1 John 3:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

If you see a poor man, do not pass by. At once consider what you would be if you were that poor man, and what you would not want everyone to do to you.

He speaks as though saying this: why speak of laying down one’s soul for a brother, when we see that some do not satisfy their brothers’ necessities of life? And these are not people poor in the means of life. I am not speaking of such. I mean those who possess the wealth of the whole world. Therefore let them be ashamed. If they have shut their heart in this small matter and shown themselves unworthy of the love of God, what would they show if something greater were required, namely, to die for a brother?

Perfect generosity is manifested in faith, that is, in the very cause of this activity, and depends on place and time. First of all, you must help those near to you in the faith. Your guilt is great if a believer is in need, especially if he is ashamed of it, and you know this. You know that he has no means, that he is hungry and suffers misfortune. You know if the law is pursuing him and confiscation of his property awaits him, or if he has been slandered, and you do not help him. Or if a righteous man is in prison and is subjected to punishment and torments because of debts, and receives no help from you in his sufferings. Though all deserve mercy, the righteous man deserves it more.

If every time even the smallest alms is given, it is given to Christ, then it is not right for anyone to prefer earthly things to heavenly things, or to place human things above divine things.

All the more, we must be ready for every sacrifice of outward goods. Providence itself, by giving much to one person and little to another, shows that it obliges some to charity and grants others a right to help and compassion. When a rich man, through the hardness of his heart, refuses help to the poor and needy, will God not be angry with him? “How does the love of God abide in him?”

“To shut the inward parts,” in Russian, “the heart,” is an expression of inner lack of goodwill toward neighbors. “How does the love of God abide in him?” “Love inclined the God-man to lay down His soul for us. According to His example, we too must lay down our souls for the brethren. But how can we speak of laying down the soul for the brethren when we see that some do not satisfy their brothers’ necessities of life? And they are not poor in means, but possess the wealth of this world. If they have shut their heart in this small matter and shown themselves unworthy of the love of God, what would they show if something greater were required of them, namely, to die for a brother?” (Theophylact).

"But whoever has this world's goods," and so forth: the discourse moves from the greater to the lesser and is explained by an example from ordinary life. If, following the example of our Lord, we must go so far in love for our neighbor as to be ready to lay down our life for him, then all the more must such love move and oblige us to help him readily and willingly in what he needs for daily life. We must lighten the burden of his condition if we have abundant means to do so (cf. Jas 2:15-16 and note). "This world's goods" means the goods of this temporary life, in contrast to eternal life. It means the means of living, of supporting and preserving life (cf. Mk 12:44; Lk 8:43; Lk 15:30; Lk 21:4). "In need" means generally lacking these means of life (cf. Eph 4:28; Mk 2:25).

The degree to which the love of the children of God for their neighbors must extend (1 Jn 3:16-18). It must extend to laying down their life for them. Just as "He," Christ, "laid down His life for us, and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 Jn 3:16-18). But since this is done rarely, blessed Theophylact observes, the Apostle, as if putting the faithful to shame, begins with a lesser exhortation to brotherly love. "But whoever has this world's goods and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 Jn 3:17). The Apostle speaks as if to say: why speak of laying down one's life for a brother, when we see that people do not satisfy their brothers in what is necessary for life (Theophylact)?

After indicating the general character of Christian love, the Apostle John shows certain kinds and manifestations of love, namely mercy toward the poor, from whom the rich often turn away both heart and eyes. Then the Apostle teaches everyone in general not to stop at love only in the heart, still less at words, but necessarily to pass on to the manifestation of love in actual deed. Only one who lives by active love, embracing his whole being, lives the true life and can stand before God's judgment with a peaceful conscience. "Where there is love," says Saint John Chrysostom, "there is neither envy nor slander.