1 John 4:19
We love him, because he first loved us.
Ghi chú nghiên cứu
Study Note
The simple yet theologically profound statement 'we love him, because he first loved us' encapsulates the Johannine theology of love as fundamentally responsive and derivative rather than initiating. The priority of divine love ('first,' prōtos) in the Johannine understanding is grounded in the entire Incarnation narrative: God's love was demonstrated not in our response but in Christ's coming (1 John 4:9-10: 'he sent his only begotten Son... he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins'). The Greek syntax allows for both 'we love him' (agapōmen auton) and 'we love' (agapōmen, without object) as translations, the latter reading making divine prior love the source of all creaturely love, including love for neighbor (4:20-21). Augustine's famous formulation 'Thou madest us for Thyself... our heart is restless until it repose in Thee' reflects this Johannine theology of love's divine origin.
Bản dịch khác
We love, because he first loved us.
we--we love him, because He--He first loved us;
We have the power of loving, because he first had love for us.
Tham chiếu chéo
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little …
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which …
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all …
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing …
For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, …
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth …
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not …
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires …