#1 - Introduction to the Johannine Epistles

Journeying through the Johannine Epistles The Quest for Confident Joy in the Christian Community Session #1 Introduction to the Johannine Epistles Introduction •The Johannine Epistles are 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John. •Interpretation – What did this mean to the original audience? •Application – How does this apply to our modern context? Authorship ❑Technically anonymous ❑Relation between the Johannine Epistles ❑Evidence for Johannine Authorship ❑Historical Hypothesis Authorship ❑Technically anonymous ❑Relation between the Johannine Epistles ❑Evidence for Johannine Authorship ❑Historical Hypothesis Relation among the Johannine Epistles Most likely, the three letters were written by the same author for a few reasons. 1. Preserved together in the scriptural canon. Relation among the Johannine Epistles 2. Notice the similar vocabulary. •“Walk” in 1 Jn 1:6, 7; 2:6, 11; 2 Jn 4, 6; 3 Jn 3, 4 •“Joy” in 1 Jn 1:4; 2 Jn 12; 3 Jn 4; •“World” in 1 Jn 2:2, 15, 16, 17; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 14, 17; 5:4, 5, 19; 2 Jn 7; •“Confess” in 1 Jn 1:9; 2:23; 4:2, 3, 15; 2 Jn 7; Relation among the Johannine Epistles 2. Notice the similar vocabulary. •“Love” in 1 Jn 2:5, 15; 3:1, 16, 17; 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17, 18; 5:3; 2 Jn 3, 6; 3 Jn 6; •“Abide” in 1 1 Jn 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27, 28; 3:6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 24; 4:12, 13, 15, 16; 2 Jn 2, 9; •“Testify” in 1 Jn 1:2; 4:14; 5:6, 7, 9, 10; 3 Jn 3, 6, 12; cf. Rev 1:2 Relation among the Johannine Epistles 3. Similar historical situation/theological error. •1 John deals with those who “went out from us” (1 Jn 2:19), denying that Jesus is the Christ (1 Jn 2:22-23) Who came in the flesh (1 Jn 4:2-3). •He labels these as antichrists (1 Jn 2:18, 22). •2 John addresses antichrists who deny that Jesus Christ came in the flesh (2 Jn 7). Relation among the Johannine Epistles 4. Similar Instruction Regarding Hospitality •2 John – Any who did not bring this “teaching of Christ” (2 Jn 9) ought not to be received or greeted by the church (2 Jn 10-11). •3 John – Commended Gaius for supporting gospel messengers (3 Jn 5-8) and condemned Diotrephes for desiring the preeminence (3 Jn 9) and refusing to welcome the brothers (3 Jn 10). Authorship ❑Technically anonymous ❑Relation between the Johannine Epistles ❑Evidence for Johannine Authorship ❑Historical Hypothesis Evidence for Johannine Authorship •The Epistles share much common vocabulary with the gospel of John (witness, love, light, confess, etc.). •External Evidence/Early Church Tradition (Irenaeus, Tertullian, Papias, Jerome, etc.). •Anonymity points to Johannine authorship because he was well known to the region. Authorship ❑Technically anonymous ❑Relation between the Johannine Epistles ❑Evidence for Johannine Authorship ❑Historical Hypothesis Historical Hypothesis •John disappears after Acts 8 (cf. Gal 2:9). •Church history testifies of his long ministry in Ephesus as the last living Apostle. •Ephesus served as the hub of the “Johannine Community.” •The churches of Asia Minor (see Rev 2-3) together followed the leadership of John. Historical Hypothesis •Not long after John’s having written the Gospel of John, the Christian community began to have “secessionists” (1 Jn 2:18-25) who left the community in order to deny that Jesus was the Christ (1 Jn 2:22) Who came in the flesh (1 Jn 4:2-3; 2 Jn 7) and the necessity of His substitutionary death (1 Jn 5:6-8; cf. 1 Jn 2:1ff.). Historical Hypothesis •These false teachers would travel itinerantly, relying on the hospitality of the churches (2 Jn 9-11; 3 Jn 5-8, 10), so John charged the churches to test the spirits (1 Jn 4:1) and not to welcome those who denied the teaching of Christ (2 Jn 9). Historical Hypothesis •In the midst of these antichrist deceivers’ departure, the believers became concerned that they may not truly know Christ. Thus, John wrote to assure them in their knowledge of the truth and faith in Christ (1 Jn 5:13). Historical Hypothesis The hypothesis then is as follows. •1 John is the sermon to the churches of John’s community in Asia Minor to inoculate them against the false teaching. •2 John is the cover letter written for a specific church to warn against hosting the false teachers. Historical Hypothesis The hypothesis then is as follows. •3 John is the cover letter written to a church leader named Gaius to commend his hospitality toward fellow gospel workers and to condemn the selfishly-ambitious Diotrephes. Homework READ 1 John 1:1-4. • What is the subject of this paragraph? Who/what is John talking about (vv. 1-3)? • What does it mean by “That which was from the beginning”? The beginning of what (v. 1)? • What purposes for the letter does John give (vv. 3-4)?