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Introduction
to the First Epistle of John
I.
Writer
The First and Second and Third Epistles of John
have not clearly mentioned the writers or recipients. Since the three epistles
and the Gospel of John are similar in the content and wording and viewpoints
(please refer to “VIII. Its Relations with Other Books in the Scriptures”)
many Bible scholars agree that the three epistles and the Gospel of John were
written by the same writer ---- the apostle John.
The apostle John was the son of Zebedee (Matthew10:2)
the
brother of James. His mother Salome (Matthew 27:56; cf: Mark15:40; 16:1)
one
of the sisters who followed and served Jesus from
Probably
John was born in a wealthy family: his father was a great fisherman
possessing
many the ship and many hired servants (Mark1:20). And John also knew the high
priest (18:15). Apart from his house in Galilee
it seemed that he had another
house in
John
was firstly the disciple of John the Baptist. When John the Baptist testified
to his disciples: “Behold
the Lamb of God”
two of the disciples followed
Jesus and abode with him. One of them is Andrew
and the other unnamed is the
apostle John (1:35-40)
for he had never mentioned his own name in the gospel
written by himself.
It
seemed that he had been called by the Lord more than once. In the first time
the Lord said to them: “Come and see.”(1:39) But then
he returned to his
fishing business. Afterwards
the Lord called him again by the
Of
the twelve disciples
there were three who mostly drew near to the Lord ----
Peter
James and John (Luke 8:51; 9:28; Mark 14:33). Of these three
John was
the nearest to the Lord. John had leaned on the breast of Jesus (13:25); he was
the one whom Jesus loved (13:23); he was the only disciple witnessing the
Lord’s suffering below the cross (19:26); and he was the one entrusted by the
Lord with the responsibility of taking the Lord’s mother to his own home (19:27).
John
and his brother were called “Boanerges
which meant the son of the thunder”
(Mark3:17). It was therefore imaginable that John was an irritable man. When he
saw someone casting out demons in the Lord’s name without following together
with them
John was provoked to jealousy for the Lord and forbade that man’s
work (Luke 9:49). When the people in Samaria refused to receive the Lord
John
and James asked the Lord to permit them to replay the story of Elijah ---- to
command fire to come down from heaven and consume them (Luke 9:54); However
his disposition as a son of thunder was melted by Lord’s love and gradually
became an apostle of love (or “an apostle who specialized in preaching love”).
After
the Lord’s ascension
he left and dwelt in
Before
the fall of
John lived a long life of almost 100 years on the
earth. It was then spread among the disciples that John would not die
but John
himself clarified the rumor (21:23). We knew from his disciple Polycrates that
the apostle John was martyred for his Lord in his old age.
II.
The Time and Location the Epistle was Written
The heresy that is
criticized and refuted in this epistle attacked the church at the end of the
first century. And John’s condescending tone of an elder to the juniors
indicated that he wrote it in his later age. It was traditionally believed in
the early church that the apostle John had lived in
III.
The Recipients
This epistle was not
written to a special group of men
but an official letter to believers in all
the churches
i.e. to the “beloved” or “brethren” (see 1John 2:7; 3:13
21;
4:1
7) ---- “children
young men
fathers” (see 1John 2:12-14). Sometime
the
writer called all brethren “children” (see 1John 2:1
18
28; 3:7; 5:21)
for
he was nearly one hundred years old. “Children” is an intimate name of an elder
to juniors.
IV.
The Motivation for Writing this Epistle
Since the churches in Asia Minor at that time was
influenced by the budding heresy of “Gnostic”
the apostle John wrote this epistle to
refute the falsehood of the heretical doctrines to enable all believers to
distinguish between good and evil and know the truth. Here
the important
points are listed as below:
1.
The heresy denies
Jesus was the one who was in the beginning. However
this epistle clear
declares that He was the Word of life that which was from the beginning (see
1John 1:1).
2.
“Docetism” ----
which emphasizes the spirit is good and the body is evil so that there is no
“incarnation” of the Word. However
this epistle indicates that Jesus Christ is
a real person whom we have heard and we have seen with our eyes and our hands
have handled (see 1John 1:1).
3.
Heresy states that
physical body is evil and its works have nothing to do with the Spirit.
Therefore
men are sinless by nature
for the works of the body are not counted
as sins. However
this epistle points that man’s confession of his sins are the
precondition of remission by God (see 1John 1:8-10).
4.
Since the heresy
declares that men are sinless
they need no redemption. However it is mentioned
in this epistle that Jesus Christ came to the world to be the propitiation for
our sins (see 1John2:1-2).
5.
The heresy thinks
that the works of the flesh have nothing to do with the divine will
so there
is no difference between “keeping the commandments” and “being associated with
the world”. However
this epistle repeats that believers have to keep the
commandments (see 1John 2:4) instead of loving the world or things in the world
(see 1John 2:15).
6.
The heresy announces
that Christ is Christ and Jesus is Jesus
denying Jesus is Christ. However
it
is announced in this epistle that Jesus is Christ and he who denies that Jesus is
the Christ is a liar or antichrist (see 1John 2:21-22).
7.
The heresy denies
that Jesus is the Son of God and that He incarnated as a man. However
this
epistle points that whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God
God abides
in Him and he is in God (see 1John 4:15) and will have the divine life (see
1John 5:12).
8.
The heresy denies
that Jesus Christ and God are equal and are one. However
it is indicated in
this epistle that if we are in “Him who is true” (God)
in His Son Jesus Christ
(see 1John 5:20). Therefore
God and Jesus Christ are one.
9.
The heretical
“Cerinthianism” thinks that Jesus Christ was a man. When he was baptized
the
“Word” entered into Him. When He was crucified
the “Word” left Him (see Matt.
3:16; 27:46). However
this epistle points that Jesus Christ is the Son of God
through the three witnesses of “the Spirit and the water and the blood” (see
1John 5:6-9). His baptism and crucifixion are the fulfillment of the types and
prophecies in the Old Testament.
V.
The Importance of this Book
This epistle is an indispensible treasure for the
churches throughout the past generations to resist the heresies so that the
good and sound faith of Christianity is thus kept and inherited. The value and
achievements of this epistle are even comparable to the epistles of Paul.
Moreover
many positive instructions and right teachings are given for
believers of Christ in this epistle so as to provide the readers deeper
knowledge of life and fellowship and love and truth etc.
VI.
Main Structure and General Description
This epistle revolves around
the theme of “fellowship of life”
starting from the origin of fellowship and
pointing out the purpose and condition and hindrance and remedy and crisis and
principle and maintenance and development of fellowship to show that the nature
of life is holiness and righteousness and goodness and truth and love. Since
believers have already received this life required in fellowship because of
right faith
they need to only let the characteristics of this life manifested
and developed so that they must be filled with joy.
VII.
Special Points
This epistle has the
following characteristics:
1. It is a “loving family letter” written by
the “beloved apostle” to the children in the house of God. It is more than ten
times of mentioning “sons or children” and “love” respectively.
2. Concerning both emotion and authority
the
tone of this epistle is like the tone of an elder father to his children
gentle and powerful.
3. This epistle directly points out what is
right or wrong without any ambiguousness or unnecessary defense.
4. Though it is written in Greek
it is similar
to Hebrew in grammar and tone and way of expression.
5. This epistle especially emphasizes the
knowledge of the truth and characteristics of life. As long as believers have
grasped the two aspects
they are enabled to enter into the Holy of Holies and
have close fellowship with God.
VIII.
Its Relations with Other Books in the Scriptures
The Gospel of John bears witness to Jesus and
declares that He is the Son of God ---- those who have believed in Jesus have
obtained life (John 20:31) and entered into the great house of God and become
the sons of God. And the First Epistle of John is a family letter to the
children of God in the house of God
telling the way of “fellowship with God”
(1John 1:3) in the house of God
and how to love one another and share with one
another the full life in Christ that believers may know that they have eternal
life (1John 5:13). Besides
this epistle encourages all believers to keep the
true faith without being enticed by the heretics (1John 2:24-27). Therefore
the Gospel of John is like a prelude to this epistle
and this epistle is the
application of the Gospel of John.
The First Epistle of John and the Gospel of John
are similar in the theme and grammar and use clear contrasts ---- light and
darkness
life and death
love and hate
and truth and falsehood. Both the two
books divide men into two sorts ---- either the children of God or the children
of the devil; either that is of the world or that is not of the world; either
that has life or that has no life; either know God or know not God. Concerning
the writing style
the two books adopt simple structure and Hebrew parallel
expressions
and use rarely function words or sentenced brought by pronouns.
Besides
in both the two books
it often starts a sentence with an emphatic
tone
e.g. “this is …”
“through …”
“because …”
“all that …” etc.
Moreover
the vocabulary speaking of the will of
God and the counsel of salvation in the two books are almost identical. E.g.
before we were redeemed
we were by nature “of the devil”
who has sinned “from
the beginning” and was a murderer and a liar (1John 3:8; John 8:44)
and we
were “of the world” (1John 2:16; 4:5; John 8:23; 15:19). Therefore
we “had
sinned” (1John 3:4; John 8:34) and “had sin” (1John 1:8; John 9:41) and “walked
in darkness” (1John 1:6; 2:11; John 8:12; 12:35) and was “blind” in spirit
(1John 2:11; John 12:40) and was “dead” (1John 3:14; John 5:25). However
God
so loved us that He sent His Son to be “the Savior of the world” (1John 4:14;
John 4:42) so that we “will be enabled to have life” (1John 4:9; John 3:16).
This is His “only begotten Son” (1John 4:9; John 1:14
18; 3:16
18). Though He
was the Word “in the beginning” (1John 1:1; John 1:1)
He became the “flesh”
(1John 4:2; John 1:14) to the world and “gave us His life” (1John 3:16; John
10:11-18) to “take away” our sins (1John 3:5; John 1:29). Those who “have seen”
Him “bear witness” to Him (1John 1:2-3; 4:14; John 1:34; 19:35); but more
importantly
it is God Himself (1John 5:9; John 3:33; 5:32
34
36-37) and the
Spirit (1John 5:6; John 15:26) that bear witness to the Son. We shall “receive”
the witness of God (1John 5:9; John 3:11
32-33; 5:34) and “believe” the One
who have full witnesses (1John 5:10; John 5:37-40) and “confess” Him (1John
4:2-3; John 9:22). He who believes the Son of God or His “name” (1John 5:13;
John 1:12 etc.) has have passed from death to life (1John 3:14; John 5:24). We
“have life” (1John 5:11-12; John 3:15
36; 20:31)
for life is in the Son of
God (1John 5:11-12; John 1:4; 14:6). That is “born of God” (1John 2:29; 3:9;
5:4
18; John 1:13).
All
that are born of God are “children” of God (1John 3:1-2
10; 5:2; John 1:12;
11:52). Both the two books mention that relations of God’s children with God
Christ
the truth
the world
etc. They are “of God” (1John 3:10; John 8:47)
and “know” God and know the true God through Jesus Christ (1John 5:20; John
17:3). And they have even “seen God” (1John 3:6; see 3John 11; John 14:9)
but
literally no one can see God (1John 4:12
20; John 1:18; 6:46). Christians are
of God as well as of the truth (1John 2:21; 3:19; John 18:37). The truth is “in
them” (1John 1:18; 2:4; John 8:44)
and they “walk” or “live” in the truth
(1John 1:6; John 3:21)
for the spirit given to them is “the spirit of the
truth” (1John 4:6; 5:6; John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). The relations of Christians
with God and with the truth are established through Jesus Christ. They “abide”
in Him and in His love (1John 2:6
27-28; 3:6
24; 4:13
15-16; John 15:4-10)
and God also abides in them (1John 2:24; 3:24; 4:12-16; John 6:56; 15:4-5). His
words are also in them (1John 1:10; 2:14
24; John 5:38; 15:7)
and they also
abide in His words (1John 2:27; John 8:31). Therefore
they “obey His words”
(1John 2:5; John 8:51-55; 14:23; 15:20; 17:6) or “His commandments” (1John
2:3-4; 2:22
24; 5:2-3; John 14:15
21; 15:10); and His “new commandment” is
that they have to love one another (1John 2:8-10; 3:11
23; see 2John 5-6; John
13:34). However
“the world” “hates” them (1John 3:13; John 15:18). They need
not to feel it strange
because they are no longer of the world (1John 4:5-6;
John 15:19; 17:16). Though they still live in it
they shall not love the
things in the world (1John 2:15-16; John 17:15). Since Christ “has overcome the
world”
believers have also overcome by faith in Him (1John 5:4-5; John 16:33).
The effect of Christ’s fulfillments has given to His people
that is
let them
have full joy (1John 1:4; John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13).
Though the content of the First Epistle of John is
different from the Second and Third Epistles of John
the wording and writing
style are identical and relevant
all of which encourage the recipients to love
one another in truth (please refer to the introductions of the Second and Third
Epistle of John).
The Bible scholars generally believe that the five
books of the Gospel of John and the First and Second and Third Epistles of John
and the Revelation are all written by the apostle John
all of which can be
exactly divided in three sorts:
1. The theme of the Gospel of John is “faith”
---- obtain life because of having faith in Jesus Christ.
2. The theme of the First and Second and Third
Epistles of John is “love” ---- obtain full and abundant life because of loving
God and brothers properly.
3. The theme of the Revelation is “hope” ----
obtain the triumphant life because of watching and hoping for the coming of
Christ.
IX.
Key Verses
“That which we have seen and
heard we declare to you
that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly
our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1:3);
“Behold what manner of love
the Father has bestowed on us
that we should be called children of God!” (3:1);
“Whoever believes that Jesus
is the Christ is born of God
and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves
him who is begotten of Him.” (5:1);
“He who has the Son has
life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (5:12);
X.
Key Words
“Life”
“eternal life” (1:1
2
2; 2:25
29; 3:9
9
14
15; 4:7
9
9; 5:1
1
1
4
11
11
12
12
13
16
18
18
20);
“Light” (1:5
7
7; 2:8
9
10);
“Truth” (1:6
8; 2:4
21; 3:19; 5:7);
“Commandment” (2:3
4
7
7
7
8; 3:11
22
23
23
24; 4:21; 5:2
3
3);
“Know” (2:5
11
18
20
21
21
21
29
29; 3:2
5
16
19
20
24; 4:13
16; 5:2
13
15
15
18
19
20);
“Love” (2:5
7
10
15
15
15; 3:1
2
10
11
14
14
16
17
18
21
23; 4:1
7
7
7
7
8
8
9
10
10
10
11
11
11
12
12
16
16
16
17
18
18
18
19
19
20
20
20
21
21; 5:1
1
2
2
3);
XI. Outlines of the Book
Theme: Fellowship in Life
A. Origins of establishing the fellowship ----
the word of life (1:1-4):
1. The origin and revelation and preachment of the
word of life (1:1-2);
2. The purpose of preaching the word of life (1:3-4);
B. Conditions of maintaining the fellowship
---- fellowship in the light of life (1:5-2:11):
1. Walk in light (1:5-7);
2. Confess one’s sins and believe the propitiation
Jesus Christ (1:8-2:2);
3. Keep the commandments of the Lord (2:3-11);
C. Elements of keeping the fellowship ----
fellowship in the knowledge of life (2:3-4:6):
1. Know the difference between God and idols (the
world)(2:3-17);
2. Know the difference between Christ and
antichrist (2:18-23);
3. Know the
difference between the teaching of the anointing and that of men (2:24-27);
4. Know the
difference between the children of God and that of the devil (2:28-3:24);
5. Know the
difference between the
spirit of truth and the spirit of error (4:1-6);
D. Principles of fostering the fellowship ----
fellowship in the love of life (4:7-5:3):
1. Abide in love (4:7-16);
2. Proof of abiding in love ---- no fear
(4:17-18);
3. Love is the natural revelation of the divine
life (4:19-5:3);
E. Ways of the fellowship in life (5:4-21):
1. General outline ---- from faith to
overcoming the world (5:4-5);
2. Believe Jesus is the Son of God because of
the witness of God (5:6-11);
3. Have life because of believing in the name of the Son of
God (5:12-13);
4. Know that God will hear our prayers by the
divine life (5:14-15);
5. Be kept from sins because of prayers
(5:16-19);
6. Be kept from idols because of abiding in the
true God (5:20-21);
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou