1 John 3:11-14 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

For, &c. As if he had said, I have just declared that the want of brotherly love is a proof that a man is not of God, and a little consideration may convince you of the truth of the assertion: for this is the message that ye heard of us The apostles and ministers of Christ; from the beginning Of our ministry among you; that we should love one another A doctrine frequently inculcated by our Lord Jesus in person: not as Cain, (see the margin,) who was of the wicked one Who showed he was a child of the devil, by killing his brother. And wherefore slew he him? For any fault? No: but just the reverse; for his goodness. Because his own works were evil In a very high degree; and his brother's righteous And he could not bear that his brother's sacrifice was accepted of God while his own was rejected; a circumstance that, instead of humbling him and bringing him to repentance, as it ought to have done, only excited his envy and hatred, which at length settled into the most rancorous malice, and produced that horrible effect. Marvel not, &c. As if he had said, Since there is a great deal of the same malignant temper remaining in the carnal part of mankind, and there are many who are, in that sense, though not by natural descent, of the seed of Cain, marvel not if the world hate you Remembering they lie in the wicked one, and are under his influence. We know, &c. That is, we ourselves could not love our brethren, unless we were passed from spiritual death to spiritual life That is, unless we were born of God. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death Namely, in spiritual death, and is obnoxious to eternal death. In other words, he is not born of God: and he that is not born of God cannot love his brother. See on chap. 1 John 4:7. Reader, observe this: all mankind, being born in sin, are in a state of spiritual death, and in the way to eternal death, till they are born again; and none are born again who do not truly love both God and his people.