1Jo 3:23-24 | RWP | e4.org | His commandment ( η εντολη αυτου ). That ( ινα ). Subfinal use of ινα in apposition with εντολη (commandment) and explanatory of it, as in ( εντολη ινα ). See Christ's summary of the commandments ( ; ). So these two points here (1) We should believe ( πιστευσωμεν , first aorist active subjunctive according to B K L, though Aleph A C read the present subjunctive πιστευωμεν ) either in a crisis (aorist) or the continuous tenor (present) of our lives. The "name" of Jesus Christ here stands for all that he is, "a compressed creed " (Westcott) as in . Note dative ονοματ here with πιστευω as in , though εις ονομα (on the name) in ; ; ; . But (2) we should love one another" ( αγαπωμεν αλληλους ), as he has already urged ( .; ) and as he will repeat ( , .; ) as Jesus (even as he gave us commandment, that is Christ) had previously done ( ; , ). There are frequent points of contact between this Epistle and the words of Jesus in .

‏ 1 John 3:23-24

His commandment ( η εντολη αυτου ).

That ( ινα ). Subfinal use of ινα in apposition with εντολη (commandment) and explanatory of it, as in Joh 15:12 ( εντολη ινα ). See Christ's summary of the commandments (Mr 12:28-31; Mt 22:34-40). So these two points here (1)

We should believe ( πιστευσωμεν, first aorist active subjunctive according to B K L, though Aleph A C read the present subjunctive πιστευωμεν ) either in a crisis (aorist) or the continuous tenor (present) of our lives. The "name" of Jesus Christ here stands for all that he is, "a compressed creed " (Westcott) as in 1:3. Note dative ονοματ here with πιστευω as in 5:10, though εις ονομα (on the name) in 5:13; Joh 1:12; 2:23; 3:18. But (2) we should love one another" ( αγαπωμεν αλληλους ), as he has already urged (2:7f.; 3:11) and as he will repeat (4:7, 11f.; 2Jo 1:5) as Jesus (even as he gave us commandment, that is Christ) had previously done (Joh 13:34; 15:12, 17). There are frequent points of contact between this Epistle and the words of Jesus in Joh 13-17.

And he in him ( κα αυτος εν αυτω ). That is "God abides in him" as in 4:15. We abide in God and God abides in us through the Holy Spirit (Joh 14:10, 17, 23; 17:21). "Therefore let God be a home to thee, and be thou the home of God: abide in God, and let God abide in thee" (Bede).

By the Spirit ( εκ του πνευματος ). It is thus (by the Holy Spirit, first mention in this Epistle and "Holy" not used with "Spirit" in this Epistle or the Apocalypse) that we know that God abides in us.

Which ( ου ). Ablative case by attraction from accusative ο (object of εδωκεν ) to agree with πνευματος as often, though not always. It is a pity that the grammatical gender (which) is retained here in the English instead of "whom," as it should be.