SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:19
Nosotros lo amamos a l, porque l primero nos am.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 4:19
Verse 19. We love him because he first loved us.] This is the foundation of our love to God. 1. We love him because we find he has loved us. 2. We love him from a sense of obligation and gratitude. 3. We love him from the influence of his own love; from his love shed abroad in our hearts, our love to him proceeds. It is the seed whence our love springs. The verse might be rendered, Let us therefore love him, because he first loved us: thus the Syriac and Vulgate.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. We love him, because he first loved us .] Lest love to God, and so to one another, should be thought to be of ourselves, and too much be ascribed unto it, the apostle observes, that God's love to us is prior to our love to him; his love is from everlasting, as well as to everlasting; for he loves his people as he does his Son, and he loved him before the foundation of the world; his choosing them in Christ as early, and blessing them then with all spiritual blessings, the covenant of grace made with Christ from all eternity, the gift of grace to them in him before the world began, and the promise of eternal life to them so soon, show the antiquity and priority of his love: his love shown in the mission and gift of his Son was before theirs, and when they had none to him; and his love in regeneration and conversion is previous to theirs, and is the cause of it; his grace in regeneration brings faith and love with it, and produces them in the heart; and his love shed abroad there is the moving cause of it, or what draws it first into act and exercise; and the larger the discoveries and applications of the love of God be, the more does love to him increase and abound; and nothing more animates and inflames our love to God, than the consideration of the earliness of his love to us, of its being before ours; which shows that it is free, sovereign, distinguishing, and unmerited. Some read the words as an exhortation, let us love him; and others as in the subjunctive mood, we should love him, because, &c. some copies read, we love God, and so the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions, and the Alexandrian copy, read, because God first loved us: and so some others.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-21 - The Father sent the Son, he willed his coming into this world. The apostle attests this. And whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the So of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. This confession include faith in the heart as the foundation; makes acknowledgment with the mouth to the glory of God and Christ, and profession in the life an conduct, against the flatteries and frowns of the world. There must be a day of universal judgment. Happy those who shall have holy boldnes before the Judge at that day; knowing he is their Friend and Advocate Happy those who have holy boldness in the prospect of that day, wh look and wait for it, and for the Judge's appearance! True love to God assures believers of God's love to them. Love teaches us to suffer for him and with him; therefore we may trust that we shall also be glorified with him, 2Ti 2:12. We must distinguish between the fear of God and being afraid of him; the fear of God imports high regard an veneration for God. Obedience and good works, done from the principl of love, are not like the servile toil of one who unwillingly labour from dread of a master's anger. They are like that of a dutiful child who does services to a beloved father, which benefit his brethren, an are done willingly. It is a sign that our love is far from perfect when our doubts, fears, and apprehensions of God, are many. Let heave and earth stand amazed at his love. He sent his word to invite sinner to partake of this great salvation. Let them take the comfort of the happy change wrought in them, while they give him the glory. The love of God in Christ, in the hearts of Christians from the Spirit of adoption, is the great proof of conversion. This must be tried by it effects on their temper, and their conduct to their brethren. If a ma professes to love God, and yet indulges anger or revenge, or shows selfish disposition, he gives his profession the lie. But if it is plain that our natural enmity is changed into affection and gratitude let us bless the name of our God for this seal and earnest of eterna happiness. Then we differ from the false professors, who pretend to love God, whom they have not seen, yet hate their brethren, whom the have seen __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ημεις 2249 αγαπωμεν 25 5719 25 5725 αυτον 846 οτι 3754 αυτος 846 πρωτος 4413 ηγαπησεν 25 5656 ημας 2248
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. We love Him (hmeiv agapwmen auton). The best texts omit Him. Some render let us love, as ver. 7. The statement is general, relating to the entire operation of the principle of love. All human love is preceded and generated by the love of God.
