John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. For if these things be in you , etc.] Are wrought in you by the Spirit of God, and exercised and performed by his assistance, who works in his people both to will and do: and abound ; increase in their acts and exercises by the frequent performance of them: they make you; both by way of influence and evidence, [that ye shall] neither [be] barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ . There is a knowledge of Christ which is barren and fruitless; and those that have it are so in their conversations, and it will be of no avail to them another day: and this is a mere notional and speculative knowledge, such as is not attended with any inward experience and application of Christ to themselves, or any fruits of righteousness in their lives, and is a bare theory of things relating to his person, offices, and works; but there is a knowledge of him that is spiritual and experimental, by which a soul not only approves of Christ, but places its trust and confidence in him, and appropriates him to himself, and practically observes his commands and ordinances in the faith of him; and in love to him he performs the above duties, and exercises the above graces; from whence it appears, that he is neither barren nor unfruitful himself in the profession of his knowledge of Christ; or in the acknowledgment of him, as it may be rendered; nor is that a vain, empty, and useless thing: he is not like the barren fig tree, or the earth that bears briers and thorns, and is nigh to cursing and burning, but like a tree planted by a river of water, and is green, flourishing, and fruitful. This is used as an argument to enforce the foregoing exhortation, to add to, that is, to exercise and perform the above graces and duties, in conjunction with each other.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-11 - Faith unites the weak believer to Christ, as really as it does the strong one, and purifies the heart of one as truly as of another; an every sincere believer is by his faith justified in the sight of God Faith worketh godliness, and produces effects which no other grace in the soul can do. In Christ all fulness dwells, and pardon, peace grace, and knowledge, and new principles, are thus given through the Holy Spirit. The promises to those who are partakers of a Divin nature, will cause us to inquire whether we are really renewed in the spirit of our minds; let us turn all these promises into prayers for the transforming and purifying grace of the Holy Spirit. The believe must add knowledge to his virtue, increasing acquaintance with the whole truth and will of God. We must add temperance to knowledge moderation about worldly things; and add to temperance, patience, or cheerful submission to the will of God. Tribulation worketh patience whereby we bear all calamities and crosses with silence and submission To patience we must add godliness: this includes the holy affection and dispositions found in the true worshipper of God; with tende affection to all fellow Christians, who are children of the sam Father, servants of the same Master, members of the same family travellers to the same country, heirs of the same inheritance Wherefore let Christians labour to attain assurance of their calling and of their election, by believing and well-doing; and thus carefull to endeavour, is a firm argument of the grace and mercy of God upholding them so that they shall not utterly fall. Those who ar diligent in the work of religion, shall have a triumphant entrance int that everlasting kingdom where Christ reigns, and they shall reign with him for ever and ever; and it is in the practice of every good wor that we are to expect entrance to heaven.
Greek Textus Receptus
ταυτα 5023 D-NPN γαρ 1063 CONJ υμιν 5213 P-2DP υπαρχοντα 5225 5723 V-PAP-NPN και 2532 CONJ πλεοναζοντα 4121 5723 V-PAP-NPN ουκ 3756 PRT-N αργους 692 A-APM ουδε 3761 ADV ακαρπους 175 A-APM καθιστησιν 2525 5719 V-PAI-3S εις 1519 PREP την 3588 T-ASF του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM ημων 2257 P-1GP ιησου 2424 N-GSM χριστου 5547 N-GSM επιγνωσιν 1922 N-ASF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Be in you (uparconta). Rev., are yours; following the sense of possession which legitimately belongs to the verb; as Matt. xix. 21, that thou hast; 1 Cor. xiii. 3, goods. In the sense of being the verb is stronger than the simple einai, to be; denoting being which is from the beginning, and therefore attaching to a person as a proper characteristic; something belonging to him, and so running into the idea of rightful possession as above.Barren (argouv). From aj, not, and ergon, work. Hence, more correctly, as Rev., idle. Compare "idle word" (Matt. xii. 36); "standing idle" (Matt. xx. 3, 6); also, 1 Tim. v. 13. The tautology, barren and unfruitful, is thus avoided.
In the knowledge (eiv). Rev., more correctly, unto. The idea is not idleness in the knowledge, but idleness is pressing on and developing toward and finally reaching the knowledge. With this agrees the compound ejpignwsin, the constantly increasing and finally full knowledge.
