Difference between revisions of "First Epistle of John" - New World Encyclopedia
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The '''First Epistle of John''' is a book of the [[Bible]] [[New Testament]], the fourth of the catholic or "general" [[epistles]]. It was written in [[Ephesus]] about 90-110 C.E., purportedly by the same author or authors who wrote the [[Gospel of John]] and the other two epistles of John. More of a [[sermon]] than a letter, it was written to counter the [[heresy]] that Jesus did not come "in the flesh" but only as a spirit. It also defines how [[Christian]]s are to discern true teachers: by their [[ethics]], their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their [[love]]. | The '''First Epistle of John''' is a book of the [[Bible]] [[New Testament]], the fourth of the catholic or "general" [[epistles]]. It was written in [[Ephesus]] about 90-110 C.E., purportedly by the same author or authors who wrote the [[Gospel of John]] and the other two epistles of John. More of a [[sermon]] than a letter, it was written to counter the [[heresy]] that Jesus did not come "in the flesh" but only as a spirit. It also defines how [[Christian]]s are to discern true teachers: by their [[ethics]], their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their [[love]]. | ||
==Summary== | ==Summary== | ||
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==Purpose== | ==Purpose== | ||
| − | + | Although the author speaks of such purposes wanting the joy of his audience would "be full" (1:4) and that they would "not sin," he was specifically concerned about [[heretical]] teachers that had been influencing [[churches]] under his care. He denounces these teachers as [[antichrist]]s (2.18-19) who had once been church leaders. Two heresies are apparently involved. The first is [[antinomianism]], the idea that in being baptized, Christians are freed from all sin, including sins they commit after being baptized—or that supposedly immoral acts, such as adultery and fornication, are no longer sinful when one truly knows Christ and abides in God's love. A second heresy the writer denounces is [[docetism]], the notion that since the flesh is evil and the spirit is good, Jesus did actually possess a body of flesh but but was a purely spiritual being who only appear to have a physical body. | |
| − | + | Both of these doctines—aninomianism and docetism—were taught be certain Gnostic section. Some suggest that John might been criticizing the teaches of a heretic known as named Cerinthus. According to the second century writer Bishop Irenaeus of Lyon, Cerinthus was one of the first Gnostics, who taught that the world was not made by God the Father but by an inferior being and that the "Christ" (anointing) descended on Jesus at his baptism and returned to God after Jesus' death. | |
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==Comma Johanneum== | ==Comma Johanneum== | ||
Revision as of 03:03, 13 October 2007
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The First Epistle of John is a book of the Bible New Testament, the fourth of the catholic or "general" epistles. It was written in Ephesus about 90-110 C.E., purportedly by the same author or authors who wrote the Gospel of John and the other two epistles of John. More of a sermon than a letter, it was written to counter the heresy that Jesus did not come "in the flesh" but only as a spirit. It also defines how Christians are to discern true teachers: by their ethics, their proclamation of Jesus in the flesh, and by their love.
Summary
The author presents himself as a witness of the eternal "Word of life," which he has personally, heard, seen, and touched. He invites the reader to fellowship "with the Father and with his Son," in order that joy may be made complete. He declares that God is light and that in Him there is no darkness. When one walks in the divine life, he is purified by the blood of Christ. Such cleansing is necessary for all, for: "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1:8)
The author explains that his purpose in writing is so that his readers will not sin. However, if they do sin, Christ atones for them. To know Christ, one must obey his commands. One cannot hate one's brother and walk in the light. The writer contrast God to "the world," which is full of evil and temptation. He goes on the expose anyone who denies that that Jesus is the Christ as a liar and "the antichrist." (2:22) However, "whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." About such issues, certain unnamed teachers "are trying to lead you astray."
The author is adamant that one cannot know Christ and continue to sin. If one sin, one is of Devil, not Christ. If a person does not do what is right, he is not a child of God. Particularly, one must not hate one's brother, like Cain, for to hate is to murder. (Chapter 3)
The author provides a formula to test the spirits, "because many false prophets have gone out into the world." The key to recognize a godly spirit is simple: "Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." On the other hand, the "spirit of the antichrist" is found who deny this proposition (4:1-6)
Moreover, "God lives in us and his love is made complete in us," if we love one another. This is because "God is love." (4:16) In love there is no fear, and perfect love casts out fear. The reason Christians love God is because God' first loved them. Once again the reader is reminded that he cannot hate his brother and truly say that he loves God.
In order to overcome "the world," one must believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and "everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God." One must obey his commandments, but their are not burdensome. Christ came "by the water and blood," not water only. Moreover he is testified to by three beings: "the Spirit, the water, and the blood." (Late Latin manuscripts add a more orthodox trinitarian formula: "the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit.")
The author makes a distinction between sins that lead to death, and less serious sins. If a Christian witnesses a brother committing a non-mortal sin, "he should pray and God will give him (the sinner) life." (5:16) In concluding, the author returns to his main theme: "anyone born of God does not continue to sin." His final word, however, introduces a new subject, namely that Christians must stay away from idols.
Authorship
The epistle is traditionally held to have been written by John the Evangelist, also known as John the son of Zebedee, probably at Ephesus when the writer was in advanced age. The epistle's content, language and conceptual style are an indication that a common authorship existed between this letter and the two other letters attributed to the Apostle John. Theologically and stylistically, it also resembles the Gospel of John, although some commentators attribute it to style of the "Johannine community" rather than to the same author.
The traditional view holds that "The three Epistles and the Gospel of John are so closely allied in diction, style, and general outlook that the burden of proof lies with the person who would deny their common authorship" (B. H. Streeter, The Four Gospels, London: Macmillan, 1930, p. 460). In answer to this challenge, several points are usually cited: First, the letter does not specifically claim to be written by John, although it certainly implies that he is the author. Second, there are important stylistic differences between the letter and Gospel. Linguistic experts point out that the letter lacks the Semitic qualities founding the Gospel and that unlike any other writing of similar or greater length in the New Testament, it contains not a single quotation from the Old Testament (Shepherd, 1984). The letter also lacks several key themes in the Gospel, such as the resurrection, the final judgment, God's kingdom, peace, grace, and glory. Moreover, in the Gospel, it is the Holy Spirit that is the "advocate," but in the letter it is Christ.
Those who suggest that someone other than John wrote the epistle theorize that the author was consciously using the literary style and several direct quotations from the Gospel of John, especially such ideas as "he who has the son has the Father," being "born of God," and Jesus' commandment to "love one another." Some believe it to have been the product of the Johannine community of which the Apostle John may once have been a part.
Regarding its date, nearly all agree that is a relatively late work. Traditionally, John was believed to have been the youngest of the disciples, and to have lived a very long live. Indeed, the repetitiveness and apparently wandering of the mind of the writer may indicate that he was of advanced age. The latest it could have been written was 117 C.E., for Polycarp, the bishop of Smyrna cites it around that time. The late first or early second century is thus a likely range for its date of composition.
Purpose
Although the author speaks of such purposes wanting the joy of his audience would "be full" (1:4) and that they would "not sin," he was specifically concerned about heretical teachers that had been influencing churches under his care. He denounces these teachers as antichrists (2.18-19) who had once been church leaders. Two heresies are apparently involved. The first is antinomianism, the idea that in being baptized, Christians are freed from all sin, including sins they commit after being baptized—or that supposedly immoral acts, such as adultery and fornication, are no longer sinful when one truly knows Christ and abides in God's love. A second heresy the writer denounces is docetism, the notion that since the flesh is evil and the spirit is good, Jesus did actually possess a body of flesh but but was a purely spiritual being who only appear to have a physical body.
Both of these doctines—aninomianism and docetism—were taught be certain Gnostic section. Some suggest that John might been criticizing the teaches of a heretic known as named Cerinthus. According to the second century writer Bishop Irenaeus of Lyon, Cerinthus was one of the first Gnostics, who taught that the world was not made by God the Father but by an inferior being and that the "Christ" (anointing) descended on Jesus at his baptism and returned to God after Jesus' death.
Comma Johanneum
One of the most controversial verses of the Bible is an explicit reference to what some people consider the trinity(not an explicit biblical doctrine), the Comma Johanneum, (1 John 5:7-8). They do not appear in any version of the text prior to the sixteenth century, but do appear in the King James Bible, something Isaac Newton commented on in An Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture. This is sometimes used as evidence to counter the King-James-Only Movement. The majority of modern translations (for example New International Version, English Standard Version and New American Standard Bible,) do not include this text. Albert Barnes (1798-1870) said regarding its authenticity:
On the whole, therefore, the evidence seems to me to be clear that this passage is not a genuine portion of the inspired writings, and should not be appealed to in proof of the doctrine of the Trinity.[1]
See also
- John the Apostle
- John the Evangelist
Footnotes
- ↑ Barnes, Albert, "Albert Barnes New Testament Notes", StudyLight.org, 2007-02-07. Retrieved 2007-02-07.
External links
Online translations of the First Epistle of John
Related article:
This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897.
| Preceded by: 2 Peter |
Books of the Bible |
Succeeded by: 2 John |
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