1 John - A Study

[LittleRocketBoy]

I have to admit that for the first 20 years of my scripture study, the First Epistle of John was a mystery. There were places in the book that lit up while others seemed to be closed and sealed. Some parts seemed to clearly contradicted other parts. Most confusing was that the book stated things about the normal Christian experience that did not seem at all true in my life... or any other believer that I knew. I read other peoples studies and commentaries.. and frankly their explanations only served to make it worse. Of course I prayed about this, and (as always) the Lord said to just lay it down and light would come when I could receive it.
A number of years ago I began to translate the NT from Greek into English. I made some good progress in the Gospels and the Epistles of Paul, and then found myself eager to jump ahead and work on 1 John. Many colleges and teachers of Koine Greek use 1 John as their text so there was no lack of material and commentary on the original Greek. Progressing through the book was difficult at first. This was mainly due of some preconceived ideas I carried into the work. I constantly found myself backtracking and correcting issues that I thought were previously solved. Finally I began to get some light on the problems that previously plagued my understanding. Having finished the translation of the Epistle, I have to say it is now my favorite Epistle.

 

[D.W.Washburn]

Well, Li'l Rocky, I am here to agree with you. 1 John is an amazing Epistle and richly rewarding to those first learning Greek. It is not difficult to read in the original language. It's syntax, grammar and even vocabulary are pretty straightforward.

I think that the author of the Johannine literature wrote Greek the way that Hemingway wrote English. He packed a lot of meaning into a simple package.

So, here's my question to you. What do you make of the last verse of 1 John. "Children, guard yourselves from (the) idols"? (1 Jn 5.21, translation mine). What has this to do with the rest of the epistle?

 

[A Brother In Christ]

The reason is for a Mature one IN CHRIST

child
Young men
Elders/ Fathers

 

[LittleRocketBoy]

draft



1 John 1:1
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
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The construction of the first first verse is that of a simple sentence:
"That which was from the beginning... the Word of life"

With four phrases that modify the subject:
"which we have heard"
"which we have seen with our eyes"
"which we have looked upon"
"and our hands have handled"

Robertson may be correct in his suggestion that these phrases and the content of the first three verses are aimed at the Gnostic heresy.

Three senses are here appealed to (hearing, sight, touch) as combining to show the reality of Christ's humanity against the Docetic Gnostics and the qualification of John by experience to speak.
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However, others suggest that Gnosticism had not yet advanced to a point where it might corrupt Christian teachings.

First word of the epistle is significant.

Instead of using the expected:
"He which was from the beginning..."

The apostle uses the neuter
"That which was from the beginning..."

This dispersonal reference to "that which was from the beginning" "the word of life" sets a tone for the rest of the epistle which, if followed, opens up meanings and concepts that might otherwise not be seen.

Again Robertson states:

"That which.
Strictly speaking, the neuter relative here is not (the) personal, but the message "concerning the Word of life"

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