Bible Commentaries
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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Believer's Duty. (a. d. 80.)
THE BELIEVER'S DUTY. (A. D. 80.) These verses may seem to relate to the 1 John 1:7, between which and these verses there occurred an incidental discourse concerning the believer's duty and relief in case of sin, occasio…
The Law of Love. (a. d. 80.)
THE LAW OF LOVE. (A. D. 80.) The seventh verse may be supposed either to look backward to what immediately preceded (and then it is walking as Christ walked that is here represented as no new, but an old commandment; it…
Against the Love of the World. (a. d. 80.)
AGAINST THE LOVE OF THE WORLD. (A. D. 80.) This new command of holy love, with the incentives thereto, may possibly be directed to the several ranks of disciples that are here accosted. The several graduates in the Chri…
Concerning Antichrist. (a. d. 80.)
CONCERNING ANTICHRIST. (A. D. 80.) Here is, I. A moral prognostication of the time; the end is coming: Little children, it is the last time, 1 John 2:18. Some may suppose that the apostle here addresses the first rank o…
Concerning Antichrist. (a. d. 80.)
CONCERNING ANTICHRIST. (A. D. 80.) Here, I. The apostle encourages the disciples (to whom he writes) in these dangerous times, in this hour of seducers; he encourages them in the assurance of their stability in this day…
Christ's Second Appearance. (a. d. 80.)
CHRIST'S SECOND APPEARANCE. (A. D. 80.) From the blessing of the sacred unction the apostle proceeds in his advice and exhortation to constancy in and with Christ: And now, little children, abide in him, 1 John 2:28. Th…
Adoption. (a. d. 80.)
ADOPTION. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having shown the dignity of Christ's faithful followers, that they are born of him and thereby nearly allied to God, now here, I. Breaks forth into the admiration of that grace that is…
The Mark of God's Children. (a. d. 80.)
THE MARK OF GOD'S CHILDREN. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having alleged the believer's obligation to purity from his hope of heaven, and of communion with Christ in glory at the day of his appearance, now proceeds to fill h…
Brotherly Love. (a. d. 80.)
BROTHERLY LOVE. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having intimated that one mark of the devil's children is hatred of the brethren, takes occasion thence, I. To recommend fraternal Christian love, and that from the excellence, o…
Brotherly Love. (a. d. 80.)
BROTHERLY LOVE. (A. D. 80.) The beloved apostle can scarcely touch upon the mention of sacred love, but he must enlarge upon the enforcement of it, as here he does by divers arguments and incentives thereto; as, I. That…
The Testimony of Conscience. (a. d. 80.)
THE TESTIMONY OF CONSCIENCE. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having intimated that there may be, even among us, such a privilege as an assurance or sound persuasion of heart towards God, proceeds here, I. To establish the cour…
God's Commandments. (a. d. 80.)
GOD'S COMMANDMENTS. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having mentioned keeping the commandments, and pleasing God, as the qualification of effectual petitioners in and with Heaven, here suitably proceeds, I. To represent to us w…
Concerning Antichrist. (a. d. 80.)
CONCERNING ANTICHRIST. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having said that God's dwelling in and with us may be known by the Spirit that he hath given us, intimates that that Spirit may be discerned and distinguished from other s…
Danger of Antichristian Spirit. (a. d. 80.)
DANGER OF ANTICHRISTIAN SPIRIT. (A. D. 80.) In these verses the apostle encourages the disciples against the fear and danger of this seducing antichristian spirit, and that by such methods as these:—1. He assures them o…
Brotherly Love. (a. d. 80.)
BROTHERLY LOVE. (A. D. 80.) As the Spirit of truth is known by doctrine (thus spirits are to be tried), it is known by love likewise; and so here follows a strong fervent exhortation to holy Christian love: Beloved, let…
The Divine Love. (a. d. 80.)
THE DIVINE LOVE. (A. D. 80.) Since faith in Christ works love to God, and love to God must kindle love to the brethren, the apostle here confirms the prime article of the Christian faith as the foundation of such love.…
The Divine Love. (a. d. 80.)
THE DIVINE LOVE. (A. D. 80.) The apostle, having thus excited and enforced sacred love from the great pattern and motive of it, the love that is and dwells in God himself, proceeds to recommend it further by other consi…
Love and Faith. (a. d. 80.)
LOVE AND FAITH. (A. D. 80.) I. The apostle having, in the conclusion of the last chapter, as was there observed, urged Christian love upon those two accounts, as suitable to Christian profession and as suitable to the d…
The Witnesses in Heaven and on Earth. (a. d. 80.)
THE WITNESSES IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH. (A. D. 80.) The faith of the Christian believer (or the believer in Christ) being thus mighty and victorious, it had need to be well founded, to be furnished with unquestionable cel…
The Believer's Privilege. (a. d. 80.)
THE BELIEVER'S PRIVILEGE. (A. D. 80.) In those words we may observe, I. The privilege and stability of the real Christian: He that believeth on the Son of God, hath been prevailed with unfeignedly to cleave to him for s…
The Sin unto Death. (a. d. 80.)
THE SIN UNTO DEATH. (A. D. 80.) Here we have, I. A privilege belonging to faith in Christ, namely, audience in prayer: This is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he hear…
Privileges of Believers. (a. d. 80.)
PRIVILEGES OF BELIEVERS. (A. D. 80.) Here we have, I. A recapitulation of the privileges and advantages of sound Christian believers. 1. They are secured against sin, against the fulness of its dominion or the fulness o…
Salutation. (a. d. 90.)
SALUTATION. (A. D. 90.) Ancient epistles began, as here, with salutation and good wishes: religion consecrates, as far as may be, old forms, and turns compliments into real expressions of life and love. Here we have, as…
Christian Love. (a. d. 90.)
CHRISTIAN LOVE. (A. D. 90.) We come now more into the design and substance of the epistle; and here we have, I. The apostle's request: Now, I beseech thee, lady. Considering what it is that he entreats, the way of addre…