First John

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 06-08-2008, 09:35 PM

O.K. This is a discussion of First John. It is the book in between 2nd Peter and 2nd John toward the back of your bible. I just don't want to get it confused with what a lot of people call Big John which is a very long book detailing the life of Christ at the front part of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

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Evangelical Christians, orthodox Roman Catholic scholarship, and the entire Eastern Orthodox Church attributes all of the Johanine literature to the same individual, the "Holy Apostle and Evangelist, John the Theologian", whom it identifies with the "Beloved Disciple" in the Gospel of John.John the Evangelist - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The author wrote the Epistle so that the joy of his audience would "be full" (1.4) and that they would "sin not" (2.1) and that "you who believe in the name of the Son of God... may know that you have eternal life." (5.13) It appears as though the author was concerned about heretical teachers that had been influencing churches under his care. Such teachers were considered Antichrists (2.18-19) who had once been church leaders but whose teaching became heterodox. It appears that these teachers taught that Jesus Christ was a Spirit being without a body (4.2), that his death on the cross was not as an atonement for sins (1.7) and that they were no longer able to sin (1.8-10). It appears that John might have also been rebuking a proto-Gnostic named Cerinthus, who also denied the humanity of Christ.

The purpose of the author (1:1-4) is to declare the Word of Life to those to whom he writes, in order that they might be united in fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. He shows that the means of union with God are, (1) on the part of Christ, his atoning work (1:7; 2:2; 3:5; 4:10, 14; 5:11, 12) and his advocacy (2:1); and (2), on the part of man, holiness (1:6), obedience (2:3), purity (3:3), faith (3:23; 4:3; 5:5), and love (2:7, 8; 3:14; 4:7; 5:1). First Epistle of John - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please begin at the first chapter and read as much of the First Epistle of John as you'd like, before commenting. This is a very "meaty" book and I get something new from reading it every time, so let me hear your thoughts.

marylouc · #2 (**permalink**) 06-09-2008, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

O.K. This is a discussion of First John. It is the book in between 2nd Peter and 2nd John toward the back of your bible. I just don't want to get it confused with what a lot of people call Big John which is a very long book detailing the life of Christ at the front part of the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

Please begin at the first chapter and read as much of the First Epistle of John as you'd like, before commenting. This is a very "meaty" book and I get something new from reading it every time, so let me hear your thoughts.

I don't have my bible with me at the moment. (I'm at work) but is this John in the Roman Catholic bible?

saltwn · #3 (**permalink**) 06-09-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marylouc

I don't have my bible with me at the moment. (I'm at work) but is this John in the Roman Catholic bible?

I have a copy of "The New Amercan Bible" translated by **Catholic Bible Association/sponsored by confraternity of Christian Doctrine-Bishop's commitee/ publishd y Catholic Bible Publishers.
It was printed during Pope Paul VI's tenure. **

Yes, First John is in there after 2nd Peter toward the back of the New Testament.

I also located it on the web:

1 John - Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible

saltwn · #4 (**permalink**) 06-12-2008, 02:08 AM

From Barnes Commentaries:

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The first chapter embraces a strong affirmation that the Son of God, or the “Life,” had appeared in the flesh, [1Jo_1:1-3].
The evidence of this, the writer says, was that he had seen him, heard him, handled him; that is, he had had all the evidence which could be furnished by the senses. His declaration on this point he repeats, by putting the statement into a variety of forms, for he seems to regard it as essential...

So John establishes with the first few verses that Jesus is life. John testifies that he has seen him, heard and touched the miracle, the man, the Life. And he wishes to share that Gospel (Jesus) with us. He is writing this letter to people who are already Christians and may have known Jesus or be in close contact with those who did. But he is also writing to us who open the Book today.

saltwn · #5 (**permalink**) 06-14-2008, 09:15 PM

1Jn 2:7 My dear friends, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. It is the same one that you were first given, and it is the message you heard.
1Jn 2:8 But it really is a new commandment, and you know its true meaning, just as Christ does. You can see the darkness fading away and the true light already shining.
1Jn 2:9 If we claim to be in the light and hate someone, we are still in the dark.
1Jn 2:10 But if we love others, we are in the light, and we don't cause problems for them.

Love is one of the overall messages of this letter.

saltwn · #6 (**permalink**) 06-17-2008, 01:24 PM

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1Jn 2:12 Children, I am writing you, because your sins have been forgiven in the name of Christ.

Here, I understand that God is speaking to children and to baby Christians.

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1Jn 2:13 Parents, I am writing you, because you have known the one who was there from the beginning.

Referring to the heads of families, the sages who lead others.

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And in the last part of that verse: Young people, I am writing you, because you have defeated the evil one.

Youth are strong enough to do the fruitful work -spread the gospel.

saltwn · #7 (**permalink**) 06-18-2008, 04:03 PM

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1Jn 2:16 Our foolish pride comes from this world, and so do our selfish desires and our desire to have everything we see. None of this comes from the Father. (CEV)

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{2:16} For all that is in the world is the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and the arrogance of a life which is not of the Father, but is of the world. 1 John - Catholic Public Domain Version of the Sacred Bible

The pride of life - All that pomp in clothes, houses, furniture, equipage, manner of living, which generally procure honour from the bulk of mankind, and so gratify pride and vanity. It therefore directly includes the desire of praise, and, remotely, covetousness. All these desires are not from God, but from the prince of this world. 1 John 2 - Wesley’s Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary

Catholics live in the world, but they should not live by worldly values that give too much importance to power, possessions, and pleasure as ends in themselves (cf. 1 John 2:16) Brown Pelican Society Commentary - Post details: Moral Principles for Catholic Voters

saltwn · #8 (**permalink**) 06-18-2008, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

The pride of life - All that pomp in clothes, houses, furniture, equipage, manner of living, which generally procure honour from the bulk of mankind, and so gratify pride and vanity. It therefore directly includes the desire of praise, and, remotely, covetousness. All these desires are not from God, but from the prince of this world. 1 John 2 - Wesley’s Explanatory Notes - Bible Commentary

Catholics live in the world, but they should not live by worldly values that give too much importance to power, possessions, and pleasure as ends in themselves (cf. 1 John 2:16) Brown Pelican Society Commentary - Post details: Moral Principles for Catholic Voters

This is a very hard verse for me. What I think about are all the "frilly things" I care about. A piece of sewing material or makeup. Decaffeinated caramel mocha latte' -- I could go on and on...

But notice in the second commentary, where it says "pleasure as ends in themselves." I think the warning here is not to get so wrapped up in "things" that we forget who we are and why we are here.

saltwn · #9 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 12:28 AM

The heart according to John Wesley, is the conscience, in the language used by St. John.

If our conscience bothers us we know that God already knows what we have done or are thinking of doing. 1Jn 3:19-20 And that is the means by which we determine the truth.

bossfan · #10 (**permalink**) 06-26-2008, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

The heart according to John Wesley, is the conscience, in the language used by St. John.

If our conscience bothers us we know that God already knows what we have done or are thinking of doing. 1Jn 3:19-20 And that is the means by which we determine the truth.

I agree with that, as long as we are willing to take it in the context of this:

The one who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
~ 1 John 3.24

If we are not listening to Him by reading His word and obeying what He is telling us in it, He will not be in our conscience to "bother" us.

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