"Love of God" (1 John 5:3)--Some Comments

Greek: αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ ἵνα τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ τηρῶμεν, καὶ αἱ ἐντολαὶ αὐτοῦ βαρεῖαι οὐκ εἰσίν, (WH)

NKJV: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

Does ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ refer to our love for God or his love for us? Here, the phrase likely means "our love for God." Contrast the usage with 1 John 4:9-11.

Begin quote from preceptaustin:

Wuest - The word (barus) speaks of that which is burdensome, severe, stern, violent, cruel, unsparing. Love for God makes the keeping of His commandments a delight rather than a burden. (Word Studies)

BDAG adds that barus alludes to "a source of difficulty or trouble because of demands made" as in Paul's letters (2Cor 10:10). Barus can pertain "to being important because of unusual significance. In positive affirmation of certain legal directives weighty, important (Herodian 2, 14, 3; Jos., Ant. 19, 362 of administrative responsibilities) and the more important provisions of the law (Mt 23:23) or serious charges (Acts 25:7)." BDAG adds that barus can pertain "to being of unbearable temperament, fierce, cruel, savage" (Acts 20:29).

See https://www.preceptaustin.org/1_john_53_commentary

Compare Job 6:3; Psalm 68:19; Galatians 6:2.

Quote from W. Hall Harris III:

The force of the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou, “of God”) in 5:3. Once again the genitive could be understood as objective, subjective, or both.642 Here an objective sense is more likely (believers’ love for God) because in the previous verse it is clear that God is the object of believers’ love.

From Stephen Smalley:

αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ, “for this is love for God.” For the construction of the demonstrative αὕτη (“this”), followed later in the sentence by ἵνα (“that”), see 3:11; John 17:3 (cf. also 4:21). The context (note 4:2b) demands that in the phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (literally, “the love of God”) the genitive should be construed in a primarily objective sense (meaning, as in our translation, “love for God”).

Smalley, Dr. Stephen S. 1, 2, and 3 John, Volume 51: Revised (Word Biblical Commentary) (Kindle Locations 8765-8769). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.