Author
John the apostle, as an aged disciple. Possibly written near the close of his life. Probably writing somewhere in the time frame of AD 97.
Audience
While Paul writes to the believers as in the body, and Peter writes to sheep in the flock, John writes to members in the family. This is a family epistle. The lack of OT references may indicate a mostly Gentile audience.
Aim
He is not writing to confound the false teachers but to protect the family. There are seven reasons given throughout the epistle for its writing. He is writing to the true family to help them detect the errors of the false teachers.
Adversaries
John uses three terms to describe those who oppose divine truth: False prophets (4:1), Deceivers (2Jn 7), Antichrist (2:18; 4:22).
Argument
The error which he writes against is two-fold: 1) Theological – Denied that Jesus was the Christ (2:22); gnosticism denied the incarnation. 2) Ethical – Denied sin’s existence and that it was a barrier to God.
We usually think of John as giving tests by which we examine if we are saved. But it might be more accurate to say that he is giving tests to show the reality of Christianity in contrast to the false teaching of the day. Here are tests by which we can see the reality of Christianity and the error of the gnostic teaching, not my own salvation. I can only go to the Word of God to know that. These tests are to detect the false teachers.
Approach
John’s approach is not the same as Paul’s. In Paul’s letters, his reasoning is linear. That means that point follows point in a carefully reasoned argument, each point paving the way for the next. John’s reasoning is circular, with argument leading back and on to the last subject. You will see this in the outline below. He continually interweaves the themes of Light, Love and Life with each other.
In his Gospel it is Faith; here it is Life. In his Gospel it is Evangelic; here it is Pastoral.
He mentions that he is “writing” to them (1:4; 2:1,7,8,12-14,21,26; 5:13). Only once (in 5:16) does he say, “I say.”
Absence
No Old Testament Scriptures quoted. One allusion to the OT in Cain (3:12).
Arrangement
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Prologue (1:1-4)
- Reliability of the Message Delivered
- Reality of the Life that Was Manifest
- Relationship Into Which We Are Brought
- Richness of Our Blessings
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Truth and the Principle of Light (1:5-2:29 – light is mentioned 6x)
- Light and Its Limits (1:5-2:6)
- Light and Love (2:7-20)
- Light and Life (2:21-29)
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Transforming Power of Love (3:1-5:3 – love mentioned 3x in ch.3 and 24x in ch.4)
- Love and Holiness/Light (3:1-10)
- Love and Harmony (3:11-24)
- Love and Hope (4:1-5:3)
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Testimony to the Possession of Life (5:4-21 – life and born 13x in these verses)
- Life and Its Three-fold Attestation (5:4-12)
- Life and Its Three-fold Assurance (5:13-17)
- Life and Its Three-fold Affirmation (5:18-21)
– “Beginning” (1:1; 2:7,13,14,24; 3:8,11; 8x with apo or from)
– “Liar” (1:10; 2:4,22; 4:20; 5:10)
– Names of Christ: Word of Life (1:1); Eternal Life (1:2); Son (1:3); Advocate (2:1); Only Begotten (4:9); Savior of the World (4:14); True God (5:20)
– “We have” – an advocate (2:1); fellowship (1:7); anointing (2:20); seen (1:2); heard message (1:5); confidence (5:14); petitions (5:15)
– Eternal (6x)
– Pros (Greek) – towards, with (1:2; 2:1; 3:21; 5:14,16,17)
– “Ought” – Greek opheileo (2:6; 3:16; 4:11; 3Jn 8)
– Love mentioned 51 times
– Knowledge, in one form or another, mentioned 41x
– Sin mentioned in each chapter
– Father (12x in 1 John)
