Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
THE WRITER'S AUTHORITY AS AN EYEWITNESS TO THE GOSPEL FACTS, HAVING SEEN, HEARD, AND HANDLED HIM WHO WAS FROM THE BEGINNING: HIS OBJECT IN WRITING: HIS MESSAGE. IF WE WOULD HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM, WE MUST WALK IN LIGHT, AS HE IS LIGHT. (1 John 1:1-10)
Instead of a formal, John adopts a virtual address (compare 1 John 1:4). To wish joy to the reader was the ancient customary address. The sentence begun in 1 John 1:1 is broken off by the parenthetic 1 John 1:2, and is resumed at 1 John 1:3 with the repetition of some words from 1 John 1:1.
That which was--not "began to be," but was essentially (Greek, "een," not "egeneto") before He was manifested (1 John 1:2); answering to "Him that is from the beginning" (1 John 2:13); so John's Gospel, John 1:1, "In the beginning was the Word." Proverbs 8:23, "I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was."
we--apostles.
heard . . . seen . . . looked upon . . . handled--a series rising in gradation. Seeing is a more convincing proof than hearing of; handling, than even seeing. "Have heard . . . have seen" (perfect tenses), as a possession still abiding with us; but in Greek (not as English Version "have," but simply) "looked upon" (not perfect tense, as of a continuing thing, but aorist, past time) while Christ the incarnate Word was still with us. "Seen," namely, His glory, as revealed in the Transfiguration and in His miracles; and His passion and death in a real body of flesh and blood. "Looked upon" as a wondrous spectacle steadfastly, deeply, contemplatively; so the Greek. Appropriate to John's contemplative character.
hands . . . handled--Thomas and the other disciples on distinct occasions after the resurrection. John himself had leaned on Jesus' breast at the last supper. Contrast the wisest of the heathen feeling after (the same Greek as here; groping after WITH THE HANDS") if haply they might find God (see Acts 17:27). This proves against Socinians he is here speaking of the personal incarnate Word, not of Christ's teaching from the beginning of His official life.
of--"concerning"; following "heard." "Heard" is the verb most applying to the purpose of the Epistle, namely the truth which John had heard concerning the Word of life, that is, (Christ) the Word who is the life. "Heard," namely, from Christ Himself, including all Christ's teachings about Himself. Therefore he puts "of," or "concerning," before "the word of life," which is inapplicable to any of the verbs except "heard"; also "heard" is the only one of the verbs which he resumes at 1 John 1:5.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 1:4
Philippians 2:16
1 John 1:1
1 John 1:1
1 John 1:2
1 John 1:3
1 John 2:25
1 John 4:14
1 John 5:20
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