Identity of the "He" in 1 John 4:17
The identity of "He" in 1 John 4:17 is a crucial interpretive point for understanding the verse's teaching on love and judgment. The verse, in the King James Version, 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."
The broader context of 1 John 4 emphasizes the importance of love as a sign of true faith and a reflection of God's nature. The chapter begins by urging believers to test the spirits and discern true prophets from false ones, with the confession that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh being a key test [3]. It then transitions to a profound discussion of God as love, stating, "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). This divine love is manifested in sending Jesus Christ as an atoning sacrifice (1 John 4:9-10). The call for believers to love one another flows directly from God's love for them (1 John 4:11-12). The indwelling of God's Spirit is presented as evidence that believers abide in God and God in them (1 John 4:13). The confession that Jesus is the Son of God is also tied to this mutual indwelling (1 John 4:14-15). Thus, 1 John 4:17 appears within a passage that strongly links divine love, Christ's mission, and the believer's transformed life.
The phrase "as he is, so are we in this world" is central to identifying "He." While some interpretations might consider "He" to refer to God the Father, the immediate theological context of 1 John, particularly its emphasis on Jesus Christ, strongly suggests that "He" refers to Jesus Christ. The Gospel of John, often considered a companion to 1 John, frequently highlights Christ's divine nature and his role as the source of life and light [4, 5, 7]. Augustine, for instance, notes that John's writings, unlike the synoptic Gospels, focus primarily on the divinity of Christ [5, 7].
The phrase "I am he" (ἐγώ εἰμι) is used by Jesus in the Gospel of John, identifying himself with the divine name revealed to Moses (Exodus 3:14) [6]. For example, in John 18:5, when Jesus says "I am he," his words cause those who came to arrest him to fall to the ground, demonstrating the power inherent in this divine self-identification [6, 8]. This connection between Jesus and divine power reinforces the idea that "He" in 1 John 4:17 refers to Christ.
The cross-references for 1 John 4:17 provided by the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge include passages like Romans 8:29 ("conformed to the image of his Son"), Hebrews 12:2 ("looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith"), and 1 Peter 4:13 ("partakers of Christ's sufferings") [2]. These references consistently point to Christ as the model and source of the believer's identity and transformation. The idea that believers are to be like Christ is a recurring theme in the New Testament. Colossians 1:17 states that "He is before all things, and in him all things have being," referring to Christ [1].
Therefore, the most widely accepted interpretation is that "He" refers to Jesus Christ. The verse teaches that believers, through their union with Christ and the indwelling of God's love, are to reflect Christ's character in this world. This conformity to Christ enables them to face the day of judgment with boldness, as their lives demonstrate the perfect love that casts out fear (1 John 4:18). The "boldness in the day of judgment" is not based on human merit, but on the believer's participation in Christ's nature and the love that flows from God through Christ [9].
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 1:17 (BBE) — He is before all things, and in him all things have being.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “1 John 4:17 cross-references: Matthew 10:15, Matthew 10:25, Matthew 11:22, Matthew 11:24, Matthew 12:36, John 15:20, Romans 8:29, Hebrews 12:2, James 2:13, James 2:22, 1 Peter 3:16, 1 Peter 4:1, 1 Peter 4:13, 2 Peter 2:9, 2 Peter 3:7, 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:28, 1 John 3:1, 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:19, 1 John 4:12”
- OpenBible.info “Cross-reference: John.20.31 → 1John.4.15 (confidence: 17 votes)”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 1:4: In Him was life--essentially and originally, as the previous verses show to be the meaning. Thus He is the Living Word, or, as He is called in Jo1 1:1-2, "the Word of Life." the life . . . the light of men--All that in men which is true light--knowledge, integrity, intelligent, willing subjection to God, love to Him and to their fellow creatures, wisdom, purity, holy joy, rational happiness--all this "light of men" has its fountain in the essential original "life" of "the Word" (Jo1 1:5-7; Psa 36:9).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. IV.--OF THE FACT THAT JOHN UNDERTOOK THE EXPOSITION OF CHRIST'S DIVINITY. (part 1): 7. These three evangelists, however, were for the most part engaged with those things which Christ did through the vehicle of the flesh of man, and after the temporal fashion.(13) But John, on the other hand, had in view that true divinity of the Lord in which He is the Father's equal, and directed his efforts above all to the setting forth of the divine nature in his Gospel in such a way as he believed to be adequate to men's needs and notions.(14) There”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 18:5: 18:5 I Am he (literally I am): Jesus identified himself by the divine name God had revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Exod 3:14; see also John 4:26; 8:24, 58).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. X.--OF THE EVANGELIST JOHN, AND THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN HIM AND THE OTHER THREE. (part 1): 11. John remains, between whom and others there is left no comparison to be instituted. For, however the evangelists may each have reported some matters which are not recorded by the others, it will be hard to prove that any question involving real discrepancy arises out of these. Thus, too, it is a clearly admitted position that the first three--namely, Matthew, Mark, and Luke--have occupied themselves chiefly with the humanity of our Lord Jesus C”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XVIII. 1-12. (part 3): uttering the words, "I am [He]," without any weapon, smote, repelled, prostrated that great crowd, with all the ferocity of their hatred and terror of their arms. For God lay hid in that human flesh; and eternal day was so obscured in those human limbs, that with lanterns and torches He was sought for to be slain by the darkness. "I am [He]," He says; and He casteth the wicked to the ground. What will He do when He cometh as judge, who did this when giving Himself up to be judged? What will be His power when He cometh t”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 98: 3:8 3:9 3:9 3:9 3:20 3:20 3:21 3:21 4:11 4:18 Colossians 1:18 1:20 1:27 1:27 2:10 2:10 2:12 2:14 2:16 2:19 2:19 3:3 3:4 3:4 3:4 3:10 3:20 1871 1 Thessalonians 1:10 2:10 2:19 3:13 4:15-17 4:15-17 4:16 5:1 5:2 5:23 14:4 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 1:7 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:7-10 1:9 2 2:1-3 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:1-17 2:2 2:4 2:7 3:6 1 Timothy 1:12 2:4 2:4 2:5 2:6 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:2 3:16 3:16 3:16 4:1 4:3 5:14 6:14 2 Timothy 1:10 1:12 3:15 3:16 3:17 4:1 4:8 Titus 1:5 1:6 1:6 1:6 2:13 2:14 2:14 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:5 3:10 Hebrews 1:1-14 1:3 1:3 2:1-18 2:4 2:4 2:”