1John 1
AUTHORSHIP: This epistle is believed to have been written by John the
Apostle. Although John’s name is not mentioned in the epistle, the
writing style between Big John (the Gospel of John) and Little John
(the First Epistle of John) are very similar.
For example, the way both books open by referencing "the Word" and
"the beginning" are very similar.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God.
1John 1:1 That which was from the beginning,
which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled, of the Word of life;
DATE: Some believe that the three epistles of John were the last
books given by God. If so, they would have been written AFTER John
was released from the Island of Patmos around 100 AD. If not, they
were likely written a few years earlier, perhaps 80-96 AD. Either
way, this book was one of the last God gave to the us.
McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (1 John)
(electronic ed., Vol. 56, p. ix). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
AUDIENCE: John never designated a church or group of believers as his
audience. Neither is there any mention of a place, time, or event
that might help us in determining to whom John initially wrote the
epistle or to help in pinpointing a more exact time when he wrote it.
From the terms used to address the readers, it seems John wrote
either to a group of Christians that he had a part in establishing or
in leading for a period of time. Twelve times John called them
"children," nine times "little children," and twice "my little
children."
History indicates that John pastored the church at Ephesus, a church
which the Apostle Paul began. He is buried there and the Basilica of
St. John was built over his grave in the fifth century. Perhaps John
wrote the epistle to or from Ephesus.
STYLE: John’s writing style is different for several reasons.
1. John liked to "tantalize" his readers; that is, John would
introduce a person or a truth without directly stating who
the person was or what the truth was.
a. John did that in the Gospel of John. For example, John
began to describe Someone in John 1:1 and continued the
description through John 1:16. However, John did not
reveal the name of the Person until the end of John 1:17,
"Jesus Christ."
b. John did that in this epistle as well. He began speaking
about Someone in 1John 1:1 but did not reveal the Person
until the end of 1John 1:3, "Jesus Christ." John did not
wait as long to reveal the Person’s name, but then this
epistle is much shorter than his Gospel.
2. John was able to speak without naming Jesus for such a long
period because of another unique style. John would select a
symbol or image for Christ, then allude to the Symbol.
a. In the Gospel of John, John referred to Jesus as the Word
\\#John 1:1\\, the Life \\#John 1:4\\, and the Light
\\#John 1:4\\.
b. John also used these symbols in his epistle.
(1) \\#1John 1:1\\ "the Word"
(2) "the Word of LIFE"
(3) \\#1John 1:7\\ "the light"
3. John had a "laid-back" writing style, more like a conversation
with a friend than a lecture to a church. Someone described
it is a "supper-table" conversation. This trait manifested
in a variety of ways, but one is in John’s repetitions. John
repeated several truths multiple times in similar or slightly
different ways. Some have gone so far as to say that John’s
topics were random, but it would be unwise to say that John
was not on a path merely because we have difficulty in
staying on it.
4. Another indication of John’s "laid-back" style was the many
different topics John shared and his abrupt switching between
them. John might end a topic with no conclusion and begin
the next with no introduction. Again, much like the
conversation around the supper table.
THEME: Despite John’s "laid-back" writing style, I believe John had
one topic he wanted to discuss more than any other, fellowship with
God the Father and His Son.
1. John first tells us there is a fellowship.
2. Then John, in a laid-back fashion, tell us…
a. How to get this fellowship.
b. How to make certain we have this fellowship.
c. How to keep this fellowship.
Although John had one main topic, he hoped to accomplish many
purposes (as many as ten) in his short letter, as is seen even by his
opening statements. In \\#1John 1:1-4\\, John listed several
additional purposes for the letter:
1. \\#1John 1:2\\ To "shew unto you that eternal life," where
"eternal life" is actually a pseudonym for Jesus.
2. \\#1John 1:3\\ "that you also may have fellowship with us."
3. \\#1John 1:4\\ "these things write we unto you, that your joy
may be full."
However in the epistle, John stated other purposes as well:
4. \\#1John 2:1\\ "these things write I unto you, that ye sin
not."
5. \\#1John 2:26\\ "these things have I written unto you
concerning them that seduce you" (Obviously that the church
not be seduced.)
6. \\#1John 5:13\\ "These things have I written… that ye may
know that ye have eternal life…"
7. \\#1John 5:13\\ "These things have I written… that ye may
believe on the name of the Son of God."
In addition to John’s stated purposes, John spoke so often of other
Christian qualities that we might thing John’s primary purpose was to
teach them.
8. Love is mentioned twenty-three times in the epistle.
9. Truth is mentioned ten times.
And throughout the entire epistle, John discussed the differences
between the Christian and the unsaved so that we might also add that
thought to his list of purposes as well.
In John’s attempt to reveal so much, his thoughts may seem "random"
to some and "unorganized" to others. Even so, I believe THE main
purpose of the epistle is "fellowship" with Jesus Christ and with the
Father.
CORRECTION: As John had one major theme in mind for this epistle, I
believe he was attempting to correct one major flaw that had
infiltrated the intended readers of this epistle, Gnosticism.
Gnosticism is a false gospel built on the tenet that the flesh is
evil so God would not have come in the flesh. This deception was
gaining footholds in the second century and although there is no way
to know for certain that John was speaking against it, his statements
strongly refute Gnosticism’s paradigm.
Outline:
I. \\#1:1-2:11\\ The Essentials of Fellowship.
A. \\#1:1-4\\ There is a FELLOWSHIP.
B. \\#1:5-2:11\\ How to know you have this fellowship.
II. \\#2:12-14\\ John’s Audience
A. \\#2:12-13\\ Little Children
B. \\#2:13-14\\ Young Men
C. \\#2:13-14\\ Fathers
III. \\#2:15-29\\ John’s Warnings
A. \\#2:15-17\\ Beware the World
B. \\#2:18-25\\ Beware the Spirit of Anti-Christ
C. \\#2:26-29\\ Beware the Seducers
IV. \\#3:1-5:21\\ John’s Revelations
A. \\#3:1-3\\ Christians Are Blessed!
B. \\#3:4-10\\ Christians Are Not to Sin.
C. \\#3:11-24\\ Christians Love the Brethren.
D. \\#3:24-4:1-3\\ Christians Test the Spirits
E. \\#4:4-6\\ Christians Listen to the Word
F. \\#4:7-21\\ Christians Love…
1. \\#4:7\\ The Command
2. \\#4:7-10\\ Why We Love
a. \\#4:7-8\\ Because God Is Love
b. \\#4:9-10\\ Because We Have Been loved
3. \\#4:11-21\\ How We Love
b. \\#4:11-13\\ With A Love Like God Loved Us
c. \\#4:14-16\\ With A Love Like We Have Received
d. \\#4:17-18\\ With A Love that Perfects
e. \\#4:19-21\\ With A Love Like God Commanded
G. \\5:1-21\\ Proofs of Fellowship
1. \\#5:1\\ You Believe
2. \\#5:1-2\\ You Love
3. \\#5:2-3\\ You Obey
4. \\#5:4\\ You Have Victory
5. \\#5:5-13\\ You believe that Jesus is God’s Son
a. \\#5\\ The Doctrine
b. \\#6-8\\ The Witnesses
c. \\#9-12\\ The Consequences
6. \\#5:14-17\\ God Hears You
7. \\#5:18\\ You Overcome Sin and the Devil
8. \\#5:19\\ You Know the World is Wicked
9. \\#5:20\\ You Know that God’s Son Has Come
10 You Have the Ability to Understand.
11. \\#5:21\\ You Stay Away from Idols
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