For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals from Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals from conscience to Him who is greater than conscience, "Lord, thou knowest all things: thou knowest that I love thee." Peter's conscience, though condemning him of his denial of the Lord, assured him of His love; but fearing the possibility, owing to his fall, of deceiving himself, he appeals to the all-knowing God (John 21:17): so Paul, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4). So, if our heart condemn us of sin in general, yet if we have the one sign of sonship, love, we may still assure our hearts, knowing that God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. But Alford objects, Thus hoti is translated 'because' in the beginning, and '(we know) that' in the middle of the verse. If the verse were consolatory, it probably would have been, 'Because EVEN if our heart condemn us,' etc. Translate, 'Because (the reason why it was stated in 1 John 3:19 to be so important to "assure our hearts before Him") if our heart condemn [kataginoskee] ('know [anything] against us:' in contrast to 'we shall know that we are of the truth') us (it is) because God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.' If our heart judges us unfavourably, we may be sure that He, knowing more than our heart knows, judges us more unfavourably still (Alford).
Compare the ellipsis, 1 Corinthians 14:27; 2 Corinthians 1:6; 2 Corinthians 8:23. The condemning testimony of conscience is not alone, but is the echo of the voice of Him who is greater, and knoweth all things. Our hypocrisy in loving by word and tongue, not in deed and truth, does not escape even conscience, though knowing but little, how much less God who knows all things? I prefer the consolatory view. For х peisomen (G3982)] 'we shall assure our hearts' (note, 1 John 3:19), is gain over, so as to be stilled, implying a previous self-condemnation by the heart (1 John 3:20), which is got over by the consolatory thought, 'God is greater than my heart,' which condemns (knows against) me: God 'knows all things' х ginooskei (G1097), not kataginooskei, 'condemns'], therefore knows my love and desire to serve Him; knows my frame, so as to pity my weakness (Psalms 103:13-14). This gaining over of the heart to peace is not so advanced experience as having CONFIDENCE toward God, which flows from a heart condemning us not. The first 'because' applies to the two alternatives (1 John 3:20-21), giving the ground of saying, that having love we shall gain over, or assure our minds before Him (1 John 3:19): the second 'because' applies to the first alone-namely, if our heart condemn us. When he reaches the second alternative (1 John 3:21), he states it independently of the former 'because,' which connected it with 1 John 3:19, inasmuch as CONFIDENCE toward God is a further stage than persuading our hearts, though always preceded by it.