1 John
This anonymous sermon or letter, typically attributed to the apostle John, is about the nature of Jesus Christ and what it means to follow Christ in this world. Major themes include the coming of the Son of God fully into the flesh (“incarnation”) and the importance of linking faith with life, especially a life filled with the love of God expressed in concrete deeds. John calls all the church to unity in the Spirit that we may be a community of life, light, and love, working against the worldly forces of death, darkness, and hate. -Alan G. Padgett on Enter the Bible
We're reading 1 John as a bonus book in March. You can break up the reading however works best for you. This is the recommended break down:
Bonus Week!
March 22-28: 1 John
Monday- 1 John 1
Tuesday- 1 John 2
Wednesday- 1 John 3
Thursday- 1 John 4
Friday- 1 John 5
Tuesday- 1 John 2
Wednesday- 1 John 3
Thursday- 1 John 4
Friday- 1 John 5
Introduction to 1 John
No author is given for this book in the Bible.
The author of 2 John and 3 John identifies themself as ho presbyteros or “the elder.” The writing style and substance of 1 John is very similar to that of 2 and 3 John, and because of that many scholars agree that “the elder” penned all three letters.
The early church readily accepted 1 John because it was believed to be written by the disciple John, son of Zebedee, whom the early church also believed was the author of the Gospel according to John. Scholars are divided on whether or not the author of John’s Gospel also wrote 1, 2, and 3 John. There are striking similarities between the Gospel and the Letters in vocabulary, style and substance; but, there are also many differences.
An interesting bit of early Christian history that we can glean from reading First, Second, and Third John together is that there was an organization of churches which scholars call the “Johannine churches.” These churches emphasized themes similar to those found in the Gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John—they looked through a “Johannine lens” while viewing their faith. Black explains that “the elder” would have assumed “an advisory and perhaps supervisory responsibility” over these Johannine churches where the letters were being sent.
Biblical scholars like Luke Timothy Johnson, believe that the First Letter of John would have been delivered to the Johannine churches together with the Second and Third Letters of John. The Third Letter acted as a letter of recommendation to the household of Gaius, for the letter carrier, Demetrius. Second John was an introduction to the First Letter. Johnson describes it as a cover letter.
The First Letter of John, which is our focus book, is more like a homily than a letter. There are no traditional markers in 1 John that put it in the genre of epistle or letter. Johnson calls it an “exhortation.” It would have been read aloud to a church. No new information is presented in 1 John, which leads many to classify it as a short sermon. The “letter” serves more as a reminder of what the Church had been taught all along. Johnson explains, “it is a simple reminder and exhortation to live by that commandment which was ‘from the beginning’: to love one another.”
Just as the authorship of 1 John is not entirely certain, we do not have an exact date for the book. Black writes that 1 John is “indisputably quoted around the year 180 in Irenaeus’s Against Heresies” and phrasing similar to that of 1 John is found in 135 in Polycarp’s Letters to the Philippians. The fact that it is quoted in these texts suggests a date, at the latest, in the 2nd century. Gail O’Day argues for a late-first-century date. It was not until the end of the fourth century that the three letters of John were “fixed as a group and identified with the name of John.”
As for the purpose of 1 John, it seems that there were people in the church, opponents, who were resisting traditional tenets of Christianity. The elder writes to declare “what was from the beginning” (1:1) and warns against antichrists and people who deny that Jesus is the Christ (2:22). Luke Timothy Johnson writes that much of the letter has to do with orthodoxy. He said, “the content of belief, rather than simply the assent of faith, become here a criterion for membership.”
While the majority of scholars and commentators point out the “adversarial character” of the letter, it is unclear what exactly the opponents were preaching. Even though we do not know details of the conflict, we do know that the opponents did not believe in the full humanity of Jesus (4:3) and they were not loving each other (2:9).”
The purpose of 1 John is to call attention to the truth. By doing so, the elder counters the opponents and encourages the believers or “little children” in the right way, that they may walk in the light. The elder does this by addressing the two problems: not believing in Jesus’ humanity and not loving each other. The elder takes a two-pronged approach: “First, he establishes humility as the basis for community existence. Second, he defines the life of the group as the imitation of the unity and love found in God.” Using this approach, he addresses both problems together in a convincing and compelling manner.
The author of 2 John and 3 John identifies themself as ho presbyteros or “the elder.” The writing style and substance of 1 John is very similar to that of 2 and 3 John, and because of that many scholars agree that “the elder” penned all three letters.
The early church readily accepted 1 John because it was believed to be written by the disciple John, son of Zebedee, whom the early church also believed was the author of the Gospel according to John. Scholars are divided on whether or not the author of John’s Gospel also wrote 1, 2, and 3 John. There are striking similarities between the Gospel and the Letters in vocabulary, style and substance; but, there are also many differences.
An interesting bit of early Christian history that we can glean from reading First, Second, and Third John together is that there was an organization of churches which scholars call the “Johannine churches.” These churches emphasized themes similar to those found in the Gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John—they looked through a “Johannine lens” while viewing their faith. Black explains that “the elder” would have assumed “an advisory and perhaps supervisory responsibility” over these Johannine churches where the letters were being sent.
Biblical scholars like Luke Timothy Johnson, believe that the First Letter of John would have been delivered to the Johannine churches together with the Second and Third Letters of John. The Third Letter acted as a letter of recommendation to the household of Gaius, for the letter carrier, Demetrius. Second John was an introduction to the First Letter. Johnson describes it as a cover letter.
The First Letter of John, which is our focus book, is more like a homily than a letter. There are no traditional markers in 1 John that put it in the genre of epistle or letter. Johnson calls it an “exhortation.” It would have been read aloud to a church. No new information is presented in 1 John, which leads many to classify it as a short sermon. The “letter” serves more as a reminder of what the Church had been taught all along. Johnson explains, “it is a simple reminder and exhortation to live by that commandment which was ‘from the beginning’: to love one another.”
Just as the authorship of 1 John is not entirely certain, we do not have an exact date for the book. Black writes that 1 John is “indisputably quoted around the year 180 in Irenaeus’s Against Heresies” and phrasing similar to that of 1 John is found in 135 in Polycarp’s Letters to the Philippians. The fact that it is quoted in these texts suggests a date, at the latest, in the 2nd century. Gail O’Day argues for a late-first-century date. It was not until the end of the fourth century that the three letters of John were “fixed as a group and identified with the name of John.”
As for the purpose of 1 John, it seems that there were people in the church, opponents, who were resisting traditional tenets of Christianity. The elder writes to declare “what was from the beginning” (1:1) and warns against antichrists and people who deny that Jesus is the Christ (2:22). Luke Timothy Johnson writes that much of the letter has to do with orthodoxy. He said, “the content of belief, rather than simply the assent of faith, become here a criterion for membership.”
While the majority of scholars and commentators point out the “adversarial character” of the letter, it is unclear what exactly the opponents were preaching. Even though we do not know details of the conflict, we do know that the opponents did not believe in the full humanity of Jesus (4:3) and they were not loving each other (2:9).”
The purpose of 1 John is to call attention to the truth. By doing so, the elder counters the opponents and encourages the believers or “little children” in the right way, that they may walk in the light. The elder does this by addressing the two problems: not believing in Jesus’ humanity and not loving each other. The elder takes a two-pronged approach: “First, he establishes humility as the basis for community existence. Second, he defines the life of the group as the imitation of the unity and love found in God.” Using this approach, he addresses both problems together in a convincing and compelling manner.
Monday, March 23
Chapter 1
John Wesley, the cofounder of Methodism, wrote in his journal on On September 1, 1763, about The First Letter of John, “How plain, how full, and how deep a compendium of genuine Christianity!”
Prologue: 1 John 1:1-4
In the Prologue, the first four verses, the elder makes it clear that he is writing what the hearers and readers already know. This is a message that has been passed down from those who saw Jesus with their own eyes, who heard him with their own ears, who touched him with their own hands. This message has authority because the people who first preached it experienced Jesus with their senses. It is a real-life message.
The reason that message has been shared is so that the hearers and readers can have fellowship with the people preaching the message and fellowship with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ.
If you look closely at your Bible, you will probably see a note on verse four on the word “our.” Other ancient authorities read, “We are writing these things so that your joy may be complete.” While the NRSV reads, “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” Either way, the letter is written to produce joy.
God is Light: 1 John 5-10
After the opening verses the elder jumps right into the message he is writing to proclaim: God is light. He connects that fact with how the hearers and readers should live out their lives. It is not just a message about the character of God. It is also a message about how we should respond to the character of God.
The elder equates walking in light to being in fellowship with God. In these verses the elder points out the goodness of God and the dependability of God.
God is good because God is light and God cleanses us from all sin. God is dependable because God will always forgive our sins; all we have to do is confess them.
We are meant to live in the light! God is light and when we confess our sins, when we step into the light, all is exposed. The good news is that God forgives everything when we step into the light, when we confess our sins.
Keeping in the light is connected to fellowship with the community. We need one to have the other. That is why it is so important for us to be part of a church community.
Verses five through ten are all about the delicate balance of living a faithful life. Charles Cousar writes, “Christians acknowledge sin but do not wallow in sin. Confession involves not only a wiping away of the old sins but the establishment of new righteousness. The faithful are both forgiven and cleansed.”
That is why our worship includes a prayer of confession. We gather together as a community of believers to confess our sins. We know that God is good and dependable and forgives our sins. We confess our sin, we are forgiven, and we continue walking in the light through the fellowship with God and with one another.
Discussion Questions
In the first chapter of 1 John, light is associated with God: “in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5b) Why do you think this is? Why do you think the author of 1 John, living in the ancient Near East used the metaphor of light = good and darkness = bad? Is this still a helpful metaphor today? What are the limitations of this metaphor?
When we read passages in 1 John that have to do with light and darkness what stories from the Bible come to mind? How do these stories add to your understanding of what is being said in 1 John? What about Genesis 1:1-8; Isaiah 9:2-3, 6; Luke 2:8-14; John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 27:45-46, 50
When we read this section on light and darkness what first comes to mind? Do you have an experience of extreme darkness or extreme light? What was that like? How does that relate to what we've read in 1 John chapter one?
The author of 1 John encourages the hearers/readers to walk in light. How do you practice “walking in the light” in your daily life? What are some practical things you already do or things we could add to our routine to help keep us "in the light"?
Confession of sin is mentioned in the “God is Light” section. What does confessing our sins have to do with light and darkness? Do you remember the first time you said a communal prayer of confession? What was that experience like? When we say Prayers of Confession during worship do you see it as a positive or a negative? How do you feel when you confess sin? How do you feel afterwards when we all say together, “In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven?”
Prologue: 1 John 1:1-4
In the Prologue, the first four verses, the elder makes it clear that he is writing what the hearers and readers already know. This is a message that has been passed down from those who saw Jesus with their own eyes, who heard him with their own ears, who touched him with their own hands. This message has authority because the people who first preached it experienced Jesus with their senses. It is a real-life message.
The reason that message has been shared is so that the hearers and readers can have fellowship with the people preaching the message and fellowship with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ.
If you look closely at your Bible, you will probably see a note on verse four on the word “our.” Other ancient authorities read, “We are writing these things so that your joy may be complete.” While the NRSV reads, “We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.” Either way, the letter is written to produce joy.
God is Light: 1 John 5-10
After the opening verses the elder jumps right into the message he is writing to proclaim: God is light. He connects that fact with how the hearers and readers should live out their lives. It is not just a message about the character of God. It is also a message about how we should respond to the character of God.
The elder equates walking in light to being in fellowship with God. In these verses the elder points out the goodness of God and the dependability of God.
God is good because God is light and God cleanses us from all sin. God is dependable because God will always forgive our sins; all we have to do is confess them.
We are meant to live in the light! God is light and when we confess our sins, when we step into the light, all is exposed. The good news is that God forgives everything when we step into the light, when we confess our sins.
Keeping in the light is connected to fellowship with the community. We need one to have the other. That is why it is so important for us to be part of a church community.
Verses five through ten are all about the delicate balance of living a faithful life. Charles Cousar writes, “Christians acknowledge sin but do not wallow in sin. Confession involves not only a wiping away of the old sins but the establishment of new righteousness. The faithful are both forgiven and cleansed.”
That is why our worship includes a prayer of confession. We gather together as a community of believers to confess our sins. We know that God is good and dependable and forgives our sins. We confess our sin, we are forgiven, and we continue walking in the light through the fellowship with God and with one another.
Discussion Questions
In the first chapter of 1 John, light is associated with God: “in him there is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5b) Why do you think this is? Why do you think the author of 1 John, living in the ancient Near East used the metaphor of light = good and darkness = bad? Is this still a helpful metaphor today? What are the limitations of this metaphor?
When we read passages in 1 John that have to do with light and darkness what stories from the Bible come to mind? How do these stories add to your understanding of what is being said in 1 John? What about Genesis 1:1-8; Isaiah 9:2-3, 6; Luke 2:8-14; John 8:12; Matthew 5:14-16; Matthew 27:45-46, 50
When we read this section on light and darkness what first comes to mind? Do you have an experience of extreme darkness or extreme light? What was that like? How does that relate to what we've read in 1 John chapter one?
The author of 1 John encourages the hearers/readers to walk in light. How do you practice “walking in the light” in your daily life? What are some practical things you already do or things we could add to our routine to help keep us "in the light"?
Confession of sin is mentioned in the “God is Light” section. What does confessing our sins have to do with light and darkness? Do you remember the first time you said a communal prayer of confession? What was that experience like? When we say Prayers of Confession during worship do you see it as a positive or a negative? How do you feel when you confess sin? How do you feel afterwards when we all say together, “In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven?”
Tuesday, March 24
Chapter 2
The elder writes to a church experiencing inner conflict. There was a group of folks who left the church who were not being faithful to Christianity. They were denying the humanity of Jesus and they were not loving each other. We can see in chapter two glimpses of this conflict in the topics the elder chose to explore.
The elder warns against antichrists. When he does this, he is warning his beloved, the folks who are still in the church, against the folks who have left the church—they are ones who no longer believe in the humanity of Jesus. In verse twenty-two, we get the elder’s definition of antichrist, “who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.” For the elder, people who say Jesus is not the Christ are antichrists. Charles Cousar writes that the folks the author calls “ ‘antichrists’ and ‘liars’ have separated themselves from the community because of their unwillingness to acknowledge that Jesus was a physical human being (2:18-27). There are also those who claim that they have not sinned and thus need no forgiveness.”
The second transgression the opponents commit is not loving one another. That is why the elder writes, “whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling” (2:9-10). The elder makes it clear that when you are in the light, you are loving. Otherwise, you are in darkness. He points out what the opponents believe, exposes their beliefs as false, and then returns to the beloved and instructs them how to continue living—in the light.
The two sins of the opponents are linked. Gail O’Day writes, “Belief in the full humanity of Jesus is tied to the community’s emphasis on love, because for Jesus and the community, the sharing of love is the mark of full humanity.” Therefore the elder address both problems, as one affects the other.
Fathers? Little Children? Young People?
The verses 1 John 2:12-14 have long puzzled scholars and commentators. Who are these young people? Who are the children? Or the fathers? Why does the elder take time to address them?
These verses are similar, to some extent, to household codes found in other epistles, but unlike those codes there are no instructions for each group. Clifton Black explains that the use of the titles for the various groups of people point out the familial character of the Johannine church. He writes, “It is a community of the old and of the young… but all are regarded by the author as ‘dear children,’ ‘beloved,’ ‘brothers and sisters.’ No image of the church is more dominant in 1 John than that of the ‘family of God.’”
Commandments
An important part of the second chapter of 1 John is the discussion of commandments. The elder writes that we can be sure someone knows Jesus if they obey his commandments. Would you agree? 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him,’ but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist.”
Whenever I hear “commandment” I am reminded of that conversation in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus has with a lawyer. The lawyer asks him, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22: 36-40).
Blindness
Just as we are commanded to love in the Two-Fold Love Command, 1 John calls us to love, over and over again. The elder uses the metaphor of blindness to describe a person who does not love.
In Luke 4:18 Jesus fulfills the verses from Isaiah when he read them, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” God sent Jesus to recover the sight of the blind.
This could mean physical blindness, but also metaphorical blindness—not seeing the vision God has for the world.
Discussion Questions
When you hear the word “commandment” what first pops into your mind? The first thing that popped into Jesus’ mind was to love God and love your neighbor. Is that different than what you first thought of? Why do you think that is? Jesus says that if we follow those two commandments, we will follow the law and the prophets. Do you agree? Why or why not?
How do you follow the Two-Fold Love Command? What do you do to love God? What do you do to love your neighbor? Who is your neighbor? Where else in the Bible does it talk about loving your neighbor? In 1 John it says we should love our brother and our sister, i.e. we should love other believers. Do you think these are the only ones we should love? Why or why not? Why do you think 1 John talks about loving other believers and not neighbors?
In verse eleven it says that if we hate a brother or a sister we walk in darkness, we have brought on blindness. If we hate someone, what do we become blinded to? What can we not see because of our hate? What do you think the elder meant when he said, “hating a brother or sister?” What constitutes hate? Is hate simply the absence of love?
The elder warns against antichrists. When he does this, he is warning his beloved, the folks who are still in the church, against the folks who have left the church—they are ones who no longer believe in the humanity of Jesus. In verse twenty-two, we get the elder’s definition of antichrist, “who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.” For the elder, people who say Jesus is not the Christ are antichrists. Charles Cousar writes that the folks the author calls “ ‘antichrists’ and ‘liars’ have separated themselves from the community because of their unwillingness to acknowledge that Jesus was a physical human being (2:18-27). There are also those who claim that they have not sinned and thus need no forgiveness.”
The second transgression the opponents commit is not loving one another. That is why the elder writes, “whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling” (2:9-10). The elder makes it clear that when you are in the light, you are loving. Otherwise, you are in darkness. He points out what the opponents believe, exposes their beliefs as false, and then returns to the beloved and instructs them how to continue living—in the light.
The two sins of the opponents are linked. Gail O’Day writes, “Belief in the full humanity of Jesus is tied to the community’s emphasis on love, because for Jesus and the community, the sharing of love is the mark of full humanity.” Therefore the elder address both problems, as one affects the other.
Fathers? Little Children? Young People?
The verses 1 John 2:12-14 have long puzzled scholars and commentators. Who are these young people? Who are the children? Or the fathers? Why does the elder take time to address them?
These verses are similar, to some extent, to household codes found in other epistles, but unlike those codes there are no instructions for each group. Clifton Black explains that the use of the titles for the various groups of people point out the familial character of the Johannine church. He writes, “It is a community of the old and of the young… but all are regarded by the author as ‘dear children,’ ‘beloved,’ ‘brothers and sisters.’ No image of the church is more dominant in 1 John than that of the ‘family of God.’”
Commandments
An important part of the second chapter of 1 John is the discussion of commandments. The elder writes that we can be sure someone knows Jesus if they obey his commandments. Would you agree? 1 John 2:4, “Whoever says, ‘I have come to know him,’ but does not obey his commandments is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist.”
Whenever I hear “commandment” I am reminded of that conversation in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus has with a lawyer. The lawyer asks him, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” Jesus said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22: 36-40).
Blindness
Just as we are commanded to love in the Two-Fold Love Command, 1 John calls us to love, over and over again. The elder uses the metaphor of blindness to describe a person who does not love.
In Luke 4:18 Jesus fulfills the verses from Isaiah when he read them, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free…” God sent Jesus to recover the sight of the blind.
This could mean physical blindness, but also metaphorical blindness—not seeing the vision God has for the world.
Discussion Questions
When you hear the word “commandment” what first pops into your mind? The first thing that popped into Jesus’ mind was to love God and love your neighbor. Is that different than what you first thought of? Why do you think that is? Jesus says that if we follow those two commandments, we will follow the law and the prophets. Do you agree? Why or why not?
How do you follow the Two-Fold Love Command? What do you do to love God? What do you do to love your neighbor? Who is your neighbor? Where else in the Bible does it talk about loving your neighbor? In 1 John it says we should love our brother and our sister, i.e. we should love other believers. Do you think these are the only ones we should love? Why or why not? Why do you think 1 John talks about loving other believers and not neighbors?
In verse eleven it says that if we hate a brother or a sister we walk in darkness, we have brought on blindness. If we hate someone, what do we become blinded to? What can we not see because of our hate? What do you think the elder meant when he said, “hating a brother or sister?” What constitutes hate? Is hate simply the absence of love?
Wednesday, March 25
Chapter 3
During the liturgy before Communion, we confess the mystery of faith – Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. We live in the in-between time, the time between Jesus’ resurrection and his coming again in glory. This is highlighted in the first few verses of chapter 3.
The elder uses familial terms to describe our relationship to God. We are the children of God. We do not save ourselves, or purify ourselves, it is God that does it. We respond with service and love. Black writes, “We abide in him, not out of dread that our identity as God’s children will be stripped from us, but in order that our confidence may be bolstered, that at his coming we may not shrink from him in shame. What we shall be has not yet been revealed; but that in no way overturns the reality that we are God’s beloved children now. The child of God is a responsible agent and is response able—enabled to respond—by the endowment of God’s prevenient love.”
As we read chapter 3 we must remember the context – that there are some who are trying to get the Johannine church to no longer be Christians. This helps us understand the harshness of the language, the “you’re in or you’re out” rhetoric. Black writes about the obvious statements the elder makes in verses 4-10, like ‘everyone who does what is right is righteous’ and ‘everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness,’ “The implication, perhaps, is that someone had attempted to persuade the Johannine community that the act of sinning was somehow compatible with being ‘born of God’ and ‘abiding with God.’” In Romans Paul has to say a similar thing- “Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means!” (Romans 6:1-2).
Once again we must remember the conflict. There are opponents who do not believe in the full humanity of Jesus and they were not loving each other.
For the elder, sin is failure to love one’s siblings in the household of faith.
Reading 1 John sort of feels like being a kid in the living room and overhearing an adult in the kitchen having an argument with some other adult over the phone. The adult in the kitchen might make some grant statements that we might interpret one way: as applying to everyone, to all situations, when the adult on the phone was simply making turbocharged statements to get the person on the other end of their phone call to understand their argument. We must remember that this letter/sermon was written in the midst of a conflict. We must read the statements made here in light of that conflict.
Chapter 3 makes us think that the opponents were encouraging the Johannine church to sin in order to produce godliness. Black writes, “thus ‘the one born of God cannot sin’ would be understood—within this debate—not as an absolute pronouncement of a Christian’s sinlessness, but as the strongest, most principled denial that sinfulness could ever be reckoned a birth certificate of godliness.”
This can help us better understand the contradiction in the text (which scholars have debated for centuries) about sin. Here the elder affirms that those born of God and abiding in God do not and cannot sin while in chapter 1 encouraging us to confess our sin and be forgiven.
1 John 1:8 says, “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 3:6 says, “no one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.”
The elder has such a dualistic worldview which makes community conflict difficult to place in the neat categories of black and white, lawlessness and righteousness, light and darkness, etc. We see this as we continue reading chapter 3, in verses 11-18. There is no give; for the elder it is either this or that.
Discussion Questions
Are you a black and white thinker? Where do you see grey in your life, in solutions to problems, etc.
How does understanding the conflict help you understand the words in this letter/homily?
We know that no regular human is 100% good or 100% bad, we’re all a mix, we’re all saint and sinner. How do you read this chapter with that in mind? Do you think the elder thinks everyone is either all good or all bad or is this a rhetorical devise to help the church stick with the things that have been taught from the beginning?
What do you think of the two-pronged commandment the elder talks about in verses 23-24? How is it similar/dissimilar to the two-fold love command in Matthew 22:37-40?
The elder uses familial terms to describe our relationship to God. We are the children of God. We do not save ourselves, or purify ourselves, it is God that does it. We respond with service and love. Black writes, “We abide in him, not out of dread that our identity as God’s children will be stripped from us, but in order that our confidence may be bolstered, that at his coming we may not shrink from him in shame. What we shall be has not yet been revealed; but that in no way overturns the reality that we are God’s beloved children now. The child of God is a responsible agent and is response able—enabled to respond—by the endowment of God’s prevenient love.”
As we read chapter 3 we must remember the context – that there are some who are trying to get the Johannine church to no longer be Christians. This helps us understand the harshness of the language, the “you’re in or you’re out” rhetoric. Black writes about the obvious statements the elder makes in verses 4-10, like ‘everyone who does what is right is righteous’ and ‘everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness,’ “The implication, perhaps, is that someone had attempted to persuade the Johannine community that the act of sinning was somehow compatible with being ‘born of God’ and ‘abiding with God.’” In Romans Paul has to say a similar thing- “Should we continue in sin in order that grace may abound? By no means!” (Romans 6:1-2).
Once again we must remember the conflict. There are opponents who do not believe in the full humanity of Jesus and they were not loving each other.
For the elder, sin is failure to love one’s siblings in the household of faith.
Reading 1 John sort of feels like being a kid in the living room and overhearing an adult in the kitchen having an argument with some other adult over the phone. The adult in the kitchen might make some grant statements that we might interpret one way: as applying to everyone, to all situations, when the adult on the phone was simply making turbocharged statements to get the person on the other end of their phone call to understand their argument. We must remember that this letter/sermon was written in the midst of a conflict. We must read the statements made here in light of that conflict.
Chapter 3 makes us think that the opponents were encouraging the Johannine church to sin in order to produce godliness. Black writes, “thus ‘the one born of God cannot sin’ would be understood—within this debate—not as an absolute pronouncement of a Christian’s sinlessness, but as the strongest, most principled denial that sinfulness could ever be reckoned a birth certificate of godliness.”
This can help us better understand the contradiction in the text (which scholars have debated for centuries) about sin. Here the elder affirms that those born of God and abiding in God do not and cannot sin while in chapter 1 encouraging us to confess our sin and be forgiven.
1 John 1:8 says, “if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 3:6 says, “no one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him.”
The elder has such a dualistic worldview which makes community conflict difficult to place in the neat categories of black and white, lawlessness and righteousness, light and darkness, etc. We see this as we continue reading chapter 3, in verses 11-18. There is no give; for the elder it is either this or that.
Discussion Questions
Are you a black and white thinker? Where do you see grey in your life, in solutions to problems, etc.
How does understanding the conflict help you understand the words in this letter/homily?
We know that no regular human is 100% good or 100% bad, we’re all a mix, we’re all saint and sinner. How do you read this chapter with that in mind? Do you think the elder thinks everyone is either all good or all bad or is this a rhetorical devise to help the church stick with the things that have been taught from the beginning?
What do you think of the two-pronged commandment the elder talks about in verses 23-24? How is it similar/dissimilar to the two-fold love command in Matthew 22:37-40?
Thursday, March 26
Chapter 4
The elder encourages the people to “test the spirits” to see if they are from God. How do you know when you’re hearing a message that is from God or not?
In verses 7-12 we see a profound analysis of Christian love. It all stems from God’s love for us. How do you love the people in our church community? How do you love your neighbors and others you meet with on a daily basis? How do you put your love into action?
Black notes that it says, “God is love” not “love is God.” How do those two statements differ? Black writes, “it is God who defines love, not the other way around.”
Black writes, “Perhaps the most astonishing thing about 1 John 4:7-21 is that it exists at all. In spite of the hate that the author and his readers felt aimed at them, the elder never advocates hatred in return.” Where do we see examples of this in our modern day? Where do we see the opposite?
In verses 7-12 we see a profound analysis of Christian love. It all stems from God’s love for us. How do you love the people in our church community? How do you love your neighbors and others you meet with on a daily basis? How do you put your love into action?
Black notes that it says, “God is love” not “love is God.” How do those two statements differ? Black writes, “it is God who defines love, not the other way around.”
Black writes, “Perhaps the most astonishing thing about 1 John 4:7-21 is that it exists at all. In spite of the hate that the author and his readers felt aimed at them, the elder never advocates hatred in return.” Where do we see examples of this in our modern day? Where do we see the opposite?
Friday, March 27
Chapter 5
Scholars are divided on what the elder means when he writes about the water and the blood. The most likely is the water and blood present at the crucifixion when Jesus’ side is pierced. Other possibilities – the water represents baptism and the blood represents Holy Communion OR water alludes to Jesus’ own baptism and the blood to Jesus’ crucifixion.
Verses 13-17 gives us confidence that we can be frank with God. We can boldly and honestly be ourselves with God and expect acceptance and love. That is good news! When we pray we can trust that God hears us. Black writes, “In prayer we have petitioned a hearing from God; what we receive is, by definition, God’s reply to that petition and the confirmation that God has, indeed, heard us… in trusting alignment with God’s will, the church is sure that its prayers both are (not should be) heard and are (not will be) fulfilled.”
Mortal and not mortal sin?
Once again, the elder is vague and assumes the original receivers of this message have knowledge that we do not. The Greek is me pros thanaton or a sin that is “not toward death” which the NRSV translates as ‘not mortal sin.’ And pros thanaton or “toward death” which is translated “mortal sin.” The New International Version translates it a bit closer to the Greek- “a sin that does not lead to death” and “a sin that leads to death.” The elder doesn’t tell us what any of that means, so scholars have tried to figure it out:
In chapter 3 the refusal to love is equivalent to dwelling in death. Keeping the conflict in mind a “sin that leads to death” might mean denying Jesus. This second understanding aligns with the Gospel of John who describes “sin as a refusal to believe Jesus’ testimony.”
The power of prayer
Black writes, “prayer, for the elder is not a form of abracadabra or self-interested manipulation. Prayer, rather, is a force that promotes restorative life, bestowed on us by a mercifully responsive God. In intersession for their siblings, Christians actually participate in Christ’s priestly ministry of atonement for the world. More obviously prayer molds the one who prays. It quells impertinent self-assertion, timidity, and apprehension, redirecting us toward alignment with God’s will, confidence that God has heard us, and knowledge that ‘all we ask of him is ours.”
Chapter 5 ends with another confusing statement about not sinning (see notes on chapter 3). The elder is trying to encourage us in holiness. Do you think about holiness much? What do you do that is holy? We do not make ourselves holy, but rather make ourselves available for God to make us holy – to sanctify us.
What do you think of the ending of the letter/homily? It ends abruptly with a warning to avoid idols. How do you think this relates to the rest of the letter/homily?
Verses 13-17 gives us confidence that we can be frank with God. We can boldly and honestly be ourselves with God and expect acceptance and love. That is good news! When we pray we can trust that God hears us. Black writes, “In prayer we have petitioned a hearing from God; what we receive is, by definition, God’s reply to that petition and the confirmation that God has, indeed, heard us… in trusting alignment with God’s will, the church is sure that its prayers both are (not should be) heard and are (not will be) fulfilled.”
Mortal and not mortal sin?
Once again, the elder is vague and assumes the original receivers of this message have knowledge that we do not. The Greek is me pros thanaton or a sin that is “not toward death” which the NRSV translates as ‘not mortal sin.’ And pros thanaton or “toward death” which is translated “mortal sin.” The New International Version translates it a bit closer to the Greek- “a sin that does not lead to death” and “a sin that leads to death.” The elder doesn’t tell us what any of that means, so scholars have tried to figure it out:
In chapter 3 the refusal to love is equivalent to dwelling in death. Keeping the conflict in mind a “sin that leads to death” might mean denying Jesus. This second understanding aligns with the Gospel of John who describes “sin as a refusal to believe Jesus’ testimony.”
The power of prayer
Black writes, “prayer, for the elder is not a form of abracadabra or self-interested manipulation. Prayer, rather, is a force that promotes restorative life, bestowed on us by a mercifully responsive God. In intersession for their siblings, Christians actually participate in Christ’s priestly ministry of atonement for the world. More obviously prayer molds the one who prays. It quells impertinent self-assertion, timidity, and apprehension, redirecting us toward alignment with God’s will, confidence that God has heard us, and knowledge that ‘all we ask of him is ours.”
Chapter 5 ends with another confusing statement about not sinning (see notes on chapter 3). The elder is trying to encourage us in holiness. Do you think about holiness much? What do you do that is holy? We do not make ourselves holy, but rather make ourselves available for God to make us holy – to sanctify us.
What do you think of the ending of the letter/homily? It ends abruptly with a warning to avoid idols. How do you think this relates to the rest of the letter/homily?
Resources
Books
Online
Books about 1 John
The Letters of John (N. T. Wright for Everyone) by N.T. Wright. Published by IVP Connect.
The First, Second, and Third Letters of John in The New Interpreter's Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes Volume XII by Clifton C. Black. Published by Abingdon Press.
1, 2, and 3 John in Women's Bible Commentary by Gail O'Day. Published by Westminster John Knox Press.
Books about the New Testament
The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction by Luke Timothy Johnson. Published by Oxford Press.
The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation by Luke Timothy Johnson. Published by Fortress Press.
Books about the Bible
Making Sense of the Bible, Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today by Adam Hamilton. Published by HarperOne.
What Is the Bible and Who Is It For? A Book for Beginners, Skeptics, and Seekers by Emanuel Cleaver III. Published by Wesley's Foundery Books.
The Letters of John (N. T. Wright for Everyone) by N.T. Wright. Published by IVP Connect.
The First, Second, and Third Letters of John in The New Interpreter's Bible: A Commentary in Twelve Volumes Volume XII by Clifton C. Black. Published by Abingdon Press.
1, 2, and 3 John in Women's Bible Commentary by Gail O'Day. Published by Westminster John Knox Press.
Books about the New Testament
The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction by Luke Timothy Johnson. Published by Oxford Press.
The Writings of the New Testament: An Interpretation by Luke Timothy Johnson. Published by Fortress Press.
Books about the Bible
Making Sense of the Bible, Rediscovering the Power of Scripture Today by Adam Hamilton. Published by HarperOne.
What Is the Bible and Who Is It For? A Book for Beginners, Skeptics, and Seekers by Emanuel Cleaver III. Published by Wesley's Foundery Books.
Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again
by Rachel Held Evans. Published by Thomas Nelson.
Enter the Bible resource
Enter the Bible is an excellent, free resource out of Luther Seminary.
It is a website designed to help everyday disciples and spiritual seekers engage Scripture in ways that are thoughtful, accessible, and faithful—with an aim to encourage and strengthen faith in the God revealed in the Old and New Testaments.
Each book of the Bible has its own course.
There are timelines, maps, videos, a glossary, and so much more.
Enter the Bible is an excellent, free resource out of Luther Seminary.
It is a website designed to help everyday disciples and spiritual seekers engage Scripture in ways that are thoughtful, accessible, and faithful—with an aim to encourage and strengthen faith in the God revealed in the Old and New Testaments.
Each book of the Bible has its own course.
There are timelines, maps, videos, a glossary, and so much more.
Biblical Interpretation for Lay Education Online Course
This is a course on the Absorb Platform, which is a website utilized by the Missouri Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church for education.
This course introduces the basic principles of biblical interpretation. You'll explore how the Bible came together, methods for interpreting scripture, and helpful tools for biblical interpretation.
It is taught by Mark Statler, a lifelong Missouri Methodist. He currently serves as the Director for Leadership Excellence in the Missouri Conference Office.
This course introduces the basic principles of biblical interpretation. You'll explore how the Bible came together, methods for interpreting scripture, and helpful tools for biblical interpretation.
It is taught by Mark Statler, a lifelong Missouri Methodist. He currently serves as the Director for Leadership Excellence in the Missouri Conference Office.