If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Like all books and letters in the bible, knowing the background of the writing helps the words to come alive. Professor of classics and director of the religious studies program. John so loved and prayed for gaius, because he was a man who. The content, style, and vocabulary seem to warrant the conclusion that these three epistles were addressed to the same readers as the gospel of john. I john was written to combat false teaching concerning the person and work of jesus christ. Gospel according to john, fourth of the four new testament narratives recounting the life and death of jesus christ. Though not directly stated, we know that john was called the beloved disciple, or the disciple whom jesus loved john 21. Within this gospel is the most profound expressions of the deity of jesus christ and the most concrete statements on the humanity of jesus of nazareth. A dear friend of john, whom he prayed would prosper physically as well as he did spiritually 3jn 12 2.
Since the body was considered evil, it was to be treated harshly. John s first epistle teaches that while it is important to recognize the lines between truth and error, it must always be done in a spirit. He may have been a first cousin of jesus his mother may have been salome, possibly a. Lying in the background of these three books is the ancient heresy of gnosticism, which taught, among other things, that the material body. Johns background switcher for mac johns background switcher for windows then you can have beautiful desktop backgrounds like these. John combats most likely reflects the beginnings of gnosticism see background and setting. The book of 1 john may be one of the most difficult books within the bible for the christian to understand, particularly in light of the plethora of scriptural passages in the new testament that clearly teach that eternal spirit salvation justification is by faith alone in christ alone. The tradition from the earliest days of the church has been that the apostle john is the author. Existence of a john of jerusalem who had access into the high priests house was first proposed by h. We get the vast majority of our information about john from the pages of the four gospels. It gives a highly schematic account of the ministry of jesus, with seven signs culminating in the raising of lazarus foreshadowing the resurrection of jesus and seven i am discourses culminating in thomass proclamation of the risen jesus as my lord and my god, followed by a conclusion setting out the purpose of the gospel, that. The gospel of john is one of the most intriguing books of the bible. This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true john 21.
The key personalities are the apostles peter and paul. Sermons from third john the three men of third john 1. It is written by the discipleapostle john around 8595 a. But no external evidence of any kind supports this theory. There have been occasional doubts raised by those who thought it possible that this was written by another disciple of the lord named john, but all the evidence points to the author as john the beloved disciple who also wrote the. Saint john the apostle, on patmos, writing the book of revelation, detail of a. Synoptic is a greek word meaning having a common view. It is the first and largest in a series of 3 epistles that bear the apostle johns name. The book of john is a gospel that contains narrative history, sermons, parables, and a few prophetic oracles. Near the end of the 1st century, john was exiled to the island of patmos. This view is the background of much of 1 john see 1. Although 1 john does not exhibit some of the general.
The second epistle of john, often referred to as second john and often written 2 john or ii john, is a book of the new testament attributed to john the evangelist, traditionally thought to be the author of the other two epistles of john, and the gospel of john though this is disputed. Section 7, john the revelator church of jesus christ. John recognized that love comes from god, and he encouraged the believers to love one another 1 john 4. The gospel of john was written to particular concerns of a specific group of christians in the last part of the first century. In other words, it comes from a specific historical context.
The gospel of john was written to prove that jesus christ is the son of god. That we might be sure to live the sort of life god offers through his son jesus christ, a careful study of first john is in order. It is the most poetic and philosophical writing in the new testament. On his fathers death in 1189 his brother, richard, became king. John encourages believers that jesus was jehovah god who had come in the flesh, that god is light and he encourages christians to walk in the light by keeping his commandments, and the main commandment was to love god and love one another. Letters of john, three new testament writings, all composed sometime around. This ascetic form of gnosticism is the background of part of the letter to the colossians see col 2. Matthew, mark, and luke are often called the synoptic gospels. Paradoxically, this dualism also led to licentiousness. The gospel of john was designed to produce faith so that we might have life cf. This ascetic form of gnosticism is the background of part of the letter to the colossians col 2. A little background for 1 john in about 66 ad the apostle john left palestine and settled in ephesus, where he stayed about 30 years.
I looked up book of john and halfway down the first chapter i saw philip. No other book of the bible talks about love as often as first john. John was born around christmas in 1166 or 1167 in oxford, the youngest and favourite son of henry ii. New testament papyrus 46, one of the oldest new testament papyri, showing 2 cor 11. As an eyewitness to the love and power displayed in the miracles of jesus, john gives us an upclose and personal look at christs identity. We know that john was the younger brother of james and the son of zebedee mark 10. Johns is the only one of the four not considered among the synoptic gospels i. The book of 1 st john is a general epistle apostolic letter. John chapter 2 kjv king james version 1 and the third day there was a marriage in cana of galilee.
The gospel of john presents a unique perspective on jesus. Referring to john and speaking to peter, the savior said. John 1 niv the word became flesh in the bible gateway. The key personalities of this book are jesus christ, his twelve disciples, mary magdalene, john the baptist, lazarus, his sisters mary and martha, jewish religious leaders.
In the third letter, john wrote to commend, encourage, and instruct his good friend gaius. Paul had established a strong church in ephesus, with the help of a married couple, priscilla and aquila, during his second missionary journey, around the year 50 ad. Studies from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd john bible study guide. Voice bible studies, introduction to the gospel of john. At the center of the doctrinal controversy are people who do. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the johannine works.
For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the father, and was manifested unto us. This emphasis by john, while striking, is not without love. Most modern scholars believe this is not john the apostle, but in general there is no consensus as to the. However, it is the first epistle of john which discusses the nature of that life in greater detail e. The book of 3 john does not directly name its author. Intro to 1 john biblica the international bible society. In ii john, the apostle, wrote to warn believers about false teachers. Confusion comes because of the statement in john 21. The future of the apostle john, sometimes called the beloved or the revelator, is a mystery to the world. Yet only onethe gospel of johnclaims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved. He was a fisherman, one of jesus inner circle together with james and peter, and the disciple whom jesus loved jn.
While the other gospels emphasize the kingdom of god and the kingdom of heaven, john instead emphasizes new life found in jesus. This john later became influential among asiatic churches. The author of the first letter is not identified, but the writer of the second and. It was written by the discipleapostle john around 8595 a. Traditionally, the authorship of 1, 2, and 3 john has been ascribed to the apostle, john son of zebedee, who also was understood to be the author of the gospel of john and revelation. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touchedthis we proclaim concerning the word of life. Watch our overview video on the letters of john, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john or i john, is the first of the johannine epistles of the new testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. Its purpose was to warn about the increasing threat of false teachings and to reassure christians of their faith and love in jesus christ. In other words, what we can say about the identity of the recipients of 1 john and the other two johannine letters as well is inextricably linked to. History of john the disciple of jesus jesus christ.
The parallelisms in 1 john are striking for their simplicity. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john or i john, is the first. The paperback version is available from amazon and other online booksellers first, second, and third john, sometimes called the epistles or letters of john, are like trail mix concentrated, chewy, and nutritious. When he was released from exile, he returned to ephesus. John the apostle, the beloved disciple of jesus, there has been considerable discussion of the actual. At the end of the 2nd century, polycrates, bishop of ephesus, claims that johns tomb is at ephesus, identifies him with the beloved disciple, and adds that he was a priest, wearing the sacerdotal plate, both martyr and teacher. Book of first john overview insight for living ministries.
About one in every 50 words is a form of lovethat makes for about 52 mentions of love in just five short chapters. The story of the storytellers the gospel of john from. He shows us that jesus, though fully god, came in the flesh to distinctly and accurately reveal god, and that christ is the source of eternal life to all who believe in him. This does have the advantage of still relying on eyewitness testimony. The gospels, the first four books of the new testament, tell the story of the life of jesus.
The gospel of john is the fourth of the canonical gospels. General introduction overview suppose you are heavily involved in some cause or movement. During his life, john wrote the book of john and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd book of john and the book of revelation. John founded and built churches all through asia until he was old, and died the sixtyeighth year after our lords passion, peacefully in ephesus. That suggests that its background and its basic meaning is determined by its purpose in that historical context. The gospel of john embedded in the socalled spiritual gospel is an architectural hostility toward judaism. Since the letter identifies no specific church, location, or individual to whom it was sent, its classification is as a general epistle. Johns subsequent history is obscure and passes into the uncertain mists of legend. In 2 john the author is writing to a particular congregation to warn the believers there against giving aid or shelter to the false teachers in their ongoing missionary efforts. The author of the first epistle is termed john the evangelist, who most scholars believe is not the same as john the apostle.
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