By His Love Called Children of God

John teaches that through God's love we are called His children. And though we are now God's children, we do not know exactly what we will be, except that we know that we will be like Him at the parousia. Therefore we purify ourselves now, since He is pure.

Arc

editing

1 John 3:1-3

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nasb

schl

Ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατήρ,

See 1 a how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,

Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeigt,

ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν,

that we would be called b children of God;

daß wir Gottes Kinder heißen sollen!

ideaexplanation

καὶ ἐσμέν.

and such we are.

series

διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς,

For this reason the world does not know us,

Darum erkennt uns die Welt nicht,

ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν.

because c it did not know Him.

weil sie Ihn nicht erkannt hat.

ground

inference

ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν,

a Beloved, now we are b children of God,

Geliebte, wir sind nun Gottes Kinder,

καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα.

and c it has not appeared as yet what we will be.

und noch ist nicht offenbar geworden, was wir sein werden;

οἴδαμεν

We know

wir wissen aber,

ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ,

that when He d appears,

daß, wenn Er offenbar werden wird,

ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα,

we will be e like Him,

wir Ihm ähnlich sein werden;

temporal

ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν.

because we will f see Him just as He is.

denn wir werden Ihn sehen, wie er ist.

concessive

καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἁγνίζει ἑαυτόν,

And everyone who has this a hope fixed on Him b purifies himself,

Und ein jeglicher, der diese Hoffnung auf ihn hat, reinigt sich,

καθὼς ἐκεῖνος ἁγνός ἐστιν.

just as He is pure.

gleichwie auch Er rein ist.

comparison

In this context ἐάν (ean) does not indicate (1) uncertainty about whether or not what believers will be shall be revealed, but rather (2) uncertainty about the exact time the event will take place. In the Koine period ἐάν can mean “when” or “whenever” and is virtually the equivalent of ὅταν (hotan; see BDAG 268 s.v. ἐάν 2). It has this meaning in John 12:32 and 14:3. Thus the phrase here should be translated, “we know that whenever it is revealed.” - NET Bible

Through God's love we are called His children. This is the reason the world hates us, because they hate Him.

We are now children but it is not clear what we be at the parousia. However we know this much, that we will be like Him.

Since we will be like Him at the parousia, we purify ourselves now, since He is pure.

I am assuming that John is saying "We know, because we will see Him, that we will be like Him." See the notes section for more details.

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discourse

Phrase

1 John 3:1-3

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we would be called children of God;

and such we are.

For this reason the world does not know us,

because it did not know Him.

Beloved, now we are children of God,

and it has not appeared as yet what we will be.

We know that when He appears,

we will be like Him,

because we will see Him just as He is.

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself,

just as He is pure.

phrasing

Phrase Greek

1 John 3:1-3

na28

Ἴδετε

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Sehet, welch eine Liebe hat uns der Vater erzeigt, daß wir Gottes Kinder heißen sollen! Darum erkennt uns die Welt nicht, weil sie Ihn nicht erkannt hat.

ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατήρ,

ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν,

καὶ ἐσμέν.

διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς,

ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν.

ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν,

Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Geliebte, wir sind nun Gottes Kinder, und noch ist nicht offenbar geworden, was wir sein werden; wir wissen aber, daß, wenn Er offenbar werden wird, wir Ihm ähnlich sein werden; denn wir werden Ihn sehen, wie er ist.

καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη

τί ἐσόμεθα.

οἴδαμεν

ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ,

ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα,

ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν

καθώς ἐστιν.

καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἁγνίζει ἑαυτόν,

And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

Und ein jeglicher, der diese Hoffnung auf ihn hat, reinigt sich, gleichwie auch Er rein ist.

καθὼς ἐκεῖνος ἁγνός ἐστιν.

Ἴδετε ποταπὴν ἀγάπην δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ πατήρ, ἵνα τέκνα θεοῦ κληθῶμεν, καὶ ἐσμέν. διὰ τοῦτο ὁ κόσμος οὐ γινώσκει ἡμᾶς, ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνω αὐτόν.

ἀγαπητοί, νῦν τέκνα θεοῦ ἐσμεν, καὶ οὔπω ἐφανερώθη τί ἐσόμεθα. οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἐὰν φανερωθῇ, ὅμοιοι αὐτῷ ἐσόμεθα, ὅτι ὀψόμεθα αὐτὸν καθώς ἐστιν.

καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἔχων τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἁγνίζει ἑαυτόν, καθὼς ἐκεῖνος ἁγνός ἐστιν.

Diagram

scripturetext

components

1 John 3:1-3

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subjectverb

solid

drop

equal

revrocket

line

pred

Ἴδετε

directobject

shelf

cword

vertical

ὁ

πατήρ

δέδωκεν

indirectobj

pstack

ἡμῖν

ἀγάπην

ποταπὴν

obtuse

κληθῶμεν

τέκνα

prepphrase

θεοῦ

ἵνα

table

καὶ

ἐσμέν

ὁ

κόσμος

γινώσκει

οὐ

ἡμᾶς

διὰ

τοῦτο

ἔγνω

οὐκ

αὐτόν

ὅτι

text

v1a

v1b

v1c

v1d

v1e

v1f

ἀγαπητοί

ἐσμεν

νῦν

τέκνα

θεοῦ

καὶ

ἐφανερώθη

οὔπω

ἐσόμεθα

predicate

τί

οἴδαμεν

ἐσόμεθα

φανερωθῇ

ἐὰν

ὅμοιοι

αὐτῷ

ὅτι

ὀψόμεθα

αὐτὸν

ἐστιν

καθώς

ὅτι

v2a

v2b

v2c

v2d

v2e

v2f

v2g

v2h

καὶ

ὁ

πᾶς

ἁγνίζει

participle

ἔχων

ταύτην

τὴν

ἐλπίδα

ἐπʼ

αὐτῷ

ἑαυτόν

ἐκεῖνος

ἐστιν

ἁγνός

καθὼς

v3a

v3b

It seems to me that ὅμοιοι i s acting as a preposition here.

I am assuming that John is saying "We know, because we will see Him, that we will be like Him." See the notes section for more details.

diagram

Notes

1 John 3:2b: We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. What does seeing Him have to do with becoming like Him? Possible Interpretations There are at least three possible interpretation here, as mentioned in the UBS Handbooks of the New Testament: For we shall see him as he is gives the reason why we know that "we shall be like him." The Greek conjunction may also be taken as indicating the cause of "we shall be like him"; hence, 'because (or as the result of the fact that) we shall see ...' Or one may interpret it as introducing a further explanation which mentions another aspect of what precedes; hence, 'yes, we shall see ....' Positions of Several Commentaries Here is an overview of the views of several commentaries (quotes are given below): Option 1: Calvin, Expositor's Bible Commentary, New American Commentary (also states that the meaning of Option 2 is not absent), Matthew Henry (also states Option 2 may be valid) Option 2: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Understanding the Bible, Tyndale Commentaries, NET Bible Notes Option 3: UBS (also states that Option 2 should not be excluded) My Interpretation I prefer the logic of Option 1. I am assuming that John is saying "We know, because we will see Him, that we will be like Him." Quotes form selected commentaries Calvin We must further observe, that the manner which the Apostle mentions is taken from the effect, not from the cause; for he does not teach us, that we shall be like him, because we shall see him; but he hence proves that we shall be partakers of the divine glory, for except our nature were spiritual, and endued with a heavenly and blessed immortality, it could never come so nigh to God yet the perfection of glory will not be so great in us, that our seeing will enable us to comprehend all that God is; for the distance between us and him will be even then very great. ECB Believers will not be like Jesus because they will see him; rather, believers will see Jesus because they have been like him. As God’s children, true Christians are already “like him,” and Christ’s appearing will only confirm this established fact. JFB for, etc.--Continual beholding generates likeness (2Co 3:18); as the face of the moon being always turned towards the sun, reflects its light and glory. UtB To see, to gaze upon, and to meditate upon what one sees is to move in the direction of becoming like that which preoccupies one’s attention. There will be a transforming vision at the return of Jesus in which believers will be purified of all that still separates them from complete likeness to Christ (cf. 2 Cor 3:18). Tyndale And since that day, in fulfilment of God’s predestinating purpose that we should be ‘conformed to the likeness of his Son’ (Rom. 8:29), the Holy Spirit has been transfiguring us ‘into his likeness with ever-increasing glory’ (2 Cor. 3:18; cf. 1 John 2:6). In this latter passage the transformation is said to be due to the fact that ‘with unveiled faces’ we ‘all reflect the Lord’s glory’. This being so, it is understandable that when we see him as he is, and not our face only but his too will be unveiled, we will be finally and completely like him, including our bodies (Phil. 3:21; cf. 1 Cor. 15:49). ‘Vision becomes assimilation’ (Law). NAC There is also a question as to what verb the last hoti clause of v. 2 refers. The clause could qualify oidamen (“we know”). This would mean seeing him gives proof to the child of God that we know we will be like him. Understanding concerning our future resemblance to Christ is based on the fact that “we shall see him just as he is.” Others suggest that the phrase qualifies esometha (“we shall be”). Being like him is the direct result or outcome of seeing him. “We shall be like him” because “we shall see him just as he is.” John’s emphasis seems to rest here on what believers will be as opposed to how the transformation will take place. The better understanding is that our future likeness of Christ is based on the fact that we will one day see him as he is. The transformation idea is not absent, but it is not the primary one here. MH Their likeness to him is argued from the sight they shall have of him: We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Their likeness will be the cause of that sight which they shall have of him. Indeed, all shall see him, but not as they do; not as he is, namely, to those in heaven. The wicked shall see him in his frowns, in the terror of his majesty, and the splendour of his avenging perfections; but these shall see him in the smiles and beauty of his face, in the correspondence and amiableness of his glory, in the harmony and agreeableness of his beatific perfections. Their likeness shall enable them to see him as the blessed do in heaven. Or the sight of him shall be the cause of their likeness; it shall be a transformative sight: they shall be transformed into the same image by the beatific view that they shall have of him. UBS For we shall see him as he is gives the reason why we know that "we shall be like him." The Greek conjunction may also be taken as indicating the cause of "we shall be like him"; hence, 'because (or as the result of the fact that) we shall see ....' Or one may interpret it as introducing a further explanation which mentions another aspect of what precedes; hence, 'yes, we shall see ....' Of these three interpretations the first seems to be unlikely and the third the most likely one, though the second is not to be excluded entirely. NET The second ὅτι (hoti) in 3:2 is best understood as causal, giving the reason why believers will be like God: “we shall be like him, because we shall see him just as he is.” The phrase we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is has been explained two ways: (1) believers will really become more like God than they now are, and will do this through seeing God as he really is; or (2) believers will realize that they are already like God, but did not realize it until they see him as he is. One who sees a strong emphasis on realized eschatology in the Gospel of John and the Epistles might opt for the second view, since it downplays the difference between what believers already are in the present age and what they will become in the next. It seems better, though, in light of the statement in 3:2a that “what we will be has not yet been revealed” and because of the reference to Christ’s parousia in 2:28, that the author intends to distinguish between the present state of believers and what they will be like in the future. Thus the first view is better, that believers really will become more like God than they are now, as a result of seeing him as he really is.

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