The love of God 1/4

1 John 4:9 KJV
In this was manifested
the love of God toward us,
because that God sent
his only begotten Son
into the world,
that we might live through him.

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Other translations

New International Version
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

New Living Translation
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.

English Standard Version
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him.

Berean Study Bible
This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

Berean Literal Bible
In this the love of God has been revealed among us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, so that we might live through Him.

New King James Version
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.

New American Standard Bible
By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him.

NASB 1995 and NASB 1977
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.

Amplified Bible
By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through Him.

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In this was manifested the love of God

Namely, most eminently above all other instances thereof. 
The apostle does not mean to say that it has been manifested in no other way, but that this was so prominent an instance of his love, that all the other manifestations of it seemed absorbed and lost in this.

Because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world 

That is, evidently, sent him, who was his only-begotten Son before he was sent. “This,” as Macknight justly observes. “is an allusion to our Lord’s words in John 3:16, God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, etc.

Christ is called God’s only-begotten Son, to distinguish Him from all others, who in Scripture are called the sons of God; and to heighten our idea of God’s love to us, in giving a person of such dignity, and so beloved of God, to die for us.

There could be no higher demonstration of his love (John 3:16).

It is supposed, that by giving the Christ the title of God’s only-begotten Son in this passage, the apostle intended to overturn the error of Ebion and Cerinthus, who affirmed that Christ was not God’s Son by nature, but that, like other good men, He was honoured with the title of God’s Son on account of His virtues; in which opinion these heresiarchs have been followed by some in modern times.

They, however, who hold this opinion ought to show a reason why the epithet of the only begotten is appropriated to Christ.” 

The love of God here spoken of, and instanced in, is not His general love to all His creatures, which is shown in the make of them, and in the support of them in their beings, and in his providential care of them, and kindness to them.

But His special love towards His elect, and which was before it was manifested; it was secretly in His heart from everlasting, and did not begin to be at the mission of Christ into the world, but was then in a most glaring manner manifested: there were several acts of it before, as the choice of them in the Christ, the appointment of Him to be their Saviour, and the covenant of grace made with him on their account.

These were more secret and hidden; but now the love and kindness of God appeared, broke forth, and shone out in its glory; this is a most flagrant and notorious instance of it, in which it is exceedingly conspicuous; this is a most clear proof, a plain and full demonstration of it.

Because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world; the sender is God the Father, who is distinguished from the Son that is sent; of which act of sending; and for Him, who is that God against whom we have sinned, and is that lawgiver that is able to save, and to destroy, and of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, to send His Son to be the Saviour of sinful men is an amazing instance of love; and which appears the more manifest, when it is observed that it is “his only begotten Son” that is sent.

And the place he was sent into is the world, where his people are, and where their sins are committed, he came to expiate; and where he was treated with great indignity and contempt, and suffered many things, and at last death itself: the end of his mission was, that we might live through him.

Into the world

A proof against Socinians, that the Son existed before He was “sent into the world.”
Otherwise, too, He could not have been our life (1 John 4:9), our “propitiation” (1 John 4:10), or our “Saviour” (1 John 4:14).

It is the grand proof of God’s love, His having sent “His only begotten Son.

That we might live through him

That the sentence of condemnation to the second death, to which we were obnoxious, might be reversed, and that being justified by living faith, and regenerated by the quickening Spirit of God, we might live a spiritual life in the divine favour, and in union with Christ here, and might be conducted to eternal life hereafter.

He died that we might have eternal life through the merits of his sacrifice.
The “measure” of that love, then, which was manifested in the gift of a Saviour, is to be found,

1. in the worth of the soul;
2. in its exposure to eternal death;
3. in the greatness of the gift;
4. in the greatness of his sorrows for us; and,
5. in the immortal blessedness and joy to which he will raise us.

Who can estimate all this?
All these things will magnify themselves as we draw near to eternity; and in that eternity to which we go, whether saved or lost, we shall have an ever-expanding view of the wonderful love of God.

Jesus came that we might live through Him, who is the Life, and who has redeemed our forfeited life; and it is also the grand motive to our mutual love.

That we who were dead in Adam might live through Him.
We were dead in sin, and dead in law, and could not quicken ourselves; nor obtain eternal life for ourselves, by our performances.

Christ came, being sent, that we might have life,

• and that more abundantly than Adam had in innocence, or man lost by the fall;
• and accordingly we were quickened together with him; when he was quickened, after he had been put to death,
• we were virtually and representatively quickened and justified in him; and in consequence of his death and resurrection from the dead, they are regenerated and made spiritually alive, and live unto righteousness; and through his righteousness wrought out for them, and imputed to them,
• we are in a legal sense alive unto God, and alive and comfortable in our own souls, living by faith on Christ, and have a right and title to eternal life; and which they also have through him, and which is chiefly intended here; for the design is not only that they may live spiritually and comfortably here, but eternally hereafter.

Greek

This is how ☆ Ἐν (En) ☆ Preposition ☆  In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; ‘in, ‘ at, on, by, etc.

τούτῳ (toutō) ☆ Demonstrative Pronoun – Dative Neuter Singular ☆  This; he, she, it.

God’s ☆ Θεοῦ (Theou) ☆ Noun – Genitive Masculine Singular ☆  A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

Love ☆ ἀγάπη (agapē) ☆ Noun – Nominative Feminine Singular ☆  From agapao; love, i.e. Affection or benevolence; specially a love-feast.

Was revealed ☆ ἐφανερώθη (ephanerōthē) ☆ Verb – Aorist Indicative Passive – 3rd Person Singular ☆  To make clear (visible, manifest), make known. From phaneros; to render apparent.

Among ☆ ἐν (en) ☆ Preposition ☆  In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; ‘in, ‘ at, on, by, etc.

Us ☆ ἡμῖν (hēmin) ☆ Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Dative 1st Person Plural ☆  I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

God ☆ Θεὸς (Theos) ☆ Noun – Nominative Masculine Singular ☆  A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

Sent ☆ ἀπέσταλκεν (apestalken) ☆ Verb – Perfect Indicative Active – 3rd Person Singular ☆  From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.

His ☆ αὐτοῦ (autou) ☆ Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular ☆  He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

One and only ☆ μονογενῆ (monogenē) ☆ Adjective – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆  Only, only-begotten; unique. From monos and ginomai; only-born, i.e. Sole.

Son ☆ Υἱὸν (Huion) ☆ Noun – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆  A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a ‘son’, used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.

Into ☆ εἰς (eis) ☆ Preposition ☆  A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.

The ☆ τὸν (ton) ☆ Article – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆  The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

World ☆ κόσμον (kosmon) ☆ Noun – Accusative Masculine Singular ☆  Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).

So that ☆ ἵνα (hina) ☆ Conjunction ☆  In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

We might live ☆ ζήσωμεν (zēsōmen) ☆ Verb – Aorist Subjunctive Active – 1st Person Plural ☆  To live, be alive. A primary verb; to live.

Through ☆ δι’ (di’) ☆ Preposition ☆  A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

Him ☆ αὐτοῦ (autou) ☆ Personal / Possessive Pronoun – Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular ☆ He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

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