From: 1 John 2:3-11
Keeping the Commandments
[7] Beloved, I am writing to you no new commandment, but an old command-
ment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the world
which you have heard. [8] Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is
true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light
is already shining. [9] He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in
the darkness still. [10] He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it
there is no cause for stumbling. [11] But he who hates his brother is in the dark-
ness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because
the darkness has blinded his eyes.
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Commentary:
3-6. “By this we may be sure”: a phrase that occurs often in this letter (cf., e.g.,
2:5, 18; 3:19, 24), usually to preface clear criteria for distinguishing doctrinal
and moral truth from error. In this instance, it has to do with keeping the
commandments being a sign of true knowledge of God.
For St John, knowing God is not a merely intellectual exercise nor does he mean
that the immensity of God can be grasped by man’s limited understanding. It re-
fers to something much simpler and more important: knowing God means being
united to him by faith and love — by grace. If this letter puts so much emphasis on
knowing God (cf., e.g., 2:14; 3:1; 4:6-8; 5:20) or knowing Jesus Christ (cf. 2:13-
14; 3:6), it may be because the heretics (particularly the Gnostics) were boasting
of having attained special knowledge of God, superior to that of ordinary faithful.
And so the Apostle describes what true knowledge of God consists in, using ex-
pressions which complement one another — knowing him (v. 4); in him who
knows God “truly love for God is perfected” (v. 5); abiding in him (v. 6).
“Keeping his commandments” (vv. 3 and 4), “Keeping his word” (v. 5), “walking
in the same way in which he walked” (v. 6): keeping the commandments is ab-
solutely necessary, because there is no room for faith without works (cf. 1 Jn 3:
17-18; Jas 2:14ff; Gal 5:6). Similarly, one must keep the word of God, that is,
accept all revelation docilely (an idea found very often in John: cf., e.g., Jn 5:38;
8:31, 51; 1 Jn 2:14). But, above all, Christians must identify their life with Christ’s;
St Prosper comments: “Walk as he walked: does that not mean giving up the
comforts he gave up, not being afraid of the kind of trials he bore, teaching what
he taught [...], persevering in helping even those who show no appreciation, pra-
ying for one’s enemies, being kind to evildoers, serenely tolerating the proud?”
(”De Vita Contemplativa”, 2, 21).
7-8. In a play of words, St John draw his readers’ attention to the commandment
of brotherly love, which he does on to describe in vv. 9-11. It is, he says, an old
commandment (v. 7) and at the same time a new one (v. 8). Old, because Chris-
tianity and charity are inseparable and that is something the faithful have known
“from the beginning”, that is, since they first received instruction; in some way,
it can be said that it is even pre-Christian, because it is impressed on the heart
of man. Yet it is new, because it is not out of date and has become a reality in
Christ and in Christians. The novelty lies not in the precept (which is to be found
in the Old Testament: cf. Lev 19:18) but in the standard which Jesus sets (”even
as I have loved you”: Jn 13:34) and in the fact that it covers everyone: we must
love everyone, friends and enemies, without distinction of race, or ideology, or
social status (cf. note on Jn 13:34-35).
Moreover, Christian love is not limited to seeking the earthly happiness of others,
but tries to lead all to faith and holiness: “What is perfection in love?” St Augus-
tine asks. “Loving our enemies and loving them so that they may be converted
into brothers. Our love should not be a material one. Wishing someone temporal
well-being is good; but, even if he does not have that, his soul should be secured
[...]. It is uncertain whether this life is useful or useless to someone; whereas life
in God is always useful. Therefore, love your enemies in such a way that they
become your brother; love them in such a way that you attract them to fellowship
with yourself in the Church” (”In Epist. Ioann. ad Parthos”, 1, 9).
9-11. In the special style of this letter, an application is made of the new com-
mandment, possibly to counter false teachers, who despised the ordinary faithful
and were sowing discord among the Christians. The rhythm of the language —
hate, love, hate — in which the positive idea is placed between two opposed ideas,
highlights the importance of brotherly love.
“The principal apostolate we Christians must carry out in the world,” St. J. Escri-
va writes, “and the best witness we can give of our faith, is to help bring about a
climate of genuine charity within the Church. For who indeed could feel attracted
to the Gospel if those who say they preach the Good News do not really love one
another, but spend their time attacking one another, spreading slander and quar-
relling?
“It is all too easy, and very fashionable, to say that you love everyone, Christians
and non-Christians alike. But if those who maintain this ill-treat their brothers in
the faith, I don’t see how their behavior can be anything but ‘pious hypocrisy’. By
contrast, when in the Heart of Christ we love those ‘who are children of the same
Father, and with us share the same faith and heirs to the same hope’ (Minucius
Felix, “Octavius”, 31), then our hearts expand and become fired with a longing to
bring everyone closer to our Lord” (”Friends of God”, 226).
Light/darkness: the action which began at 1:5 (”God is light”) ends with the repe-
tition of this contrasting imagery.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.