Book of 1 John Chapter 3 Vs. 12

Love One Another 

Verses 12-24: As noted throughout this epistle, John often repeated the same truth, expanding on them to allow his readers to hear them in new and fresh ways. Each time he presents the same truths in new packages, which expand on a particular aspect of their significance or approach the subject from a slightly different angle.

Verses 12-17 address the characteristic lack of love displayed by the children of the devil, while in verses 18-24 he talks about the characteristics of love displayed by the children of God.

I John 3:12 "Not as Cain, [who] was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."

Not as Cain... Cain was of Satan (Gen. 4:1-26; 1Jhn. 3:8). Scripture presents Cain outwardly as a God-worshiper who even offered sacrifice (Gen. 4:3-5). Cain’s murderous actions, however, revealed that inwardly he was a child of the Devil (John 8:44).

Cain who was (Κάΐ́ν ἧν)

Who is not in the Greek. The construction is irregular. Lit., as Rev., not as Cain was of the evil one.

was of that... In verses 12-17, John presents the first of three behaviors of the devil’s children manifesting their lack of love – murder, the ultimate expression of hate. Jesus spoke When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the wayside. (Mat. 13:19). The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;(Mat. 13:38). The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (Mat 13:39)

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 1Jhn. 5:18-19.

And wherefore slew... Question 2. Next, 1Jhn. 3:17.

wherefore (χάριν τίνος)

Lit., on account of what. Χάριν for the sake of, on account of, is elsewhere placed after the genitive. See Eph. 3:1, 3:14; 1Tim. 5:14; Gal. 3:19.

slew... Greek: sphazo, put to death by violence. Here, Rev. 5:6, 5:9, 5:12; 6:4, 6:9; 13:3, 13:8; 18:24.

slew (ἔσφαξεν)

The verb occurs only in John, and only here outside of Revelation. Originally, to slay by cutting the throat, so in Homer, of cattle:

“The suitor train who slay σφάζουσι

His flocks and slow-paced beeves with crooked horns.”

“Odyssey,” i., 92.

To slaughter victims for sacrifice:

“Backward they turned the necks of the fat beeves,

And cut their throats ἕσφαζαν, and flayed the carcasses.”

“Iliad,” i., 459.

Thence, generally, to slay or kill.

his own works... Abel was a better man and more righteous than Cain. This is often the excuse of enmity (Heb. 11:4; Gen. 4:1-26). Cain’s offering was not acceptable because he was sinful (Gen. 4:5). Jealousy was behind his hate and murder, as in the case of the religious leaders who had Christ executed.

See Gen. 4:8. Of that wicked one refers to a child of the Devil, verse 10. Cain killed Abel because their conflicting allegiances Cain to Satan, Abel’s to God were plain to see by their respective actions. John seems to be saying: If even wicked Cain could see that a man’s character is revealed ultimately, not in what he says he believes, but in what he does, should not Christians be able to see this as well?

The two brothers, Cain and Abel, typify the two conditions of man. Abel pleased God, and Cain did not. We see the good and evil in the first two sons of Adam and Eve. One followed God, and the other lived for the flesh.

Here before telling his audience precisely what love is, he first told them what it is not. It is most certainly not the kind of action Cain exhibited toward his brother Abel. Cain murdered his brother (Gen. 4:8) and in that action he was of the evil one ek tou ponērou; belonged to is misleading. The reason for this murder was Cain’s jealous resentment of his brother’s superior righteousness (Gen. 4:2-7). In saying this, John touched a sensitive nerve, since hatred toward another Christian is often prompted by a feeling of guilt about one’s own life as compared with that person’s. It is well to remember that such reactions are satanic, as John bluntly affirmed here.