SEV Biblia, Chapter 2:7
¶ Hermanos, no os escribo mandamiento nuevo, sino el mandamiento antiguo, que habis tenido desde el principio: el mandamiento antiguo es la Palabra que habis oído desde el principio.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 2:7
Verse 7. Brethren, I write no new commandment] There seems a contradiction between this and the next verse. But the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the essence of the precept itself, as in reference to the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was ever the command of God that men should receive his light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. But this commandment was renewed by Christ with much latitude and spirituality of meaning; and also with much additional light to see its extent, and grace to observe it. It may therefore be called the OLD commandment, which was from the beginning; and also a NEW commandment revealed afresh and illustrated by Christ, with the important addition to the meaning of Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye shall love the brethren so as to lay down your lives for each other. See the note on John xiii. 34. Instead of adelfoi, brethren, ABC, thirteen others, with both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Slavonic, and Vulgate, with several of the fathers, have agaphtoi, beloved. This is without doubt the true reading.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you , &c.] Some understand this of faith, which this apostle calls a commandment, ( John 3:23); but it rather intends the commandment of love, especially to the brethren, of which the apostle says the same things as here in his second epistle, ( 1 John 2:5,6); and this sense agrees both with what goes before and follows after, and is a considerable branch of the commandments of Christ to be kept, and of walking as he walked; and the word brethren, prefixed to this account, may direct to, and strengthen this sense, though the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read, beloved; and so the Alexandrian copy, and others: and this commandment is said to be not a new one, but an old commandment, which ye had from the beginning ; it being in its original a part of the eternal law of truth, founded upon the unalterable nature and eternal will of God, who is love itself, and requires it in all his creatures; being what was written on Adam's heart in a state of innocence, and a branch of the divine image stamped upon him; and is what was delivered in the law of Moses, for love to God and men is the sum and substance of that; and was taught by Christ and his apostles from the beginning of the Gospel dispensation; and was what these saints had been acquainted with, and influentially instructed in from their first conversion, being taught of God in regeneration to love one another; so that this was no novel doctrine, no upstart notion, no new law, but of the greatest and most venerable antiquity, and therefore to be regarded in the most respectful manner. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning ; or this ancient law of love is contained in, and enforced by that word or doctrine which was delivered from the beginning of time; and which these saints had heard of, concerning the seed of the woman's bruising the serpent's head, which includes the work of redemption and salvation by Christ, atonement by his sacrifice, forgiveness of sin through his blood, and justification by his righteousness, than which nothing can more powerfully engage to love God, and Christ, and one another; and which is also strongly encouraged by the word of God and Gospel of Christ, which they had heard, and had a spiritual and saving knowledge of, from the time they were effectually called by the grace of God: the phrase, from the beginning, is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and others, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions; it is omitted in both clauses of the text in the latter.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-11 - What knowledge of Christ can that be, which sees not that he is mos worthy of our entire obedience? And a disobedient life shows there is neither religion nor honesty in the professor. The love of God is perfected in him that keeps his commandments. God's grace in his attains its true mark, and produces its sovereign effect as far as ma be in this world, and this is man's regeneration; though neve absolutely perfect here. Yet this observing Christ's commands, ha holiness and excellency which, if universal, would make the eart resemble heaven itself. The command to love one another had been in force from the beginning of the world; but it might be called a ne command as given to Christians. It was new in them, as their situatio was new in respect of its motives, rules, and obligations. And thos who walk in hatred and enmity to believers, remain in a dark state Christian love teaches us to value our brother's soul, and to drea every thing hurtful to his purity and peace. Where spiritual darknes dwells, in mind, the judgment, and the conscience will be darkened, an will mistake the way to heavenly life. These things demand seriou self-examination; and earnest prayer, that God would show us what we are, and whither we are going.
Greek Textus Receptus
αδελφοι 80 ουκ 3756 εντολην 1785 καινην 2537 γραφω 1125 5719 υμιν 5213 αλλ 235 εντολην 1785 παλαιαν 3820 ην 3739 ειχετε 2192 5707 απ 575 αρχης 746 η 3588 εντολη 1785 η 3588 παλαια 3820 εστιν 2076 5748 ο 3588 λογος 3056 ον 3739 ηκουσατε 191 5656 απ 575 αρχης 746
Vincent's NT Word Studies
7. Brethren (adelfoi). The correct reading is ajgaphoi beloved. The first occurrence of this title, which is suggested by the previous words concerning the relation of love.
No new commandment (ouk entolhn kainhn). The Rev., properly, places these words first in the sentence as emphatic, the point of the verse lying in the antithesis between the new and the old. On new, see on Matt. xxvi. 29.
Old (palaian). Four words are used in the New Testament for old or elder. Of these gerwn and presbuterov refer merely to the age of men, or, the latter, to official position based primarily upon age. Hence the official term elder. Between the two others, ajrcaiov and palaiov, the distinction is not sharply maintained. Arcaiov emphasizes the reaching back to a beginning (arch). Thus Satan is "that old (arcaiov) serpent," whose evil work was coeval with the beginning of time (Apoc. vii. 9; xx. 2). The world before the flood is "the old (arcaiov) world" (2 Peter ii. 5). Mnason was "an old (arcaiov) disciple;" not aged, but having been a disciple from the beginning (Acts xxi. 16). Sophocles, in "Trachiniae," 555, gives both words. "I had an old (palaion) gift," i.e., received long ago, "from the old (arcaiou) Centaur." The Centaur is conceived as an old-world creature, belonging to a state of things which has passed away. It carries, therefore, the idea of old fashioned: peculiar to an obsolete state of things.
Palaiov carries the sense of worn out by time, injury, sorrow, or other causes. Thus the old garment (Matt. ix. 16) is palaion. So the old wine-skins (Matt. ix. 17). The old men of a living generation compared with the young of the same generation are palaioi. In palaiov the simple conception of time dominates. In ajrcaiov there is often a suggestion of a character answering to the remote age.
The commandment is here called old because it belonged to the first stage of the Christian church. Believers had had it from the beginning of their Christian faith.
Commandment. The commandment of love. Compare John xiii. 34. This commandment is fulfilled in walking as Christ walked. Compare Ephesians v. 1, 2.
