Untitled Sermon (13)

I. (2:7-11)

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition Chapter 2

7 Ἀγαπητοί, οὐκ ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐντολὴν παλαιὰν ἣν εἴχετε ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς· ἡ ἐντολὴ ἡ παλαιά ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὃν ἠκούσατε.

Beloved, I am not writing a new command but an old command which you have from the beginning, the old command is the word which you heard.

- This follows on the heels of the last few verses about the desires to obey God’s commands.

This talk about love would be coming from the discussion about obeying commands. In particular, the question would most likely be what commands does John see as being totally ignored?

In light of the previous discussion up to this point, it begins to make sense why this deep seated refusal to be concerned about these commands is inconsistent with a live changed by the love of Christ.

- The old command from John’s Gospel

When John referred to an old command from the beginning, we should see it as coming from His Gospel. The beginning would be the beginning of their spiritual lives, the day they received their salvation.

John wrote about this command in

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “

It was old in the sense of (NASB95)

“You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

It was tied more to what John wrote about in

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

In this case, Jesus further defined love as being directed towards each other in the manner that Jesus has loved them.

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition Chapter 2

8 πάλιν ἐντολὴν καινὴν γράφω ὑμῖν, ὅ ἐστιν ἀληθὲς ἐν αὐτῷ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία παράγεται καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἤδη φαίνει.

again I write a new command to you, the one whom is truthfully in him also in us, because the darkness passes away and the true light is already shining.

1 John 2:8 NASB95

8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.

- This command is also new even though it is old

If this law of love isn’t new in the sense that John talked about it and it was around all the way back to Leviticus, then why is it new?

The answer to that question is that love is further realized in Jesus Christ. The reference to true in Him and in you is speaking of Jesus and those whom He saved. In essence, the love gains a different dimension to it because of Jesus and being made available to His disciples.

As John Stott notes “it was new in the emphasis he gave it, bringing the love commands of and together and declaring that the whole teaching of the Law and the Prophets hung upon them. Secondly, it was new in the quality he gave it. A disciple was to love others not just as he loved himself but in the same measure as Christ had loved him, with selfless self-sacrifice even unto death.

- The darkness is fading away and the Light is now shining

Stott, J. R. W. (1988). The Letters of John: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 19, p. 97). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Darkness refers to the realm of sin and in this context the present evil age that it is found. While the Light is speaking of the light of Jesus Christ.

The light is shining even now in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation in the world as Jesus has come and His light continues to shine. It shines through the work of the Holy Spirit in the world and through the witness of believers.

In regards to the Holy Spirit,

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”

8 “And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;

In regards to believers,

“The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard out of the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light. These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.”

9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me;

35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.

In the end, darkness will finally pass away when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me;

36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”

11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition Chapter 2

ὁ λέγων ἐν τῷ φωτὶ εἶναι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ μισῶν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν ἕως ἄρτι.

The one saying they are in the light and hating his brother he is in the darkness until now.

These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

1 John 2:9 NASB95

9 The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.

- An example of the inconsistency of love

There is a person making the claim that he/she is in the light. Most likely, this is addressing those whom have been addressed earlier by their lack of desire to obey the commands of Christ.

If I evaluate John’s language of being in the light found in his Gospel & quoted in , it would appear that to speak of being in the light is to speak of being saved.

While one is making the claim of being in the light, he is also hating his brother. The word “brother” is talking about a brother in Christ rather than one’s family.

Some would address this as a Christian that is not walking in fellowship with the Lord. Others, would say that the person has never been saved at all.

This is a difficult passage because on the one hand, hatred is a strong word that is used here to describe an ongoing behavior towards a particular person. In addition, the idea that someone is walking in the darkness until now describes a person living in a way that is characteristic of evil. So, at the outset I really want to think that this characterizes an unbeliever.

The problem is two fold in just accepting this position of being an unbeliever: First, this is speaking of one behaving in this manner towards a spiritual believer. (a brother in Christ) Second, Jesus’ definition of hatred can easily be described of sinful behavior in a Christian. Consider Jesus’ conversation about murder and worship in “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”

Personal Relationships

21 “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’

22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

However, ‘hatred’ as it is defined by Jesus is defined in an area that makes it possible for more people to be guilty of this because of their anger.

24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. ”

I would just challenge us to consider that it could be possible to live in a way that is done in darkness. “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.” It would appear in this command that believers are being called to not walk in darkened understanding like unbelievers walk in darkness.

The Christian’s Walk

17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

What about ? The call to believe in Jesus is to be sons of the Light.

18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

- What is this verse really saying?

I think the problem is to look at this verse as addressing those whom are embracing the idea that sin doesn’t matter in a relationship with Christ. I made the mistake to assume that John’s address is to these people (probably teachers).

What I believe this is addressing is those believers whom are the recipients of John’s letter. It is a talking to them as if they might decide to not take sin seriously and why it would be so wrong. In this case, the example of hatred is used.

If one would not deal with their hatred for a brother in Christ, their walk would be characterized by being in the darkness while ignoring that sin.

10 ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ φωτὶ μένει, καὶ σκάνδαλον ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ ἔστιν·

The one who loves his brother is abiding in the light, and he is not a stumbling block in him.

The one who loves his brother is abiding in the light, and he is not a stumbling block in him.

1 John 2:10 NASB95

10 The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

- The Light is the catalyst for love

The positive example is given. This is the flip side of the discussion about one’s attitude towards a fellow believer.

In this case, he/she is showing love to another Christian. This person is abiding in the light because love is directed towards that brother in Christ.

Often times, we think about the Light as illuminating understanding about the truth. However, in this context the light is the source of producing spiritual fruit.

Ironically, I first put a heading that said love is the catalyst for edification but changed it to The Light is the catalyst for love because that better tells the story.

- When love occurs, edification occurs for all believers

The last phrase “no cause for stumbling in him” is confusing because it could refer either (1) to the person who loves his brother or (2) to the light itself which has no cause for stumbling “in it.”

On the one hand, it makes sense grammatically to understand that a believer walking in the light will not stumble to temptation. talks about this reality: “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

On the other hand, a believer that is walking in the light is avoiding sinful temptations and thus not causing others to be tripped up to stumble in sin.

10 “But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

I believe both points are emphasized because of the ambiguity of the Greek. Edification that occurs by walking in the light is also a source of edification for other brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition Chapter 2

ὁ δὲ μισῶν τὸν ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ ἐστὶν καὶ ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ περιπατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ οἶδεν ποῦ ὑπάγει, ὅτι ἡ σκοτία ἐτύφλωσεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ.

the one hating his brother is in darkness and he is walking in darkness and he does not see how he should proceed because the darkness blinds his eyes.

1 John 2:11 NASB95

11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

- When a person stays in a state of hatred, it has consequences

Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (). Biblical Studies Press.

If hatred exists towards a brother in Christ, then the lifestyle is one that is characterized as darkness.

Holmes, M. W. (2011–2013). The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (). Lexham Press; Society of Biblical Literature.

In particular, they are not going to produce fruit because they aren’t guided by the light but are instead stumbling around in darkness.

In the metaphor of light and darkness, the darkness has blinded the one with hatred’s eyes. Yet, this doesn’t mean that this proves they are unbelievers.

Note this observation from Colin Kruse “The verb ‘to blind’ (typhloō) is found only three times in the NT, here, in , and in . The agent of blinding and the nature of the blindness varies: In ‘darkness’ blinds the eyes so that people do not know where they are going; in (where is cited) it is God who blinds the eyes so that the Jews do not believe in Jesus, and in the god of this world blinds the minds of unbelievers so that they fail to see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. Of the three, only relates blindness to moral failure, while the other two relate it christologically: as failure to recognise who Jesus really is.”

- The Scriptures give warning to believers staying in a state of sin.

As I read various commentaries, there were a few that stated clearly that they believed this was essentially saying that hatred is unbelief. Thus, they didn’t spend time in the consequences of walking in darkness.

The others that see this speaking to a believer whom has hate that needs to be handled, all talk about (even those that are generous in the picture) the serious consequences of walking in darkness.

“Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.” Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.”

“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.”

There is also two verse verse in