1 John
1 John
1, 2, and 3 John are included among the General Epistles. 1 John lacks features typical of other New Testament letters, namely, identifications of the author and addressees and opening and closing greetings. It may reflect a different form of ist-century letter or may represent one written in sermonic style and intended for circulation to various churches, as with Paul's letter to the Ephesians. Early church tradition credits the Apostle John with authorship of this anonymous letter, and its literary style and thematic emphases compared to the Gospel of John support the tradition. Tradition also asserts that toward the end of john's life he lived in Ephesus. These traditions combine with the intimate tone of i John to suggest that it addresses groups of Christians personally known by John in the area around that city.
Written toward the end of the ist century A.D., i John combats the growing heresy of Gnosticism (from the Greek for "knowledge"), which was drawing some away from the orthodox Christian faith. Broadly speaking, Gnosticism viewed the spiritual world as good and the physical world as evil. The distinction carried deep implications for Christian belief and practice, particularly regarding the incarnation of Christ, the relationship of his divine
and human natures, and the moral conduct of Christians. One form of Gnosticism, Doceticism, sought to protect the pure goodness of the divine Christ by denying his real humanity. Cerinthianism (after the gnostic leader Cerinthus) asserted that the divine spirit (in the form of a dove) came on the human Jesus at his baptism and left immediately before his crucifixion. The independence of the physical and spiritual meant that immoral conduct could not taint spiritual purity, so Christians could feel free to sin. Against this teaching, i John confirms the real humanity of the divine Jesus Christ, declares righteous conduct as the evidence of genuine faith, and prescribes as its necessary outcome active love for fellow believers.
2 and 3 John
2 and 3 John exhibit the features typical of New Testament letters. They identify their author as "the elder," whom early church tradition equated with the Apostle John. 2 John addresses a church, and 3 John addresses an individual. Both elaborate themes in i John. 2 John warns against false doctrine and teachers and admonishes active love toward fellow Christians. 3 John details examples of loving and unloving behavior.
1 John
1:1-4 Eyewitnesses to the Word
The opening verses emphasize the testimony of multiple eyewitnesses to the earthly life of Christ. The addressees would recognize such testimony as valid under both Roman and Israelite law, and their acceptance of the testimony (against contemporary gnostic heresies) would unite them in Christian fellowship with the author and his fellow proclaimers of the gospel and thus complete their joy.
From the beginning, 1 John exhibits striking literary resemblances to the Gospel of John (John 1:1-18), and the similarities support the view that the same author wrote both books. In their prologues, the most obvious parallels include the general emphasis on eyewitness testimony to the earthly life of Christ (vv. 1-3; John 1:14-15); the allusion to Christ's eternal preexistence (v. 1; John 1:1); the reference to Jesus as the "Word" (v. 1; John 1:1); the Word as the source of eternal "life" (vv. i-a; John 1:3-4); the earthly "manifestation" (incarnation) of the Word (v 2; John 1:14); and Christ's preexistence with God the Father (v. a; John 1:1-2).
1:5-2:17 Walk in the Light
The symbolic language of John's Gospel resurfaces in the language of "light" and "darkness," representing good and evil (vv. 5ff.; cf. John i:4ff.; 8:12). Since God is pure light, true fellowship with him precludes walking in darkness (sinning). When we do what is right, we enjoy fellowship with other Christians and spiritual "cleansing" from past sins through the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. Claiming sinlessness is self-deception, but confession of sins brings God's forgiveness and his reckoning of the repentant sinner as righteous (cf. Rom. 3:21-5:21).
"My little children" (2:1) identifies the addressees as the writer's subordinates in (and perhaps converts to) the Christian faith (cf. 1 Tim. i:2; 2 Tim. i:2; 1 Pet. 5:13). He aims to
steer his spiritual children clear of sinning. Anticipating their moral imperfection, however, he encourages their confession of sins by portraying Christ as the righteous Advocate who represents them before God the Father and who has already appeased his just anger over the sins of all humanity (cf. Rom. 8:33-34). Nevertheless, the availability of God's grace does not reduce the importance of obedience to him. In the truth-test of 2:3-6, the author asserts that knowing Christ necessarily results in keeping his commandments (cf. 3:23-24) and walking in the light (cf. 1:6-7). Similarly, "abiding in the light" necessitates following the law of Christian love, commanded by Christ (2:9-11); and abiding in the love of God precludes loving the "world," the domain of Satan characterized by carnality, greed, and pride (2:15-17; cf. 5:19). The commendations in 2:12-14 show the aim of the letter as one of encouragement, not castigation.
2:18-28 Cling to the Truth
Now the author elaborates the assertion that the world of evil is "passing away" because the "true light" of righteousness is already shining (cf. 2:8, 17). False disciples, "antichrists;" are forsaking the church - an indication of the nearing end times and the appearing of the ultimate Antichrist. The addressees with their sincere belief in Jesus as the Messiah contrast with the deserters who deny that truth, and the author urges them to cling to the teaching they originally received. He warns against deceptive false teaching, which diminishes Christ. Their divine "anointing" from God - their receipt of the indwelling Holy Spirit - ensures their perception of the truth about Christ apart from explanations by a human teacher. Holding on to that truth will make them confident encounterers of Christ at his second coming.
Library of Celsus, Roman senator and governor of the province of Asia, at Ephesus; 2nd century A.D. (www. HolyLandPhotos.org)
2:29-3:10 Deeds Reveal Your Identity
Spiritually reborn "children" of God act as he does - righteously. Children of the Devil act like the Devil - they sin. The writer does not deny that true Christians can and do sin (see 1:8-10). Nor does he say that non-Christians never do good. Rather, overall righteous conduct characterizes the lives of genuine believers, who when they do fall into sin lose fellowship with God temporarily. Similarly, sinfulness characterizes the lives of unregenerate nonbelievers, who do not know God himself, as revealed in Christ. According to the gnostic heresy combated in this letter, the essential purity of the Christian spirit went unsullied by sins committed in the flesh. But Christ came to eradicate the "works of the Devil" (3:8) - not some metaphysical idea of evil but its earthly outworking.
3:11-24 Love Brings Salvation
Active love for fellow believers assures the Christian's deliverance from "death" (eternal condemnation as the wages of sin) to eternal "life:" Hating a fellow Christian is equal to the crime of murder (v. 15). Verse 16 reiterates the self-sacrificial demand of Christ's law of love (cf. John 15:12-13), which requires not only right conduct but a right attitude of the heart (vv. 17-18). The promise of receiving from God "whatever we asks' (v. 22; 5:14-15) recalls Matt. 7:7-8. Behind the caution against surprise at the hatred of Christians by the "world" (v. 13) lie Jesus' words in John 15:18-25.
4:1-6 Confessing the Incarnation
Neither Hebrew nor Christian thought sanctions indiscriminate religious belief. The Old Testament offers guidelines for discerning between true and false prophets (e.g., Deut. 18:14-22), and here 1 John instructs Christians to discern between true and false teachers, distinguishable by their confession or denial of the incarnation of Jesus Christ. First-century gnostic heretics accepted the divinity of Jesus but denied his full humanity. 1 John attacks the false doctrine at its roots - it stems from the spirit of the "antichrist" (lit., "against Christ").
4:7-5:3 God's Exemplary Love
Active love comes from God and characterizes Christian conduct toward fellow believers. God himself epitomized this love by sending his Son as a sacrifice to appease his own righteous anger against sinful humans. The self-giving, initiative-taking love God showed for humanity obligates Christians to act accordingly toward each other. Christians can see from their own acts of love toward fellow believers that they "abide in God" (cf. John 15:1-11; 17:20-26) and thus can rest assured of avoiding punishment at the final judgment. Both 4:15 and 5:1 make clear that orthodox Christian belief includes confessing the divinity of Jesus as well as his humanity.
5:4-21 Faith for Life
Overcoming the world - gaining victory over evil and sin - necessitates exercising faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Verses 6-8 speak of Christ's coming "by water and blood" - likely references to his baptism and death as witnesses to his divine sonship and true humanity. The addition of a third witness - none other than the Holy Spirit - seals the validation of Jesus' identity (cf. John 8:12-18). Believing in Jesus equals recognizing the truth of this testimony and obtains for the believer eternal life; disbelieving in Jesus equals calling God a liar and leaves the disbeliever devoid of eternal life (vv 9ff.).
Verses 16-17 distinguish between "mortal" sin that does lead "to death, and sin that does not. Without specifying the particular sin or sins meant, the writer prescribes intercessory prayer only for fellow Christians committing sins not leading to death, whether physical death as a natural consequence of sin or perhaps more likely eternal condemnation, such as that earned by unforgivable blasphemers of the Holy Spirit. By denying the truth of God's witness concerning the identity of his Son, Jesus, false disciples commit such blasphemy, thus revealing their anti-Christian attitude of heart, and sealing their ultimate fate.
i John ends on a dual note of encouragement concerning the spiritual safety of true disciples in a world ruled by Satan, and of exhortation that they guard against idolatry (vv. 18-21). Verse 20 restates the main objective of the letter: to reinforce correct belief about Jesus as the incarnate Son of God, who enables humans to realize the truth that leads to eternal life.
2 John
Guarding the Faith
An elder statesman of the church at large, "the elder" writes to a particular but unidentified congregation of Christians addressed symbolically as the "elect lady" (the congregation as a whole, chosen by God for salvation) and her "children" (its individual members); (cf. 1 John 2:1). The opening emphasis on "truth" sets the stage for a warning against falling prey to gnostic heretics who deny the full humanity of Christ. As a safeguard, the elder prohibits the church from welcoming such false teachers into their "house." This welcoming includes practical hospitality (providing food and lodging), for in the 1st century churches met in private homes, and housing false teachers would give them a forum for preaching their heresy. The elder also forbids "greeting" false teachers - acknowledging them as true believers, as fellow Christians commonly did with a "holy kiss" (cf. Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20) or "kiss of love" (1 Pet. 5:14). Before the warnings, however, comes an exhortation to active Christian love within the fellowship of true believers, in accordance with Christ's command (John 13:31-38). In closing, the author expresses the hope of visiting his addressees and conveys greetings from the members of a "sister" church - likely his own local fellowship.
3 John
Fostering Christian Fellowship
As in 2 John, the author refers to himself as an elder statesman of the church at large. Whereas 2 John prohibits fellowship with false teachers, 3 John commands the Christian welcome of true believers. This letter addresses Gaius, whom "the elder" commends for welcoming fellow Christians he has sent, evidently to carry out an itinerant teaching ministry. In contrast, the author criticizes Diotrephes for spurning apostolic authority, failing to receive the missionaries, and opposing church members who show them hospitality. That Christian love does not equal spinelessness shows in the writer's threat to confront Diotrephes in person (cf. 1 Cor. 4:21). Diotrephes' deeds qualify as evil, for they fail to follow the law of Christian love (cf. 2 John 5-6). The author's mention of having written "something to the church" (v. 9a) may refer to 2 John, and the exposure of Diotrephes' recalcitrance (v. 9b) may directly attack the man's rebellion against that exhortation to Christian love. Alternatively, the reference may relate to i John, which repeatedly commands Christian love, or to another, lost letter. Demetrius probably carries the letter to Gaius. The elder recommends the courier to ensure his proper reception.