1 Corinthians 8:3 But if any man love God, the same is known of him. From the love of man, which must be the sense of the word in ver. 1 (see 1 Corinthians 13:1), the apostle passes insensibly to the love of God, partly because God is the implied, though not expressed, subject of the previous clause, partly because He is the only worthy and adequate object of Christian love. I. For THE CONNECTION OF KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE (1 John 4:7, 8). St. Paul substitutes "is known of Him," for "knows Him," to express that man can, in this life, hardly be said, in any sense, to know God. It is sufficient to be the object of His knowledge, which in itself implies that we are brought into so close a relation with Him, as to be the object of His care and love, and ultimately, therefore, to know Him. II. For THE IDENTIFICATION OF GOD'S KNOWLEDGE WITH HIS LOVE compare Exodus 33:17; John 10:3. III. For THE IDENTIFICATION OF GOD'S KNOWLEDGE OF MAN WITH MAN'S KNOWLEDGE OF GOD compare the similar blending of the spirit of man with the Spirit of God in Romans 8:15, 16; 1 Corinthians 2:11; also John 10:15. "As the Father knoweth me, even so I the Father." IV. FOR THE GENERAL TURN OF THE WHOLE EXPRESSION, as implying that every part of our redemption, but especially our knowledge of God, is more properly His act than ours see 1 Corinthians 13:12; Galatians 4:9; Philippians 3:12. For the unexpected substitution of one thought and word for another see 1 Corinthians 9:17; 1 Corinthians 10:18. (Dean Stanley.) Parallel Verses KJV: But if any man love God, the same is known of him. |
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