11 - 1Jn 2:1
Τεκνία μου, ταῦτα γράφω ὑμῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἁμάρτητε· καὶ ἐάν τις ἁμάρτῃ, παράκλητον ἔχομεν πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν δίκαιον· The first two verses of this new chapter are strictly connected with the preceding. The ταῦτα [“these”] at the outset shows that. On a first glance, the μὴἁμάρτητε [“you may not sin”], our not sinning at all, would not seem to be directly prepared for by anything in the previous chapter. It is true that the second clause of our verse, ἐάντιςἁμάρτῃ,παράκλητονἔχομεν [“if anyone sins, we have an Advocate”], is founded on what the other chapter says as to man, and even the Christian man, being still sinful; but that is not the case with the first clause, ἵναμὴἁμάρτητε [“in order that that youmay not sin”]. And yet it appears as if precisely that second clause is introduced as a new thought; for it does not stand in connection with what precedes by ἵνα [“in order that”], as a resumption of it with ταῦτα [“these”]. On the other hand, the first clause is actually placed by ἵνα [“in order that”] in telic connection with what precedes, which, however, does not appear to afford any reason for such connection. When we look more closely into the matter it takes a different turn. The first statement on which the apostle laid emphasis was this, that we must walk in light, and that its consequence would be the blessing that, so walking, the Lord would cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Thus the cleansing from sin—and that we have seen to comprehend not only the atoning, but specifically the delivering power of Christ, the abolition of sin in us—constitutes the consequence of the τῷ φωτὶ περιπατεῖν [“walk in the light”]: it is therefore also at the same time the end for the sake of which St. John exhorts to a walk in light. Thus, in fact, he has a right to lay it down as the goal of his statements in 1Jn 1:6-7 that we should not sin, that sin should cease to be a power within us. Thus the ταῦτα [“these”] is primarily a resumption of these verses. But, further, he has taught in 1Jn 1:8-10 that sin still remains even in the Christian; that the purifying energy of Jesus Christ is not consummated at one stroke; that fellowship with the kingdom of light does not immediately make a man himself light. Thus what the apostle, in the words ταῦταγράφωἵναμὴἁμάρτητε [“these things I write in order that you may not sin”], surveys in a single glance, is really the result of continuous effort, a process filling the whole life of the man. It is to this second aspect of the matter, as made prominent in the former chapter, that the second half of our 1Jn 2:1 refers. Moreover, the paracletic work of Christ, the ἱλασμός[“atoneing sacrifice”], which is wrapped up in it, also refers back to the former chapter,—that is, to the mention of the αἷμα Ἰησοῦ in 1Jn 1:7. Hence we are justified, so far as the matter of the words goes, to include 1Jn 2:1-2 under the ἵνα [“in order that”], and accordingly to sum up under the ταῦτα [“these”] the whole substance of 1Jn 1:5-10. The fact that ἵνα [“in order that”] does not formally stretch to the second clause of the first verse, is to be accounted for by the particular form the apostle has given to his thought. It was indeed impossible to write ταῦταγράφωἵναπαράκλητονἔχομεν [“these things I write in order thatwe have an Advocate”], for the παράκλητονἔχειν [“Advocate we have”] is not the end of the Epistle, as that goes on independently of anything the apostle or man may do: his aim in writing is only that we mayknowthat we have a Paraclete. He might therefore have written ταῦταγράφομενἵναεἰδῆτεὅτιπαράκλητονἔχομεν [“these things we write soyou may know that we have an Advocate”]. But the Gospel has given us abundant evidence how constantly the apostle thinks in the Hebrew style, by co-ordinating thoughts, and not in the Greek style, by subordinating them one to another. Thus, as in 1Jn 1:9 —the reading καθαρίζει [“to cleanse”] being otherwise established—the close of the verse is formally sundered from the preceding telic clause and becomes an independent sentence, precisely so it is here. And here with all the more propriety, because the thought expressed in 1Jn 1:6 finds a more full elucidation in 1Jn 2:2, and thus assumes or lays claim to a certain independence. Thus, if we have discerned the reference of the ταῦτα [“these”] to all that precedes, and therewith, at the same time, the connection of the following verses, we shall not be in any doubt as to their actual significance, as to the reason why they are added. In the previous chapter the apostle had spoken objectively, he had announced simple facts; but the last verse came in with a hortatory meaning, and for practical reasons. These two verses of the new chapter now give ex professo the subjective application of what had been said, the practical aim which those objective declarations should subserve. Accordingly there follows here, and that for the first time, the direct address to the readers; and the diminutive form of this address, τεκνία [“littlechildren”], shows how full the apostle’s heart is, and with what ardour he pours out this exhortation.
Looking now more closely into the thoughts of the verse before us, we are immediately struck by the collocation of its two leading ideas. That is to say, while the apostle first exhibits their ceasing from sin as the essential aim of his words, he yet seems to take away from his exhortation its very nerve by straightway supposing it not to be followed. Notwithstanding this, we must be on our guard against explaining it, as it were, thus: “but if ye, despite of this, should fall into sin,” for the words italicized are not there. It would be equally a mistake to understand in the first ἁμαρτάνειν [“to sin”] a περιπατεῖν [“to walk”] or a μένεινἐντῇἁμαρτίᾳ [“remain insin”], and to make the meaning of the second mere sins of infirmity. What shadow of justification would there be for that, when the expressions are identical, the same words being used also in the same sentence? In both cases the same kind of ἁμαρτίᾳ [“sin”] must be intended. It is better to say that the apostle specifies two different ways of being delivered from sin: one, that of doing no sin at all, in the phrase ἵναμὴἁμάρτητε [“in order that that youmay not sin”]; and then the other, that any such sins as might nevertheless remain may be done away by forgiveness. The circumstance that these are conjoined as they are, so that the former comes first and the latter last, may be explained by this, that if the forgiveness had been placed first, the result might have been a rash and unthinking reliance upon the grace that freely pardons. That the two kinds were placed together at all was demanded by what preceded. The first thought had been this, that the Christian enjoys sanctifying fellowship with the light: whence followed the exhortation. Let sin cease entirely in your case. The second thought was, that the Christian still sins: whence followed the encouragement. Let the sins you have done obtain their forgiveness. Thus the ἁμαρτάνειν [“tosin”] refers in both cases to the sins of believers, and therefore, if you will, to sins of infirmity. Most supremely must we be on our guard against them, for they easily lead to the περιπατεῖν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ [“walk in darkness”]. But the consciousness of this danger might very well lead to despair, and therefore the reminder that we have in the Lord Jesus a Representative and Propitiation, who as such secures the forgiveness of sins; of the two exhortations which result from the preceding,—not to sin, and to secure forgiveness for any sin that may arise,—it is only the former that the apostle urges in the form of exhortation; the latter he changes into the more needful tone of encouragement. And this gives us a new reason, the most real one, why the apostle, instead of going on with the ἵνα [“in order that”], so expressly shapes the second part into an independent sentence.
The consolation which he would impart consists in this, that Christ is our παράκλητοςπρὸςτὸνπατέρα [“Advocate with the Father”]. Of the two meanings which have been assigned to the word παράκλητος [“Advocate”], Comforter and Advocate,—the former in the sense of παρακαλῶν [“to encourage”], the latter in that of παρακληθείς [“to exhort”],—most decidedly the second is the only one admissible here; it alone answers to the passive form of the word, and the explicit use of the term in classical Greek. Now as, apart from these reasons, it is inappropriate to assume that in the same author, in the same general period of his writing, and especially in the case of an idea so very important, the same word has two distinct meanings, our passage must be regarded as shedding some light upon the passages in the Gospel where the word occurs. It is true that there it is the Holy Ghost that is spoken of, while here it is the Son; but apart from the fact that in Joh 14:16 the Holy Ghost is mentioned as ἂλλοςπαράκλητος [“another Advocat”] which indirectly at least calls the Lord a παράκλητος [“Advocate”] also, the difference is only an apparent one; for the Holy Ghost is in the New Testament the Spirit of Jesus Christ.