The Epistles of John
Who wrote the epistles that we call the epistles of John — 1, 2 and 3? They aren’t signed, but they do seem to be connected with one another, and what we call John’s first epistle seems to be obviously connected the fourth Gospel narrative, which we also call the Gospel of John. Its author identifies himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved (John 21:20-24). Many, having no real evidence to support their conclusion, want to say this is the Apostle John, but I have my doubts. Jesus never in any of the Gospel narratives singles out any of the Apostles to show, this one is the disciple whom he loved. Nevertheless, the narratives do reveal a disciple, not one of the Twelve, that is singled out as the one whom Jesus loved. See my earlier studies: The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved, Identifying the Rich Young Ruler and Barnabas, Whom Jesus Loved!
The Epistles of John were probably written about the same time as the other general epistles. They all seem to be written to counter the effects of a widespread persecution in the Diaspora that targeted Jewish believers, and this persecution was aimed at destroying the unity of the churches and bring all of them under the influence of Annas, the high priest, who lived in Jerusalem. Annas had been planting spies in the churches since the Ananias and Sapphira incident of Acts 5. Once Paul was imprisoned and sent to Rome, the plan exploded and prompted the writing of all seven general epistles plus Hebrews.
A Context for John’s Epistles:
The First Epistle of John
Chapter One:
- That Which Was from the Beginning
- How Fellowship with God Is Possible
- God Is Light
- John’s Three Hypothetical Arguments
Chapter Two:
- Jesus Our Advocate
- God is Love!
- The Myth of the Unsuccessful Jesus
- Darkness Passes ~ True Light Shines
- The False Argument of Right Doctrine
- The False Argument of Blamelessness
- John’s First Address Against Error
- John’s Second Address Against Error
- Love Not the World
- It Is the Last Time
- It is the Last Time Hour
- Antichrist ~ Salvation Without Christ
- Antichrist and the Believer
- The Lie that is Antichrist
- What You Have Heard from the Beginning…
- The Anointing v/s The Antichrist
Chapter Three:
- Bearing the Image of Christ
- Purify Yourself Even As He is Pure
- Children of God and Children of the Devil
- We Have Passed from Death to Life!
- Hereby We Know!
- The Convincing Proof the Believer Needs
Chapter Four:
- Believe Not Every Spirit
- Knowing the Spirit of God and That of Men
- The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
- Everyone Who Loves Is Born of God
- How Is Love Known?
- No One Has Ever Seen God!
- The Savior of the World
- There Is No Fear in Love
Chapter Five:
- Born of God
- Overcoming the World
- Who Is He Who Overcomes the World?
- He Who Came by Water and Blood
- An Inserted Text!
- The Witness of Men and the Witness of God!
- The Consequences of Belief and Unbelief
- You May Know You Have Eternal Life
- A Sin that Leads to Death
- Keep Yourselves from Idols
The Second Epistle of John
- The Elder to the Elect Lady
- The Truth and Walking in Truth
- Loving According to His Commandment
- Context and the Antichrist
- Separating the Good Seed from Antichrist
- Going Beyond the Doctrine of Christ
- Neither Bid Him Godspeed!
The Third Epistle of John
- The Elder
- The Beloved Gaius
- Fellowship in the Gospel of Christ
- Diotrephes Who Loved to Be First
- I Don’t Wish to Write with Pen and Ink