Calvin

2:7

John moves to assure his readers that nothing new is being taught, but only that which had been true from the start. The commandment is old in that it is the same that has been taught since the beginning of the gospel message, from the start of Christ's ministry. It is older yet, in that what Christ preached has been God's message from the beginning - thus the gospel message, while new, still has a history as old as the Old Testament. 

2:8

The commandment is new in that it is fresh every day, never becoming old with long use. This fresh sameness serves to keep us from straying after new and strange doctrines, as is our wont. Truth here refers to perfection, which is found in our love for God and brother. Christ alone is the light that dispels the darkness of our ignorance. We progress daily, by remaining in the pure light of His simple doctrines, not allowing them to be obscured by man's imaginations. (Phil 3:12 - even in Paul, the need for daily progress is seen.)

2:9

Love of brother and love of God are so interconnected as to be inseparable, and so are treated as somewhat interchangeable by John. Love of God is our primary commandment, which leads naturally to love of man as an expression of that commandment, the latter love serving to prove the former. (Ro 13:8 - love of neighbor fulfills the law [because it's impossible without love of God behind it], Mt 23:23 - justice, mercy, and faithfulness [love and obedience] are the meat of the law.)

2:10

The one who lives by the rule of love will never stumble.

2:11

Without love, all other display of piety is nonsense and worse. "...fictitious sanctity dazzles the eyes of almost all men, while love is neglected, or, at least, driven to the farthest corner." Ouch.

 

 

Matthew Henry

2:7-2:11

In addressing his listeners as 'beloved', John is already working from the love he is about to recommend. Before the fall, love was commended by blood relationship, afterwards by a partnership in the same hope. With the incorporation of the Hebrews, love gained the commendation of covenant promise and their attending privileges. Now the commendations must be passed to the church. In the new light which drives back our unconverted darkness, the commandment of love seems new. This gets extended by MH to cover the entire reformed movement as new and old, the light after Rome's darkness. Many believe themselves more enlightened than they are - professing their belief, yet walking in hatred. By contrast, the true believer sees it as just and right that we should love those whom Christ loved. Thereby, he will neither stumble, nor cause his brother to stumble. Where hatred rules, there is darkness, and the one so darkened doesn't realize where he's headed, mistakenly believing himself still heaven-bound (or at least not hell-bound). John had to be brought from the 'son of thunder' mentality to his then-current belief in the rule of love. (Lk 9:54 - John wants to call down fire on the Samaritan village.) Jesus is the Master of love, and we his family must be a family of love.

 

 

Adam Clarke

2:7

The command to love God and one another has always been so, and thus is old. Christ came and revealed expanded horizons to the breadth and degree of love required, making the command also new.

2:8

Christ and His apostles were willing to love to the point of laying down their lives. The love we bear to God and man is a renewal in us of the age-old command. Darkness was thickest in the pagan lands, dissipating somewhat with the Mosaic covenant. With Christ's advent, true light has started shining, further dissipating the darkness. The process will continue until the final day when darkness will be fully overcome by the light.

2:9

The professor that hates professes falsely, trying to mislead others and perhaps succeeding in misleading himself. This goes beyond the lack of love for a brother to actively willing and doing evil toward him.

2:10

When we show continual goodwill and kindness to our fellow humanity, we offer proof that not only did we receive Christ's redemption, but are walking and growing in His justification. Such a walk neither causes another to stumble, nor is caused to stumble by another, because the light makes such obstacles clear so that we can avoid them.

2:11

By contrast, the one that hates stumbles about in darkness not knowing where he is bound since the darkness extends to soul and mind.

 

 

Barnes

2:7

The commandment old and new to which John refers might well be taken to cover the entirety of his teaching, and be considered as offered to ward off undue attack. It may also be taken as setting himself apart from the false teachers who were indeed offering new and novel ideas. What he teaches has always been the way of true religion, having been the same message of the gospel since there was a gospel message, there is nothing new being said here, only a reiteration of what has been said all along.

2:8

In that Jesus Himself declared the commandment of love to be new, it is indeed new - and in no other sense than that introduced by Jesus, who expanded its horizons to the full. This expanded love was evident in Jesus' own life, and manifested amongst His followers to this day. The darkness of old erroneous systems is dispelled by the light of true religion in Jesus. (Jn 1:4-5 - He was the light of men, shining on their darkness, Jn 8:12 - Jesus declares Himself the light, Jn 12:35-36 - and calls His followers to be sons of light, Jn 12:46 - He came a light to dispel the darkness, Isa 9:2 - He is prophesied as coming as light to a darkened land.)

2:9

'Light' now represents the true religion of Christianity. Brother is taken to refer only to fellow believers in this context. Since Jesus declared love as the identifying badge of His disciples, to be without love is to be without true saving belief. (Jn 15:17 - we are commanded to love one another, Jn 13:35 - by which love mankind will realize us to be His, 1Th 4:9 - we are taught to love one another by God.)

2:10

The one who loves has true religion, and enjoys it. Love keeps us from offense - either from or toward another. (Mt 5:29 - That which causes us to stumble in ourselves ought to be removed, Ro 14:13 - we are enjoined not to cause our brother to stumble, Ro 13:10 - love will not do wrong to a neighbor.) In love, there can be no envy, malice, or hatred. "He who truly loves good people, will not be likely in any respect to go astray from the paths of virtue."

2:11

The sentiment here covers not only positive active hatred, but also the absence of love. One walking in such a state cannot see anything clearly. (Jn 12:35 - in darkness on doesn't know where they are going.) One who doesn't know love, knows nothing at all about true religion.

 

 

Wycliffe

2:7-2:8

To walk as He walked is to love the brethren. Beginning could refer to the beginning of the race, the Law, or Christian life; Wycliffe chooses the latter. Because darkness is passing away as the true light shines stronger, John bids us to walk as children of God's revelation in Christ.

2:9-2:11

'Brother' taken to refer to Christians, not humanity at large. The false profession is seen in an existence that exactly opposes the claims made. By contrast, the one who truly loves will not cause another to stumble. Darkness is the blinding home of the one who hates his brother.

 

 

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

2:7

'Beloved' is more correct than 'brethren'. Love is in the principle of walking as Christ walked, and in following His example with our brethren. The commandment is as old as the Gospel.

2:8

Inasmuch as Christians had heard this message since the beginning of Christ's ministry, it is old. Inasmuch as it is an expanded understanding of that love - as Christ loved - it is new. (Jn 13:34-35 - Jesus gives the new command to love as He has loved, Jn 15:12 - the commandment restated.) The commandment is found active both in Christ and in His followers, in the latter as we follow His example, and not without His Spirit filling us. (Jn 20:17 - a parallel seen in 'My Father and your Father', He is theirs because He is first Jesus' Father.) Darkness shall not be wholly done away with until the Sun of righteousness is visibly risen - although the dawning light of His revelation already works to dissipate the darkness.

2:9

The dichotomy is clear between light and darkness, love and hatred, life and death, God and world - all are parallels. Where spiritual life has begun, darkness and death have already lost hold. Either love or hatred must hold sway in the heart, it cannot be both and it cannot be neither. (Lk 9:50 - the one who is not against us is for us, Lk 11:23 - the one who is not with us is against us - there is no middle ground, no fence to sit.) Light is the proper element for us to be in. Our brotherhood is one more reason for love to be expected. The one who fails to love remains darkened in spite of the dawning light.

2:10

Abiding in light is abiding in love [is abiding in life]. The one who loves walks unimpeded. The one who hates stumbles over everything - himself and everyone around. (Jn 11:9-10 - who walks in the daylight doesn't stumble, who walks in night darkness stumbles for lack of light.)

2:11

The hating one is in a continuous state of darkness, and walks a darkened course, knowing neither where he goes or how he gets there. The darkness has long since blinded such a one.

 

 

New Thoughts

I see some attempts to reduce the challenge in some of the comments here, and reading the section in isolation could support those attempts. There are attempts to limit the application of our commandment to Christians. While such an interpretation is possible, Christ's example - which we are to follow - makes it improbable. There are attempts to limit the hatred clause to active enmity - and again the dictionary definition would make that acceptable. But as J,S & B points out, there is a firm dichotomy between love and hate, there is no middle ground where neither is active. It's one or the other. Scripture has a habit of dispelling the 'gray areas'. I like the J,S & B note at 2:9 - light/dark, love/hate, life/death, God/world - in all these one must choose. There can be no 'some of each', there can be no 'no thank you'. It's for or against. How often we try to hide in that middle area, but God takes away that hiding to reveal ourselves to ourselves. Lord, help us to truly repent of our halfway states. Yes, I understand that it's a process, that we progress over time as Your light fills us more fully with Your truth. But, oh, how easily I slip back; try to ease the challenge; try to justify myself when I'm unjust. God help. Give me the will and the strength to repent of my ways; to love consistently and fully; to see others as Your children - deserving of my love for the simple fact that You love them.