Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
WHO ARE THE BRETHREN ESPECIALLY TO BE LOVED (1 John 4:21); OBEDIENCE, THE TEST OF LOVE, EASY THROUGH FAITH, WHICH OVERCOMES THE WORLD. LAST PORTION OF THE EPISTLE. THE SPIRIT'S WITNESS TO THE BELIEVER'S SPIRITUAL LIFE. TRUTHS REPEATED AT THE CLOSE: FAREWELL WARNING. (1Jo. 5:1-21)
Reason why our "brother" (1 John 4:21) is entitled to such love, namely, because he is "born (begotten) of God": so that if we want to show our love to God, we must show it to God's visible representative.
Whosoever--Greek, "Everyone that." He could not be our "Jesus" (God-Saviour) unless He were "the Christ"; for He could not reveal the way of salvation, except He were a prophet: He could not work out that salvation, except He were a priest: He could not confer that salvation upon us, except He were a king: He could not be prophet, priest, and king, except He were the Christ [PEARSON, Exposition of the Creed].
born--Translate, "begotten," as in the latter part of the verse, the Greek being the same. Christ is the "only-begotten Son" by generation; we become begotten sons of God by regeneration and adoption.
every one that loveth him that begat--sincerely, not in mere profession (1 John 4:20).
loveth him also that is begotten of him--namely, "his brethren" (1 John 4:21).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Song of Solomon 7:6
1 Corinthians 12:3
Ephesians 4:6
1 Timothy 6:11
1 John 3:1
1 John 5:5
1 John 5:9
1 John 5:10
1 John 5:17
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