The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: the First Epistle of S. John
2d. And more profoundly : He, namely Christ, whom, as my love, I always carry in my mind and my mouth. For this reason, S. John when he says He is, means Christ. Moreover Christ is, i.e. in this world, as the Syriac version renders. And even now He is by the providence, charity, and friendship by which He dwells in the minds of His saints endowed with charity. The meaning then is this : As He, Christ, lived in this world holy and immaculate, and being full of the love of God, was, and is, dead to the world, and so abides in us ; so let us, in imitation of Him, strive to live holily and without spot in this world. Yea, as being dead to the world, and always bearing about in our body with Paul the death of Christ, we are full of love even to our enemies, and abide in Christ. Therefore we have confidence that in the day of judgment we shall not be confounded, but shall be glorified. For we have that day ever before our eyes, and we daily dispose ourselves for it by works of charity and every kind of holiness. Yea, we pant for it, knowing that here we are pilgrims, and guests for a day ; according to the words, “ Every one that hath this hope, purifieth himself in Him even as He is holy.”
Ver. 18. — Fear is not in charity, but perfect charity , &c. From the confidence which is begotten of love the Apostle passes to that banishment of fear which is the child of confidence.
You will ask, What is this fear which perfect charity drives away? I answer, Manifold. For S. John’s declaration is general, and may cover every kind of fear. It means, charity hath no fear whatsoever . It is devoid of fear, free, joyful, spirited and liberal. First then, “Fear” says Vatablus, “is here put for despair and the confusion of conscience : the fear by which sinners dread damnation, and despair of salvation.”
2d. It is the fear by which those newly converted are tormented, those whom the remembrance of their past sins vexes and troubles, lest it may be they are not entirely forgiven.
3d. It is servile fear by which mere servants and the imperfect do the commandments of God from fear of punishment, not from love of justice. Pure, sincere, and liberal charity drives away this fear. For it keeps God's commands by the love of God. This fear, says S. Augustine on this passage, induces love, as the bristle brings on the thread of the cordwainer. Wherefore it is said ( Ecclus . i. 28), " He that is without fear cannot be justified." For chastened and filial fear abides with charity, and increases as charity increases. The more perfect and holy any one is, the more he fears and reverences God with filial love and fear, and fears to offend Him in the very slightest degree. This is the fear with which the just are bid to fear God. (Ps. xxxiii. 10.) For this fear endureth for ever and ever. (Ps. xio.)
4th. This fear may be taken to mean that worldly fear by which, through dread of parents, relations, &c, any one breaks the commandments of God. These are the fearful whose portion is in the lake of fire. (Apoc. xxi. 8). Love drives away such fear as this.
5th. This fear may be taken to mean that anxious fear with which those who are scrupulous and fearfully anxious dread in trifles to offend God. For perfect love banishes scrupulosity. It is not scrupulous, but free, bold, and magnanimous. As it is said (Rom. viii 15), We have not received the spirit of bondage, &c.
6th. This fear may be taken for the fear of punishment and damnation. This too charity puts to flight. For the saints are thoughtful about their reward rather than full of dread of punishment . So our Lessius, to one who told him about a certain worthy man who wished to undergo purgatory until the day of judgment, if so be he might thereby obtain everlasting salvation, replied, that Christians ought to have more hope than to purchase the certainty of heavenly glory by so long purgatorial pains. However, the saints always have in this life fear, if not actual, yet potential, mingled with their hope, because they are not certain of salvation.
7th. This fear may be understood of the fear of persecutors, loss, or shame which meet us in heroic works of charity. This fear the Magdalene drove away by her burning love for Christ when she fearlessly sought Him at His tomb in the midst of the soldiers.
Whence the Church sings concerning her, “ Love drives away fear.” As our Saviour saith, “ Fear not them which kill the body.”
8th. This fear may be understood of that initiatory fear, by which any one fears to commit a fault, as he fears punishment. This charity drives away, as far as the fear of punishment is concerned. Perfect charity dreads the fault, not the punishment.
Perfect charity overcomes all these kinds of fear, but especially that servile fear with which we timidly and pusillanimously fear punishment, and the judgment and vengeance of God. For this kind of fear originates in self-love, which the love of God conquers and drives away. Perfect charity looks upon God, not as a judge and an avenger, but as a Father and a Husband. As Sarah, Abraham’s spouse, drove away her slave Agar, so does charity banish servile fear.
Observe : usually the beginning of justification in a sinner commences with the fear of punishment and hell. Being struck with this by God he begins to think about his salvation, and to dispose himself to repentance, as the Council of Trent teaches (Sess. 6, cap . 6). Then being justified, this fear ceases by degrees. “ Fear,” says S. Augustine, “is the servant of charity.” And again, “Fear is the guardian and schoolmaster of the law until charity comes.”
Finally, S. Augustine (dc Civit. lib. 14, c. 9) applies these things to the heavenly glory. For thus the security of love excludes all fear. “By a good life,” he says, “a good conscience is prepared, so that having a good conscience there is no fear of punishment. Wherefore let the man who does not wish to fear learn to fear. Let him who would be secure eternally learn to be careful in time.” And again, “ The nearer we get to the country whither we are going the less is our fear. Greater ought to be the fear of the wayfarers, less the fear of those who are drawing nigh to their journey’s end, none at all the fear of those who have reached their destination. Thus fear leads to charity, and perfect charity casts fear out of doors.” But this is the anagogical meaning. S. John asserts that literally those who have perfect charity banish fear even in this life. So S. Antony said, “ I do not now fear God, but I love Him, because perfect love casts fear out-of-doors.” And S. Ignatius, the Founder of our Society, was wont to say, that if God were to give him his choice either of dying, and going certainly to Heaven, or of living and augmenting the glory of God, but with uncertainty of salvation, he would choose the latter alternative. For, said he, if I so love God, that for love of Him I expose myself to peril of salvation, surely He, who is far above me in love, will not suffer Himself to be surpassed in love, but will take all the peril upon Himself, and will secure my salvation. Thus St. Salvius, who was already dead and about to enter heaven, heard a voice saying, “ Let him return to the body, he is still necessary to My Church.” When he heard it he answered with groans, “Lord, if I return, I shall be exposed to peril, and perhaps shall never return hither.” Then he heard the words, “ Go. I will be thy keeper, and will surely bring thee back hither.” (S. Greg. Turon. lib . 7, Hist. c. 1.)
For fear hath torment. The meaning is, Fear begets the torment of the mind with which a man torments himself when he thinks of, and dreads, impending evil and punishment. But charity has no fear or torment, but joy and gladness.
Ver. 19. — Therefore let us love God , &c. This is the conclusion, in which he repeats and inculcates zeal for charity, because God first loved us, and by loving has inspired us with this love, and made us lovers of Himself. (S. Augustine , lib. de Gratia Christi, c. 26.)
Ver. 20. — If any man shall say , I love God, &c. Because the love of God extends itself to love of our neighbour, who is the image of God, and contains and embraces it. This he shows by two arguments . The first is,
For he who loveth not his brother whom he sees (Greek ἑώρακε, hath seen), &c. Because it is a provision of nature that love and affection should be carried to sensible things which we see. For the eyes are guides in love. For, as S. Gregory says (Hom. 11 in Evang.), “From the things which the mind knows let it rise to the things unknown, that from the love of what it knows it may learn to love also the things unknown.”
Ver. 21. — (The second reason.) And this commandment have we from God, &c. For, as S. Augustine says, “ If he is thy brother, and thou lovest him not, how dost thou love God, whose commandment thou despisest ? ” And again, “ O merciful Lord, what am I to Thee, that Thou shouldest bid me love Thee ? Who threatenest me with huge miseries, being angry if I love Thee not, and giving me many promises if I do love Thee ? And what, O my Love, what pleasure dost Thou find in me? What king saith to his slave, Let us be friends, and I will give thee a province ? ”