Robertson Word Pictures - 1 John 5:4 - 5:4

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Robertson Word Pictures - 1 John 5:4 - 5:4


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

For (hoti). The reason why God’s commandments are not heavy is the power that comes with the new birth from God.

Whatsoever is begotten of God (pān to gegennēmenon ek tou theou). Neuter singular perfect passive participle of gennaō rather than the masculine singular (1Jo 5:1) to express sharply the universality of the principle (Rothe) as in Joh 3:6, Joh 3:8; Joh 6:37, Joh 6:39.

Overcometh the world (nikāi ton kosmon). Present active indicative of nikaō, a continuous victory because a continuous struggle, “keeps on conquering the world” (“the sum of all the forces antagonistic to the spiritual life,” D. Smith).

This is the victory (hautē estin hē nikē). For this form of expression see 1Jo 1:5; Joh 1:19. Nikē (victory, cf. nikaō), old word, here alone in N.T., but the later form nikos in Mat 12:20; 1Co 15:54-55, 1Co 15:57.

That overcometh (hē nikēsasa). First aorist active articular participle of nikaō. The English cannot reproduce the play on the word here. The aorist tense singles out an individual experience when one believed or when one met temptation with victory. Jesus won the victory over the world (Joh 16:33) and God in us (1Jo 4:4) gives us the victory.

Even our faith (hē pistis hēmōn). The only instance of pistis in the Johannine Epistles (not in John’s Gospel, though in the Apocalypse). It is our faith in Jesus Christ as shown by our confession (1Jo 5:1) and by our life (1Jo 5:2).