Father Hath Bestowed
Behold, what manner... Look upon it and wonder at the kind and quantity of love the Father has given freely and without merit to men (Eph. 3:17-19; Rom. 8:35-39).
Behold (ἴδετε)
Lit., behold ye. The plural is peculiar. The usual form is the singular ἴδε or ἰδού. See John 1:29; 11:3, etc.; 4:35; 19:26, 19:27. Elsewhere the plural is used of something actually visible (Gal. 6:11).
what manner of (ποταπὴν)
The word is of infrequent occurrence in the New Testament, but is found in all the Synoptists and in 2Pet. 3:11. Only here in John's writings. Originally it means from what country or race; then, of what sort or quality. It is used of the quality of both persons and things.
hath bestowed upon... Bestowed is in the perfect tense, suggesting the enduring effect of the love God has given.hath bestowed (δέδωκεν)
Emphasizing the endowment of the receiver. Compare χαρίζομαι, from χάρις grace, favor, which emphasizes the goodwill of the giver. See Gal. 3:18; Phlp. 2:9; 1:29.
that (ἵνα)
Some of the more subtle phases of John's thought cannot be apprehended without a careful study of this often-recurring conjunction. It is still claimed by some grammarians that it is used to mark, not only design and end, but also result. But it may fairly be claimed that its predominant sense is intent, purpose, purport, or object. Hence that, as representing ἵνα, is to be taken in the sense of to the end or intent that; in order that. Here the use of the word is very subtle and suggestive, as well as beautiful. No man hath greater love than this (love), which, in its original conception, was intended and designed to reach to the extent of sacrificing life for a friend. Christ, therefore, here gives us more than a mere abstract comparison and more than a merely human gauge of love. He measures love according to its divine, original, far-reaching intent. John 15:13.
we should be called (κληθῶμεν)
Or, named. As Mat. 2:23; 21:13; Luke 1:13, 1:31, etc. The verb is never used by John of the divine call. In John 10:3, for καλεῖ calleth, read φωνεῖ.
sons of God... Sons by adoption (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; Eph. 1:5), not by begetting as in the case of Christ, who is the only begotten Son of God (John 1:14, 1:18; 3:16, 3:18).the sons (τέκνα)
Rev., more correctly, children. Son is υἱός. Τέκνον, child (τίκτω, to bring forth), denotes a relation based on community of nature, while υἱός, Son, may indicate only adoption and heirship. See Gal. 4:7. Except in Rev. 21:7, which is a quotation, John never uses υἱός to describe the relation of Christians to God, since he regards their position not as a result of adoption, but of a new life. Paul, on the other hand, regards the relation from the legal standpoint, as adoption, imparting a new dignity and relation (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5, 4:6). See also Jas. 1:18; 1Pet. 1:3, 1:23, where the point of view is John's rather than Paul's. Τέκνον, indicating the relationship of man to God, occurs in John 1:12; 11:52; 1Jhn. 3:1, 3:2, 3:10; 5:2, and always in the plural. See on John 1:12.
Believers are children of God by virtue of being born of Him (2:29). Jesus stressed a connection between how the world related to God and how it would in turn relate to Christ’s true followers (John 15:18). After God the phrase and we are should be added, according to many ancient manuscripts.And such we are (καὶ ἐσμεν)
Lit., and we are. Added by Rev., according to the best texts. A parenthetical, reflective comment, characteristic of John. See on 1Jhn. 1:2.This out-burst of wonder introduces the third feature of the believer’s hope in 2:28-3:3. The believer’s hope is strengthened by the fact that God’s love initiated his salvation (Eph. 1:3-6).
Chris’s return will unite the believer with the heavenly Father who loves His child with an immeasurable love. John expresses utter astonishment at God’s love for believers in making them His children (Romans 8:17).
The Love of God for the people of the world is hard to understand. Behold, means stop and notice. The love the Father "bestowed" tells us that we did not earn that love; it was a free gift from God. God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that we might be saved.
knoweth us not... The world will not acknowledge or approve of doctrines and manner of life of the adopted sons, because it did not approve of Christ, the only begotten Son.
The real aliens in the world are not extra terrestrials but Christians. Having been born again, given a new nature of heavenly origin, Christians display a nature and lifestyle like their Savior and heavenly Father; a nature totally foreign (other worldly) to the unsaved (1 Col. 2:15, 16; 1 Peter 4:3-4).
No wonder Scripture describes Christians as aliens, exiles, and strangers (Heb. 11:13; 1Pet. 1:1; 2:11). The Lord Jesus was unearthly in origin, and so are those born again. Our true transformed lives have not yet been manifested.
Jesus paid the price of adoption for us to be adopted children of the Father. Jesus is the only begotten Son. We are sons by adoption. We have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Jesus. We have been presented to the Father by the Son.
The world does not know God. It did not know the Son. It does not recognize us as adopted sons, either.
This verse begins with the word idete behold, look at, not translated in the NIV. The writer had just told the readers how to see the reality of new birth in righteous behavior; now he invited them to contemplate the greatness of the divine love which that reality displays. Behold how great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. In the Bible the word called indicates that this is what one actually is (cf. called to be holy, lit., called saints [1Cor. 1:2]). Believers are called children of God because they are the born ones tekna of the Father.
The perception to which John invited his readers is, however, lost on the world. Since the world… did not know Him God or Christ, it can hardly be expected to recognize believers as His children. This kind of discernment about others is a distinctively Christian perception.
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