(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Perhaps some of the brethren who are not acquainted with the Greek do not know what the word witnesses is in Greek: and yet it is a term much used by all, and had in religious reverence; for what in our tongue we call witnesses, in Greek are martyrs. Now where is the man that has not heard of martyrs, or where the Christian in whose mouth the name of martyrs dwells not every day and would that it so dwelt in the heart also, that we should imitate the sufferings of the martyrs, not persecute them with our cups! Well then, We have seen and are witnesses, is as much as to say, We have seen and are martyrs. For it was for bearing witness of that which they had seen, and bearing witness of that which they had heard from them who had seen, that, while their testimony itself displeased the men against whom it was delivered, the martyrs suffered all that they did suffer. The martyrs are God's witnesses. It pleased God to have men for His witnesses, that men also may have God to be their witnes...
But the word signifies not only His eternity, but His eternal generation, and (3.) His Godhead, for "Being" or existence, as Elias Cretensis says, is peculiar (proprium) to God. For He is the fulness and boundlessness of being, a very boundless ocean of being. Whence Didymus (in loc.), S. Cyril (in John i.), and S. Ambrose (de.Fide i5) acutely observe that the several creatures are said to be this or that, but that God alone is said absolutely to be. (4.) The word "was" signifies that the "Word" still exists and abides. Thus St. Thomas says on John i, "Was" signifies past, present, and future time. The Word then ever was, ever Isaiah , and ever will be. As St. Basil says (de Sp. Sancto, cap. vi.) When John said "In the beginning was the Word" he confines our thoughts within fixed limits. For the word "was" allows our thoughts no outlet; and the word "beginning" keeps our thoughts also from soaring beyond it, for however thou mayest strive to see ought beyond the Song of Solomon , yet w...
By this we know that we love the children (Ï„Îκνα) of God, when (όθαν, i.e, because) we love God, &c. We know, i.e, we conclude, we show and demonstrate. S. John uses this expression, we know, in a similar sense 1 John 3:16 and 1 John 3:19, and 1 John 4:2 1 John 4:6. We know, i.e, we are convinced that we love Christians as the children of God. We know this, i.e. we prove it by this argument, that we love God. The following is S. John"s syllogism and demonstration. All the sons of God are believers and Christians. Whosoever therefore loves God loves also the children of God. Therefore he who loves God loves faithful Christians as being the brethren and members of Christ, born of the same God the Father. For as from the love of our neighbour we infer and conclude the love of God, so in turn and reciprocally from the love of God we infer and conclude the love of our neighbour. Again, whosoever keeps the commands of God keeps also the love of his neighbour: for this is one of ...
