1 John 4:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

from this we, who saw Him according to the flesh, came to know and bear witness that the Father sent Him as Savior of the world.

To establish us more perfectly in this knowledge, He Himself also gave explanation concerning His Person. At times He said: “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world” (Jn 16:28). That is, out of love for us the Father sent His Only-begotten Son from heaven into the world.

At times He spoke still more clearly: “God so loved the world that He gave His Only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish” (Jn 3:16). And again: “I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world” (Jn 12:47).

Be at peace, you who are sick. Such a Physician has come, and do you despair? Great were the diseases, incurable were the wounds, and hopeless was the sickness.

You look at the depth of your calamity and do not see the almighty power of the Physician. You are in despair, but He is almighty. Those who were formerly healed, and now proclaim the Physician, are witnesses to this. Yet they were healed more in hope than in actuality.

For the Apostle says, “We were saved in hope” (Rom 8:24). Therefore we have begun to be healed by faith, but our salvation will be perfected when this corruptible puts on incorruption and this mortal puts on immortality (1 Cor 15:54).

This is hope, but not yet its fulfillment. Yet he who rejoices in hope will also receive the fulfillment. He who has no hope will not be able to attain the fulfillment.

Because we have been joined to Him through pure love, the apostle says, we who saw Him in the flesh came to know Him. We testify that the Father sent Him as Savior of the world. He Himself, to lead us to more perfect knowledge, interpreted what we had already grasped when He once said, “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world” (Jn 16:28).

The Evangelist and Theologian had said earlier: “In this the love of God toward us was manifested, that God sent His Only-begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 Jn 4:9).

This is a great truth, the source of all our hopes and true joys. Bringing it close to the hearts of his readers or hearers, and removing every thought of doubt about this joyful truth, the Apostle repeats it again.

He confirms its unquestionable certainty by apostolic testimony, speaking in his own person and in the person of the other apostles: “And we have seen and testify that the Father sent the Son as Savior of the world.”

And so that we might have testimony within ourselves that God abides in us and we in God, He has made us partakers of His Spirit. Through Him we have known the words of God's life. We have seen the incarnate Word who came down to us. We work signs and wonders, and we proclaim to the whole world that God sent His Son to save the world by Himself. And we believe that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“And we have seen,” and so forth. The words of this verse are connected with 1 Jn 4:12 in this way. Although no one has seen God in His essence, He has revealed Himself in His Only-begotten Son (Jn 14:9).

And we, the apostles and all the believers who were with us, saw with our own eyes, heard with our own ears, and handled with our own hands (1 Jn 1:1-3). On the basis of this certain and truthful assurance, we bear witness (Jn 1:14, 27; Jn 4:42).

We testify that the heavenly Father, according to His ineffable love for the world, sent His Son as Savior, Redeemer, Propitiator, and Advocate for the world (see Jn 1:10; 1 Jn 2:2).

From where do the children of God draw assurance of their knowledge of God and union with Him? “By this,” says the Apostle, “we know, because He has given us of His Spirit” (1 Jn 4:13).

The manifestation of this is, on the one hand, our firm confession of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. On the other hand, it is love, which casts out every fear of punishment and instead inspires confidence that we shall one day appear justified at God’s judgment.

“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God... Love is perfected with us in this, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment... There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 Jn 4:14-18).

The apostle again speaks of his immediate vision of the Savior in order to bear witness to the reality of the coming into the world of the Son of God in the person of Jesus Christ.

He also points out to all the possibility of entering into communion with God through faith in Him. Following the apostles’ example, they may know love by experience, and through love understand that God is love, since love can be understood only by love.

Having spoken of the beginning of love and its effects upon believers, the apostle also indicates wherein its possible fullness must consist, namely, in union with God.

This fullness can be attained in no other way than by imitating the love of Jesus Christ. As is known, He especially movingly exhorted His disciples to act as He acted.

This took place at the Mystical Supper and afterward during the Savior’s farewell discourse with His disciples. After this He prayed to the Father for the union of believers with Him.

The heavenly beginning of our salvation is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, as His beloved disciple testifies: “The Father sent the Son as Savior of the world” (1 Jn 4:14). The means corresponding to this beginning on man's part are faith working through love and the use of the Church's mysteries, according to the Lord's own word: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16:16).

Above, in verse 12, it was said that the invisible God reveals Himself to us as the God of love in our love for our neighbors. But God’s love for men was revealed in the highest degree when the invisible God manifested Himself to men in His Son, sent for the salvation of the world.

His consubstantial Son takes the form of man, and in this form becomes visible to all. Not all who saw Him with bodily eyes discerned in Him the promised Savior. Not all believed in His God-manhood. Not all contemplated in Him the love of God the Father for men.