<p>5:20 <i>And we know that the Son of God came, and has given us an understanding so that we truly know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ- </i>The coming of the Son of God is through the gift of the Spirit, the Comforter, whereby we feel His presence even more really than when He visibly lived amongst men (Jn. 14:18). John is saying that we can be confident that we have received of His Spirit. We have been given &quot;an understanding&quot;, or literally, 'a mind'. The same word is used elsewhere of how the Lord through His Spirit enlightens our mind (Eph. 1:18); the gift of the Spirit envisioned in the new covenant is of God's way being put into and written in our mind (Heb. 8:10; 10:16), and of &quot;the mind&quot; purified by the Spirit (2 Pet. 3:1). A mindset is given us; we do not develop it solely by our own mental effort. And that mind / disposition is given <i>so that </i>we might know / have a relationship with Him that is true. For &quot;the spirit of truth&quot; would &quot;teach you all things&quot; (Jn. 14:26 and see note on 1 Jn 2:27).</p><p><i>This is the true God and eternal life</i>- This whole verse is allusive to Jn. 17:3, which defines the eternal life which we are now given as knowing / being in living relationship with &quot;the true God&quot;. John is not saying that the Lord Jesus is &quot;the true God&quot;. The allusion to Jn. 17:3 cannot be doubted, and there we have &quot;eternal life&quot; defined as 'knowing the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent'.</p><p>William Barclay (<i>New Testament Words</i>) has a very interesting section on the word <i>aionios</i>. He cites examples in contemporary literature where it is used not of indefinite continuance, but simply of that which is beyond time. &quot;To attach eternity to the created was impossible. So He (God) made time as a moving image of eternity... the essence of the word <i>aionios</i> is that it is the word of the eternal order as contrasted with the order of this world... the word can be properly applied to no one other than God... the life of God&quot;. This helps us understand how 'eternal punishment' is not in fact punishment of unending continuance. And yet eternal punishment is set as the antithesis to eternal life (Mt. 25:46); this itself shows that &quot;eternal&quot; is not to be understood as unending continuance. For the wicked will not be punished for ever- they will die and cease existing. The Lord Jesus <i>is</i> eternal life (1 Jn. 5:20); this alone points us to see &quot;eternal life&quot; as more a description, a quality of life, rather than indefinite continuance. Those who &quot;seek for glory, and honour, and immortality&quot; are granted eternal life, as though &quot;eternal life&quot; comprehends all these things for which they seek (Rom. 2:7).</p>