

-Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5561.

-Year of the world, according to Archbishop Usher, 4073.

-Year of the world, according to Eusebius, in his Chronicon, 4297.

-Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, or that in common use, 3829.

-Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4428.

-Year from the Flood, according to Archbishop Usher, and the English Bible, 2417.

-Year of the Cali yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge, 3171.

-Year of the era of Iphitus, or since the first commencement of the Olympic games, 1009.

-Year of the era of Nabonassar, king of Babylon, 818.

-Year of the CCXIIth Olympiad, 1.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 816.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Frontinus, 820.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Fasti Capitolini, 821.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Varro, which was that most generally used, 822.

-Year of the era of the Seleucidae, 381.

-Year of the Caesarean era of Antioch, 117.

-Year of the Julian era, 114.

-Year of the Spanish era, 107.

-Year from the birth of Jesus Christ, according to Archbishop Usher, 73.

-Year of the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 69.

-Year of Vologesus, king of the Parthians, 20.

-Year of the Dionysian period, or Easter Cycle, 70.

-Year of the Grecian Cycle of nineteen years, or Common Golden Number, 13; or the fifth embolismic.

-Year of the Jewish Cycle of nineteen years, 10; or the year before the fourth embolismic.

-Year of the Solar Cycle, 22.

-Dominical Letter, it being the first year after the Bissextile, or Leap Year, A.

-Day of the Jewish Passover, the twenty-fourth of March, which happened in this year on the sixth day after the Jewish Sabbath.

-Easter Sunday, the twenty-sixth of March.

-Epact, or age of the moon on the 22d of March, (the day of the earliest Easter Sunday possible,) 12.

-Epact, according to the present mode of computation, or the moon's age on New Year's day, or the Calends of January, 20.

-Monthly Epacts, or age of the moon on the Calends of each month respectively, (beginning with January,) 20, 22, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 27, 28, 0, 0, 2, 2.

-Number of Direction, or the number of days from the twenty-first of March to the Jewish Passover, 3.

-In this year reigned four Roman emperors, viz., Galba, from Jan. 1 to Jan. 15, Otho ninety days, Vitellius eight months, and Vespasian for the remainder of the year.

-Roman Consuls, Servius Sulpicius Galba Augustus, the second time, and Titus Vinius Rufinus, from Jan. 1 to the death of Galba, Jan. 15; Salvius Otho Augustus, and L. Salvius Otho Titianus, from Jan. 15 to March 1; L. Virginius Rufus, and Vopiscus Pompeius Silvanus, from March 1 to May 1; Titus Arrius Antoninus and P. Marius Celsus, the second time, from May 1 to Sept. 1; C. Fabius Valens and Aulus Alienus Coecina, from Sept. 1, the former holding the Consulship to Nov. 1, the latter being succeeded by Roscius Regulus, on Oct. 31; Cn. Caecilius Simplex and C. Quintius Atticus, from Nov. 1, to the end of the year.

CHAPTER I.

The testimony of the apostle concerning the reality of the

person and doctrine of Christ; and the end for which he bears

this testimony, 1-4.

God is light, and none can have fellowship with him who do not

walk in the light; those who walk in the light are cleansed

from all unrighteousness by the blood of Christ, 5-7.

No man can say that he has not sinned; but God is faithful and

just to cleanse from all unrighteousness them who confess their

sins, 8-10.

NOTES ON CHAP. I.

Verse 1 John 1:1. That which was from the beginning — That glorious personage, JESUS CHRIST the LORD, who was from eternity; him, being manifested in the flesh, we have heard proclaim the doctrine of eternal life; with our own eyes have we seen him, not transiently, for we have looked upon him frequently; and our hands have handled-frequently touched, his person; and we have had every proof of the identity and reality of this glorious being that our senses of hearing, ὁ ακηκοαμεν, seeing, ὁ ἑωρακαμεν τοις οφθαλμοις ἡμων, and feeling, και αἱ χειρες ἡμων εψηλαφησαν could possibly require.