1 John 3:2

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

now are we the: 1 John 3:1, 1 John 5:1, Isaiah 56:5, Romans 8:14, Romans 8:15, Romans 8:18, Galatians 3:26, Galatians 4:6

it: Psalms 31:19, Romans 8:18, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 2 Corinthians 4:17

what: Psalms 17:15, Romans 8:29, 1 Corinthians 15:49, Philippians 3:21, 2 Peter 1:4

when: Malachi 3:2, Colossians 3:4, Hebrews 9:28

for: Job 19:26, Psalms 16:11, Matthew 5:8, John 17:24, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:6 - a mighty prince Exodus 28:2 - glory Exodus 29:43 - sanctified Numbers 14:14 - art seen Deuteronomy 14:1 - the children 1 Kings 10:7 - I believed 2 Chronicles 9:6 - the one half Job 37:19 - we Psalms 63:3 - Because Psalms 73:25 - Whom Psalms 90:17 - And let Isaiah 33:17 - eyes Isaiah 64:4 - have not Hosea 1:10 - Ye are the sons Matthew 13:38 - the good Matthew 17:4 - it is Matthew 22:30 - in the Mark 9:5 - it is Mark 12:25 - but Luke 9:32 - they saw Luke 20:36 - the children of God John 14:3 - I will John 20:17 - your Father Romans 8:4 - That Romans 8:19 - the manifestation Romans 8:23 - waiting Romans 9:8 - are counted 1 Corinthians 1:7 - coming 1 Corinthians 13:9 - General 1 Corinthians 15:53 - put 2 Corinthians 5:1 - we know 2 Corinthians 5:8 - present 2 Corinthians 6:18 - a Father Galatians 4:31 - we Ephesians 4:24 - after Ephesians 5:1 - as Colossians 3:3 - hid 2 Thessalonians 2:16 - good 1 Timothy 6:14 - until Titus 1:2 - hope Titus 2:13 - the glorious Titus 2:14 - purify Hebrews 2:10 - many Hebrews 10:34 - in yourselves that ye have Hebrews 12:14 - no man 1 Peter 1:5 - ready 1 Peter 5:1 - a partaker 1 Peter 5:4 - appear 1 John 2:28 - when 1 John 3:6 - whosoever Revelation 1:7 - and every Revelation 22:4 - they

Cross-References

Psalms 58:4
From the womb, the wicked are estranged, liars on the wrong path since birth.

Psalms 58:4
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;

Psalms 58:4
Their anger is as deadly as the poison of a snake. They shut their ears like a deaf cobra

Psalms 58:4
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; Like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,

Psalms 58:4
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the speakers of lies go astray as soon as they are born.

Psalms 58:4
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,

Psalms 58:4
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; they are like the adder, whose ears are shut;

Psalms 58:4
They haue poyson [within them] lyke to the poyson of a serpent: they be lyke the deafe adder that stoppeth her eares,

Psalms 58:4
Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.

Psalms 58:4
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf adder that stops its ear,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Beloved, now are we the sons of God,.... By adoption, secretly in God's predestination, and in the covenant of grace; and openly in regeneration, through faith in Christ, and by the testimony of the Spirit:

and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; though they are sons, they do not appear now as such, as they will do, when they shall be introduced into their Father's house, and into the many mansions there prepared for them; when Christ shall publicly own them as the children given unto him, and when they shall be put into the possession of the inheritance they are heirs of; besides, they will appear then not only to be kings' sons, but kings themselves, as they now are; they will then inherit the kingdom prepared for them, and will sit down on a throne of glory, and have a crown of righteousness, life, and glory, put upon them; and will appear not only perfectly justified, their sins being not to be found; and the sentence of justification afresh pronounced, and they placed out of the reach of all condemnation; but they will be perfectly holy and free from all sin, and perfectly knowing and glorious; they have a right to glory now, and glory is preparing for them, and they for that: and they are now representatively glorified in Christ, but then they will be personally glorified: now, though all this shall certainly be, yet it does not now manifestly appear; it appears to God, who calls things that are not as though they were and to Christ, whose delights were with the sons men, these children of God, before the world was, and saw them in all the glory they were to be brought to; but not even to angels, until they are owned and confessed before them; much less to the world, who do not know what they are now, and still less what they will be, seeing them now in poverty, meanness, under many reproaches, afflictions, and persecutions; and even this does not appear to the saints themselves, whose life is a hidden life; and that by reason of darkness, desertion, and diffidence, for want of more knowledge, and from the nature of the happiness itself, which is at present unseen:

but we know that when he shall appear; that is, Jesus Christ, who is now in heaven, and out of sight, but will appear a second time: the time when is not known, but the thing itself is certain:

we shall be like him; in body, fashioned like to his glorious body, in immortality and incorruption, in power, in glory, and spirituality, in a freedom from all imperfections, sorrows, afflictions, and death; and in soul, which likeness will lie in perfect knowledge of divine things, and in complete holiness;

for we shall see him as he is; in his human nature, with the eyes of the body, and in his glorious person, with the eyes of the understanding; not by faith, as now, but by sight; not through ordinances, as in the present state, but through those beams of light and glory darting from him, with which the saints will be irradiated; and this sight, as it is now exceeding desirable, will be unspeakably glorious, delightful, and ravishing, soul satisfying, free from all darkness and error, and interruption; will assimilate and transform into his image and likeness, and be for ever. Philo the Jew observes k, that Israel may be interpreted one that sees God; but adds, ουχ οιος εστιν ο θεος, "not what God is", for this is impossible: it is indeed impossible to see him essentially as he is, or so as to comprehend his nature, being, and perfections; but then the saints in heaven will see God and Christ as they are, and as much as they are to be seen by creatures; God will be seen as he is in Christ; and Christ will be seen as he is in himself, both in his divine and human natures, as much as can be, or can be desired to be seen and known of him.

k De Praemiis. & Paenis, p. 917.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Beloved, now are we the sons of God - We now in fact sustain this rank and dignity, and on that we may reflect with pleasure and gratitude. It is in itself an exalted honor, and may be contemplated as such, whatever may be true in regard to what is to come. In the dignity and the privileges which we now enjoy, we may find a grateful subject of reflection, and a cause of thankfulness, even if we should look to nothing beyond, or when we contemplate the fact by itself.

And it doth not yet appear what we shall be - It is not fully revealed what we shall be hereafter; what will be the full result of being regarded as the children of God. There are, indeed, certain things which may be inferred as following from this. There is enough to animate us with hope, and to sustain us in the trials of life. There is one thing which is clear, that we shall be like the Son of God; but what is fully involved in this is not made known. Perhaps,

(1)It could not be so revealed that we could understand it, for that state may be so unlike the present that no words would fully convey the conception to our minds. Perhaps,

(2)It may be necessary to our condition here, as on probation, that no more light should be furnished in regard to the future than to stimulate us to make efforts to reach a world where all is light. For an illustration of the sentiment expressed here by the apostle, compare the notes at 2 Peter 1:4.

But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him - It is revealed to us that we shall be made like Christ; that is, in the bodies with which we shall be raised up, in character, in happiness, in glory. Compare the Philippians 3:21 note; 2 Corinthians 3:18 note. This is enough to satisfy the Christian in his prospects for the future world. To be like Christ is the object of his supreme aim. For that he lives, and all his aspirations in regard to the coming world may be summed up in this - that he wishes to be like the glorified Son of God, and to share his honors and his joys. See the notes at Philippians 3:10.

For we shall see him as he is - It is clearly implied here that there will be an influence in beholding the Saviour as he is, which will tend to make us like him, or to transform us into his likeness. See the nature of this influence explained in the notes at 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 John 3:2. Now are we the sons of God — He speaks of those who are begotten of God, and who work righteousness. See the preceding chapter.

And it doth not yet appear what we shall be — ουπω εφανερωθη. It is not yet manifest; though we know that we are the children of God, we do not know that state of glorious excellence to which, as such, we shall be raised.

When he shall appear — εαν φανερωθη. When he shall be manifested; i.e., when he comes the second time, and shall be manifested in his glorified human nature to judge the world.

We shall be like him — For our vile bodies shall be made like unto his glorious body; we shall see him as he is, in all the glory and majesty both of the Divine and human nature. See Philippians 3:21; and John 17:24: Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory. John had seen his glory on the mount when he was transfigured; and this we find was ineffably grand; but even this must have been partially obscured, in order to enable the disciples to bear the sight, for they were not then like him. But when they shall be like him, they shall see him as he is-in all the splendour of his infinite majesty.