The act of the woman who anointed the Savior's head with precious fragrant oil meets with disapproval rather than support from His disciples. Jesus, however, points out to them that she has done something good and right by preparing His body for burial: He knew that...
The act of the woman who anointed the Savior's head with precious fragrant oil meets with disapproval rather than support from His disciples. Jesus, however, points out to them that she has done something good and right by preparing His body for burial: He knew that His earthly journey was nearing its end, something the apostles could never quite bring themselves to believe. Meanwhile, a plot against Him is already being formed, and Judas is already ready to commit his betrayal. The disciples know none of this, but their ignorance is not the only issue. There is also a particular kind of religious utilitarianism, which may manifest itself as legalism, moralism, or simply a kind of 'religiosity of good works.' Jesus Himself sums up the situation and the logic of the disciples' conduct in one simple remark: you will always have the poor with you, He tells them, but you will not always have Me.
These words offer a simple, brief, and remarkably comprehensive assessment of religious utilitarianism as a spiritual phenomenon. What was Christ to the apostles then, at the moment the Evangelist describes? A teacher? Undoubtedly. The Messiah? Of course: none of them doubted His messiahship. Yet the disciples were far more concerned with what they should do and how to do it than with the relationships that bound them to their Teacher.
What matters most in Christianity? The right answer is Christ Himself, and today we all know that answer, at least in theory. The apostles could not yet know it in theory: in their day there were no catechisms, no right answers to the right questions about Christian life.
Meanwhile, religious consciousness in itself inclines a person toward a utilitarian, practical outlook. Religion, if everything connected with living revelation is removed from it, is in fact a fairly pragmatic affair: its aim is to establish interaction with higher powers that is useful to human beings—no more and no less. The benefits envisaged are quite practical: good harvests, many children, military and commercial success. Or, on a higher level, good morals and good laws on which a good society can be built, so that life in it will be good. Or finally, on a still higher level, a convenient and practical set of tools for securing a good life not only in this world but also in the next, whether through religious duties or 'good works.'
Thus Christianity, too, in the course of its history, has often first turned into a religion and then into a religion of practical deeds. Selling the oil and giving the money to the poor comes from that very religious utilitarianism. Jesus, however, calls His disciples to turn their attention away from 'good works' and look at Him—the One without whom any deeds will be good only in quotation marks—and to put their relationship with Him first, where it belongs.
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1:8 If we say - Any child of man, before his blood has cleansed us.We have no sin - To be cleansed from, instead of confessing our sins, Jo1 1:9,the truth is not in us - Neither in our mouth nor in our heart.
1:9 But if with a penitent and believing heart, we confess our sins, he is faithful - Because he had promised this blessing, by the unanimous voice of all his prophets. Just - Surely then he will punish: no; for this very reason he will pardon. This may seem strange; but upon the evangelical principle of atonement and redemption, it is undoubtedly true; because, when the debt is paid, or the purchase made, it is the part of equity to cancel the bond, and consign over the purchased possession.Both to forgive us our sins - To take away all the guilt of them.And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - To purify our souls from every kind and every degree of it.
1:10 Yet still we are to retain, even to our lives' end, a deep sense of our past sins. Still if we say, we have not sinned, we make him a liar - Who saith, all have sinned. And his word is not in us - We do not receive it; we give it no place in our hearts.
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2:1 My beloved children - So the apostle frequently addresses the whole body of Christians. It is a term of tenderness and endearment, used by our Lord himself to his disciples, Joh 13:33. And perhaps many to whom St. John now wrotewere converted by his ministry. It is a different word from that which is translated "little children," in several parts of the epistle, to distinguish it from which, it is here rendered beloved children. I write these things to you, that ye may not sin - Thus he guards them beforehand against abusing the doctrine of reconciliation. All the words, institutions, and judgments of God are levelled against sin, either that it may not be committed, or that it may be abolished. But if any one sin - Let him not lie in sin, despairing of help. We have an advocate - We have for our advocate, not a mean person, but him of whom it was said, "This is my beloved son." Not a guilty person, who stands in need of pardon for himself; but Jesus Christ the righteous; not a mere petitioner, who relies purely upon liberality, but one that has merited, fully merited, whatever he asks.
2:2 And he is the propitiation - The atoning sacrifice by which the wrath of God is appeased. For our sins - Who believe.And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world - Just as wide as sin extends, the propitiation extends also .
2:3 And hereby we know that we truly and savingly know him - As he is the advocate, the righteous, the propitiation. If wekeep his commandments - Particularly those of faith and love.
2:5 But whoso keepeth his word - His commandments. Verily in him the love of God - Reconciled to us through Christ. Is perfected - Is perfectly known. Hereby - By our keeping his word.We know that we are in him - So is the tree known by its fruits.To "know him," to be "in him," to "abide in him," are nearly synonymous terms; only with a gradation, - knowledge, communion, constancy.
2:6 He that saith he abideth in him - which implies a durable state; a constant, lasting knowledge of, and communion with, him. Ought himself - Otherwise they are vain words. So to walk, even as he walked - In the world. As he, are words that frequently occur in this epistle. Believers having their hearts full of him, easily supply his name.