1 John.
1 John.
§ 273. (VIII) This too is called “catholic” because it was written to all Christians. Oecumenius calls it “encyclical.” The ancients say that this Epistle was written to the Parthians, for this title is given it by Possidius (Indiculus operum Augustini) and by Augustine himself (QQ. evang., bk. 2, c. 39) because in that area between the Tigris and Indus Rivers and in the places thereabouts there were many Jews from the ancient captivity and dispersion of the ten tribes. As a result they are again set in the first place (Acts 2:9); yet no less than Peter, John wanted this letter of his to belong also to those of the Gentiles who had been converted.
Eusebius (Hist. eccles., bk. 3, c. 25) and Jerome (Catalog.) bear witness that “there never was any doubt in the Church concerning the authority and author of this Epistle.” Indeed, the style and character, the constant inculcation of love, indicate sufficiently that John is the author of this Epistle, for which reason we put it among the canonical books of the first rank. In his commentary on this Epistle, Socinus claims: “The aim and theme of this letter are stated only by an exhortation to love, innocence of life, and the observation of Christ’s precepts.” The actual subject matter, however, shows that the theme of the Epistle extends more broadly.
It consists of five chapters and falls into three parts. The first is of teaching, concerning the person and office of Christ; the redemption performed through Christ; the benefits of Christ: adoption into sonship, the regeneration and indwelling of the Holy Spirit; about the coming of the Antichrist; the sin against the Holy Spirit; and the mystery of the Trinity. The second is of exhortation toward sanctity, purity, obedience, and especially to Christian love. The third is of warning about being wary of heretical seducers and antichrists. In Oeconomia biblica, Georgius Ederus follows Petrus Aureolus and claims that the apostle’s purpose was to treat carefully the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and charity.
44 Read usque ad instead of eoque ad.
45 From the sequence hymn Jocundare plebs fidelis by Adam of St. Victor.