Introduction to First John - Bill Walker

Introduction

This book is John’s extension of his Gospel. It is not a book about salvation to eternal life or salvation from temporal wrath as many New Testament books are. Instead, this book is about having fellowship with other believers, with the Father, and with the Son.

Who Wrote First John?

John the son of Zebedee

While there are several different opinions about who wrote the Epistle of 1 John, most ancient traditions identify the author as John the son of Zebedee, one of the original 12 apostles. This is the view held by the commentator in the Faithlife Study Bible (Craig S. Keener) as well as the Grace New Testament Commentary (Zane C. Hodges) today.

Faithlife Study Bible (The Gospel of John and the Johannine Letters)

John’s Gospel is most often attributed to the “Beloved Disciple.” The Gospel suggests that this disciple knew Jesus well and was an eyewitness even to His death and the empty tomb (John 13:23; 19:35; 20:4–5). Ancient tradition identifies this disciple as John, son of Zebedee.

The Grace New Testament Commentary (Introduction)

Ancient tradition assigns these epistles to John the son of Zebedee, one of the twelve apostles. Although efforts have been made to evade the implication that an eyewitness wrote 1:1–4, these efforts are faulty. The statement of 4:6 (“We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error”) would be pompous, to say the least, if it was not penned by an apostle.

Another John?

There are some who believe the author of 1 John to be someone other than John the son of Zebedee. He is alternately claimed to be Lazarus or John the Elder. But these are definitely minority views, and as Zane Hodges writes, “The near unanimity of ancient opinion that the apostle John wrote these three epistles must carry its full weight. Johannine authorship is well supported and incapable of refutation.”

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Authorship)

Witherington attributes the letter to the Beloved Disciple, whom he identifies as Lazarus (Invitation, 344). Bauckham, too, regards the author of 1 John as the Beloved Disciple, whom he identifies as John the Elder (Eyewitnesses, 422; see also Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.39).

To Whom Was It Written?

Much like the author, the audience for 1 John is unknown. But there are some definite clues which narrow down the readership.

Early Christians

John was obviously writing to early Christians, believers, as seen from his addressing them as “little children” in verses 2:1, 12, 13, 28 and more, and as “Beloved” in verses 3:21 and 4:1, 7, and 11. It is also obvious that the recipients were known to John due to the familiar address he uses and the specific issues he addresses. According to tradition, John spent many years of ministry in Ephesus and the surrounding churches, and this may certainly have been the audience for this letter.

When Was It Written?

There are as many different opinions or theories about the date of this Epistle as there are opinions of authors. One of the first questions that must be answered to determine when 1 John was written would be, when was John written? And along with this question, was 1 John written before or after the Gospel of John? For this discussion, I am assuming that the Gospel of John predates the Epistles of John, an opinion I feel is well supported by the content of the Epistles. With that, most camps are divided into two main opinions of the date for 1 John, the late camp and the early camp.

The Late Camp

Most traditionalists and evangelicals seem to fall into this camp. The belief is that the Apostle John wrote this letter, along with 2 John and 3 John, in the latter stage of his life and ministry, either form the Isle of Patmos while he was exiled or from Ephesus during his ministry there. In fact, the websites “GotQuestions.org” and “Christianity.com” both attribute the letter’s date to “between A.D. 85-95” with no further explanation. This seems to be a popular date based on a belief that the Gospel of John was written in the same time frame and location. On the “Insight for Living Ministries” website we find:

“A date of about AD 90, with John writing from his exile on Patmos, ends up being the best proposition.”

The Early Camp

While the late camp may be the most popular, there are several clues which may point to a much earlier date for both the Gospel of John and the letters. Zane Hodges points out some of these clues in his comments on 1 John contained in the Grace New Testament Commentary. He asserts that the Gospel of John must have been written first since the content of the letters seems to show a knowledge of the Gospel message. Concerning the date for the Gospel he writes:

The Grace New Testament Commentary (Introduction)

The date of the Gospel is most likely prior to AD 70 since the destruction of the temple is not mentioned in that Gospel. The statement in John 5:2 that “there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool” argues that Jerusalem was still standing when the Gospel was written.

Zane also notes that most ancient writers claim that John wrote his Gospel while ministering in Ephesus, which would put the date for the Gospel of John between A.D. 48-52.

Additionally, all John’s writings - the Gospel of John, 1-3 John, and Revelation - all seem to be written before the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple which occurs after A.D. 70, since none of his writings mention the temple’s destruction. Based on this, Zane writes:

The Grace New Testament Commentary (Introduction)

Therefore the Epistles can be broadly dated between 48 and 70, but in light of the infusion of false teaching in the church, and John’s reference to what they had “heard from the beginning” (cf. 1 John 2:7, 24; 3:11; 2 John 6), a date of 64–65 seems preferable.

This earlier date seems to be the best assumption based on the context of the writings and the facts included or omitted.

Why Was It Written?

Fellowship

1 John 1:3 NKJV

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

The purpose of the Epistle of 1 John is clearly spelled out in verse 1:3, namely that the readers of the letter may have fellowship, and not just fellowship with each other, but with the apostles themselves. And through having fellowship with the apostles, they can have fellowship with the Father and the Son. But more than just telling his readers that they can have fellowship, John gives instruction in ways to maintain fellowship - abiding in Him, and pitfalls in the path of fellowship - walking in darkness. There are many ways to divide up 1 John, but I want to look at three themes in the Epistle. John lays in three major themes ways in which a believer can have - or not have - fellowship with the Father and the Son.

Light vs. Darkness

1 John 1:5 NKJV

This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

The first theme John addresses is the that of walking in light - with God - or in darkness - without God. To walk in the light is to walk in truth, even in the midst of sin by asking for forgiveness, while walking in darkness means walking in sin, unrighteousness, and wickedness (1 John 2:8-11).

Righteous vs. Unrighteous

1 John 2:18 NKJV

Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.

In this second theme, John starts to address the issue of antichrists in the church, about false teachers who, although they started in fellowship with the church, have departed from the teachings because “they do not have the Father” (1 John 2:23). In this section John implores the believers not to listen to these men, but instead to remember the truths he taught them.

Love vs. Hate

1 John 3:11 NKJV

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,

In this third theme, John emphasizes the need to love one another, not to distrust or hate one another “as Cain who was of the wicked one” (1 John 3:12). He contrasts what it means to love someone unconditionally (agape) as opposed to one who hates his brother. In this, John also tells us the rewards that await us if we love one another in deed and truth (3:18).

Application

Is NOT About Salvation

Unlike the Gospel of John, 1 John is NOT about salvation from Hell, about gaining everlasting life. Compare the two purpose statements:

John 20:31 NKJV

but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

1 John 1:3 NKJV

that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel of John, we see that John wrote this book so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that by believing you may have life in His name”. But in 1 John, John instead writes if “what we have seen and heard” so that his readers “may have fellowship with us”, and with the Father and the Son.

IS About Fellowship

What the Epistle of 1 John DOES do for us, just as for the original recipients of this letter, is tell us both the reasons for maintaining fellowship with other believers, the Father, and the Son, as well as giving us practical instructions on how to maintain that fellowship. Additionally, and equally as important, John’s letter gives us instruction on how NOT to lose fellowship. Most important for John is the love we have and the love we practice as we strive to abide in fellowship.