1 John 3:12

Contextual Overview

¹¹ For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning: that we should love each other ¹¹ For this is the message which ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: ¹¹ For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; ¹¹ This is the message that you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.John 13:34; 15:12; 1 John 1:5; 2:7,23; 4:7,21; 2 John 1:1:5;">[xr] ¹¹ For this is the commandment which you have heard from before, that you love one another. ¹¹ because this is the commandment, which ye heard from the beginning, that ye should love one another. ¹¹ For this is the message which ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another: ¹¹ Because this is the word which was given to you from the first, that we are to have love for one another; ¹¹ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ¹¹ For this is the message, that ye heard from the beginning, that we should loue one another,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

as: Genesis 4:4-15, Genesis 4:25, Hebrews 11:4, Jude 1:11

of: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14, Matthew 13:19, Matthew 13:38

And: 1 Samuel 18:14, 1 Samuel 18:15, 1 Samuel 19:4, 1 Samuel 19:5, 1 Samuel 22:14-16, Psalms 37:12, Proverbs 29:27, Matthew 27:23, John 10:32, John 15:19-25, John 18:38-40, Acts 7:52, 1 Thessalonians 2:14, 1 Peter 4:4, Revelation 17:6

and his: Matthew 23:35, Luke 11:51, Hebrews 11:4, Hebrews 12:24

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:1 - I have Genesis 4:8 - Cain rose Genesis 27:41 - hated Genesis 37:4 - hated him Exodus 20:13 - General Leviticus 19:17 - hate 1 Samuel 18:29 - Saul became 1 Samuel 19:2 - delighted 2 Samuel 4:11 - when wicked 2 Chronicles 21:4 - slew all 2 Chronicles 21:13 - hast slain Psalms 37:14 - slay Psalms 38:20 - because Proverbs 27:3 - but Proverbs 27:4 - but Proverbs 29:10 - The bloodthirsty Ecclesiastes 4:4 - every Isaiah 59:15 - he that Ezekiel 18:10 - a shedder Matthew 5:10 - are Matthew 25:45 - Inasmuch Matthew 27:4 - What Mark 15:10 - for envy John 7:7 - but John 8:40 - now John 8:44 - are John 17:11 - but John 17:14 - the world 2 Corinthians 6:14 - for Ephesians 4:31 - with Ephesians 5:2 - walk 2 Thessalonians 2:8 - that James 3:16 - every 1 John 5:18 - wicked

Cross-References

Genesis 2:18
And Jehovah Elohim said, It is not good that Man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate, his like.

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "I see that it is not good for the man to be alone. I will make the companion he needs, one just right for him."

Genesis 2:18
The LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."

Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said: 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.'

Genesis 2:18
And the Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be by himself: I will make one like himself as a help to him

Genesis 2:18
And the Lord God sayde: It is not good yt the man should be alone, I wyll make hym an helpe lyke vnto hym.

Genesis 2:18
Also the Lorde God saide, It is not good that the man should be himself alone: I wil make him an helpe meete for him.

Genesis 2:18
Then the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper who is like him.

Genesis 2:18
Then the Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to live alone. I will make a suitable companion to help him."

Genesis 2:18
And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone, let us make for him a help suitable to him.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Not as Cain,.... That is, let us not be like him, or do as he did, hate the brethren. The apostle illustrates brotherly love by its contrary, in the instance of Cain, who was the first instance and example of hatred of the brethren, and of fratricide, and a very detestable one, by which he would dissuade from so vile and abominable a practice:

[who] was of that wicked one; Satan, a child of his, an imitator of him, one that appeared to be under his influence, and to belong unto him. So the Jews say of Cain n, that

"he was of the side of the serpent (the old serpent the devil); and as the way of the serpent is to slay and to kill, so Cain immediately became a murderer.''

And again,

"because Cain came from the side of the angel of death, he slew his brother o;''

though they say that he afterwards repented, and became worthy of paradise p.

And slew his brother; see Genesis 4:8. According to the tradition of the Jews q he struck a stone into his forehead, and killed him:

and wherefore slew he him? what was the cause and occasion of it? what moved him to it?

because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous; or "his work", as the Ethiopic version reads: the sacrifice which he offered up, which, though it was not evil as to the matter and substance of it, yet was so, being offered with an evil mind, and with an hypocritical heart, and without faith in the sacrifice of Christ, and so was unacceptable to God; whereas, on the other hand, the sacrifice his brother brought was offered up in the faith of Christ, by which he obtained a testimony that he was righteous, and that the work he did was a righteous work, being done in faith, and so was acceptable to God; which Cain perceiving, was filled with envy, and this put him upon killing him. The Jews r relate the occasion of it after this manner;

"Cain said to Abel his brother, come, and let us go out into the open field; and when they were both out in the open field, Cain answered and said to Abel his brother, there is no judgment, nor Judge, nor another world; neither will a good reward be given to the righteous, nor vengeance be taken on the wicked; neither was the world created in mercy, nor is it governed in mercy; or why is thy offering kindly accepted, and mine is not kindly accepted? Abel answered and said to Cain, there is judgment, and there is a Judge, and there is another world; and there are gifts of a good reward to the righteous, and vengeance will be taken on the wicked; and the world was created in mercy, and in mercy it is governed, for according to the fruit of good works it is governed; because that my works are better than thine, my offering is kindly accepted, and thine is not kindly accepted; and they both strove together in the field, and Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.''

In the Hebrew text in Genesis 4:8; there is an extraordinary large pause, as if a discourse of this kind, which passeth between the two brothers, was to be inserted. Philo the Jew says s, that in the contention or dispute between Cain and Abel, Abel attributed all things to God, and Cain ascribed everything to himself; so that the controversy was about grace and works, as now; and as then Cain hated his brother upon this account, so now carnal men hate and persecute the saints, because they will not allow their works to be the cause of justification and salvation: and from hence also it may be observed, that a work may be, as to the matter of it, good, and yet as to its circumstances, and the end and view of it, evil.

n Midrash Ruth in Zohar in Gen. fol. 42. 4. o Zohar in ib. fol. 43. 1. p Ib. fol. 41. 1, 2. q Targum Jon. in Gen. iv. 8. Pirke Eliezer, c. 21. r Targum Hieros. & Jon. in Gen. iv. 8. s Quod Det. Potior. p. 161.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Not as Cain - Not manifesting the spirit which Cain did. His was a most remarkable and striking instance of a want of love to a brother, and the case was well adapted to illustrate the propriety of the duty which the apostle is enjoining. See Genesis 4:4-8.

Who was of that wicked one - Of the devil; that is, he was under his influence, and acted from his instigation.

And wherefore slew he him? - Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.” He acted under the influence of envy. He was dissatisfied that his own offering was not accepted, and that his brother’s was. The apostle seems desirous to guard those to whom he wrote against the indulgence of any feelings that were the opposite of love; from anything like envy toward more highly favored brethren, by showing to what this would lead if fairly acted out, as in the case of Cain. A large part of the crimes of the earth have been caused, as in the murder of Abel, by the want of brotherly love. Nothing but love would be necessary to put an end to the crimes, and consequently to a large part of the misery, of the world.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 12. Not as Cain — Men should not act to each other as Cain did to his brother Abel. He murdered him because he was better than himself. But who was Cain? εκτουπονηρουην, he was of the devil. And who are they who, through pride, lust of power, ambition, gain, c., murder each other in wars and political contentions? εκτουπονηρουεισι. To attempt to justify the principle, and excuse the instigators, authors, abettors, &c., of such wars, is as vain as it is wicked. They are opposed to the nature of God, and to that message which he has sent to man from the beginning: Love one another. Love your enemies. Surely this does not mean, Blow out their brains, or, Cut their throats. O, how much of the spirit, temper, and letter of the Gospel have the nations of the world, and particularly the nations of Europe, to learn!

And wherefore slew he him? — What could induce a brother to imbrue his hands in a brother's blood? Why, his brother was righteous, and he was wicked and the seed of the wicked one which was in him induced him to destroy his brother, because the seed of God-the Divine nature, was found in him.