Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 1

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 Barnes on John 1:1.

This is such language as John would use concerning him, and indeed the phrase "the beginning," as applicable to the Lord Jesus, is peculiar to John in the writings of the New Testament. 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 pass off his own writings as John's.

One who attempted that would likely have introduced the name John at the beginning of the epistle, or in some way 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 (o). 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.

However, though he had the Son of God in view and meant to make a strong affirmation concerning him, the particular thing referred to here was whatever there was concerning that incarnate Savior that provided testimony to any of the senses, or that pertained to his character and doctrine, to which he had borne witness.

He was looking rather at the evidence that He was incarnate, the proofs that He was manifested. He says that those proofs had been subjected to the trial of the senses, and he had borne witness to them, and now does so again. This, it seems to me, is what is referred to by the phrase "that which" (o).

The meaning may be this: "Whatever there was concerning 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 concerning His exalted nature, His dignity, His character, that could be subjected to the testimony of the senses, to be the object of sight, hearing, or touch, that I was permitted to see, and that I declare to you concerning Him." John claims to be a competent witness regarding everything that occurred as a manifestation of what the Son of God was.

If this is the correct interpretation, then the phrase "from the beginning" (ap archēs) does not here refer to His eternity, or His being in the beginning of all things, as the phrase "in the beginning" (en archē) does in John 1:1. Instead, it 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 is not referring merely to what he would say in this epistle, for he does not discuss it extensively here. Rather, he supposes that they had his Gospel in their possession, and he also means to refer to that, or presumes that they were familiar with the testimony he had borne in that Gospel concerning 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 subsequently became detached, or was a letter that accompanied it. (See Hug's Introduction, Part II, § 68). There is, it seems to me, no certain evidence of that. However, 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 he had borne in it concerning the incarnate Word.

Which we have heard. John was with the Savior throughout His entire ministry, and he has recorded more of what the Savior said than any of the other evangelists. It is on what He said of Himself that John bases much of the evidence that He was the Son of God.

Which we have seen with our eyes. This pertains 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 provide evidence that He was the Son of God. He does not rely on hearsay, but had the testimony of his own eyes in the case. (See Barnes on 2 Peter 1:16).

Which we have looked upon. The word used here seems designed to be more emphatic or intensive than the one used previously. He had just said that he had "seen Him with his eyes," but he evidently designs to include an idea in this word that would imply something more than mere beholding or seeing. The additional idea contained 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. (Luke 7:24; John 1:14).

See Robinson's 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. Instead, 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 states: 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. . There is a clear allusion here to the opinion which early prevailed, held by the Docetae, 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, § 3).

It was evidently with reference to this opinion, which began early to prevail, that the apostle dwells on this point, repeats the idea so much, and shows by referring to all the senses that could engage with the situation, that He was truly and properly a man. The point is, that we have the same evidence that He was properly a man as 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. This means 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 note, and which would provide the evidence that He was truly incarnate, that we have declared to you."

The phrase "the Word of life" means the Word in whom life resided, or who was the source and fountain of life. (See Barnes on John 1:1 and on John 1:3). The reference is undoubtedly to the Lord Jesus Christ.

For the life was manifested. It was made manifest or visible to us. He who was the life was made known to men by the incarnation. He appeared among men so that they could see him and hear him. Though originally with God, and dwelling with him (John 1:1–2), yet he came forth and appeared among men. See Barnes on Romans 1:3 and 1 Timothy 3:16.

He is the great source of all life, and he appeared on the earth, and we had an opportunity of seeing and knowing what he was.

And we have seen it. This repetition, or dwelling on the thought, is designed to express the idea with emphasis and is very much in John's style . He is particularly desirous of impressing on them the thought that he had been a personal witness of what the Savior was, having had every opportunity of knowing it from long and familiar interaction with him.

And bear witness. We testify concerning it. John was satisfied that his own character was known to be such that what he said would be believed. He felt that he was known to be a man of truth, and therefore he never doubts that all his statements would be believed (John 21:24; Revelation 1:2; 3 John 1:12).

And shew unto you that eternal life. That is, we declare to you what that life was—what was the nature and rank of him who was the life, and how he appeared when on earth. He here attributes eternity to the Son of God, implying that he had always been with the Father.

Which was with the Father. Always before the manifestation on the earth. (See John 1:1: The word was with God.) This passage demonstrates the pre-existence of the Son of God and proves that he was eternal. Before he was manifested on earth, he had an existence to which the word life could be applied, and that was eternal. He is the Author of eternal life to us.

And was manifested unto us. In the flesh; as a man. He who was the life appeared to men. John's idea evidently is:

1. that the Being here referred to was forever with God;
2. that it was proper before the incarnation that the word life should be given to him as descriptive of his nature;
3. that there was a manifestation of him who was thus called life on earth; that he appeared among men; that he had a real existence here, and not a merely assumed appearance; and
4. that the true characteristics of this incarnate Being could be attested to by those who had seen him and who had been long with him.

This second verse should be regarded as a parenthesis.

That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you. We announce it, or make it known to you—referring either to what he purposes to say in this epistle, or more probably embracing all that he had written concerning him, and supposing that his gospel was in their hands. He means to call their attention to all the testimony which he had given on the subject, in order to counteract the errors which began to prevail.

That ye may have fellowship with us. With us the apostles; with us who actually saw him, and conversed with him. That is, he wished that they might have the same belief, and the same hope, and the same joy which he himself had, arising from the fact that the Son of God had become incarnate and had appeared among men.

To "have fellowship" means to have anything in common with others; to partake of it; to share it with them ; and the idea here is that the apostle wished that they might share with him all the peace and happiness which resulted from the fact that the Son of God had appeared in human form on behalf of men. The object of the apostle in what he wrote was that they might have the same views of the Saviour which he had, and partake of the same hope and joy. This is the true notion of fellowship in religion.

And truly our fellowship is with the Father. With God the Father. That is, there was something in common with him and God; something of which he and God partook together, or which they shared. This cannot, of course, mean that his nature was the same as that of God, or that in all things he shared with God, or that in anything he was equal with God; but it means that he partook, in some respects, of the feelings, the views, the aims, the joys which God has.

There was a union in feeling, and affection, and desire, and plan, and this was to him a source of joy. He had an attachment to the same things, loved the same truth, desired the same objects, and was engaged in the same work; and the consciousness of this, and the joy which attended it, was what was meant by fellowship (See 1 Corinthians 10:16; 2 Corinthians 12:14).

The fellowship which Christians have with God relates to the following points:

1. Attachment to the same truths, and the same objects; love for the same principles, and the same beings.
2. The same kind of happiness, though not in the same degree. The happiness of God is found in holiness, truth, purity, justice, mercy, benevolence. The happiness of the Christian is of the same kind that God has; the same kind that angels have; the same kind that he will himself have in heaven—for the joy of heaven is only that which the Christian has now, expanded to the utmost capacity of the soul, and freed from all that now interferes with it, and prolonged to eternity.

3. Employment, or co-operation with God. There is a sphere in which God works alone, and in which we can have no co-operation, no fellowship with him. In the work of creation; in upholding all things; in the government of the universe; in the transmission of light from world to world; in the return of the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun, the storms, the tides, the flight of the comet, we can have no joint agency, no co-operation with him.

   There God works alone. But there is also a large sphere in which he admits us graciously to a co-operation with him, and in which, unless we work, his agency will not be put forth. This is seen when the farmer sows his grain; when the surgeon binds up a wound; when we take the medicine which God has appointed as a means of restoration to health.

   So in the moral world. In our efforts to save our own souls and the souls of others, God graciously works with us; and unless we work, the object is not accomplished. This co-operation is referred to in such passages as these: We are labourers together (sunergoi) with God (1 Corinthians 3:9); The Lord working with them (Mark 16:20); We then as workers together with him (2 Corinthians 6:1); That we might be fellow-helpers to the truth (3 John 1:8). In all such cases, while the efficiency is of God—alike in exciting us to effort, and in crowning the effort with success—it is still true that if our efforts were not put forth, the work would not be done. In this department God would not work by himself alone; he would not secure the result by miracle.

4. We have fellowship with God by direct communion with him, in prayer, in meditation, and in the ordinances of religion. Of this all true Christians are sensible, and this constitutes no small part of their peculiar joy. The nature of this, and the happiness resulting from it, is much of the same nature as the communion of friend with friend—of one mind with another kindred mind—that to which we owe no small part of our happiness in this world.
5. The Christian will have fellowship with his God and Saviour in the triumphs of the latter day, when the scenes of the judgment shall occur, and when the Redeemer shall appear, that he may be admired and adored by assembled worlds (See 2 Thessalonians 1:10).

See also Matthew 19:28; Revelation 3:21.

And with his Son Jesus Christ. That is, in like manner there is much which we have in common with the Saviour—in character, in feeling, in desire, in spirit, in plan. There is a union with him in these things—and the consciousness of this gives peace and joy.

And these things write we unto you. These things concern Him who was manifested in the flesh, and the results which flow from that.

That your joy may be full. This is almost the same language that the Savior used when addressing His disciples as He was about to leave them (John 15:11), and there can be little doubt that John had that declaration in remembrance when he uttered this remark.

The meaning here is that full and clear views of the Lord Jesus, and the fellowship with Him and with each other which would follow from that, would be a source of happiness. Their joy would be complete if they had that; for their real happiness was to be found in their Savior. The best editions of the Greek Testament now read "your joy," instead of the common reading "our joy."

This then is the message which we have heard of him. This is the substance of the announcement (epaggelia) which we have received from him, or which he communicated to us. The message here refers to what he communicated as the sum of the revelation which he made to humankind.

The phrase "of him" (ap autou) does not mean respecting him, or about him, but from him; that is, this is what we received from his preaching—from all that he said.

The distinctive substance of all that he said may be summed up in the declaration that God is light, and in the consequences that follow from this doctrine. He came as the messenger of Him who is light; he came to inculcate and defend the truths that flow from that central doctrine, regarding sin, the danger and duty of humankind, the way of recovery, and the rules by which people ought to live.

That God is light. Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of purity, truth, knowledge, prosperity, and happiness—as darkness is of the opposite. John here says that "God is light"—fwv—not the light, or a light, but light itself; that is, he is himself all light, and is the source and fountain of light in all worlds. He is perfectly pure, without any admixture of sin. He has all knowledge, with no admixture of ignorance on any subject. He is infinitely happy, with nothing to make him miserable. He is infinitely true, never stating or countenancing error; he is blessed in all his ways, never knowing the darkness of disappointment and adversity. (John 1:4, 5; 1 Timothy 6:16).

And in him is no darkness at all. This language is very characteristic of John's style, not only affirming that a thing is so, but guarding it so that no mistake could possibly be made as to what he meant. . The expression here is designed to affirm that God is absolutely perfect; that there is nothing in him which is in any way imperfect, or which would dim or mar the pure splendor of his character, not even as much as the smallest spot would on the sun.

The language is probably designed to guard the mind from an error to which it is prone: that of charging God with being the Author of the sin and misery which exist on the earth. The apostle seems to design to teach that whatever was the source of sin and misery, it was not in any sense to be charged on God.

This doctrine that God is a pure light, John lays down as the substance of all that he had to teach—of all that he had learned from him who was made flesh. It is, in fact, the fountain of all just views of truth on the subject of religion, and all proper views of religion take their origin from this.

"Message," "declaration." "Light": John 1:4, 9; 1 Timothy 6:16.