1 John 1:1-2:2
Lesson 457
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
"The First Epistle of John"
"Fellowship with God and His children."
God is light. God is love.
Love each other.
Authorship:
First John was written by the apostle John in the waning years of his life. It was probably written in Ephesus circa AD 89 as a circular letter to be read by all the churches in Greece. One of the original twelve disciples, John was the son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21-22; Mark 1:19-20; 10:35; Luke 5:10-11) and Salome, the younger brother to the disciple James (Matthew 10:2), and a fisherman on the sea of Galilee when called by Jesus. John's mother, Salome and the Virgin Mary were sisters, making Jesus and John cousins. John was a Jew, born in Palestine (Bethsaida) into a wealthy family. He was well connected and knew the high priest (John 18:15). He first learned that Jesus was the Messiah from John the Baptist. John captained a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee but gave up everything to follow the Messiah. Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), and John 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, and 21:20 refer to him as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," quite an honor. John is often called the "apostle of love" because of his concern for believers. In his writing, he routinely calls Christians "my dear children" (1 John 2:1). Along with Peter and James, John was part of Jesus' inner circle. He was allowed to witness the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37-42), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-13; Luke 9:28-36), and Jesus praying in Gethsemane while waiting to be arrested (Mark 14:32-34). John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper, leaning on Him (John 13:23). Unlike the other disciples who ran and hid when Jesus was arrested, John followed the Messiah to Calvary, watched the crucifixion, and stayed by Jesus' side until the end. While dying on the cross, Jesus entrusted His mother's care to John (John 19:26-27). It is believed that Mary lived and traveled with John until her death.
After the crucifixion, John became a driving force for Christianity. Bold yet uneducated (Acts 4:13), John wrote "The Gospel According to ST. John," the Three Epistles of John, and the prophetic "The Revelation of John the Divine."
Polycarp (the bishop of Smyrna), Papias (bishop of Hierapolis), and Ignatius (bishop of Antioch) were all students of John. Late in life, the Romans exiled John to the island of Patmos, a penal colony in the Aegean Sea fifty miles offshore from Ephesus (in modern-day Turkey), for preaching the word of God (Revelation 1:9). He was eventually freed and died an old man around AD 98 in Ephesus. But what a life John led. For three years, he traveled with Jesus, saw the miracles, heard the sermons, and witnessed the Messiah's suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. He was the last of the original twelve disciples to die and the only one to die a natural death.
Purpose and Theme:
Christianity was sixty years old when John wrote this epistle (letter). Believers were being led astray by false teachers.
They argued over doctrine, and many slipped back into their old, wicked ways. Some fell prey to charlatans spreading a
semi-Christian religion mixed with paganism and/or Gnosticism (2:19). This false brand of Christianity made being a believer easy, but insincere. Many believers were starting to doubt the Messiah and the salvation He promised. Some abandoned their faith. John wrote to address these concerns (2:24-26; 5:13), to reassure them in their faith (3:23), and to bring joy to believers (1:4) by teaching the doctrine of holiness and the importance of God's love (2:10). "The Gospel of John" teaches that believing in Jesus leads to salvation (John 20:31). "The First Epistle of John" reminds us that we can enjoy fellowship with God and other believers and are guaranteed salvation (1 John 5:13). First John teaches the basics of Christianity and is a written testimony to God's love. It tells us that never-ending love should be a model for all Christians. Note the number of times the word "love" is used in 1 John. It fortifies believers against falling victim to false teachers and temptation (2:1) and keeps us united in Christian fellowship (1:6). Almost two thousand years after it was written, 1 John is still a valuable weapon in the fight against heresy and can change lives by teaching love and the Christian way.
First John was written by the apostle John in the waning years of his life. It was probably written in Ephesus circa AD 89 as a circular letter to be read by all the churches in Greece. One of the original twelve disciples, John was the son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21-22; Mark 1:19-20; 10:35; Luke 5:10-11) and Salome, the younger brother to the disciple James (Matthew 10:2), and a fisherman on the sea of Galilee when called by Jesus. John's mother, Salome and the Virgin Mary were sisters, making Jesus and John cousins. John was a Jew, born in Palestine (Bethsaida) into a wealthy family. He was well connected and knew the high priest (John 18:15). He first learned that Jesus was the Messiah from John the Baptist. John captained a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee but gave up everything to follow the Messiah. Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James the "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17), and John 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, and 21:20 refer to him as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," quite an honor. John is often called the "apostle of love" because of his concern for believers. In his writing, he routinely calls Christians "my dear children" (1 John 2:1). Along with Peter and James, John was part of Jesus' inner circle. He was allowed to witness the resurrection of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37-42), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-13; Luke 9:28-36), and Jesus praying in Gethsemane while waiting to be arrested (Mark 14:32-34). John sat next to Jesus at the Last Supper, leaning on Him (John 13:23). Unlike the other disciples who ran and hid when Jesus was arrested, John followed the Messiah to Calvary, watched the crucifixion, and stayed by Jesus' side until the end. While dying on the cross, Jesus entrusted His mother's care to John (John 19:26-27). It is believed that Mary lived and traveled with John until her death.
After the crucifixion, John became a driving force for Christianity. Bold yet uneducated (Acts 4:13), John wrote "The Gospel According to ST. John," the Three Epistles of John, and the prophetic "The Revelation of John the Divine."
Polycarp (the bishop of Smyrna), Papias (bishop of Hierapolis), and Ignatius (bishop of Antioch) were all students of John. Late in life, the Romans exiled John to the island of Patmos, a penal colony in the Aegean Sea fifty miles offshore from Ephesus (in modern-day Turkey), for preaching the word of God (Revelation 1:9). He was eventually freed and died an old man around AD 98 in Ephesus. But what a life John led. For three years, he traveled with Jesus, saw the miracles, heard the sermons, and witnessed the Messiah's suffering, crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension. He was the last of the original twelve disciples to die and the only one to die a natural death.
Purpose and Theme:
Christianity was sixty years old when John wrote this epistle (letter). Believers were being led astray by false teachers.
They argued over doctrine, and many slipped back into their old, wicked ways. Some fell prey to charlatans spreading a
semi-Christian religion mixed with paganism and/or Gnosticism (2:19). This false brand of Christianity made being a believer easy, but insincere. Many believers were starting to doubt the Messiah and the salvation He promised. Some abandoned their faith. John wrote to address these concerns (2:24-26; 5:13), to reassure them in their faith (3:23), and to bring joy to believers (1:4) by teaching the doctrine of holiness and the importance of God's love (2:10). "The Gospel of John" teaches that believing in Jesus leads to salvation (John 20:31). "The First Epistle of John" reminds us that we can enjoy fellowship with God and other believers and are guaranteed salvation (1 John 5:13). First John teaches the basics of Christianity and is a written testimony to God's love. It tells us that never-ending love should be a model for all Christians. Note the number of times the word "love" is used in 1 John. It fortifies believers against falling victim to false teachers and temptation (2:1) and keeps us united in Christian fellowship (1:6). Almost two thousand years after it was written, 1 John is still a valuable weapon in the fight against heresy and can change lives by teaching love and the Christian way.
1 John is broken down into four main segments:
1) Chapters 1:1-2:29 - (God, the light of Christian fellowship.) Introduction; John saw, heard, and touched Jesus (1:1-4); God is light, Christian purity and fellowship (1:5-2:2); Obey Jesus (2:3-6) and love fellow Christians (2:7-17); Beware of the antichrists (2:18-29).
2) Chapters 3:1-4:21 - (God is love.) Seek Christ and love each other (3:1-24); Deny the false teachers (4:1-6); Embrace truth and love (4:7-21).
3) Chapter 5:1-12 - (God gives eternal life.) Live for Christ (5:1-5); The three witnesses (5:6-12).
4) Chapter 5:13-21 - Believe and have eternal life (5:13); Prayers are answered (5:14-17); We are God's children (5:18-19); Closing remarks (5:20-21).
1) Chapters 1:1-2:29 - (God, the light of Christian fellowship.) Introduction; John saw, heard, and touched Jesus (1:1-4); God is light, Christian purity and fellowship (1:5-2:2); Obey Jesus (2:3-6) and love fellow Christians (2:7-17); Beware of the antichrists (2:18-29).
2) Chapters 3:1-4:21 - (God is love.) Seek Christ and love each other (3:1-24); Deny the false teachers (4:1-6); Embrace truth and love (4:7-21).
3) Chapter 5:1-12 - (God gives eternal life.) Live for Christ (5:1-5); The three witnesses (5:6-12).
4) Chapter 5:13-21 - Believe and have eternal life (5:13); Prayers are answered (5:14-17); We are God's children (5:18-19); Closing remarks (5:20-21).
Study Tip:
Decide what God says in each passage and what it means to you.
Decide what God says in each passage and what it means to you.
