Exegesis of 1 John 4:17-18
First John 4:17-18 reads, "Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love" (KJV). These verses appear in a section of John's first epistle that emphasizes Christian love, its divine origin, and its practical outworking [4, 5]. The epistle itself was likely written by John the Evangelist in his old age, probably from Ephesus, with the purpose of declaring the "Word of Life" to foster fellowship with God the Father and Jesus Christ [3, 9].
Verse 17 connects the perfection of love with having "boldness in the day of judgment." The Rotherham translation renders this as "Herein, hath love with us, been made perfect,—in order that, boldness, we might have in the day of judging,—in that, just as, He, is, we also, are, in this world" [2]. This boldness stems from the believer's identification with Christ: "as he is, so are we in this world." This echoes themes found elsewhere in John's writings, where believers are described as "not of the world, even as I am not of the world" [7]. The concept of being "in this world" but not "of the world" is a recurring Johannine idea [1].
Verse 18 further elaborates on the relationship between love and fear, stating that "perfect love casteth out fear." The presence of fear indicates that love has not been perfected, as "fear hath torment" [8]. This suggests that a mature, complete love for God removes the dread associated with judgment. The apostle John frequently highlights the intimate connection between God and believers, noting that those who believe in Christ have God dwelling in them and they in God, a fellowship experienced by the Father and the Son [10]. This indwelling and fellowship contribute to the confidence believers can have.
The broader context of 1 John 4:7-21 explains that love originates from God and is demonstrated through believers' actions [5]. Augustine, in his homilies on John, emphasizes that love is "of God" and that "every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God" [6]. This divine origin of love is crucial for understanding how it can overcome fear and lead to boldness before God.
Sources
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: John.15.19 → 1John.4.4-1John.4.5 (confidence: 17 votes)”
- I John “I John 4:17 (Rotherham) — Herein, hath love with us, been made perfect,—in order that, boldness, we might have in the day of judging,—in that, just as, He, is, we also, are, in this world.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: John, First Epistle of — The fourth of the catholic or "general" epistles. It was evidently written by John the evangelist, and probably also at Ephesus, and when the writer was in advanced age. The purpose of the apostle (1:1-4) is to declare the Word of Life to those to whom he writes, in order that they might be united in fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. He shows that the means of union with God are, (1) on the part of Christ, his atoning work (1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10, 14; 5:11, 12) and his advocacy (2:1); and (2), on the part of man, holiness (1:6”
- 1 John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on 1 John 4 (introduction): In this chapter the apostle exhorts to try spirits (Jo1 4:1), gives a note to try by (Jo1 4:2, Jo1 4:3), shows who are of the world and who of God (Jo1 4:4-6), urges Christian love by divers considerations (Jo1 4:7-16), describes our love to God, and the effect of it (Jo1 4:17-21).”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:7: 4:7-21 John explains the source of a Christian’s love and its outworking.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — HOMILY VII. (part 1): 1 John IV. 4-12. "Now are ye of God, little children, and have overcome him: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in this world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. From this know we the spirit of truth, and [the spirit] of error. Dearly, beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XVII. 14-19. (part 1): I. WHILE the Lord is still speaking to the Father, and praying for His disciples, He says: "I have given them Thy saying; and the world hath hated them." That hatred they had not yet experienced in those sufferings of their own, which afterwards overtook them; but He speaks thus in His usual way, foretelling the future in words of the past tense. And then, subjoining the reason of their being hated by the world, He says, "Because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." This was conferred on them by re”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — BOOK I. (part 4): fulfill their courses, the sun vivifies the day, the moon tempers the night: and all the framework of things, day after day by vicissitude of light and gloom, month after month by waxings and wanings of the moon, year after year by orderly successions of spring and summer and fall and winter, cycle after cycle by accomplished concurrences of the solar course, and through the mighty orbs of time, folding and refolding upon themselves, as the stars still recur to their first conjunctions, maintains, so far as this merely visible matte”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — 1 JOHN I. 1.--II. 11. (part 1): "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, and which we have seen with our eyes, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life: and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us: the things which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and that our fellowship maybe(1) with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, tha”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 4:15: 4:15 Those who believe in Christ have God living in them, and they live in God. The Father and the Son experience this fellowship (John 10:38; 14:10; 17:21). Experiencing God in this way is a special privilege for believers (see John 14:20; 15:5; 17:21-24).”