INTRODUCTION TO FIRST JOHN (By: Amos Chanika).

AUTHORSHIP

The author of this Book does not mention Himself as the author of the Book, however, the Bible dictionary, mentions that “according to the tradition, John who was one of the twelve original Apostles of Jesus the redeemer wrote it” (Bible Dictionary, “John, Epistle of”). If this John is really the writer of 1 John John, then He might be an eye witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is evident when we look through 1 John 1:1-4; and 4:14.

DATE AND PLACE IT WAS WRITTEN

It is difficult to trace when this book was written. But a bit of history can help us to be close or within the range. After the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, John left Palestine and spent his later years of His life in Ephesus in Ephesus, In an estimation then, this letter could have been written somewhere in 70 AD and 100 AD in Ephesus.

RECIPIENTS

This is another difficult assignment to handle if we can rely on our thinking, but it is easy to address provided we have relied on the scripture. Looking at 1 John 1:3-4, it indicates that he was writing to the believers in Asia Minor. This is historically believed that John may have lived and preached at the end of the first century.

PURPOSE OF THE EPISTLE

There was a presence of false teachers in Asia minor, these teachers caused and were causing division among believers as shown in chapter 2:18-19 of the first John. This was causing massive backsliding among believers and some recanted their faith. Those false teachers came with a philosophy which was teaching that the spirit was totally good, but matter including the physical body was totally depraved or bad. This means for them to be saved they had to disconnect their spirit from the body. Also the believed that salvation was achieved through knowledge rather than faith in Jesus and be freed from the power of sin.