{"id":227,"date":"2011-09-18T14:54:17","date_gmt":"2011-09-18T20:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.consider.org\/blog\/?p=227"},"modified":"2011-09-18T14:54:17","modified_gmt":"2011-09-18T20:54:17","slug":"the-epistles-of-john-living-in-truth-and-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/2011\/09\/the-epistles-of-john-living-in-truth-and-love\/","title":{"rendered":"The Epistles of John: Living in Truth and Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year I am beginning a study into the letters of John. I will be posting the study here online as well as teaching it at the church I attend.\u00a0\u00a0 If you are in the area of Wausau Wisconsin and want to attend the class live, it is at Wausau campus of Highland Community Church<\/a> and starts about 9:20 AM every Sunday from Labor Day through Memorial Day. \u00a0In my classes, I encourage questions and discussions, so if you have questions about the class, feel free to send me an email at elgin@hushbeck.com<\/a> and be sure to put \u201cEpistles of John\u201d in the header.<\/p>\n

Week One:\u00a0 Sept 11, 2011<\/h2>\n

Background<\/h2>\n

This week we will deal with a lot of the background information.\u00a0 Some consider this unimportant and boring, but it can be important to understanding the context of the letters, and thus to understanding the letters themselves.\u00a0 As you will see as we go, I am a very big believer in the importance of context. So we will be spending some time, not only on the background information, but also the structure of the letters particularly 1 John.<\/p>\n

One advantage of the online version will be that you can skim this background information for the moment, and just focus on the conclusions.\u00a0 Later as issues arise in the letters, you can refer back here as needed.<\/p>\n

Finally, this is a class, not a full commentary.\u00a0 Thus, what I am presenting here, particularly in this first week, is the summary of my studies.\u00a0 While many may conclude I am going into too much detail, a few will notice the large amount of information I am skipping over.\u00a0 I can only say that this is a balancing act. If you think I am out of balance, feel free to ask a question. \u00a0\u00a0With that said, let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n

Author<\/h2>\n

As one begins to look at the authorship of these three letters one thing that quickly becomes clear is that they are very closely linked to the Gospel of John.\u00a0 Even a causal reading reveals a marked similarity between all four documents (Gospel + 3 letters) and that they are somewhat different from other books in the New Testament.\u00a0 (Note: The similarity or difference with the book of Revelations\u00a0 raise some other issues which will not be addressed here.)<\/p>\n

While some scholars claim that the internal evidence point to different authorship, these are arguments are very weak for the following reasons.<\/p>\n

1)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a02 and 3 John are too short for conclusions.\u00a0 They seem to have the same author but there are not long enough to reach a firm conclusion either way.<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Gospel and all three epistles do show a strong relationship in language.\u00a0 For example, they all present similar themes in terms of opposites with no middle ground such as Light\/Dark, Life\/Death, Truth\/Lie, Love\/hate.<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As for the supposed difference between them, they are easily accounted for by context.<\/p>\n

Thus in Gospel, the Holy Spirit is our paraclete (counselor) while in 1st<\/sup> John it is Jesus. But this is not a conflict because John 14:16 make it clear that the Holy Spirit is \u201canother counselor\u201d and that the Spirit is coming because Jesus is leaving.<\/p>\n

2 and 3 John were letters sent by \u201cthe elder.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 1 John does not identify the author, though it is clear he was known to those to whom he wrote.\u00a0 The Gospel, likewise, does not identify the author by name, but there are enough details in the account to see that the author was the Apostle John.<\/p>\n

Bottom line: <\/strong> The internal evidence is for a common authorship of the Apostle John.<\/p>\n

When we come to the external evidence it is both early and clear.\u00a0 In particular, are Papias, who knew and studied under John, and Iraenaeus who studied under Polycarp, who like Papias knew and studied under John. Both were in a position to know, and both identified John as the author.<\/p>\n

Often these early sources simply appear as references, but I thought it might be nice to actually quote them.\u00a0 First are a number of allusions to the letters of John, i.e., that is the message and words seem to be strongly influenced by these letters, but without a direct citation. \u00a0These will be followed by the passages in John\u2019s letters that appear to be the source.\u00a0\u00a0 Finally I will cite some passages where the source is identified as John. \u00a0\u00a0Note that the parts in bold are the parts that are influence by John\u2019s letters.<\/p>\n

Allusions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clement of Rome\u00a0 – AD 96<\/h5>\n

1 Clement 49:5<\/strong> Love joineth us unto God; love hideth a multitude of sins; love beareth all things; is long suffering in all things. In love there is nothing illiberal, nothing haughty. Love hath no schism; love maketh not sedition; love doth all things in harmony; in love all the elect of God have been made perfect. Without love nothing is acceptable unto God.<\/p>\n

1 Clement 50:3<\/strong> All the generations, from Adam even unto this day, are gone by; but they who have been made perfect in love according to the grace of God inhabit the abode of the pious, and shall be made manifest in the visitation of the kingdom of Christ.<\/p>\n

Didache AD 90-120<\/h5>\n

Didache 10:5<\/strong> Remember, Lord, Thy Church to deliver it from all evil and to perfect it in Thy love;<\/p>\n

and gather it together from the four winds- even the Church which has been sanctified-into Thy kingdom which Thou hast prepared for it; for Thine is the power and the glory for ever and ever.<\/p>\n

1 John \u2013 Perfected in Love<\/h5>\n

1 John 2: 5<\/strong> But whoever continually keeps his commandments is the kind of person in whom God\u2019s love has truly been perfected. This is how we can be sure that we are in union with God.<\/p>\n

1 John 4:12<\/strong> No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.<\/p>\n

1 John 17-18<\/strong> There is no fear where love exists.\u00a0 Rather, perfect love banishes fear, for fear involves punishment, and the person who lives in fear has not been perfected in love.<\/p>\n

The Epistle of Barnabas\u00a0 – c130<\/h5>\n

Barnabas 5:9 \u2013 11<\/strong> And when He chose His own apostles who were to proclaim His Gospel, who that He might show that He came not to call the righteous but sinners were sinners above every sin, then He manifested Himself to be the Son of God.\u00a0 10 For if He had not come in the flesh neither would men have looked upon Him and been saved, forasmuch as when they look upon the sun that shall cease to be, which is the work of His own hands, they cannot face its rays. 11 Therefore the Son of God came in the flesh to this end, that He might sum up the complete tale of their sins against those who persecuted and slew His prophets.<\/p>\n

Barnabas 12:10<\/strong> Behold again it is Jesus, not a son of man, but the Son of God, and He was revealed in the flesh in a figure. Since then men will say that Christ is the son of David, David himself prophesieth being afraid and understanding the error of sinners; The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on My right hand until I set thine enemies for a footstool under Thy feet.<\/p>\n

Polycarp Epistle to the\u00a0 Philippians\u00a0 c135<\/h5>\n

Polycarp 7:1<\/strong> For every one who shall not confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is antichrist: and whosoever shall not confess the testimony of the Cross, is of the devil; and whosoever shall pervert the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts and say that there is neither resurrection nor judgment, that man is the firstborn of Satan.<\/p>\n

1 John \u2013 Come in the Flesh<\/h5>\n

1 John 4:2-3<\/strong> This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 But every spirit who does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard that he is coming, and now he is already in the world.<\/p>\n

2 John \u2013 Come in the Flesh<\/h5>\n

2 John 1:7<\/strong> Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.<\/p>\n

Direct Mentions:<\/h4>\n
Papias\u00a0 110-140<\/h5>\n

Eusebius Church History Book 3 39:16 16. But concerning Matthew he writes as follows: \u201cSo then Matthew wrote the oracles in the Hebrew language, and every one interpreted them as he was able.\u201d And the same writer[Papias] uses testimonies from the first Epistle of John and from that of Peter likewise. And he relates another story of a woman, who was accused of many sins before the Lord, which is contained in the Gospel according to the Hebrews. These things we have thought it necessary to observe in addition to what has been already stated.\u00a0 (Note: First Epistle is Eusebius\u2019 term not Papias\u2019)<\/p>\n

Irenaeus c 180<\/h5>\n

Against Heresies Book 3 16\u00a0\u00a0 2. That John knew the one and the same Word of God, and that He was the only begotten, and that He became incarnate for our salvation, Jesus Christ our Lord, I have sufficiently proved from the word of John himself\u2026 he has thus testified to us in his Epistle: \u201cLittle children, it is the last time; and as you have heard that Antichrist does come, now have many antichrists appeared; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but [they departed], that they might be made manifest that they are not of us. Know therefore, that every lie is from without, and is not of the truth. Who is a liar, but he that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is Antichrist.\u201d\u00a0 Loosely quoted from 1 John 2:18<\/p>\n

Against Heresies Book 3 16\u00a08 And again does he [John] say in the Epistle: \u201cMany false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit which separates Jesus Christ is not of God, but is of antichrist.\u201d 2 John 7-8<\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/strong>: Taken as a whole, the external and internal evidence is strong that all 4 documents (Gospel & Epistles) were written by the same person, and that this person was the Apostle John.<\/p>\n

While this conclusion is question by more liberal scholars, I believe it to be solid. In fact, it is so solid that it raises question as to why these scholars continue to question the authorship of John.\u00a0 For those interested, I wrote a post on this when I was doing this part of the research, and I refer those interested to that post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Recipients<\/h2>\n

With the authorship established the next question is to whom did John write?\u00a0 This will of course depend on the letter.<\/p>\n

1 John has no address or greeting that was the normal custom of the time.\u00a0 Its only parallel among the \u201cletters\u201d would be the book of Hebrews.\u00a0\u00a0 Based on evidence from the letter itself, it would seem that 1 John was sent to a church.<\/p>\n

2 John is a more conventional letter and was written to, \u00a0\u201cthe chosen lady and her children.\u201d \u00a0For reasons we will go into when we get there, I believe that this refers to a particular church and its members.<\/p>\n

3 John was written to a person named Gaius. Unfortunately this was a very common name in the 1st<\/sup> century and so does not help us much with identifying the particular person. \u00a0It would somewhat be like finding a letter in Mexico addressed simply to \u201cJesus\u201d or in Saudi Arabia addressed to \u201cMohammed.\u201d\u00a0 The Gaius mentioned in 3 John, was probably not one of the other Gaius\u2019 mentioned in the Bible, although there is a 4th century document that says it was sent to Gaius of Derbe in Acts 20:4.<\/p>\n

Reasons for the letters<\/h2>\n

While we will go into the details for this as we work our way through each letter, here is a summary as to why the letters were written.<\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> John<\/h3>\n

It seem that a splinter group had begun to question key teachings the faith and as a result had broken away from the church to whom the letter was written.<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> John<\/h3>\n

Unnamed traveling preachers were spreading false doctrines.<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> John<\/h3>\n

Diotrephes, a leader in the local church, was resisting John\u2019s oversight and causing problems.<\/p>\n

Date<\/h2>\n

Since John died around AD 98, that would put an upper limit on the date.\u00a0 As we saw above Clement appeared to use 1 John in his letter written \u00a0in 96, which would move the upper limit for 1 John a few years earlier.<\/p>\n

The date of 1 John is linked to the date of the Gospel.\u00a0 This is because, as we will see later, it would appear that the splinter group talked about in the letter, was an early version of Gnosticism, a religious movement that would really take shape in the 2nd<\/sup> century. \u00a0Gnostics liked large parts the Gospel of John with it imagery of, for example, light and darkness.\u00a0 Of course they ignored those parts that directly conflicted with their views, but overall they like the Gospel of John. \u00a0Many scholars have pointed out that 1 John can be seen as a corrective, not so much to the Gospel, but to the distortion of the Gospel by these early Gnostics.<\/p>\n

From this we can draw two conclusions: \u00a0Firstly, the Gospel was written before Gnosticism became an issue otherwise John would probably have been a little clearer so as not to leave room for Gnostic distortions.\u00a0\u00a0 Secondly, 1 John was written long enough after the Gospel, such that this early form of Gnosticism could begin to grow, and to begin to distort the Gospel.<\/p>\n

Some other factors are that in the Gospel there is no indication of the destruction of the temple (70 A.D.), which would indicate that it was either written before the temple was destroyed, or long enough after that it was no longer an issue. \u00a0\u00a0Finally, it would appear likely based on John 21:19 that Peter was already dead when the Gospel was written which would place it after 65 AD. \u00a0This also makes it more likely that the Gospel was written after the destruction of the temple in 70 AD than before.<\/p>\n

All of this taken together would tentatively point to a date in the early 80s for the Gospel, which would then put 1 John somewhere in the early 90s.\u00a0 Since the traveling preachers in 2 John have similar teaching to the group in 1 John it was probably written about the same time.\u00a0\u00a0 3 John on the other hand could have been written at almost any time during the latter part of John\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

Order of Writing<\/h2>\n

The order found in the NT does not necessarily reflect the order in which they were written. \u00a0In fact, 1 John was probably put first because it was the largest. \u00a0\u00a0So we do not really know what order in which they were written.<\/p>\n

There does seem to be an progression in the nature of the problems,\u00a0 with 3 John addressing a church leader who was rejecting John\u2019s authority,\u00a0 2 John addressing the arrival of traveling teachers spreading false teachings,\u00a0 and 1 John dealing with a split in a church over false teaching similar to those of the traveling teachers in 2 John. Yet we do not even know if the letters were all sent to the same church, much less addressed common problems.<\/p>\n

Still this progression of problems is a useful way to approach these letters. \u00a0Even if it is not a chronological order, it is still a useful order.<\/p>\n

So we will start our study beginning with 3 John and then working our way back to 1 John.\u00a0\u00a0 This will have the added advantage of giving more emphasis to 2 and 3 John, rather than treating them as after thoughts.<\/p>\n

So Next week will pick up with 3 John 1:1. \u00a0Again if you have question about the class, feel free to send me an email at\u00a0elgin@hushbeck.com<\/a> and be sure to put \u201cEpistles of John\u201d in the header.<\/p>\n

References<\/h2>\n

Some have asked me about the source material I use for in my research.\u00a0\u00a0 So for those who are interested, here are the major sources I am using in this study.<\/p>\n

English Translation<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/strong>Scripture taken from the Holy Bible: International Standard Version\u00ae<\/sup>. Copyright \u00a9 1996-2008 by The ISV Foundation. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. Used by permission. www.isv.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Note:\u00a0 Some places I have modify \u00a0the text from the version ISV.\u00a0 Passages that I have modified have been noted and the ISV text included in a footnote.<\/p>\n

Main Commentaries<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

I Howard Marshall; The Epistles of John.\u00a0 The New International Commentary on the New Testament.<\/p>\n

Glen W. Barker; 1,2 & 3 John, The Expositor\u2019s Bible Commentary, Vol 12<\/p>\n

Other References<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Friberg Greek Lexicon<\/p>\n

Louw-Nida Greek Lexicon<\/p>\n

Cleon L. Rogers Jr, Cleon L. Rogers III; The New Linguistic and Exegetical key to the Greek New Testament<\/p>\n

D. A. Carson; The Gospel According to John.<\/p>\n

Donald Guthrie,\u00a0 New Testament Introduction.<\/p>\n

D.A. Carson,\u00a0 Douglas Moo, and Leon Morris; An Introduction To the New Testament.<\/p>\n

Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament<\/p>\n

W. Hall Harris II, The Prologue of 1 John (1:1-4)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/bible.org\/seriespage\/prologue-1-john-11-4<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year I am beginning a study into the letters of John. I will be posting the study here online as well as teaching it at the church I attend.\u00a0\u00a0 If you are in the area of Wausau Wisconsin and want to attend the class live, it is at Wausau campus of Highland Community Church […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4,5,17],"tags":[75,161,252,294,309,415,430,1082,550],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/consider.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}