PREFACE
The Tests of Life, a Study of the First Epistle of St. John, 3rd ed.
Robert Law
T & T Clark, Edinburgh, 1909, 1913
Scanned and Proofread by Michael Riggs
    As only a portion of the contents of this volume could be orally delivered, I have not thought it necessary to adhere to either the form or the title of "Lecture," but have assigned a separate "Chapter" to each principal topic dealt with.  The method adopted in this exposition of the Epistle - that, namely, of grouping together the passages bearing upon a common theme - will be found, I trust, to have advantages which compensate in some measure for its disadvantages.  That it has disadvantages, as compared with a continuous exposition, I am well aware.  These, however, I have endeavoured to minimise, by supplying in the first chapter a specially full analysis of the Epistle, by careful indexing, and by making liberal use of cross-references.  For the convenience of the reader, I have set down in the footnotes such exegetical details as seemed most necessary to explain or to establish the interpretation adopted; but where these involved lengthy or intricate discussion, they, along with all minuter points of exegesis, have been relegated to the Notes at the end of the volume.  In these Notes the text of the Epistle is continuously followed.

    The points of textual difference between the various critical editions of the Epistle are comparatively unimportant, and I have seldom found it necessary to refer to them.  The text used is that of Tischendorf's Eighth Edition; but in one passage (518) I have preferred the reading indicated in our Authorised Version and in the Revisers' margin.

    Among the commentators to whom I have, of course, been indebted, I mention Westcott first of all.  Owing, perhaps, to natural pugnacity, one more readily quotes a writer to express dissent than to indicate agreement; but, though I find that the majority of my references to "Westcott" are in the nature of criticism, I would not be thought guilty of depreciating that great commentary.  With all its often provoking characteristics, it is still, as a magazine of materials for the student of the Epistle, without a rival.  Huther's and Plummer's commentaries I have found specially serviceable; but the most original, beautiful, and profound is Rothe's, of which, it is somewhat surprising to find, no full translation has yet appeared.  I desire, besides, to acknowledge obligation to J. M. Gibbon's Eternal Life, a remarkably fine popular exposition of the Epistle; and to Professor E. F. Scott's Fourth Gospel for the clear light which that able work throws upon not a few important points - as well as for much provocative stimulus.  But there is no book (except Bruders Concordance) to which I have been more indebted than to Moulton's Grammar of New Testament Greek, the next volume of which is impatiently awaited.

    Professor H. R. Mackintosh, D.D., of New College, and the Rev. Thomas S. Dickson, M.A., Edinburgh, have placed me under deep obligation by exceptionally generous and valuable help in proof-reading.  Mr. David Duff, B.D., not only has rendered equal service in this respect, but has subjected the book, even in its preparatory stages, to a rigorous but always helpful criticism - a labour of friendship for which I find it difficult to express in adequate terms the gratitude that I owe and feel.  Finally, I am grateful, by anticipation, to every reader who will make generous allowance for the fact, that the preparation of this volume has been carried through amid the incessant demands of a busy city pastorate, and who will attribute to this cause some of the defects which he will, no doubt, discover in it.

EDINBURGH, January 1909.

    THE Second Edition having been exhausted, I am informed that the publishers are willing to undertake the issue of a Third, and the testimonies I have received to the practical helpfulness of the book, especially from ministers and missionaries in various parts of the world, encourage me to hope that other readers may still find it acceptable for the same best of all reasons.  Repeated and careful study of the Epistle, since these Lectures were written, has not led to change or material modification in any of the exegetical interpretations or theological deductions advanced in them.  One paragraph, in which I ventured to express myself as to the 'kernel' of the Johannine problem, has been deleted in the present edition; not because I now regard the opinions there stated as untrue, but because I recognise the unwisdom of attempting to deal in any summary fashion with a problem so complex.  In several passages I have modified the form of expression, where it seemed unduly dogmatic; but there are others, which, in point of arrangement and expression, I could have wished to rewrite to an extent which neither the time presently at my disposal, nor the conditions of publication permit.  An endeavour has been made to take account of recent additions to the literature of the Epistle, especially Mr. Brooke's commentary in the "International Critical" series.  It is a genuine satisfaction to find that the view which I have offered of the historical setting of the Epistle, and also of its peculiar structure, is endorsed by Mr. Brooke - a satisfaction which is scarcely lessened by the fact that he prefers Haring's particular scheme of analysis to mine (p. 24 inf.).

TORONTO, December 1913.

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