Study<\/p>\n
John began his summary starting with how we should love one another, a key error of those who left. Now he moves to their other key error, their rejection of Jesus.<\/p>\n
Chapter 5<\/p>\n
1 \u2013 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah[1] has been born from God, and everyone who loves the parent also loves the child. <\/strong><\/p>\n – John now expands on the other key error of those who left: their denial of Jesus.<\/p>\n – He starts by linking this to the last section on love.<\/p>\n – The parent here is the Father, and the Child is Jesus.<\/p>\n 2 \u2013 This is how we know that we love God\u2019s children: we love God and keep his commandments. <\/strong><\/p>\n This is how we know<\/p>\n – Not completely clear what \u201cthis\u201d refers to<\/p>\n – Again (see 2:1-11) John equates Loving = Obey for God which = loving God\u2019s children<\/p>\n 3a \u2013 For this demonstrates our love for God: We keep his commandments, <\/strong><\/p>\n – In 2:3 John equated knowing God with obeying God.<\/p>\n – Here knowing it replace with loving.<\/p>\n 3b-4 \u2013 and his commandments are not difficult because everyone who is born from God has overcome the world. Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world. <\/strong><\/p>\n his commandments are not difficult <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – John goes on to assure us that this is not a difficult request.<\/p>\n has overcome the world<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – It is not difficult because we have overcome the world<\/p>\n – The biggest battle is the battle for salvation<\/p>\n Our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – Our faith is key<\/p>\n – If we really believe in God, and in Jesus, and that he died for our sins can we really sin?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5 \u2013 Who overcomes the world? Is it not the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? <\/strong><\/p>\n – John emphasizes this point by repeating this as a question.<\/p>\n – This is a particularly strong rhetorical device as it forces the reader to provide the answer themselves.<\/p>\n – The key of our faith is belief in Jesus.<\/p>\n 6 \u2013 This man, Jesus the Messiah,[2] is the one who came by water and blood\u2014not with water only, but with water and with blood. The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth. <\/strong><\/p>\n This man, Jesus the Messiah<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – John expands on this, once again alluding to those who left.<\/p>\n – Again equates Jesus with the Messiah.<\/p>\n is the one who came by water and blood<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – Several understandings of water and blood have been suggested<\/p>\n – Best seem to be first Baptism and Death<\/p>\n not with water only, but with water and with blood<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – This probably emphasizes a difference with those who left<\/p>\n – Gnosticism did not believe that the Messiah went to the Cross.<\/p>\n a. That the Messiah left Jesus, or that Simon was mistake for Jesus<\/p>\n b. This is what Cerinthus, and opponent of John believed.<\/p>\n – This is important because it goes to the core of John\u2019s argument<\/p>\n a. God\u2019s love is shown in that he sent his Son to die for our sins<\/p>\n b. Gnostic teach undercuts that because Messiah did not die<\/p>\n c. It also goes to the core of atonement which required God\u2019s Son to die as a payment for sin. No death no payment.<\/p>\n The Spirit is the one who verifies this, because the Spirit is the truth.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n – This is not just John saying this.<\/p>\n – The Holy Spirit, also testifies of this<\/p>\n verifies this<\/strong><\/p>\n – This is the foundation of our faith.<\/p>\n – Some argue that this refers to the spirit coming on Jesus at his baptism.<\/p>\n 7 \u2013 For there are three witnesses[1]\u2014 8the Spirit, the water, and the blood\u2014and these three are one. <\/strong><\/p>\n – Textual issue<\/p>\n – John now combines the three the Spirit the water and the blood into a single testimony.<\/p>\n – i.e., they are in agreement and cannot be separated as the critics try to do.<\/p>\n – Again some scholar claim water and blood refer to sacraments.<\/p>\n 9 \u2013 If we accept human testimony, God\u2019s testimony is greater, because it is the testimony of God and because he has testified about his Son. <\/strong><\/p>\n – John started this letter with a strong statement of his eyewitness testimony.<\/p>\n – As he comes to the close he emphasizes God\u2019s testimony, which is even greater<\/p>\n a. Both greater trustworthiness and significance<\/p>\n – It is greater trustworthiness: because God, by his very nature cannot lie.<\/p>\n – It is greater significance: because it is about his Son<\/p>\n God\u2019s testimony<\/p>\n – What is this testimony – Three possibilities<\/p>\n a. (1) The three just mentioned: Spirit, water and blood<\/p>\n b. (2) That God\u2019s testimony is the inner witness of the spirit.<\/p>\n c. (3) That God\u2019s testimony is unspecified by John.<\/p>\n d. I believe the first would be the best.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Questions and Discussion<\/strong><\/p>\n If you have question or comments 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.<\/em><\/p>\n See here for references and more background on the class<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n
To love God is to keep his commandments (5:2-3)<\/h5>\n
\n
\n
To be born of God is to overcome the world (5:4-5)<\/h5>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
– The Testimony about Jesus (5:6-)<\/h5>\n
a. This Man Jesus (5:6)<\/h6>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
b. The three witnesses (5:7-8)<\/h6>\n
\n
\n
\n
c. God\u2019s Testimony (5:9-12)<\/h6>\n
\n