Epistles of John

Letters of John

Part 1

I. The Epistles of John

A. Emphases in John's Writings

[John's gospel vs. 1 John]

1. Deity of Christ vs. Humanity of Christ

2. Empowering believers to keep commands vs. Reminder against claims of sinlessness

3. Realized eschatology vs. Future eschatology

4. Guidance of the Holy Spirit vs. Test the spirits

B. Gnostic Doctrines vs. John's Tests of Life

1. Perfectionism vs. keep the commandments

2. Antinomianism vs. commandments and love

3. Docetism vs. belief in Christ's full humanity

C. The Tests of Life (1 John)

1. Keeping God's commandments

a. Cycle 1 - 1:5-2:6

b. Cycle 2 – 2:28-3:10

c. Cycle 3 – 5:16-21

2. Loving one another

a. Cycle 1 – 2:7-17

b. Cycle 2 - 3:11-24

c. Cycle 3 – 4:7-21

3. Believing in Jesus as the God-man

a. Cycle 1 – 2:18-27

b. Cycle 2 – 4:1-6

c. Cycle 3 – 5:1-15

[Each test entails the other two (3:23-24)]

D. Additional Notes on John's Letters

1. 1 John 1:9 – salvation vs. fellowship

2. 3:2 – moral not physical similarities

3. 4:4 – Spirit in us more powerful than Satan

4. 4:18 – love casting out fear

5. 5:6-7 – the Johannine "comma" and the meaning of the remaining text

6. 5:13 – present tense belief

7. 5:16 – not commanding prayer vs. commanding no prayer

8. 3 John 2 – spiritual vs. physical health

E. Gems from John (or are they??)

1. I John 3:6-9

2. 1 John 2:3-6

3. 1 John 2:16

4. 1 John 2:19

5. 1 John 2:20-23

6. 1 John 2:27

7. 1 John 3:17-18

8. 1 John 3:19-24

9. 1 John 4:1-4

10. 1 John 4:7-12

11. 1 John 5:16-17

12. 2 John 10-11

F. The Johannine Community

1. Gospel: contra schismatics

2. 1st Epistle: schismatics have begun to secede

3. 2nd Epistle: secessionists attacking from outside

4. 3rd Epistle: orthodoxy an embattled minority

5. Revelation: lost their first love