TRV
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 John 3:14–19. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The beloved apostle can scarcely touch upon the mention of sacred love, but he must enlarge upon the enforcement of it, as here he does by divers arguments and incentives thereto; as,
I.That it is a mark of our evangelical justification, of our transition into a state of life:
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren, Jo1 3:14. We are by nature children of wrath and heirs of death. By the gospel (the gospel-covenant or promise) our state towards another world is altered and changed. We pass from death to life, from the guilt of death to the right of life; and this transition is made upon our believing in the Lord Jesus: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not hath the wrath of God abiding on him, Joh 3:36. Now this happy change of state we may come to be assured of: We know that we have passed from death to life; we may know it by the evidences of our faith in Christ, of which this love to our brethren is one, which leads us to characterize this love that is such a mark of our justified state. It is not a zeal for a party in the common religion, or an affection for, or an affectation of, those who are of the same denomination and subordinate sentiments with ourselves. But this love,
1.Supposes a general love to mankind: the law of Christian love, in the Christian community, is founded on the catholic law, in the society of mankind, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Mankind are to be loved principally on these two accounts: - (1.) As the excellent work of God, made by him, and made in wonderful resemblance of him. The reason that God assigns for the certain punishment of a murderer is a reason against our hatred of any of the brethren of mankind, and consequently a reason for our love to them: for in the image of God made he man, Gen 9:6. (2.) As being, in some measure, beloved in Christ. The whole race of mankind - the gens humana, should be considered as being, in distinction from fallen angels, a redeemed nation; as having a divine Redeemer designed, prepared, and given for them. So God loved the world, even this world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh 3:16. A world so beloved of God should accordingly be loved by us. And this love will exert itself in earnest desires, and prayers, and attempts, for the conversion and salvation of the yet uncalled blinded world. My heart's desire and prayer for Israel are that they may be saved. And then this love will include all due love to enemies themselves.
2.It includes a peculiar love to the Christian society, to the catholic church, and that for the sake of her head, as being his body, as being redeemed, justified, and sanctified in and by him; and this love particularly acts and operates towards those of the catholic church that we have opportunity of being personally acquainted with or credibly informed of. They are not so much loved for their own sakes as for the sake of God and Christ, who have loved them. And it is God and Christ, or, if you will, the love of God and grace of Christ, that are beloved and valued in them and towards them. And so this is the issue of faith in Christ, and is thereupon a note of our passage from death to life.
II.The hatred of our brethren is, on the contrary, a sign of our deadly state, of our continuance under the legal sentence of death:
He that loveth not his brother (his brother in Christ) abideth in death, Jo1 3:14. He yet stands under the curse and condemnation of the law. This the apostle argues by a clear syllogism: "You know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him; but he who hates his brother is a murderer; and therefore you cannot but know that he who hates his brother hath not eternal life abiding in him," Jo1 3:15. Or, he abideth in death, as it is expressed, Jo1 3:14, Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; for hatred of the person is, so far as it prevails, a hatred of life and welfare, and naturally tends to desire the extinction of it. Cain hated, and then slew, his brother. Hatred will shut up the bowels of compassion from the poor brethren, and will thereby expose them to the sorrows of death. And it has appeared that hatred of the brethren has in all ages dressed them up in ill names, odious characters, and calumnies, and exposed them to persecution and the sword. No wonder, then, that he who has a considerable acquaintance with the heart of man, or is taught by him who fully knows it, who knows the natural tendency and issue of vile and violent passions, and knows withal the fulness of the divine law, declares him who hates his brother to be a murderer. Now he who by the frame and disposition of his heart is a murderer cannot have eternal life abiding in him; for he who is such must needs be carnally-minded, and to be carnally-minded is death, Rom 8:6. The apostle, by the expression of having eternal life abiding in us, may seem to mean the possession of an internal principle of endless life, according to that of the Saviour, Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, shall never be totally destitute thereof; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life, Joh 4:14. And thereupon some may be apt to surmise that the passing from death to life (Jo1 3:14) does not signify the relative change made in our justification of life, but the real change made in the regeneration to life; and accordingly that the abiding in death mentioned Jo1 3:14 is continuance in spiritual death, as it is usually called, or abiding in the corrupt deadly temper of nature. But as these passages more naturally denote the state of the person, whether adjudged to life or death, so the relative transition from death to life may well be proved or disproved by the possession or non-possession of the inward principle of eternal life, since washing from the guilt of sin is inseparably united with washing from the filth and power of sin. But you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, Co1 6:11.
III.The example of God and Christ should inflame our hearts with this holy love:
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, Jo1 3:16. The great God has given his Son to the death for us. But since this apostle has declared that the Word was God, and that he became flesh for us, I see not why we may not interpret this of God the Word. Here is the love of God himself, of him who in his own person is God, though not the Father, that he assumed a life, that he might lay it down for us! Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of divine love, that God would redeem the church with his own blood! Surely we should love those whom God hath loved, and so loved; and we shall certainly do so if we have any love for God.
IV.The apostle, having proposed this flaming constraining example of love, and motive to it, proceeds to show us what should be the temper and effect of this our Christian love. And, 1. It must be, in the highest degree, so fervent as to make us willing to suffer even to death for the good of the church, for the safety and salvation of the dear brethren: And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (Jo1 3:16), either in our ministrations and services to them (yea, and if I be offered upon the service and sacrifice of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all - I shall congratulate your felicity, Phi 2:17), or in exposing ourselves to hazards, when called thereto, for the safety and preservation of those that are more serviceable to the glory of God and the edification of the church than we can be. Who have for my life laid down their own necks; unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles, Rom 16:4. How mortified should the Christian be to this life! How prepared to part with it! And how well assured of a better! 2. It must be, in the next degree, compassionate, liberal, and communicative to the necessities of the brethren: For whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Jo1 3:17. It pleases God that some of the Christian brethren should be poor, for the exercise of the charity and love of those that are rich. And it pleases the same God to give to some of the Christian brethren this world's good, that they may exercise their grace in communicating to the poor saints. And those who have this world's good must love a good God more, and their good brethren more, and be ready to distribute it for their sakes. It appears here that this love to the brethren is founded upon love to God, in that it is here called so by the apostle: How dwelleth the love of God in him? This love to the brethren is love to God in them; and where there is none of this love to them there is no true love to God at all. 3. I was going to intimate the third and lowest degree in the next verse; but the apostle has prevented me, by intimating that this last charitable communicative love, in persons of ability, is the lowest that can consist with the love of God. But there may be other fruits of this love; and therefore the apostle desires that in all it should be unfeigned and operative, as circumstances will allow: My little children (my dear children in Christ), let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth, Jo1 3:18. Compliments and flatteries become not Christians; but the sincere expressions of sacred affection, and the services or labours of love, do. Then,
V.This love will evince our sincerity in religion, and give us hope towards God:
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him, Jo1 3:19. It is a great happiness to be assured of our integrity in religion. Those that are so assured may have holy boldness or confidence towards God; they may appeal to him from the censures and condemnation of the world. The way to arrive at the knowledge of our own truth and uprightness in Christianity, and to secure our inward peace, is to abound in love and in the works of love towards the Christian brethren.
Historical interpretation
Eight Centuries of Reception
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And if we owe our lives to the brethren, and have made such a mutual compact with the Saviour, why should we any more hoard and shut up worldly goods, which are beggarly, foreign to us and transitory? Shall we shut up from each other what after a little shall be the property of the fire? Divinely and weightily John says, "He that loveth not his brother is a murderer," the seed of Cain, a nursling of the devil. He has not God's compassion. He has no hope of better things. He is sterile; he is barren; he is not a branch of the ever-living supercelestial vine. He is cut off; he waits the perpetual fire.
"Every one who hates his brother is a murderer." For in him through unbelief Christ dies. Rightly, therefore, he continues, "And you know that no murderer and unbeliever has eternal life abiding in him." For the living Christ abides in the believing soul.
But how far wider an extent the Lord assigns to those crimes we are sure: when He defines adultery to consist even in concupiscence, "if one shall have cast an eye lustfully on," and stirred his soul with immodest commotion; when He judges murder to consist even in a word of curse or of reproach, and in every impulse of anger, and in the neglect of charity toward a brother just as John teaches, that he who hates his brother is a murderer.
With the Lord in the day of judgment; but the quarrelsome and disunited, and he who has not peace with his brethren, in accordance with what the blessed apostle and the Holy Scripture testifies, even if he have been slain for the name of Christ, shall not be able to escape the crime of fraternal dissension, because, as it is written, "He who hateth his brother is a murderer ".
E darkness of jealousy? why do you enfold yourself in the cloud of malice? why do you quench all the light of peace and charity in the blindness of envy? why do you return to the devil, whom you had renounced? why do you stand like Cain? For that he who is jealous of his brother, and has him in hatred, is bound by the guilt of homicide, the Apostle John declares in his epistle, saying, "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath life abiding in him."
Lest ye should think it a light matter, brethren, to hate, or, not to love, hear what follows: "Every one that hateth his brother, is a murderer." How now, if any made light of hating his brother, will he also in his heart make light of murder? He does not stir his hands to kill a man; yet he is already held by God a murderer; the other lives, and yet this man is already judged as his slayer! "Every one that hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
Whoever hates his brother is a murderer. But this text of Scripture does not apply to males only; it is equally valid for females. Any woman who has injured someone else must make amends as quickly as possible, and the injured sister must forgive without reserve.
Whoever hates is a murderer. You may not have prepared any poison or committed a crime. You have only hated, and in doing so, you have killed yourself first of all.
In this passage, every person should be regarded as a brother, for we are all brothers in Christ.
Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer. If anyone despised brotherly hatred, would he also despise murder in his heart? He does not move his hands to kill a man, yet he is already considered a murderer by God. That man lives, but this one is already judged a killer.
And you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Even if he seems to live among the saints through faith here, he does not have eternal life abiding in him. For when the time of retribution comes, he will be damned with Cain who was of the evil one, even he who is guilty of this kind of murder, so as to disagree and dissent and have no peace with his brothers. Note that he does not say absolutely, "A murderer does not have life in him," but, "Everyone," he says, "who is a murderer." Certainly not only he who uses a weapon, but also he who follows his brother with hatred.
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's was righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.
Therefore, having explained these things, he repeats after many points made in between, love for one's neighbor, as if he had treated all that was in between for its sake, since love is also the fullness of everything (Rom. 13:10), and he says:
"He who does not love his brother is not of God." But against this, this member is also placed: He is not of God, saying this: For if he who does righteousness is born of God, it follows that he who is therefore born loves his brothers; but he who does not do righteousness, because he does not do it by hating his brothers, is not of God, not in any other way except that he is not born of him. And how he is not of him is shown by saying: "for this is the message that you heard from the beginning." (see Lev. 19:24) What this announcement is, we have already said, both naturally received and through teaching; but also by the legal command to love one's neighbor, as the Lord's command says: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another." (Jn. 13:34) The natural command regarding those of the same kind and condition also urges one to do this. Therefore, since there are so many such commands in accordance with the Lord's declaration, whoever keeps and does His word has eternal life and has passed from death to life. (Jn. 5:24)
Therefore, let us love our brothers, taking nothing harmful to imitate: for example, if we are hated by the world, let us not also hate our brothers: but let the word of the Lord be more effective in us. For whoever hates his brother is not only cast out from eternal life, but is also a murderer. For it necessarily follows that if he is a murderer, he has no eternal life. Behold Cain, John says, for he too, having hated his brother, murdered him, although he was his brother. But because Cain had evil works, he was the son of the Devil: whereas Abel, by doing righteous works, was called the son of God: the Devil is opposed to God, and evil works to good ones: therefore, Cain, being contrary to his brother, murdered him. Thus, indeed, the course of the discourse was consequent, but blessed John changed the order, always serving what was more pressing. For it was pressing, because he had mentioned the Devil and those who had been adopted by him due to their wicked actions, so as to propose him as an example who, from the beginning of the world, escaped as the wicked son through evil works.
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Summary
1 John 3:15 delivers a profound and challenging truth: anyone who harbors hatred for a fellow believer is, in God's sight, a murderer, and such a spiritual state is fundamentally incompatible with the indwelling presence of eternal life. This verse underscores the radical nature of Christian love, asserting that the internal disposition of the heart, not merely outward actions, reveals one's true spiritual standing before God.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is a pivotal statement within John's broader argument in 1 John 3 concerning the distinguishing marks of true children of God. Immediately preceding it, 1 John 3:14 declares, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." Verse 15 then provides the stark negative corollary to this positive assertion, emphasizing that the absence of love, specifically hatred, is not merely a minor failing but a spiritual condition akin to death. John consistently contrasts the "children of God" with the "children of the devil," with love being the primary characteristic of the former and hatred/murder (as seen in Cain in 1 John 3:12) characterizing the latter. The epistle as a whole stresses the importance of genuine love as evidence of true faith and fellowship with God.
Historical & Cultural Context
John's audience consisted of early Christians facing various challenges, including false teachers (antichrists) who denied the true humanity of Christ and promoted a Gnostic-like disdain for the physical world and, by extension, for fellow believers. In the Greco-Roman world, while murder was condemned, the internal disposition of the heart was often overlooked in favor of external adherence to law. John's teaching, however, aligns with Jesus' radical reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law, which elevated the internal state of the heart to paramount importance. The Jewish tradition, particularly the prophetic tradition, also emphasized the heart's condition, but John's direct equation of hatred with murder would have been particularly jarring and convicting, challenging believers to live out a transformative ethic that went far beyond mere external compliance.
Key Themes
1 John 3:15 powerfully contributes to several key themes in 1 John and the broader New Testament. Firstly, it highlights The Seriousness of Hatred, elevating it from a mere emotion to a grave sin that shares the spiritual essence of murder, revealing that the root of violence and destruction often begins in the heart. Secondly, it underscores the Internal Nature of True Righteousness, emphasizing that God judges not just outward actions but the inner attitudes and intentions, a theme echoed in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount concerning anger and lust (e.g., Matthew 5:21-22). Thirdly, the verse links the Presence of Eternal Life directly to the presence of love (and the absence of hatred), indicating that eternal life is not merely a future hope but a present spiritual reality characterized by God's love (1 John 4:7-8). Finally, it speaks to the Authenticity of Faith, asserting that one's posture towards others profoundly reflects one's posture towards God and the life He offers, serving as a crucial test of genuine discipleship.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
G3404 from a primary (hatred); to detest (especially to persecute); by extension, to love less. This word signifies a deep-seated aversion, hostility, or animosity, not merely a casual dislike. It implies an active principle of ill-will, a desire for harm or non-existence towards the object of hatred. John uses this strong term to convey the profound spiritual malignancy of such an attitude.
G443 from ἄνθρωπος (man) and (to kill); a manslayer. This term literally means "man-slayer" or "homicidal." By directly equating "one who hates" with "a murderer," John reveals that the spiritual essence of murder—the desire for another's non-existence, harm, or destruction—is present in hatred, even if the physical act of taking a life is absent. This highlights the internal, spiritual dimension of sin.
G166 from αἰών; perpetual (also used of past time, or past and future as well); G2222 from ζάω; life (literally or figuratively); G3306 a primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy). "Eternal life" (G166 aiṓnios zōḗ G2222) refers to the quality of life that belongs to God, characterized by fellowship with Him and His nature, which is love. The word "abiding" (G3306 ménō) signifies a continuous, indwelling presence or permanence. Thus, John asserts that the very nature of God's eternal life, which is love, cannot coexist or permanently dwell in a heart characterized by hatred.
Verse Breakdown
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer:"
This clause sets forth a radical spiritual equation. John declares that the internal disposition of hatred towards a fellow believer is not merely a precursor to murder, but is, in God's eyes, the spiritual equivalent of the act itself. It exposes the heart's intent as the true measure of sin, aligning with Jesus' teaching that anger without cause is liable to judgment, and contempt makes one liable to hell fire (Matthew 5:21-22). This highlights that sin begins in the heart and mind, not just in overt actions.
"and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him."
This second clause explains the profound consequence of such a state. The "ye know" suggests this is a truth already understood or implicitly accepted by the readers, perhaps from earlier teachings or common Christian understanding. It emphasizes that the nature of eternal life, which is God's life of love, cannot coexist with a heart consumed by hatred. The presence of hatred indicates a spiritual condition that is alienated from God's life, implying that one who truly hates has not genuinely "passed from death unto life" (1 John 3:14). The "abiding" signifies a permanent, indwelling presence, suggesting that if hatred is a settled condition, eternal life cannot truly reside there.
Literary Devices
John employs several potent Literary Devices to convey his message with stark clarity. The primary device is Metaphor or Equivalence, where he directly equates "hatred" with "murder." This is not merely a comparison but a declaration of spiritual identity: "is a murderer." This startling equivalence jolts the reader, forcing a re-evaluation of what constitutes grave sin. He also uses Juxtaposition, contrasting the state of having "eternal life abiding in him" with the spiritual condition of a "murderer" (one who hates). This highlights the irreconcilable differences between the life of God and the spirit of hatred. Furthermore, the verse functions as a Spiritual Test or Criterion, providing a clear standard by which believers can examine their hearts and discern the authenticity of their faith and the presence of God's life within them.
Theological and Thematic Connections
1 John 3:15 powerfully reinforces the New Testament's emphasis on the internal transformation of the believer and the centrality of love as the defining characteristic of God's nature and His children. It underscores that true righteousness extends beyond mere outward conformity to the law, penetrating to the deepest intentions of the heart. This verse reveals that hatred is not simply a human flaw but a fundamental opposition to the very essence of God, who is love (1 John 4:8). Consequently, the absence of love, manifested as hatred, serves as a grave indicator that one has not truly received or is not truly living in the eternal life that flows from God.
Reflection and Application
1 John 3:15 serves as a profound mirror, inviting believers to engage in radical self-examination of their hearts and relationships. It challenges us to move beyond superficial assessments of our spiritual health, compelling us to confront any latent animosity, resentment, or bitterness we may harbor towards others, especially fellow believers. This verse reminds us that true Christian discipleship demands not just the avoidance of outward sin, but a deep, internal transformation that cultivates genuine love, compassion, and forgiveness. It calls us to actively root out the seeds of hatred before they can fester and manifest in destructive ways, recognizing that such internal dispositions are antithetical to the very life of God within us. Cultivating love, therefore, becomes an active, daily pursuit, requiring reliance on the Holy Spirit to transform our natural inclinations and enable us to love as Christ loved.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean that if I ever feel angry or frustrated with someone, I am a murderer and don't have eternal life?
No, 1 John 3:15 is not saying that every fleeting moment of anger or frustration equates to being a murderer. John uses strong language to describe a settled disposition of hatred, a deep-seated animosity or ill-will that desires harm or non-existence for another person. This is distinct from temporary anger, which can even be righteous (e.g., Ephesians 4:26). The key is the abiding nature of hatred and its opposition to the abiding nature of eternal life. If hatred is a defining characteristic of one's heart, indicating a lack of love, then it reveals a spiritual state incompatible with true life in Christ. It's about the root attitude, not every passing emotion.
What does "eternal life abiding in him" truly mean in this context?
"Eternal life" (G166 aiṓnios zōḗ G2222) in the New Testament refers not just to unending existence, but to the quality of life that belongs to God Himself—a life characterized by His nature, which is love. When John speaks of "eternal life abiding" (G3306 ménō) in someone, he means that this divine, loving life is a present, indwelling reality, a permanent fixture within the believer through the Holy Spirit. If one truly possesses this life, it will manifest in love for others. Conversely, if hatred is present as a dominant, abiding force, it demonstrates that this divine, loving life is not truly dwelling within, or at least not in its transforming power. It's a test of genuine spiritual regeneration.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
1 John 3:15 finds its profound Christ-centered fulfillment in Jesus' perfect embodiment of love and His radical redefinition of righteousness. Jesus not only perfectly fulfilled the law by never harboring hatred but also exposed the spiritual essence of sin, teaching that anger and contempt in the heart are tantamount to murder in God's eyes (Matthew 5:21-22). He demonstrated the ultimate act of love by laying down His life for His enemies (Romans 5:8), thereby conquering the hatred and sin that plague the human heart. Through His atoning sacrifice, Christ provides forgiveness for our hatred and empowers us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to love with a divine love that was previously impossible. His "new commandment" (John 13:34-35) to love one another as He has loved us is the very antithesis of hatred, and it is by His Spirit that believers are enabled to shed the old nature of animosity and walk in the life-giving love that truly "abides" and reflects the nature of God Himself (1 John 4:7-8).