SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:3
Porque esta es la caridad de Dios, que guardemos sus mandamientos, y sus mandamientos no son gravosos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:3
Verse 3. For this is the love of God] This the love of God necessarily produces. It is vain to pretend love to God while we live in opposition to his will. His commandments] To love him with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, are not grievous - are not burdensome; for no man is burdened with the duties which his own love imposes. The old proverb explains the meaning of the apostle's words, Love feels no loads. Love to God brings strength from God; through his love and his strength, all his commandments are not only easy and light, but pleasant and delightful.
On the love of God, as being the foundation of all religious worship, there is a good saying in Sohar Exod., fol. 23, col. xc1: "Rabbi Jesa said, how necessary is it that a man should love the holy blessed God! For he can bring no other worship to God than love; and whoever loves him, and worships him from a principle of love, him the holy blessed God calls his beloved."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments , &c.] Keeping of the commandments of God is an evidence of love to God; this shows that love is not in word and tongue, in profession only, but in deed and in truth; and that such persons have a sense of the love of God upon their souls, under the influence of which they act; and such shall have, and may expect to have, greater manifestations of the love of God unto them: and his commandments are not grievous ; heavy, burdensome, and disagreeable; by which are meant, not so much the precepts of the moral law, which through the weakness of the flesh are hard to be kept, and cannot be perfectly fulfilled; though believers indeed, being freed from the rigorous exaction, curse, and condemnation of the law, delight in it after the inward man, and serve it cheerfully with their spirit; and still less the commands of the ceremonial law, which were now abolished, and were grievous to be borne; but rather those of faith in Christ, and love to the saints, ( 1 John 3:23); or it may be the ordinances of the Gospel, baptism, and the Lord's supper, with others, which though disagreeable to unregenerate persons, who do not care to be under the yoke of Christ, however easy and light it is, yet are not heavy and burdensome to regenerate ones; and especially when they have the love of God shed abroad in them, the presence of God with them, communion with Jesus Christ, and a supply of grace and strength from him; then are these ways ways of pleasantness, and paths of peace, and the tabernacles of the Lord are amiable and lovely. Ver. 4. For whatsoever is born of God , &c.] Which may be understood either of persons born; of God; or of the new creature, or principle of grace wrought in them, particularly faith hereafter mentioned, which is an heaven born grace, the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit: this overcometh the world ; the god of the world, Satan; the lusts which are in the world; false prophets gone forth into the world; and the wicked men of the world, who by temptations, snares, evil doctrines, threatenings, promises, and ill examples, would avert regenerate ones from observing the commands of God; but such are more than conquerors over all these, through Christ that has loved them: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, [even] our faith . The Arabic and Ethiopic versions read, your faith; great things, heroic actions, and wonderful victories, are ascribed to faith; (see Hebrews 11:33,34); which must not be understood of the grace itself, as separately considered, but of Christ the object of it, as supported, strengthened, assisted, and animated by him: and then it does wonders, when it is enabled to hold Christ, its shield, in its hand, against every enemy that opposes.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - True love for the people of God, may be distinguished from natura kindness or party attachments, by its being united with the love of God, and obedience to his commands. The same Holy Spirit that taugh the love, will have taught obedience also; and that man cannot trul love the children of God, who, by habit, commits sin or neglects know duty. As God's commands are holy, just, and good rules of liberty an happiness, so those who are born of God and love him, do not count the grievous, but lament that they cannot serve him more perfectly Self-denial is required, but true Christians have a principle whic carries them above all hinderances. Though the conflict often is sharp and the regenerate may be cast down, yet he will rise up and renew his combat with resolution. But all, except believers in Christ, ar enslaved in some respect or other, to the customs, opinions, or interests of the world. Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armour by which we overcome. In and by fait we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and in opposition to the world Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual lusts by which the world obtains sway and dominion over souls. It has the indwelling Spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world. The real Christian overcomes the world by faith; he sees, in an by the life and conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth, that this world is to be renounced and overcome. He cannot be satisfied with this world but looks beyond it, and is still tending, striving, and pressin toward heaven. We must all, after Christ's example, overcome the world or it will overcome us to our ruin.
Greek Textus Receptus
αυτη 3778 γαρ 1063 εστιν 2076 5748 η 3588 αγαπη 26 του 3588 θεου 2316 ινα 2443 τας 3588 εντολας 1785 αυτου 846 τηρωμεν 5083 5725 και 2532 αι 3588 εντολαι 1785 αυτου 846 βαρειαι 926 ουκ 3756 εισιν 1526 5748
Vincent's NT Word Studies
3. Grievous (bareiai). Lit., heavy. The word occurs six times in the New Testament. Acts xx. 29, violent, rapacious; "grievous wolves": 2 Corinthians x. 10, weighty, impressive, of Paul's letters: Matt. xxiii. 23; Acts xxv. 7, important, serious; the weightier matters of the law; serious charges against Paul.
