Yet I am writing you a new commandment: the connective yet, or ‘on the other hand,’ serves to indicate that John, though going on to speak about the commandment, is now focussing on another aspect of it. Changes in the clause structure should parallel those in “I am writing you no new commandment” in verse 7.
In this context new is used in the sense of “unheard of,” “marvelous,” with favorable connotation. The old commandment to love one’s brother is marvelous in that it is now preached in the name of Jesus. He himself fulfilled it to perfection when “he gave his life for us” (3.16, Good News Bible), and therefore he had the right to say “A new commandment I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13.34, Good News Bible).
The opposite terms new and old can, as a rule, be preserved in translation. Actually, their being used of one entity at the same time implies a shift of point of view. In some languages this must be indicated here; hence, ‘nevertheless, what I am writing to you may be considered (or is said to be) a new commandment.’
Which: the Greek uses the neuter singular form of the pronoun, not the feminine singular form agreeing with the feminine gender of the Greek word for “commandment.” This serves to show that the subsequent clause explains the whole idea of what precedes rather than the single word “commandment,” in English seemingly the immediate antecedent of the relative. To bring this out one may say, for example, ‘something that is true in…,’ or, as a nonsubordinate parenthetical sentence, ‘(and) that it is new is true in….’
Which is true in him and in you, that is, in Christ’s life/deeds and in yours. The preposition in again has the force of “manifest in,” “shown by”; see comments on “in him … perfected” in 1 John 2.5. This may result in renderings like ‘which is true, as manifest in him and in you,’ ‘he and you show it to be true,’ ‘his life/deeds and your life/deeds show the truth of it.’
In some cases the implied time element must be made explicit; hence, for example, ‘he showed it to be true, and you show it to be true (or, and you do the same now).’ Compare also the two following renderings: ‘which was true as thus he used to live, which is true as thus you live, also,’ ‘it is true because Christ completed it and because you all also are completing it.’
True may mean ‘genuine’ or ‘real.’ Compare also “truth” in 1.6.
Because introduces a sentence which may be taken to refer (1) to the clause “which is true in…” in verse 8b, (2) to the newness of the commandment in verse 8a, or (3) to the whole preceding part of the verse.
Following interpretation (1), the clause explains in what situation the new commandment can be shown to be true. It does so by referring to the fact that the true light is already overcoming the darkness; hence, for example, “… It has come true both in him and in you, for … the true light is already shining” (Translators’ Translation).
In case (2), the clause explains why the commandment can be called new; for example, ‘… a new commandment. It is true in him and in you. And it is new, in the sense that … the true light is already shining,’ or, transposing clauses 8b and 8c, ‘… a new commandment. New, because … the true light shines already. The truth of this is seen in him and in you’; compare also New English Bible.
Interpretation (3) combines the two possibilities. It is followed, for example, in Good News Translation‘s “However, the command … is new, and its truth is seen in Christ and also in you. For … the real light is already shining.”
All three interpretations are possible, but (1) seems slightly more probable. On the other hand, a rendering along the lines of Good News Translation allows the translator to make no decision about the exact interpretation. This is, as a rule, objectionable but may have its advantages in a case like this.
The other theoretically possible meaning of the Greek conjunction used here is “that” (compare Revised Standard Version, footnote). It would lead to the interpretation that the clause under discussion gives the contents of the new commandment. But since nothing in the clause is suggestive of a commandment, this interpretation is improbable.
The darkness is passing away, or “is beginning to lift” (Phillips), ‘is losing force,’ ‘is coming to an end.’ the aspect is durative, expressing that the darkness is in the process of disappearing but has not yet done so entirely. If the syntactic structure must be changed, one can say something like ‘it is ceasing to be dark,’ ‘it is becoming less and less dark.’ Darkness (for which see 1.5) can also be taken as referring to a dark period; hence a rendering like ‘the hour of darkness comes to an end,’ ‘the time in which it is dark is passing away.’
The true light is already shining: the clause is the counterpart of the preceding one, referring to the same situation but now under the aspect of the light that is gaining force (durative aspect again). The implication is that the shining of the light causes the disappearance of the darkness. This causal connection may have to be made explicit.
In passages like John 1.9 the phrase the true light refers to Jesus Christ, the Word, but here it is used to characterize the situation brought about by Jesus Christ, the Savior. This situation is like a shining light. Comparable passages are John 8.12b; Eph 5.8-14; 1 Thes 5.4-8.
This light is said to be true, or “genuine,” that is, actually having its apparent quality and being what it should be. This qualification suggests that the light to be mentioned in verse 9 is not genuine. For light see comments on 1.5.
“To shine,” or ‘to give light,’ ‘to be bright:’ some versions render the verb more generically in this context; for example, ‘to be spread,’ ‘to become visible.’
Quoted with permission from Haas, C., de Jonge, M. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on The First Letter of John. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1972. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .