Please Help Us Keep These Thousands of Blog Posts Growing and Free for All

$5.00

1 John 3:17 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹⁷But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart^[7] against^[8] him, how does the love of God remain in him?

^[7] Lit inward parts
^[8] Lit from

But whoever has the world’s goods. Has property—called ‘this world’s good,’ or a good pertaining to this world because it is of value to us only as it meets our wants this side of the grave; and perhaps also because it is sought supremely by the men of the world. The general meaning of this verse, in connection with the previous verse, is that if we ought to be willing to lay down our lives for others, we ought to be willing to make those comparatively smaller sacrifices that are necessary to relieve them in their distresses; and that if we are unwilling to do this, we can have no evidence that the love of God dwells in us.

And sees his brother in need. Need of food, clothing, shelter, or sick, poor, and unable to provide for his own wants and those of his family.

And closes his heart against him. The bowels, or upper viscera, embracing the heart, and the region of the chest generally, are in the Scriptures represented as the seat of mercy, piety, and compassion because when the mind feels compassion, it is that part which is affected. Comp. Isa. 16:11.

How does the love of God remain in him? How can a man love God who does not love those who bear his image? See Notes, chap. 4:20. On the general sentiment here, see Notes on James 2:14–16. The meaning is plain: we cannot have evidence of piety unless we are ready to do good to others, especially our Christian brothers. See Matt. 25:45; Gal. 6:10.

By Albert Barnes and Edward D. Andrews