What - 1 John was a “general epistle” meaning it was not written to a specific church but circulated among many different churches.
Who - John is the author. He was one of the twelve. He was one of the select three (Peter, James, John) with Jesus at the transfiguration. He was with Jesus in Gethsemane. He leaned on Jesus’ breast at the Last Supper. In his Gospel he referred to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:7).
When - It was written at the end of the Apostle John’s life. It could have been written on Patmos as was Revelation, but more likely was written in Ephesus in the middle 90’s.
Why – Three problems existed.
1. Gnosticism/Docetism
2. False prophets and teachers
3. Deceivers and antichrists
Sent – to Christians
Gnosticism (knowledge) – matter is totally evil and spirit is totally good.
Indulge the flesh? Deny the flesh?
Docetism (to seem)
Jesus was not born of flesh, he only seemed to be human. See a problem here?
Purpose – 1 John 5:13
The Word of Life – 1 John 1:1-4
The Way of Light and Darkness – 1 John 1:5-7
Admitting Our Sin – 1 John 1:8-10
1 John 2
Vs.1 - My little children … both the Latin and Greek languages show a special affection, kind of like words used with a hug! In his old age John has nothing but tenderness for the younger believers. The “son of thunder” has become “the disciple of love.”
Vs.1 - I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin.
(1) sin is universal- we all do it.
(2) we have forgiveness through Jesus- what he has done and continues to do!
We are not to take sin lightly.
(1) if we know God, then we will be obedient to Him.
(2) if we abide in Christ, we will imitate (or try to) his sinless life.
Advocate – paracletos – one called along side to help- a helper, a supporter, a comforter, a witness for our good, a friend.
Propititation – hilasmos – a complicated word, which if the verb form is incorporated, has quite a meaning for us. If man is the subject, then it means to pacify a God who has been injured (because of our sin). Our relationship with God is restored by the act of an outside force- Jesus’ death on the cross and continuing intercession. If God is the subject, then it means to forgive. God himself restores the relationship. Thirdly, it can mean that the stain/taint/guilt of sin is removed. Kind of like we have sin germs and can’t be where God is, because He is germ free, but Christ’s work on our behalf is the disinfectant that makes us “clean” to enter into God’s presence again. I think John is meaning all of these things here.
Jesus is the remedy for sin. He is our defense attorney standing before God to speak for us when we ask forgiveness for sin, and when we will stand before God at the judgment.
Vs.3 – “to know” – the same word is used for a husband knowing his wife intimately. This doesn’t mean we are to have a sexual relationship with Jesus, but to know him that intimately in a spiritual sense, as the husband does his wife in a physical sense.
“to know” – remember John is also dealing with the Gnostics (knowledge) here as he chooses his words.
Here is a legitimate, often asked question… “How can I know that I am a Christian?” John says we know Him when we obey His commands. We are children of God when we are obedient to Him.
The Gnostics claimed that they had some supernatural outpouring of gnosis (knowledge) from God. John was writing to early Christians who hadn’t experienced this outpouring. John says God’s love is made complete in the obedient person.
A.E. Brooke – “John can conceive of no real knowledge of God which does not issue in obedience.”
C.H. Dodd – “To know God is to experience his love in Christ, and to return that love in obedience.”
Vs.7 – Beloved – speaking the truth in love. Even when he had hard things to say, because John had learned as he had matured, wrapped the truth with love.
New - John 13:34 - A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Old – Leviticus 19:18 - You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.
New in the sense of a new standard :
(1) the extent to which love reached. Jesus reached out to sinners. In the Jewish mind God desired to destroy sinners.
(2) the length to which it would go. Jesus’ love could not be turned to hate no matter what. Remember, on the cross he prayed to God to forgive those who put him there.
Light – love Dark – hate
Vs.9 – Gnostics related darkness to the evil god, who created matter. Darkness was to be avoided. They believed light represented the good god, the father of Jesus Christ, and was to be sought.
John says the real meaning of light is loving one’s brother. If you love God you will love your brother. Living in the light has no place for hatred. Love exists only in a life lived in the light. John’s concept of love is caring for the needs of others, to the point of self-sacrifice.
“Hates,” “walks in darkness,” “does not know,” “blinded” are terms John uses for the Gnostics, and their twisted view, not the Christians.
Love brings us nearer to men and to God and hatred separates us from both.
Vs.12 – little children – Because John is old and most of the believers are younger than he, and because he has a habit of calling them children, it is thought that he means all Christians here, not literal young children or those young in faith.
Having said that, he reminds all of the forgiveness of sin they have in Jesus’ name. This counters the Gnostic belief that they do not sin.
Fathers – these are Christians more mature in their faith. Some of them may have literally known Jesus in the flesh while he was on the earth, but more likely it is referring to their maturity in their Christian walk.
Young men – less mature, or newer Christians, who have found the strength in Christ to defeat temptation and sin.
Again, John’s use of “knowing” in its various forms, flies in the face of Gnostics who claim special knowledge. Jesus is real, not imagined. He was flesh, not a mirage or ghost.
Vs.15 – Do not love the world…. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father,
Zoroastrianism – the world is a battleground between the god of light and the god of darkness.
Ahura-Mazda – god of light Ahura-Mainyu – god of darkness
Jews believed in two ages- the present age and the age to come. The present age was believed to be wholly evil, while the age to come wholly good.
It’s not quite the same for Christians!
This doesn’t mean we are to hate God’s creation. We are, however, to avoid the sins that entangle those who ignore God.
Lust of the flesh- we think of sexual sin, but it is much more than that. Gluttony in eating, pleasure of all kinds, luxury, selfishness with possessions, lax in morals, extravagance in gratifying material desires, demanding a pleasure which may ruin someone else, etc..
Lust of the eyes- happiness is to be found in the things money can buy and the eyes can see. It is also the “I want what they have, and then I will flaunt it” attitude.
Boastful pride of life- trying to make yourself bigger than you really are, by bragging about what you have, and even claiming what you don’t have as yours.
These are the same 3 sins encountered by Adam & Eve in the Garden, and by Jesus in his temptation in the wilderness by Satan. Obviously, John sees fit to mention them again here.
These sins are what we are not to love in this world. These things will all end one day, but the man who loves God will live forever.
Vs.18ff – Remember the false teaching… Jesus was just a figment of imagination… He only seemed to exist. This fits in the “antichrist” category.
Who is the liar? The one who denies Jesus is the Christ. This person is an “antichrist.” It is a description of the docetic Gnostic.
This is the first time John identifies who is the antichrist, the adversary, of Christ. He is the one who denies the humanity of Jesus. This means this person denies both the Father and the Son. A confession of the Son is necessary for possessing/having the Father. You can’t have one without the other.
I think we can pretty well understand the concluding verses.
1 John 3
3:1 – lavished (didomi), “to give” – physical being, everyday blessings, health, happiness, and spiritual fellowship with Himself and His Son Jesus Christ.
We did not choose our natural parents. When it comes to God we have a choice. He does not force us to be His children. We obey His commands and He makes us His children. (see John 3:1-3)
The world does not know us, because it does not know Him. The Gnostics do not know us because they do not know God either! (1 John 2:19)
3:2 – 1) He will appear, 2) We shall be like Him, 3) We shall see Him as He is.
(John 6:46), (John 14:9), (1 Peter 1:10-12)
We can’t see into the spiritual realm now. Our language and understanding are insufficient. God has not revealed to us how we will be transformed, but that we will be. (2 Cor. 3:18)
The Gnostics would not understand this. Why would anyone want to follow the Gnostics when what God offers is so great?
3:3 – Jesus was pure and he stressed purity. This would be in contradiction to the Gnostics’ denial of sin (see 1:8-2:2). Some of the Gnostics taught and practiced “free love” and other activities since they did not believe in sin. We do not become pure because of who we are or what we have done. Purity comes through Jesus’ blood shed on the cross. The docetic Gnostics denied Jesus died on the cross. He only seemed to die. Nothing but the blood of Christ can remove our sin (1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:22; 2 Cor. 7:1).
3:4 – The law is not sin, disobeying the law is sin (Romans 7:7-12). It seems here that John is not referring to the Law of Moses, but rather that sin is just the opposite of righteousness. Jesus is righteous, so we should obey and be righteous. Jesus’ blood makes us righteous.
Two thoughts about sin in John’s time.
1. Sin is Lawlessness.
2. Sin is “missing the mark.” Greek, hamartia- missing the mark or sin.
John uses the word hamartia here covering both.
3:5 – The verb used here is not “to atone for” but “to take away, to bear away.” Jesus was a ransom price for all men (1 Tim. 2:6). Jesus had no sin or else he could not have ransomed us.
3:6 – This does not mean we do not sin, but that we do not live a life of sin. (see 1:8-10) John wants to make clear the Gnostic idea of sin did not line up with Jesus.
3:7 – Don’t fall for false teaching! Compare to Paul’s words in Acts 20:29-31.
Again, the Gnostics were teaching that sin was not a reality. John reminds them that forgiveness and cleansing from sin through Jesus are essential! (Again Paul, Romans 6:1ff)
William Barclay speaking on the Gnostics justification for sin–
“They said that the body was evil and that, therefore, there was no harm in sating its lusts, because what happened to it was of no importance. They said that the truly spiritual man was so armoured with the Spirit that he could sin to his heart’s content and take no harm from it. They even said that the true Gnostic was under obligation both to scale the heights and to plumb the depths so that he might be truly said to know all things.”
3:8 – Sin is incompatible with Jesus. Sin isn’t just “missing the mark” it puts us in the “family of Satan.” Satan was a rebellious, fallen angel. He is the originator of sin; the father of sin. He has disobeyed God since the beginning.
Jesus came to destroy sin and the devil.
3:9 – born of God (gegennemenos) meaning “has already been born of God.” Not that a Christian will never sin, but that he/she will not live a life of sin.
3:10 – How do we know who people belong to? By their fruits!
An assumption is that the Gnostics may not have believed in or practiced love for their brothers, especially since John keeps pounding it. They were self-centered and believed they were better than others.
Gnostics divided people into 3 categories-
1) sinners
2) ordinary Christians
3) Gnostic Christians (who had special knowledge separating them from the ordinary Chrisitians). Is it possible this included not loving their brothers?
3:11 – hoti haute – “because this” is the message…
3:12 – Cain didn’t love his brother.
3:13 – If the world is evil and God’s children are righteous, why is this a surprise? Then or now?
3:14 – John says love is the evidence of righteousness, not the basis of spiritual living.
Righteousness = loving one’s brother
Murder = hating one’s brother
See the Sermon on the Mount- Matthew 5:21-22
3:15 – Murderers have no place in heaven. Destroying life is in opposition to eternal life.
3:16 – Compare Cain and Christ.
Love is “other-centered” not “self-centered.” (John 3:16; John 15:12-13)
The extent of Jesus’ love.
3:17 – The extent of our love. Most of us (especially in America) have more than we need to sustain life, and are therefore able to share with others in need.
3:18 – We must put our love into action.
3:19 – Our love helps us know if we belong to the truth. When our hearts condemn us, our love is insufficient. Our hearts can be at rest when we are obedient. We can’t fool God!
3:21 – If our hearts don’t condemn us, we are “in tune” with God.
3:22 – Because we obey God’s commands and do what pleases Him we can be confident He will give us what we ask. The essence of keeping a clean conscience is remaining in His fellowship.
3:23 – God’s command is singular – Believe in Jesus and love one another.
Belief in Jesus only is not enough (James 2:19).
Loving others only does not make one a Christian.
3:24 – “in him” a favorite phrase of John’s, and also Paul’s. Signifies a proper relationship.
This relationship was not possible for the Gnostic mind. They said it was impossible for man to come into communion or direct fellowship with God, because God is spiritual and man is material.
How do we know? By His Spirit in us (John 14:26).
1 John 4
1. agapetoi – “beloved” or “dearly beloved”
Many false teachers were trying to lead the Christians astray. The Gnostics were one of the biggest offenders. John says to “test the spirits” to see if they are from God.
Two tests recommended in Deuteronomy are:
1) if the word does not come to pass or come true Deuteronomy 18:21-22
2) if the word comes true, but the prophet tries to lead people to serve other gods Deuteronomy 13:1-5
We too, must watch for false teachers in our day.
2. Gnosticism, specifically, Docetism is being addressed here. This isn’t the only “proof”, but it is the one addressed here.
Early Christians may have been required to confess Jesus came in the flesh, but we don’t know for sure.
3. We’ve talked about how John restates an argument with a negative statement, and that is what he does again in this verse.
The incarnation of Jesus presupposes the preexistence of Jesus.
John 1:1ff, 1 John 1:1ff
The antichrist is one who denies the incarnation, or fleshly appearance of God. Here it is the Gnostic who denies the physical reality of Jesus.
4. teknia – “children” not “dear children”
overcome them – “them” referring to those who had accepted the false teachings of the Gnostics.
The one in you – referring to the Holy Spirit. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not given to the world, but only those who were baptized into Jesus (Acts 2:38).
5. Their success in spreading their heresy is due to them speaking the language of the world that the world understands.
Remember, our language tells other people who and what we are.
6. Since we are from God, others who are from God will know us by how we act and what we say. They will know that God listens to us to us because He listens to His own.
7. John has addressed “love” in some of the strongest language possible. In 2:1-11, he talks of love being a new command. In 3:11-21, he talks about the importance of us loving one another. In 4:7-21, he talks about God’s love and our love. He tells us love is a God-like trait we try to imitate.
7. Continued… again it is not dear friends, but beloved or dearly beloved.
Two statements attack the Gnostic beliefs:
1) we have been “born of God”
2) we “know God”
Gnostics did not believe that ordinary Christians had either of these characteristics.
8. Everyone who claims God loves Him and His children.
John uses the language of the Gnostics in saying whoever does not love does not know God.
God is love. Not loving is proof we are ungodly, or ungodlike.
9. God demonstrated love by sending Jesus.
The greatness of this gift…
This is not a future life, but an immediate gift. We can possess eternal life here and now. If we later reject Jesus, we lose the promise (1 John 5:11-12).
10. True love comes from God. It started with God loving us.
Jesus was a sacrifice, a propitiation (atoning sacrifice).
11. Our obligation is to love one another.
12. How can we love someone we have not seen? Because He expressed His love through Jesus. We develop our love by loving our fellow Christians, and He lives in us.
Love God with heart, soul, and mind.
13. Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38; 3 witnesses -1 John 5:6ff)
14. Another attack on Cerinthus and his Gnostic followers. God’s incarnate Son, which the Docetics denied, came to earth, suffered, died and rose from the dead to give us forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
“we have seen and testify” If John’s statement is true, then the Gnostic foundation falls.
15. The reality of the Sonship of Jesus guarantees that God abides in the one who makes the confession. This again counters the docetic view- Jesus was not born of the flesh.
16. We know that John is telling the truth. He has seen and touched, he has heard Jesus.
17.
18.
19.
20. True love requires that it be expressed to others.
21. A final reminder… love your brothers and sisters.
1 John 5
The closeness of family. John returns to a principle he started in 4:7 “everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” NIV. John is not saying that all you have to do to be in God’s family is love, but that love is a family trait.
5:1 – John is excluding the docetic portion of the Gnostic movement from being in God’s family. To be in God’s family, you have to believe in the incarnation (coming in the flesh) of Jesus. Continuing to be a child of God means continued faith in Jesus.
You cannot love God without loving your brother. Both must be true.
5:2 – This is not a blind or empty love, but a loving of God first. (Jesus- Mt. 22:34-40)
5:3 – God expects an obedient love. In John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you love me you will obey what I command” (see Jn. 14:15-21). Loving our brothers is a command.
Is it a burden to believe in Jesus dying for us? Is it a burden to be called God’s child?
5:4 – Overcoming the world includes overcoming the gnostics’ teaching that Jesus was not born of the flesh. God has already given us the victory through Jesus.
5:5 – Characteristics of a God-child that John has already mentioned.
1) faith in the incarnation of Jesus Christ
2) love God and their brothers
3) obedience to the commands of God
Concluding with only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God will overcome the world.
6 This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
Water – Jesus’ baptism, at which the Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove, at the beginning of his official earthly ministry. Blood – Jesus’ crucifixion, shedding of blood cleansing us from sin, at the end of his earthly ministry. The Holy Spirit testifies as a witness.
John is reacting to men who claimed that Jesus was born only a man and remained a man until his baptism, at which time the Christ descended on the human Jesus. The Christ also left Jesus before his death, these same heretics claim. John asserts the God-man Jesus Christ came as a God-man, lived on earth as a God-man, and died as such. If Jesus would have died as only a human man, his blood would have been insufficient to wash away the sins of man.
7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.
Two witnesses were required back then to prove a charge, whether to accuse of wrongdoing, or to witness a sale, etc.. Not just two, but three are here to testify about Jesus.
9 We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son.
Who better, or who greater, than God himself.
10 Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.
God does not lie.
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Know Jesus, know life. No Jesus, no life.
13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
The purpose of the letter, assurance of faith, that we may know!
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
Prayer that faith enables.
16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that.
Intercession offered for those who can be forgiven and live.
17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.
It could very well be that John is writing about the Gnostics teaching that denied the incarnation of Jesus and threw off all moral restraints that would lead to death.
19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Three “we knows” to end the letter…
1) Christians have been spiritually reborn as children of God
2) Jesus has come and was born of God, reveals God to us
3) understanding of Him who is true, God the Father
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
False gods as opposed to the one true God. Do not trust, obey, revere, follow or worship anyone or anything but the one true God.
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