Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - 3 John 1:4 - 1:4
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
serves as confirmation of ἐχάρην λίαν
3Jn_1:4 serves as confirmation of ἐχάρην λίαν .
μειζότεραν ] Grotius: est ad intendendam significationem comparativus e comparativo factus; similar formations occur in the classical language of poets and later writers; see Winer, p. 65; VII. p. 67; in the N. T. comp. Eph_3:8.
τούτων οὐκ ἔχω χαρὰν ἵνα κ . τ . λ .—“I have not a greater joy than this, that;” τούτων is not used for ταύτης , but “as an indefinite word is to be connected with the more definite ἵνα ” (Lücke); some commentators incorrectly supply “ ἤ ” before ἵνα . Joh_15:13 is to be compared with this passage; only that ταύτης is used there, but it does not refer, however, to something preceding, but finds its explanation in the following ἵνα .[17]
τὰ ἐμὰ τέκνα , not “all Christians;” but neither merely the converts of John, but the members of the Churches which were under the special fatherly direction of the apostle (so also Braune).
[17] In opposition to Meyer, who says on the passage cited: “the usual view, according to which ἵνα is taken as the explanation of ταύτης , does not correspond to the idea of purpose which is contained in ἵνα ,” it may be observed that in the usus loquendi of the N. T. ἵνα has by no means retained the idea of purpose in its distinctness, and often serves, in reference to the demonstrative pronoun, to state the meaning of the latter.