1 John 3:1

Contextual Overview

¹ See what love the Father has lavished on us in letting us be called God's children! For that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it has not known him. ¹ See what love the Father has given to us, that we should be called [the] children of God. For this reason the world knows us not, because it knew him not. ¹ Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him. ¹ See what kind of love the Father has given us in letting us be called God's children! Yet that is what we are.Yet that is what we are.">[fn] For this reason the world does not recognize us, because it did not recognize him either.John 1:12; 15:18-19; 16:3; 17:25;">[xr] ¹ And see how great is the love of the Father toward us, that sons he hath called us, and also made us ! Therefore the world doth not know us, because that it hath also not known him. ¹ 1 And ye see, how great is the love of the Father towards us, who hath called us sons, and made us [fn] . Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it likewise knoweth him not. ¹ Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God; and such we are. For this cause the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. ¹ See what great love the Father has given us in naming us the children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not see who we are, because it did not see who he was. ¹ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ¹ Beholde, what loue the Father hath giuen to vs, that we should be called the sonnes of God: for this cause this world knoweth you not, because it knoweth not him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

what: 1 John 4:9, 1 John 4:10, 2 Samuel 7:19, Psalms 31:19, Psalms 36:7-9, Psalms 89:1, Psalms 89:2, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Romans 8:32, Ephesians 2:4, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 3:18, Ephesians 3:19

that: Jeremiah 3:19, Hosea 1:10, John 1:12, Romans 8:14-17, Romans 8:21, Romans 9:25, Romans 9:26, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 3:29, Galatians 4:5, Galatians 4:6, Revelation 21:7

the world: John 15:18, John 15:19, John 16:3, John 17:25, Colossians 3:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:6 - a mighty prince Exodus 2:10 - and he Deuteronomy 7:7 - The Lord Deuteronomy 14:1 - the children Deuteronomy 32:6 - thy father 1 Samuel 18:23 - a light 1 Kings 8:27 - But will Esther 2:7 - took Song of Solomon 1:5 - black Isaiah 56:5 - and a Isaiah 64:4 - have not Malachi 3:17 - and I Matthew 7:11 - how Matthew 22:30 - in the Matthew 23:9 - for Mark 10:30 - an hundredfold John 1:10 - knew John 1:26 - whom John 11:36 - Behold John 14:21 - that loveth John 17:23 - and hast Acts 9:21 - amazed Romans 1:7 - God Romans 5:2 - and rejoice Romans 9:8 - are counted Romans 12:12 - Rejoicing Galatians 4:8 - when Galatians 4:31 - we Ephesians 1:5 - unto Ephesians 1:18 - is Ephesians 2:19 - household Ephesians 4:6 - God Ephesians 5:1 - as Philippians 2:15 - sons Colossians 1:12 - partakers Colossians 1:23 - the hope 1 Thessalonians 3:11 - God 1 Thessalonians 5:8 - the hope Hebrews 2:10 - many Hebrews 6:11 - of hope James 1:9 - in 1 John 3:2 - now are we the 1 John 4:16 - we

Cross-References

Genesis 3:13
And Jehovah Elohim said to the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.

Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?" She said, "The snake tricked me, so I ate the fruit."

Genesis 3:13
The LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said unto the woman: 'What is this thou hast done?' And the woman said: 'The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.'

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said to the woman, What have you done? And the woman said, I was tricked by the deceit of the snake and I took it.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God sayd vnto the woman: Why hast thou done this? And the woman sayde: the serpent begyled me, and I dyd eate.

Genesis 3:13
And the Lorde God saide to the woman, Why hast thou done this? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eate.

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.

Genesis 3:13
The Lord God asked the woman, "Why did you do this?" She replied, "The snake tricked me into eating it."

Genesis 3:13
And Adam said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me—she gave me of the tree and I ate.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Behold what manner of love,.... See, take notice, consider, look by faith, with wonder and astonishment, and observe how great a favour, what an instance of matchless love, what a wonderful blessing of grace,

the Father hath bestowed upon us: the Father of Christ, and the Father of us in Christ, who hath adopted us into his family, and regenerated us by his grace, and hath freely given us the new name:

that we should be called the sons of God. The Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version, add, "and we are", or "be"; and the Ethiopic version, "and have been"; for it is not a mere name that is bestowed, but the thing itself in reality; and in the Hebrew language, "to be called", and "to be", are terms synonymous; see Isaiah 9:6; in what sense the saints are the sons of God; Isaiah 9:6- :; this blessing comes not by nature, nor by merit, but by grace, the grace of adoption; which is of persons unto an inheritance they have no legal right unto; the spring of it is the everlasting and unchangeable love of God, for there was no need on the adopter's side, he having an only begotten and beloved Son, and no worth and loveliness in the adopted, they being by nature children of wrath; it is a privilege that exceeds all others, and is attended with many; so that it is no wonder the apostle breaks out in this pathetic manner, and calls upon the saints to view it with admiration and thankfulness:

therefore the world knoweth us not; that is, the greater part of the world, the world that lies in wickedness, the men of the world, who have their portion in this life, whom the god of this world has blinded, and who only mind the things of the world, and are as when they came into it, and have their conversation according to the course of it; these do not know the saints are the sons of God; the new name of sons is what no man knoweth but he that receiveth it; they do not own the saints as theirs, as belonging to them, but reckon them as the faith of the world, and the offscouring of all things; nor do they love them, and that because they are not their own, but hate them and persecute them: the reason is,

because it knew him not; neither the Father, whose sons they are, and who has bestowed the grace upon them; wherefore they know not, and disown and persecute his children; see John 17:25; nor the Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten of the Father, the firstborn among many brethren; who, though he made the world, and was in it, was not known by it, but was hated, abused, and persecuted; and therefore it need not seem strange that the saints, who are the sons of God by adoption, should be treated in like manner.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Behold, what manner of love - What love, in “kind” and in “degree.” In kind the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into His family, and in permitting us to address Him as our Father; in “degree” the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor and friendless orphan, and giving him a parent and a home. Even God could bestow upon us no more valuable token of affection than that we should be adopted into His family, and permitted to regard Him as our Father. When we remember how insignificant we are as creatures, and how ungrateful, rebellious, and vile we have been as sinners, we may well be amazed at the love which would adopt us into the holy family of God, so that we may be regarded and treated as the children of the Most High. A prince could manifest no higher love for a wandering, ragged, vicious orphan boy, found in the streets, than by adopting him into his own family, and admitting him to the same privileges and honors as his own sons; and yet this would be a trifle compared with the honor which God has bestowed on us.

The Father hath bestowed upon us - God, regarded as a Father, or as at the head of the universe considered as one family.

That we should be called the sons of God - That is, that we should “be” the sons of God - the word “called” being often used in the sense of “to be.” On the nature and privileges of adoption, see the Romans 8:15-17 notes; 2 Corinthians 6:18 note, and practical remarks on that chapter.

Therefore the world knoweth us not - Does not understand our principles; the reasons of our conduct; the sources of our comforts and joys. The people of the world regard us as fanatics or enthusiasts; as foolish in abandoning the pleasures and pursuits which they engage in; as renouncing certain happiness for that which is uncertain; as cherishing false and delusive hopes in regard to the future, and as practicing needless austerities, with nothing to compensate for the pleasures which are abandoned. There is nothing which the frivolous, the ambitious, and the selfish “less” understand than they do the elements which go into the Christian’s character, and the nature and source of the Christian’s joys.

Because it knew him not - It did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. That is, the world had no right views of the real character of the Lord Jesus when he was on the earth. They mistook him for an enthusiast or an impostor; and it is no wonder that, having wholly mistaken his character, they should mistake ours. On the fact that the world did not know him, see the 1 Corinthians 2:8 note; Acts 3:17 note. Compare John 17:25. On the fact that Christians may be expected to be regarded and treated as their Saviour was, see the notes at John 15:18-20. Compare Matthew 10:24-25.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER III.

The extraordinary love of God towards mankind, and the effects

of it, 1-3.

Sin is the transgression of the law, and Christ was manifested

to take away our sins, 4-6.

The children of God are known by the holiness of their lives,

the children of the devil by the sinfulness of theirs, 7-10.

We should love one another, for he that hateth his brother is a

murderer; as Christ laid down his life for us, so we should lay

down our lives for the brethren, 11-16.

Charity is a fruit of brotherly love; our love should be active,

not professional merely, 17, 18.

How we may know that we are of the truth, 19-21.

They whose ways please God, have an answer to all their prayers,

22.

The necessity of keeping the commandment of Christ, that he may

dwell in us and we in him by his Spirit, 23, 24.

NOTES ON CHAP. III.

Verse 1 John 3:1. Behold, what manner of love — Whole volumes might be written upon this and the two following verses, without exhausting the extraordinary subject contained in them, viz., the love of God to man. The apostle himself, though evidently filled with God, and walking in the fulness of his light, does not attempt to describe it; he calls on the world and the Church to behold it, to look upon it, to contemplate it, and wonder at it.

What manner of love. - ποταπην αγαπην. What great love, both as to quantity and quality; for these ideas are included in the original term. The length, the breadth, the depth, the height, he does not attempt to describe.

The Father hath bestowed — For we had neither claim nor merit that we should be called, that is, constituted or made, the sons of God, who were before children of the wicked one, animal, earthly, devilish; therefore, the love which brought us from such a depth of misery and degradation must appear the more extraordinary and impressive. After κληθωμεν, that we might be called, και εσμεν, and we are, is added by ABC, seventeen others, both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, AEthiopic, Slavonic, and Vulgate.

Therefore the world — The Jews, and all who know not God, and are seeking their portion in this life; knoweth us not - do not acknowledge, respect, love, or approve of us. In this sense the word γενωσκειν is here to be understood. The world KNEW well enough that there were such persons; but they did not approve of them. We have often seen that this is a frequent use of the term know, both in Hebrew and Greek, in the Old Testament and also in the New.

Because it knew him not. — The Jews did not acknowledge Jesus; they neither approved of him, his doctrine, nor his manner of life.