SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:17
Mas el que tuviere bienes de este mundo, y viere a su hermano tener necesidad, y le cerrare sus entraas, ¿cmo permanece la caridad de Dios en l?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 3:17
Verse 17. But whoso hath this worlds good] Here is a test of this love; if we do not divide our bread with the hungry, we certainly would not lay down our life for him. Whatever love we may pretend to mankind, if we are not charitable and benevolent, we give the lie to our profession. If we have not bowels of compassion, we have not the love of God in us; if we shut up our bowels against the poor, we shut Christ out of our hearts, and ourselves out of heaven. This worlds good. - tou bion tou kosmou? The life of this world, i.e. the means of life; for so biov is often used. See Mark xii. 44; Luke viii. 43; xv. 12, 30; xxi. 4, and other places.
How dwelleth the love of God in him?] That is, it cannot possibly dwell in such a person. Hardheartedness and God's love never meet together, much less can they be associated.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 17. But whoso hath this world's good , &c.] The possessions of this world, worldly substance, the temporal good things of it; for there are some things in it, which are honestly, pleasantly, and profitably good, when used lawfully, and not abused, otherwise they are to the owner's hurt: or the living of this world; that which the men of the world give up themselves to, are bent upon, and pursue after; or on which men live, and by which life is maintained, and preserved, and made comfortable in the present state of things; such as meat, drink, apparel, money, houses, lands, &c. The Ethiopic version renders it, he that hath the government of this world; as if it pointed at a person that is in some high office of worldly honour and profit, and is both great and rich; but the words are not to be restrained to such an one only, but refer to any man that has any share of the outward enjoyments of life; that has not only a competency for himself and family, but something to spare, and especially that has an affluence of worldly substance; but of him that has not, it is not required; for what a man distributes ought to be his own, and not another's, and in proportion to what he has, or according to his ability: and seeth his brother have need ; meaning, not merely a brother in that strict and natural relation, or bond of consanguinity; though such an one in distress ought to be, in the first place, regarded, for no man should hide himself from, overlook and neglect his own flesh and blood; but any, and every man, his neighbour, as the Ethiopic version reads, whom he ought to love as himself; and especially a brother in a spiritual relation, or one that is of the household of faith: if he has need; that is, is naked and destitute of daily food, has not the common supplies of life, and what nature requires; and also, whose circumstances are low and mean, though not reduced to the utmost extremity; and if he sees him in this distress with his own eyes, or if he knows it, hears of it, and is made acquainted with it, otherwise he cannot be blameworthy for not relieving him. And shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him ; hardens his heart, turns away his eyes, and shuts his hand; has no tenderness in him for, nor sympathy with his distressed brother, nor gives him any succour: and this shows, that when relief is given, it should be not in a morose and churlish manner, with reflection and reproach, but with affection and pity; and where there is neither one nor the other, how dwelleth the love of God in him ? neither the love with which God loves men; for if this was shed abroad in him, and had a place, and dwelt in him, and he was properly affected with it, it would warm his heart, and loosen his affections, and cause his bowels to move to his poor brother: nor the love with which God is loved; for if he does not love his brother whom he sees in distress, how should he love the invisible God? ( 1 John 4:20); nor that love which God requires of him, which is to love his neighbour as himself.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 16-21 - Here is the condescension, the miracle, the mystery of Divine love that God would redeem the church with his own blood. Surely we shoul love those whom God has loved, and so loved. The Holy Spirit, grieve at selfishness, will leave the selfish heart without comfort, and ful of darkness and terror. By what can it be known that a man has a tru sense of the love of Christ for perishing sinners, or that the love of God has been planted in his heart by the Holy Spirit, if the love of the world and its good overcomes the feelings of compassion to perishing brother? Every instance of this selfishness must weaken the evidences of a man's conversion; when habitual and allowed, it mus decide against him. If conscience condemn us in known sin, or the neglect of known duty, God does so too. Let conscience therefore be well-informed, be heard, and diligently attended to.
Greek Textus Receptus
ος 3739 δ 1161 αν 302 εχη 2192 5725 τον 3588 βιον 979 του 3588 κοσμου 2889 και 2532 θεωρη 2334 5725 τον 3588 αδελφον 80 αυτου 846 χρειαν 5532 εχοντα 2192 5723 και 2532 κλειση 2808 5661 τα 3588 σπλαγχνα 4698 αυτου 846 απ 575 αυτου 846 πως 4459 η 3588 αγαπη 26 του 3588 θεου 2316 μενει 3306 5719 εν 1722 αυτω 846
Vincent's NT Word Studies
17. This world's good (ton bion tou kosmou). Rev., the worlds goods. Biov means that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth.
Seeth (qewrh). Deliberately contemplates. See on John i. 18. Rev., beholdeth. The only occurrence of the verb in John's Epistles.
Have need (creian econta). Lit., having need. Rev., in need.
Bowels of compassion (ta splagcna). See on pitiful, 1 Pet. iii. 8. Rev., much better, his compassion. The word only here in John.
