MHC:约翰一书 1

Chapter 1 Chapter Outline

F I R S T J O H N.

CHAP. I. Evidence given concerning Christ's person and excellency, ver. 1, 2. The knowledge thereof gives us communion with God and Christ (ver. 3), and joy, ver. 4. A description of God, ver. 5. How we are thereupon to walk, ver. 6. The benefit of such walking, ver. 7. The way to forgiveness, ver. 9. The evil of denying our sin, ver. 8-10.

约翰一书1章简介

--Mousepotato 2012年2月2日 (四) 16:22 (CST) 约翰一书

第一章基督的位格与荣耀的见证（1，2节），这见证使我们与父并他儿子耶稣基督相交（3节）和喜乐（4节）。对神的描述（5节），我们如何行走在光明中（6节）以及在光明中行的益处（7节），神的饶恕（9节）以及否认自我有罪的过犯（8-10节）。

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简介

= MHC:约翰一书 1:1-4

The ApostolicTestimony. (a. d. 80.) 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; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. The apostle omits his name and character (as also the author to the Hebrews does) either out of humility, or as being willing that the Christian reader should be swayed by the light and weight of the things written rather than by the name that might recommend them. And so he begins, I. With an account or character of the Mediator's person. He is the great subject of the gospel, the foundation and object of our faith and hope, the bond and cement that unite us unto God. He should be well known; and he is represented here, 1. As the Word of life, v. 1. In the gospel these two are disjoined, and he is called first the Word, John i. 1, and afterwards Life, intimating, withal, that he is intellectual life. In him was life, and that life was (efficiently and objectively) the light of men, John i. 4. Here both are conjoined: The Word of life, the vital Word. In that he is the Word, it is intimated that he is the Word of some person or other; and that is God, even the Father. He is the Word of God, and so he is intimated to issue from the Father, as truly (though not in the same manner) as a word (or speech, which is a train of words) from a speaker. But he is not a mere vocal word, a bare logos prophorikos, but a vital one: the Word of life, the living word; and thereupon, 2. As eternal life. His duration shows his excellency.He was from eternity; and so is, in scripture-account, necessary, essential, uncreated life. That the apostle speaks of his eternity, à parte ante (as they say) and as from everlasting, seems evident in that he speaks of him as he was in and from the beginning; when he was then with the Father, before his manifestation to us, yea, before the making of all things that were make; as John i. 2, 3. So that he is the eternal, vital, intellectual Word of the eternal living Father. 3. As life manifested (v. 2), manifested in the flesh, manifested to us. The eternal life would assume mortality, would put on flesh and blood (in the entire human nature), and so dwell among us and converse with us, John i. 14. Here were condescension and kindness indeed, that eternal life (a person of eternal essential life) should come to visit mortals, and to procure eternal life for them, and then confer it on them! II. With the evidences and convictive assurances that the apostle and his brethren had of the Mediator's presence and converse in this world. There were sufficient demonstrations of the reality of his abode here, and of the excellency and dignity of his person in the way of his manifestation.The life, the word of life, the eternal life, as such, could not be seen and felt; but the life manifested might be, and was so. The life was clothed with flesh, put on the state and habit of abased human nature, and as such gave sensible proof of its existence and transactions here. The divine life, or Word incarnate, presented and evinced itself to the very senses of the apostles.As, 1. To their ears: That which we have heard, v. 1, 3. The life assumed a mouth and tongue, that he might utter words of life. The apostles not only heard of him, but they heard him himself. Above three years might they attend his ministry, be auditors of his public sermons and private expositions (for he expounded them in his house), and be charmed with the words of him who spoke as never man spoke before or since. The divine word would employ the ear, and the ear should be devoted to the word of life. And it was meet that those who were to be his representatives and imitators to the world should be personally acquainted with his ministrations. 2. To their eyes: That which we have seen with our eyes, v. 1-3.The Word would become visible, would not only be heard, but seen, seen publicly, privately, at a distance and at nearest approach, which may be intimated in the expression, with our eyes—with all the use and exercise that we could make of our eyes. We saw him in his life and ministry, saw him in his transfiguration on the mount, hanging, bleeding, dying, and dead, upon the cross, and we saw him after his return from the grave and resurrection from the dead. His apostles must be eye-witnesses as well as ear-witnesses of him. Wherefore, of these men that have accompanied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection, Acts i. 21, 22. And we were eye-witnesses of his majesty, 2 Pet. i. 16. 3. To their internal sense, to the eyes of their mind; for so (possibly) may the next clause be interpreted: Which we have looked upon. This may be distinguished from the foregoing perception, seeing with the eyes; and may be the same with what the apostle says in his gospel (ch. i. 14), And we beheld—etheasametha, his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father. The word is not applied to the immediate object of the eye, but to that which was rationally collected from what they saw. "What we have well discerned, contemplated, and viewed, what we have well known of this Word of life, we report to you." The senses are to be the informers of the mind. 4. To their hands and sense of feeling: And our hands have handled (touched and felt) of the Word of life. This surely refers to the full conviction our Lord afforded his apostles of the truth, reality, solidity, and organization of his body, after his resurrection from the dead. When he showed them his hands and his side, it is probable that he gave them leave to touch him; at least, he knew of Thomas's unbelief, and his professed resolution too not to believe, till he had found and felt the places and signatures of the wounds by which he died.Accordingly at the next congress he called Thomas, in the presence of the rest, to satisfy the very curiosity of his unbelief. And probably others of them did so too. Our hands have handled of the Word of life. The invisible life and Word was no despiser of the testimony of sense.Sense, in its place and sphere, is a means that God has appointed, and the Lord Christ has employed, for our information. Our Lord took care to satisfy (as far as might be) all the senses of his apostles, that they might be the more authentic witnesses of him to the world. Those that apply all this to the hearing of the gospel lose the variety of sensations here mentioned, and the propriety of the expressions, as well as the reason of their inculcation and repetition here: That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, v. 3.The apostles could not be deceived in such long and various exercise of their sense. Sense must minister to reason and judgment; and reason and judgment must minister to the reception of the Lord Jesus Christ and his gospel. The rejection of the Christian revelation is at last resolved into the rejection of sense itself. He upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who had seen him after he had risen, Mark xvi. III. With a solemn assertion and attestation of these grounds and evidences of the Christian truth and doctrine. The apostles publish these assurances for our satisfaction: We bear witness, and show unto you, v. 2. That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, v. 3.It became the apostles to open to the disciples the evidence by which they were led, the reasons by which they were constrained to proclaim and propagate the Christian doctrine in the world. Wisdom and integrity obliged them to demonstrate that it was not either private fancy or a cunningly-devised fable that they presented to the world. Evident truth would open their mouths, and force a public profession. We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard, Acts iv. 20. It concerned the disciples to be well assured of the truth of the institution they had embraced. They should see the evidences of their holy religion. It fears not the light, nor the most judicious examination. It is able to afford rational conviction and solid persuasion of mind and conscience. I would that you knew what great conflict (or concern of mind) I have for you, and for those at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh, that their hearts might be knit together in love, and unto all riches of full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, even of the Father, and of Christ, Col. ii. 1, 2. IV. With the reason of the apostle's exhibiting and asserting this summary of sacred faith, and this breviate of evidence attending it. This reason is twofold:— 1. That the believers of it may be advanced to the same happiness with them (with the apostles themselves): That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you may have fellowship with us, v. 3. The apostle means not personal fellowship nor consociation in the same church-administrations, but such as is consistent with personal distance from each other. It is communion with heaven, and in blessings that come thence and tend thither. "This we declare and testify, that you may share with us in our privileges and happiness." Gospel spirits (or those that are made happy by gospel grace) would fain have others happy too.We see, also, there is a fellowship or communion that runs through the whole church of God. There may be some personal distinctions and peculiarities, but there is a communion (or common participation of privilege and dignity) belonging to all saints, from the highest apostle to the lowest believer. As there is the same precious faith, there are the same precious promises dignifying and crowning that faith and the same precious blessings and glories enriching and filling those promises.Now that believers may be ambitious of this communion, that they may be instigated to retain and hold fast the faith that is the means of such communion, that the apostles also may manifest their love to the disciples in assisting them to the same communion with themselves, they indicate what it is and where it is: And truly our fellowship (or communion) is with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. We have communion with the Father, and with the Son of the Father (as 2 John 3, he is most emphatically styled) in our happy relation to them, in our receiving heavenly blessings from them, and in our spiritual converse with them.We have now such supernatural conversation with God and the Lord Christ as is an earnest and foretaste of our everlasting abode with them, and enjoyment of them, in the heavenly glory. See to what the gospel revelation tends—to advance us far above sin and earth and to carry us to blessed communion with the Father and the Son. See for what end the eternal life was made flesh—that he might advance us to eternal life in communion with the Father and himself. See how far those live beneath the dignity, use, and end of the Christian faith and institution, who have not spiritual blessed communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. 2. That believers may be enlarged and advanced in holy joy: And these things write we unto you that your joy may be full, v. 4. The gospel dispensation is not properly a dispensation of fear, sorrow, and dread, but of peace and joy. Terror and astonishment may well attend mount Sinai, but exultation and joy mount Zion, where appears the eternal Word, the eternal life, manifested in our flesh. The mystery of the Christian religion is directly calculated for the joy of mortals.It should be joy to us that the eternal Son should come to seek and save us, that he has made a full atonement for our sins, that he has conquered sin and death and hell, that he lives as our Intercessor and Advocate with the Father, and that he will come again to perfect and glorify his persevering believers. And therefore those live beneath the use and end of the Christian revelation who are not filled with spiritual joy. Believers should rejoice in their happy relation to God, as his sons and heirs, his beloved and adopted,—in their happy relation to the Son of the Father, as being members of his beloved body, and coheirs with himself,—in the pardon of their sins, the sanctification of their natures, the adoption of their persons, and the prospect of grace and glory that will be revealed at the return of their Lord and head from heaven. Were they confirmed in their holy faith, how would they rejoice! The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, Acts xiii. 52.	论使徒的见证。 1:1论到从起初原有的生命之道，就是我们所听见、所看见、亲眼看过、亲手摸过的。1:2（这生命已经显现出来，我们也看见过，现在又作见证，将原与父同在，且显现与我们那永远的生命传给你们。）1:3我们将所看见、所听见的传给你们，使你们与我们相交。我们乃是与父并祂儿子基督相交的。1:4我们将这些话写给你们，使你们的喜乐满足。使徒不提自己的名字和身份（和希伯来书的作者一样），也许是因着谦逊，也许是因着希望读信的基督徒能够被信中所写之人事的光亮度与重要性影响，而不是因劝告者的名字而受影响。信的开头，一、解释了中保者的特征。祂是真理的伟大本体，是我们信仰和盼望的根基和对象，是连我们于上帝的契约和粘黏剂。我们该充分认识祂；在此对祂进行如下描述， 1.祂是生命之道（第1节）。在福音书里这两部分是分开的，祂被称为生命起初，约翰福音1:1，然后是生命，紧接着，又说，祂是智慧的生命。生命在祂里头，这生命就是（有效地且客观地）人的光，约翰福音1:4。在这里二者合一：生命之道，生命的道。在那里面，祂就是道，实质就是说祂是某一个人也是其余人的道；祂是神的道，因此本质上祂是出于神，正如（尽管并不是以雷同的方式）某一句话（或一场由话语串联起来的讲演）出于某一个说话者一样。但是祂不仅是一句口头话，一个空洞意念的幻想，而是一位充满生机维持生命的圣子：生命之道，活生生的见证。 2.祂是永恒的生命。祂的亘古永恒显示着祂的卓尔不凡。祂来自永恒；正如圣经上所说的，是不可或缺，必不可少，永恒的生命。使徒论及祂的永恒，按他们所说，因为来自永恒，所以使徒说祂存在于生命起初并源于生命起初的的言论似乎就不言而喻了；正如约翰福音1:2-3，在祂对我们显现以前，甚至，在万有被造之前，祂与父一起。于是乎祂是永生之父的永恒的、生命的、智慧的道。 3.这生命已经显现（第2节），道成肉身，显现给我们。这永久的生命将会承受死亡，道成肉身（以完全的人性），住在我们中间，与我们相交（约翰福音1:14）。这是十足的屈尊和良善，那永恒的生命（一个有着永久生命的人）将会前来履历人类，为他们获取永生，并把永生赐给他们！二、使徒和弟兄们用铁证和令人信服的信心见证耶稣中保在世的存在和言行。充份的证据证明了祂在世间生活的真实性，证明了祂从头到尾所展现的恩典和威严。生命，生命的道，永生，如此这些，看不见摸不着；然而经显现过的生命当时也许，并且确实，就是那样的。那生命裹以肉体，附加上卑微人性的地位和气质，如此给予其存在和交融的感官证据。神的道，道的化生，就那样通过传给极其敏锐的使徒们得以彰显出来。比如， 1.通过他们的双耳：我们所听见的，（第1节和第3节）。生命用一张嘴一条舌头，讲出生命的话语来。使徒们不仅仅只是听说祂，且是亲自听见祂本人。超过三年的时间里，他们参加他的讲道，做祂公开布道和私下讲道（因为祂在自己的房子里给他们讲道）的听众，并且对祂的话，那些旷古绝今的话，深深着迷。神的话使用人耳，人耳就致力于生命的道。这就说明，那些成为祂向世人传道的代表者和仿效者们每个人自己对祂的服侍都该是很熟悉的。 2.通过他们的眼睛：那我们所看见的（第1—3节）。道变为可视，不仅只被听见，而且也被看见，利用我们的双眼，竭尽所能物尽其用地利用我们的双眼，或公然地，或私下地，或远或近地看见，且一旦近了还可以因着情感交流而看得入木三分。我们看见祂在祂的生活和居部里，看见祂在祂的荣美里，在山峰上、悬吊在十字架上、血肉模糊、气息奄奄、最后惨死。我们看见祂从坟墓里归来，死里复活。祂的使徒们无可置疑地不仅用耳也用眼见证了祂。所以，主耶稣在我们中间始终出入的时候，就是从约翰施洗起，直到主离开我们被接升天的日子为止，必须从那常与我们作伴的人中，立一位与我们同作耶稣复活的见证（使徒行传1:21-22）。我们亲眼见过祂的威荣（彼得后书1：16）。 3.通过他们内在的感觉，通过他们心灵的眼睛；为此（可能）也许得解释一下这么一句话：我们究竟用何者眼睛看。这得与前面提到的认知，凭借双眼看，区别开来；这该是与使徒在福音书中所说的一致的（历代志下1:14），我们高举祂的荣光，这只能从父那得来的荣光。这句话不是指眼所见的即时的客观之物，而是指将眼所见的通过理性整理汇聚成的觉悟。“我们所见所期所思的，我们对于生命之道所尽知的，我们传给你们。”感官是心灵的情报人员。 4.通过他们的双手和触觉：我们亲手摸过（触摸并感知）生命的道。这毫无疑问指的是完全的信仰，我们的主，在祂死里复活后，展现给祂的使徒们的真道、真理、信靠和肉身的组织结构。当祂指给他们看祂的手和肋旁时，很可能祂许可了让大家触摸祂；至少，祂知道多马不信，且多马公然表示，除非他看见除非他触摸到耶稣受死的伤痕和标志，他总不信。根据接下来的聚会，在大家面前，耶稣叫住多马，满足了他不信的好奇心。很可能他们中的其余人也被满足了的。我们亲手摸过生命之道。不可见的生命和道不轻视感官的见证。感官，合乎时宜地，是一个方法，那是上帝指定的，主基督使用的，为我们获取信息。我们的主谨慎满足（尽可能地满足）使徒们的全部感官，以便他们向世人为祂做更可靠的见证。那些运用了所有这些去传福音的人专注于这里提到的感知的变化，和恰到好处的表达，以及他们的谆谆教诲和三令五申的理由：我们将所看见的所听见的传给你们（第3节）。在如此长久且复杂的感历下，使徒们不可能受欺骗。感觉支撑着理智和判断；理智和判断支撑着对主耶稣基督和其福音的接受。基督徒显露出来的抵触说到底是对感官本身的抵触。耶稣责备他们的不信和刚硬的心，因为他们不信那些在祂复活以后看见祂的人（马可福音16:14）。三、以对基督的道和教义的根据和迹象的庄严维护和证词，使徒为我们的喜乐公布信心：我们见证，并传给你们（第2节）。那些我们所见所闻的，我们传给你们（第3节）。使徒们通过对那些引导他们自身的做见证，以及通过迫使他们在世上表明和传讲基督教义的理智，打开信徒们的心。智慧和诚恳迫使他们证明他们向世界呈现的不是个人的想象也不是图谋不轨的谣言。昭然的真理开启了他们的口，促使他们向公众宣传。我们必须说出我们所见所闻的一切（使徒行传4:20）。这关系到信徒们对所拥戴的教会的真道更深信不疑。他们将亲眼见证他们圣洁的基督信仰。光不可怕，明断的审判也不可怕。我们是能够担负着精神和良心，理智而坚定地信仰的。我愿意你们晓得我为你们和老底嘉人，并一切没有与我亲自见面的人，是何等的尽心竭力。要叫他们的心得安慰，因爱心互相联络，以致丰丰足足在悟性中有充足的信心，使他们真知道　神的奥秘，就是基督（歌罗西书2:1-2）。四、鉴于使徒展现和维护的神圣真道的理由，以及附加的见证的摘记。理由就加倍了：—— 1、信仰真道的信徒们能拥有和使徒们（使徒们自己）相同的喜乐：我们将所看见的所听见的，传给你们，使你们与我们相交（第3节）。使徒的意思是说不单个人之间的友谊或者同一个教会中的合作，而是和天各一方的人彼此相合。是与天堂的相交，藉着祈祷到达天堂。“我们宣告且见证的，你们与我们同享益处和喜乐。”福音书中的精神（或者那些来自福音恩典的喜乐）能欣然给予其他人喜乐。我们看见，在神的教会里也有着深情和相交。尽管人都与众不同人都个性鲜明，但是，从最高的使徒到最低的信徒，所有圣徒间都有着相交（或者说是有着普遍的特许和高尚）。因为有着同样宝贵的信仰，所以有着同样宝贵的承诺使信仰显赫且高贵，所以有着同样宝贵的庇佑和荣耀使承诺丰盛且兑现。既然信徒们对此相交满怀热情，他们就能被鼓动着紧紧保守真道，这就是相交的方式；使徒们也显现出他们的爱，帮助信徒和他们自己达到同样的相交，他们指示相交究竟是什么和到底在哪儿：真正的相交是和父以及和子耶稣基督的相交。我们已经和父，以及和父的子相交（约翰二书3，他是以最明显的文体书写的），在我们的喜乐里，在我们接受父与子天堂的祝福里，在我们的圣灵里，我们和父与子相交。我们现在有如此超自然的和上帝以及主基督的相交，这是我们的通行证和保险金，以便以后，在天堂的荣光里，我们能与祂们一起永远居住，一起喜乐。明确福音书显露出来事指的什么——要把我们高高提到罪恶和地球之上，带领我们进到与父与子的喜乐的相交里。想想那些没有和父与子耶稣基督圣灵喜乐相交的人，他们将远远地脱离基督真道和教义的威严和权柄。 2. 在圣灵里，信徒们能够得到扩充和提升：我们将这些喜乐写给你们，使你们的喜乐充足（第4节）。福音应允的并不是恐怖、忧伤、和畏惧，而是赐予平安和喜乐。惧怕和惊愕也许也会在西奈山出现，但是更多的是如在锡安的欢欣鼓舞和振奋人心，在那里显现的是永恒的真道、永恒的生命，显现在我们的肉身里。基督信仰的奥妙就是直接地预备着永恒的喜乐。我们应该喜乐，永生的子前来设法拯救我们，祂已经为我们的罪作了完全的赎抵，祂已经征服了罪、死亡和地狱，祂作为我们的中报人和辩护人和父住一起，并且祂将再次前来完美并荣耀祂那坚定的信徒们。因此，那些没有和父与子耶稣基督圣灵喜乐相交的人，他们将脱离基督真道和教义的威严和权柄。信徒们应该喜乐，——在与神的快乐相交中喜乐，作为子和继承人，作为被爱的和被接纳的，——在与子的快乐相交中喜乐，作为祂所爱的肢体，和祂一起做共同的继承人，——在罪的赦免中喜乐，他们本性得到了圣洁，他们本人得到了接纳，恩典和荣耀将会在他们的主，来自天堂的头再次显现时大大显示出来。如果他们在至圣的真道中根深蒂固，他们该多么喜乐啊！门徒满心喜乐，又被圣灵充满（使徒行传13:52）。 --何叶 2012年2月7日 (三) 14:26 (CST)

MHC:约翰一书 1:5-7

--Michael 2012年2月8日 (三) 15:24 (CST) 我领这部分吧

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. The apostle, having declared the truth and dignity of the author of the gospel, brings a message or report from him, from which a just conclusion is to be drawn for the consideration and conviction of the professors of religion, or professed entertainers of this glorious gospel.

约一 1:5 　神就是光，在他毫无黑暗。这是我们从主所听见，又报给你们的信息。约一 1:6 我们若说是与　神相交，却仍在黑暗里行，就是说谎话，不行真理了。约一 1:7 我们若在光明中行，如同　神在光明中，就彼此相交，他儿子耶稣的血也洗净我们一切的罪。 (和合本)

I. Here is the message or report that the apostle avers to come from the Lord Jesus: This then is the message which we have heard of him (v. 5), of his Son Jesus Christ. As he was the immediate sender of the apostles, so he is the principal person spoken of in the preceding context, and the next antecedent also to whom the pronoun him can relate. The apostles and apostolical ministers are the messengers of the Lord Jesus; it is their honour, the chief they pretend to, to bring his mind and messages to the world and to the churches.

I.这里是使徒所断言的从主耶稣那里而来的信息或说是报告：这是我们从他所听见的信息（5节），从他的儿子耶稣基督而来。因为他是使徒中直接发送信息的人，所以他是前述内容讲到的主要责任人，也是跟代词他能够有关系的下一个先行词指向的那位。使徒和使徒的工作就是传讲主耶稣的信息；这是他们的荣誉，他们重要的自述(the chief they pretend to)，将他的心意和信息带给这个世界和众教会。

This is the wisdom and present dispensation of the Lord Jesus, to send his messages to us by persons like ourselves. He that put on human nature will honour earthen vessels. It was the ambition of the apostles to be found faithful, and faithfully to deliver the errands and messages they had received. What was communicated to them they were solicitous to impart: This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you.

这是主耶稣的智慧和 待续~--Michael 2012年2月8日 (三) 15:24 (CST)

A message from the Word of life, from the eternal Word, we should gladly receive: and the present one is this (relating to the nature of God whom we are to serve, and with whom we should covet all indulged communion)—That God is light, and in him is no darkness at all, v. 5. This report asserts the excellency of the divine nature. He is all that beauty and perfection that can be represented to us by light. He is a self-active uncompounded spirituality, purity, wisdom, holiness, and glory. And then the absoluteness and fulness of that excellency and perfection. There is no defect or imperfection, no mixture of any thing alien or contrary to absolute excellency, no mutability nor capacity of any decay in him: In him is no darkness at all, v. 5. Or this report may more immediately relate to what is usually called the moral perfection of the divine nature, what we are to imitate, or what is more directly to influence us in our gospel work. And so it will comprehend the holiness of God, the absolute purity of his nature and will, his penetrative knowledge (particularly of hearts), his jealousy and injustice, which burn a a most bright and vehement flame. It is meet that to this dark world the great God should be represented as pure and perfect light. It is the Lord Jesus that best of all opens to us the name and nature of the unsearchable God: The only-begotten, who is in the bosom of the Father, the same hath declared him. It is the prerogative of the Christian revelation to bring us the most noble, the most august and agreeable account of the blessed God, such as is most suitable to the light of reason and what is demonstrable thereby, most suitable to the magnificence of his works round about us, and to the nature and office of him that is the supreme administrator, governor, and judge of the world. What more (relating to and comprehensive of all such perfection) could be included in one word than in this, God is light, and in him is no darkness at all? Then,

MHC:约翰一书 1:8-10

Confession and Forgiveness. (a. d. 80.) 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. Here, I. The apostle, having supposed that even those of this heavenly communion have yet their sin, proceeds here to justify that supposition, and this he does by showing the dreadful consequences of denying it, and that in two particulars:— 1. If we say, We have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us, v. 8. We must beware of deceiving ourselves in denying or excusing our sins. The more we see them the more we shall esteem and value the remedy. If we deny them, the truth is not in us, either the truth that is contrary to such denial (we lie in denying our sin), or the truth of religion, is not in us. The Christian religion is the religion of sinners, of such as have sinned, and in whom sin in some measure still dwells. The Christian life is a life of continued repentance, humiliation for and mortification of sin, of continual faith in, thankfulness for, and love to the Redeemer, and hopeful joyful expectation of a day of glorious redemption, in which the believer shall be fully and finally acquitted, and sin abolished for ever. 2. If we say, We have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us, v. 10. The denial of our sin not only deceives ourselves, but reflects dishonour upon God. It challenges his veracity. He has abundantly testified of, and testified against, the sin of the world. And the Lord said in his heart (determined thus with himself), I will not again curse the ground (as he had then lately done) for man's sake; for (or, with the learned bishop Patrick, though) the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth, Gen. viii. 21. But God has given his testimony to the continued sin and sinfulness of the world, by providing a sufficient effectual sacrifice for sin, that will be needed in all ages, and to the continued sinfulness of believers themselves by requiring them continually to confess their sins, and apply themselves by faith to the blood of that sacrifice.And therefore, if we say either that we have not sinned or do not yet sin, the word of God is not in us, neither in our minds, as to the acquaintance we should have with it, nor in our hearts, as to the practical influence it should have upon us. II. The apostle then instructs the believer in the way to the continued pardon of his sin. Here we have, 1. His duty in order thereto: If we confess our sins, v. 9. Penitent confession and acknowledgment of sin are the believer's business, and the means of his deliverance from his guilt. And, 2.His encouragement thereto, and assurance of the happy issue. This is the veracity, righteousness, and clemency of God, to whom he makes such confession: He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, v. 9. God is faithful to his covenant and word, wherein he has promised forgiveness to penitent believing confessors. He is just to himself and his glory who has provided such a sacrifice, by which his righteousness is declared in the justification of sinners. He is just to his Son who has not only sent him for such service, but promised to him that those who come through him shall be forgiven on his account. By his knowledge (by the believing apprehension of him) shall my righteous servant justify many, Isa. iii. 11. He is clement and gracious also, and so will forgive, to the contrite confessor, all his sins, cleanse him from the guilt of all unrighteousness, and in due time deliver him from the power and practice（势力和诡计） of it.	论忏悔和饶恕。 1:8我们若说自己无罪，便是自欺，真理就不在我们心里了。1:9我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。1:10我们若说自己没有犯过罪，便是以神为说谎的，他的道也不在我们心里了。在此，一、使徒约翰指出，即便是那些已经和神相交的人，还是有罪的，并对此进行明辨，他通过揭示不认主的可怕后果给予证实，主要基于两点：—— 1.我们若说自己无罪，便是自欺，真理就不在我们心里了（第8节）。我们必须意识到否认或推脱我们的罪是自欺欺人。我们对罪认识越多，我们才会越尊崇和重视来自主的救恩。如果我们否认自己的罪，真理就不在我们心里了，要么与我们的否认相对立的真理（我们撒谎否认自己的罪），要么信仰的真理，就不在我们心里了。基督的信仰是罪人的信仰，是已经犯了罪的人的信仰，在他们中间，一定程度上罪仍旧存在。基督的生命时不断悔改的生命，因罪羞愧，遭罪毁坏，于是不断悔改；基督的生命是恒久虔诚的生命，感激并信爱救世主，满怀盼望和喜乐期待着显赫的救恩之日的到来，到那时信徒将会完完全全彻彻底底被宣布无罪，罪从此便永远废除了。 2.我们若说自己没有犯过罪，便是以神为说谎的，他的道也不在我们心里了（第10节）。否认我们的罪不仅自欺，也反应出对神的不敬，是质疑神的真实。他已经非常清楚地证明了世界的罪。可参看创世记8:21：“神就心里说（跟自己表决心），我不再因人的缘故咒诅地，（或者，因着博学的主教帕特里克，尽管）人从小时心里就怀着恶念”。但是，神已经给出了证实。对于世界上延续着的罪恶和有罪的一切，神已经赐下丰盛的为罪牺牲的工价，这将是所有时代都需要的；对于信徒他们自己绵延不绝的作孽，神指示他们为罪始终不渝地给出了证实忏悔，且要因信致力于主耶稣献祭的宝血上。因此，如果我们说自己没有犯过罪或还没犯罪，神的道就不在我们心里了。据我们该对神的道具有的认知而言，神的道就不在我们的脑际；据神的道该对我们产生的实际功效而言，神的道也不在我们心头。二、使徒约翰接着指导信徒如何延续罪的饶恕。方式如下： 1、要为得救赎尽本分：我们若认自己的罪（第9节）。忏悔的告解和认罪是信徒的职责，也是从负疚中解脱的方法。 2、要因得救受鼓舞，相信美好的结局。这是神的信实、公义、以及慈爱，对于祂，约翰作了如此阐释：神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义（第9节）。神对他的约和道都是信实的，在其中他已应许将饶恕赐给悔改且虔信的告罪者。正是凭借神自己及其荣耀，祂赐下这样的救赎，由此在罪者的辩护中显示祂的公义。正是凭借神的独子，神不仅遣派主耶稣作为献祭，并对其许诺凡到达主的人都将藉主的名获免。通过他的见闻（通过他虔信的领悟），我公义的仆人将为众人辩护，参看以赛亚书3:11.祂温和又慈爱，愿饶恕悔改的告罪者一切的罪过，洗净其一切不义的咎由，并且会在预备的日子将其从罪的势力和诡计中拯救出来。 --何叶 2012年2月18日 (六) 23:24 (CST)^-^~