That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
All Commentaries on 1 John 1:3 Go To 1 John 1
Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
i.e., manifested among us: which might be more plainly expressed, manifested to us. The things, therefore, which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you. 1 John 1:3 Those saw the Lord Himself present in the flesh, and heard words from the mouth of the Lord, and told them to us. Consequently we also have heard, but have not seen. Are we then less happy than those who saw and heard? And how does he add, That ye also may have fellowship with us? Those saw, we have not seen, and yet we are fellows; because we hold the faith in common. For there was one who did not believe even upon seeing, and would needs handle, and so believe, and said, I will not believe except I thrust my fingers into the place of the nails, and touch His scars. John 20:25-29 And He did give Himself for a time to be handled by the hands of men, who always gives Himself to be seen by the sight of the angels; and that disciple did handle, and exclaimed, My Lord, and my God! Because he touched the Man, he confessed the God. And the Lord, to console us who, now that He sits in heaven, cannot touch Him with the hand, but only reach Him with faith, said to him, Because you have seen, you have believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet believe. We are here described, we designated. Then let the blessedness take place in us, of which the Lord predicted that it should take place; let us firmly hold that which we see not; because those tell us who have seen. That ye also, says he, may have fellowship with us. And what great matter is it to have fellowship with men? Do not despise it; see what he adds: and our fellowship may be with God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son. And these things, says he, we write unto you, that your joy may be full. 1 John 1:4 Full joy he means in that fellowship, in that charity, in that unity.
