1–John
Introduction to the book of 1–John
In this letter, John speaks against false teachers who questioned Jesus’ divine and human nature. His response is loud and clear: Jesus is fully God and fully man. This is not some obscure theological debate; John knows that if his readers get this teaching wrong, everything else falls apart. Because Jesus became human, he was a true sacrifice for sins. Because God is light, believers can walk in the light. Because God is love, believers know what love looks like and can respond in love. John’s Gospel explains how Jesus Christ came to offer eternal life; his first letter tells how to know, by our experience and behavior, that we have eternal life. John’s Gospel tells us how Jesus came to reveal the Father; his letter shows how we can be confident in our relationship with him. John’s Gospel relates how Jesus gives the Spirit to each one who is born again; his letter explains daily life in the Spirit. John’s Gospel encourages Jesus’ disciples to practice spiritual unity by loving one another; his letter clarifies how to put that love into action. John’s first letter addresses a setting in which some people in the local church had departed the fellowship (2:19), apparently because their doctrine, ethics, devotion, or some combination of these conflicted with those of the church. John wrote in part to stabilize the situation. He reaffirmed and enlarged on key theological truths, particularly the doctrine of Christ. He extolled love and emphasized the necessity for belief to be matched by action. A personal relationship with Christ is the foundation of the Christian life, and out from this grows obedience to divine commands. True faith, proactive ethics, fervent love for God and people—most of the epistle revolves around one or more of these three emphases as the author instructed, admonished, and encouraged his readers.Theme & Overview
John writes to assure believers of the certainty of their faith and to refute heretical doctrines teaching that Jesus was not fully human and fully divine. Over time, common phrases can be stripped of their original meaning and applied to something else entirely. According to the "NIV Student Bible," this tendency to change language is not new. Even at the close of the first century, words were being twisted and drained of their original meanings. When the apostle John wrote his letters, the Christian faith was perhaps 50 or 60 years old. A generation had grown up in Christian homes, and a distinct subculture was already developing. Some people were using familiar phrases such as “knowing God,” “walk in the light,” and “born of God,” but with new, distorted meanings. The apostle responded with fire. He knew that a confused, subtle distortion of truth is harder to resist than an outright denial. In this book, John chooses key words (light, sin, Christ, love, faith), “disinfects” them, and restores their original meanings. He points back to the truths behind the words. Repeatedly he begins with the phrase “If we claim ...” and proceeds to show what actions must result if we claim to live in the true light and to know God. First John takes a strong stand against false teachers who denied that Jesus was God’s Son in the flesh—yet the letter’s strategy is grounded in love. John lovingly shows that a distorted view of Jesus has dangerous consequences: a life of disobedience, injustice, and apathy. John teaches his audience how to discern falsehood from truth: People who claim to know God yet are unloving show by their actions that they really don’t know God (4:7–8). As people know God more, they live in a more selfless way—offering kindness to other people and showing compassion to those in need. Christians respond to God’s love with gratitude, offering the same forgiveness and love to others. As believers, we are called to flee from the darkness that is evil and instead walk in the light of God. We are called to live as people who are truly saved by Jesus—loving with everything we have. In 1 John the author calls readers back to the three basics of Christian life: true doctrine, obedient living, and fervent devotion. Because “God is light” (1:5), Christ’s followers overcome evildoers who seek to subvert them. The one who lives in and among them—God’s Son—is greater than the spirit of “the antichrist” now in the world (4:3–4). To believe in the name of the Son of God is to know the assurance of eternal life (5:13).Author
The apostle John. The apostle John is the traditional author of this book, though the text does not specifically name the author. The author notes an eyewitness relationship with Jesus (1 John 1:1–4). External evidence is found in many early sources. This includes Irenaeus (AD 140–203), Clement of Alexandria (AD 150–215), Tertullian (AD 155–222), and Origen (AD 185–253). Manuscript evidence is unanimous that someone named “John” wrote this little treatise, which is consistently labeled the “first” of his extant letters in titles found in ancient copies. But who is this “John”? For a number of reasons, John the son of Zebedee, author of the Fourth Gospel, is the most likely candidate (see Introduction to John: Author and Title). First, the style and vocabulary of John’s Gospel and 1 John are so similar that a common author is extremely likely. This is particularly evident in the opening verses of the respective writings, but the language of the Gospel echoes across the whole epistle. For example, only verbal forms of “believe” occur (about a hundred times) in John’s Gospel; the noun “faith” never appears. First John follows suit, with nine occurrences of a verbal form of “believe” and just one use of the word “faith” (5:4). Second, major themes and emphases of the writings overlap. These include Christ’s simultaneous full humanity and divinity, the close relationship between believing (faith, doctrine) and obeying God’s commandments (ethics), and the primacy of love as marking authentic knowledge of the true God through trust in his Son. While John is not mentioned by name in the Fourth Gospel, he is likely to have been “the beloved disciple” who reclined next to Jesus at the Last Supper (John 13:23; arguments that he was Lazarus, an “elder” John, or a fictional creation are unconvincing). He stood at the foot of the cross when Jesus was crucified; Jesus entrusted his mother Mary to John’s care (John 19:26–27). Along with Peter he witnessed the empty tomb on the first Easter morning (John 20:2–10). He also saw, spoke with, and ate breakfast at a lakeside fire kindled by the resurrected Jesus (John 21:7, 20). He was therefore highly qualified to write of what he and others had heard, seen, gazed upon, and touched (1 John 1:1). As Jesus’ “beloved disciple,” he was also well suited to plumb the depths of the meaning of Jesus’ coming (1:2; 4:9), life (2:6; 4:14), death (1:7), resurrection (5:11; “eternal life … in his Son” implies his death was not final), intercessory ministry at the Father’s right hand (2:1), and eventual return (2:28)—all matters playing a role in the witness, instruction, and admonition of this rich and highly concentrated letter.Recipients
First John is one of five New Testament books written by the apostle John. The others are the Gospel of John, 2 John, 3 John, and the book of Revelation. This is the first of his three letters in the New Testament. Its recipients were clearly believers, but no specific audience is mentioned. Since John traditionally ministered among churches in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) in his later years, this letter was most likely written to one or more of these congregations.Date
Early post-apostolic figures like Polycarp and Papias (c. A.D. 100) presuppose or cite 1 John in their writings. This suggests a date of composition no later than the 90s A.D. This dovetails with the testimony of church fathers that, shortly before A.D. 67, John joined other Christians in departing from Jerusalem prior to the destruction of the city by Rome. John reportedly resumed his apostolic ministry in the vicinity of the great but highly idolatrous city of Ephesus (in modern western Turkey). He likely wrote 1 John as an elder statesman of the faith in the last third of the first century, perhaps to churches in the surrounding region. This might have included towns like those mentioned alongside Ephesus in the opening chapters of Revelation: Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea (Rev. 2:8–3:22).Background
The author of 1 John is not identified in the letter. However, the early church regarded the Apostle John as the author of both the Gospel of John and 1 John. Because these texts share a similar writing style, it is common for them to be ascribed to the same author—whether this is understood to be the Apostle John or someone else. The letters of 2–3 John, as well as Revelation, may also be the work of the Apostle John, but this possibility was more disputed in the early church (see the “Introduction to 2 John” and “Introduction to Revelation”). The author of 1 John knew the recipients of his letter and likely had a close relationship with them. If the Apostle John was the author, this community probably lived somewhere in western Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). According to tradition, John spent his later years in Ephesus, a major city in that region. Considering that 1 John seems to build on the Gospel of John, 1 John was likely written after the Gospel, toward the end of the first century (AD 85–95). In both 1 John and 2 John, a primary issue is the presence of false teachers. In 1 John, they appear to have started in the church and gone out (1 John 2:19). These teachers were denying that Jesus was God in the flesh (4:1–3) and that Jesus’ death atoned for sins (4:10; 5:6–8). They apparently also claimed to possess special knowledge of God and that they did not sin (e.g., 1:8, 10; 2:3, 11; 3:24; 4:2, 6–7). Because of their denial of Jesus’ incarnation, they might have minimized the importance of physical existence and elevated the spiritual life.Introduction to 2 John
Like 1 John, the brief letter of 2 John combats false teaching in the church. Christians are characterized by their love for one another, and this love embraces truth and resists evil. Instead of offering hospitality to false teachers, John’s readers are not to share in their evil deeds in any fashion (2 John 10–11)Introduction to Revelation
Revelation draws back the curtain on the unseen realities of life for God’s people. There is a spiritual battle going on, and the risen Jesus reveals these visions to John so that God’s Church will be aware of what is happening now and in the future. While the strange imagery might seem frightening, the ultimate message of Revelation is a hopeful one: Although evil appears to triumph, God remains on the throne.The Purpose & Audience (Reasons for the letter)
John made four purpose statements. First, he wrote to promote his readers’ fellowship and joy. “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete” (1:4). Second, he wrote to help readers avoid the pitfalls of sin, yet find forgiveness when they stumbled. “My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin” (2:1). Third, he wrote to protect believers from false teachers. “I have written these things to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you” (2:26). Finally, he wrote so they might know they had eternal life. “I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (5:13). This last purpose statement governs the other three and brings them together in a unifying theme. In summary, 1 John was written to confirm Christians in true apostolic Christianity by helping them avoid the destructive beliefs and behaviors to which some had fallen prey.Key Verses (ESV)
1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 3:6: “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”1 John 4:4: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”1 John 5:13: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”Key Passages (NLT)
Structure
First John is a difficult book to outline because the author shifts frequently between teaching doctrine and giving practical advice. One way to outline the letter recognizes five broad movements. In the introduction (1:1–4), John establishes his trustworthiness by asserting that he was an eyewitness to Jesus’ earthly life. The second major section (1:5–2:17) builds on the claim of 1 John 1:5 that God is light. God’s forgiveness through Jesus is offered to those who know God (2:1–2). People who know God also strive to confess their sins and live like Jesus. In the third major section (2:18–3:10), John speaks more explicitly about the false teachers. They denied Jesus, which means they denied the Father as well (2:23)—and those who deny the Father cannot be called His righteous children (3:1–10). The fourth section (3:11–5:12) focuses on love as the primary characteristic of God’s children. God is love—so those who know God will love others, and those who don’t know God will lack love. The sign of genuine love is obedience to God’s commandments (5:3). In the fifth major section (5:13–21), John closes the letter by affirming that eternal life will be given to those who believe in Jesus as the Son of God. They can have confidence that God will protect them and answer their prayers.Outline
• Prologue: Jesus came in the flesh (1:1–4) • God is light (1:5–2:17) • God is righteous (2:18–3:10) • God is love (3:11–5:12) • Epilogue: concluding appeal (5:13–21)Outline 2
The focus of 1 John is “fellowship,” which stands against false teachings and stands firm in the faith. This fellowship is both with one another (John and his audience) and with God through both the Father and through Christ (1 John 1:1–3).Chapter 1 includes an introduction to the letter (1 John 1:1–4) followed by two conditions for Christian fellowship. First, fellowship requires a specific focus or standard: Jesus Christ (1 John 1:5–7). Second, fellowship includes the confession of sin (1 John 1:8–10).Chapter 2 continues this focus on fellowship. This includes following Christ as our advocate (1 John 2:1–6). In addition, believers are called to follow the commandment to love one another (1 John 2:7–14). Third, believers are not to love the world (1 John 2:15–17). Fourth, believers are warned against teachings of antichrists, or false teachers (1 John 2:18–27). Fifth, believers are called to remember their position as children of God (1 John 2:28–29).Chapter 3 further discusses the importance of being and living as children of God (1 John 3:1–10). A major requirement for the child of God is to love one another (1 John 3:11–24).Chapter 4 teaches believers to “test the spirits” to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1–6). God loves us and “God is love” (1 John 4:7–21), leading believers to love one another.Chapter 5 emphasizes the believer’s ability to “overcome” the world (1 John 5:1–5) through the power of Christ. John gives testimony regarding Jesus as the Son of God (5:6–12). Believers can know they have eternal life (1 John 5:13–21).