21. 1, 2 & 3 john, part 1 - amazon web...
TRANSCRIPT
John’sgospelendedwithchapter20,butoneissuelingered,unresolved:
Peter’sdenial.Thesynop>cgospelsdonotaddressit,butJohn’sdoes.
Peterwasleaderamongthetwelve,andwithJesus’resurrec>onand
ascensionheplaysakeyroleinthebirthandgrowthoftheChurch,
preachinghisfirstsermonwiththecomingoftheHolySpiritontheJewish
feastofPentecost,A.D.32(Acts2:14-41),atwhich3,000peopleare
“saved.”
WhenweleQPeter,however,hewasuRerlydevastatedbyhisdenialofChrist.JudashadbetrayedJesus,andhehangedhimselfasaresult,but
whatofPeter?Howdowegethimback?Johnofferedabrilliantnarra>ve
onPeter’s“reinstatement,”anarra>vesosubtleandpsychologically
insighUulthatitwasdazzlingtoread.
21,2&3John,Part1
AQerthearrivaloftheHolySpiritontheJewishfeastofPentecostinA.D.32,
thegospelmessagespreadthroughouttheRomanEmpirethroughthe
missionaryworkoftheApostlesandothers.Bytheendofthe1stcentury—
the>meoftheJohanninecomposi>ons(John’sgospel;1,2&3John;and
Revela>on)—hundredsof“church”communi>eshadtakenrootthroughout
theRomanEmpireintheveryfer>lesoilofthegospelmessage.Butthe
RomanEmpirewasanextraordinarilydiversepopula>on,incorpora>nga
mul>tudeofcultures,languages,customsandreligiousbeliefs.
Consequently,althoughthecoregospelmessagewasthesame,each
communityexperiencedandunderstoodthatmessagedifferently.
Dissen>onandconflictinevitablyemerged,asautonomouscommuni>escontrastedtheirunderstandingofthepersonandworkofChristwithother
autonomouscommuni>es.Indeed,conflicteruptedevenwithin
communi>es,fracturingthemintoopposingfac>ons,eachinsis>ngonthe
“truth”oftheirunderstanding.
31,2&3John,Part1
Preview,cont.EventheJohanninecommuni>es—
thosefoundedbyorinfluencedby
theApostleJohnandhisfollowers—
weresubjecttosuchdissension.
Tradi>onaRributes1,2&3Johnto
theApostleJohn,andinhis
correspondencehevehemently
defendshisunderstandingofChrist,
insis>nguponit,anddemanding
thatthosewhoteachotherwisebe
excludedfromthecommunityand
notpermiRedtoholdleadership
posi>onsinthechurchortoteach.
1,2&3John,Part1 4
PieterPaulRubens.St.John(oilonpanel),c,1611.PradoMuseum,Madrid.
Tounderstand1,2and3
Johnwemustiden>fythe
conflicttakingplacewithin
theJohanninecommunity,
theconflictthatcauses
Johntowritehis
correspondencetobegin
with.
1,2&3John,Part1 5
ProfessorLukeTimothyJohnson
correctlyobserves:
“Whatevertheprecisenatureofthedisputes[withintheJohanninecommunity],anysortofdivisionwouldbeaseverecrisisforachurchthatlivedwithinthesymbolicframeworkwehaveseenin[John’sgospel].ThefarewelldiscourseofJesus(John15:1–17:26)portraysacommunityoffriends.TheyshareinoneSpirit,beingjoinedtoJesusasJesusistotheFather,inafellowshipofunityandlove.Foracommunitywithsuchaself-understanding,anydissensionanddeviancewouldbedifficulttounderstandandassimilate.ButaclashovertherightunderstandingofJesus,andadivisionleadingtomutualexcommunicaTon,wouldchallengethiscommunity’sveryidenTtyandexistence.”
TheWriTngsoftheNewTestament,p.497.
61,2&3John,Part1
In1,2and3Johnwewitnessa
communityincrisis,acommunity
whosefounda>onalbeliefsarecalled
intoques>on;acommunitywhose
leadershipischallenged;acommunity
whoseresponseistocirclethewagons,
demonizethosewhodisagreeand
excludethemfromthefellowshipof
believers.
Aswewitnessedtheintensean>pathybetweenthebelieversand“theJews”
inJohn’sgospelandtheclashof
opposites—above/below,light/dark,
truth/lies—sowillwewitnessan
intensean>pathyandclashof
oppositeswithintheJohannine
communityinJohn’scorrespondence.
1,2&3John,Part1 7
Scriptureposi>ons1,2&3Johnaccordingto
thelengthofthetexts,notaccordingtochronologyorcontent:1Johnconsistsof5
chapters(2,141wordsintheGreektext);2John,1chapter(245words);and3John,1
chapter(219words).
2&3JohnareleRersaddressedtospecific
people:2Johnisaddressedto“thechosenLady”(apersonifica>onofaspecific
community,whose“children”areitsmembers);
while3JohnisaddressedtoanindividualcommunitymembernamedGaius.
1JohnisnottechnicallyaleReroranepistle;
rather,itisatrea>sewriRenforgeneral
consump>onthatexploresandelaboratesupontheissuesraisedin2&3John.
Consequently,wewillstudy2&3Johnfirst,
andthenwewillfocuson1John.
81,2&3John,Part1
2 John
“The Presbyter to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth—and not only I but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s son in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist . . .
101,2&3John,Part1
“Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works.
Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete. The children of your chosen sister send you greetings.”
111,2&3John,Part1
AlthoughPaulfoundedthechurchat
EphesusinA.D.54(themajordeep-water
portonthewestcoastofAsiaMinorand
the3rdlargestcityintheRomanEmpire),
tradi>onholdsthattheApostleJohnlater
becametheleaderofthechurchat
Ephesusandthathewrote1,2&3John
there.
Tradi>onalsoholdsthatintheearly90s
duringaneraofpersecu>on,theEmperor
Domi>anexiledJohntotheislandof
Patmos,wherehewrotethebookof
Revela>on.
1,2&3John,Part1 12
InRevela>ontherisenandglorified
ChristcommandsJohntowriteleRersto
the7churches,3ofwhicharechas>sed
forhavingteacherswhohaveledthem
astray:Pergamum,whohas“some
peoplewhoholdtotheteachingofthe
Nicolaitans”(2:15);Thya>ra,who
tolerates“thewomanJezebel,whocalls
herselfaprophetess,whoteachesand
misleadsmyservants”(2:20);andSardis,
whoisurgedto“remember[what]you
acceptedandheard;keepit,and
repent”(3:3).
Apparently,divergentteachingwas
endemicintheJohanninesphereof
influence!
141,2&3John,Part1
Notme.
1,2&3John,Part1
Ibetwe’llfindoutif
welookcloselyatthe
leRers!
Iwonderwhatthe
divergentteaching
was?
15
Johncomposeshis2nd
leRerina4-part,standard
epistolaryform:
1. Addressandgree>ng(1-3)2. Topic#1:
Livingintruthandlove(4-6)3. Topic#2:
Bewareoffalseteaching(7-11)
4. Finalwordsandgree>ngs(12-13)
161,2&3John,Part1
1. Addressandgree>ng(1-3)2. Topic#1:
Livingintruthandlove(4-6)
3. Topic#2:
Bewareoffalseteaching(7-11)
4. Finalwordsandgree>ngs(12-13)
171,2&3John,Part1
2 John
“The Presbyter to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth—and not only I but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s son in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist . . .
181,2&3John,Part1
• Unlikeinmodern“snail-mail”leRers
wherethewritersignshisorhernameat
theend,thewriterinJohn’sdaybegins
bysayingwhoheis.Curiously,wehave
movedbacktothatcustominemails!
• Johnsimplybegins“Thepresbyter....”
TheGreekwordispresbuvteroß [pres-bu’-ter-os],literally,“theelder.”Thisismuch
liketheseniorpastoratyourchurch
wri>ngyoualeRerandsigningit“your
pastor.”Obviously,youknowwhoheis,
asdidthecommunitytowhomJohn
writesknowswhoheis.
191,2&3John,Part1
• Johnpersonifiesthecommunityandits
membersas“ThechosenLadyandher
children,”acharmingreference.TheGreek
wordtranslated“Lady”iskuriva [ku-ree’-a],afemininenounwhichcanalsobeagiven
name.Thecontextheresuggestsmetaphor,
however.
• AndJohn“lovesher”[ajgapavw ,ag-a-pa’-o]in“truth”[ajlhvqeia ,a-la’-tha-a].Ofcourse,wewouldexpectajgapavw,thelovethatJesuscommandsinJohn’sgospel,and“truth/
decep>on”introducestheabasicdichotomy
thatwefindinbothJohn’sgospelandinhis
correspondence.
• No>cehow“truth”and“love”runthroughthe1sthalfof2John,juxtaposedtotheir
oppositesinthe2ndhalf:
201,2&3John,Part1
2 John
“The Presbyter to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth—and not only I but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s son in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist . . .
211,2&3John,Part1
“Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works.
Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete. The children of your chosen sister send you greetings.”
221,2&3John,Part1
• Aswenoted,JohnopenshisleRerwithanaddress,followedbyagree>ng,the
customarywayofopeningaGreekleRer:
“ThePresbytertothechosenLadyandtoherchildrenwhomIloveintruth—andnotonlyIbutalsoallwhoknowthetruth—becauseofthetruththatdwellsinusandwillbewithusforever.Grace,mercy,andpeacewillbewithusfromGodtheFatherandfromJesusChristtheFather’ssonintruthandlove.”
• Paulfollowsthisconven>onalformatin
mostofhisepistlesandleRers,aswell:
“Paul,calledtobeanapostleofChristJesusbythewillofGod,andSosthenesourbrother,tothechurchofGodthatisinCorinth...gracetoyouandpeacefromGodourFatherandtheLordJesusChrist.”
(1Corinthians1:1-3)
231,2&3John,Part1
1. Addressandgree>ng(1-3)2. Topic#1:
Livingintruthandlove(4-6)
3. Topic#2:
Bewareoffalseteaching(7-11)
4. Finalwordsandgree>ngs(12-13)
241,2&3John,Part1
2 John
“The Presbyter to the chosen Lady and to her children whom I love in truth—and not only I but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s son in truth and love.
I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. For this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist . . .
251,2&3John,Part1
• Itwasconven>onalforawritertostartthebodyofaleRerwithanexpressionofjoyon
behalfofthereader,andJohndoesso,
emphasizinghisthemeof“truth”:
“IrejoicedgreatlytofindsomeofyourchildrenwalkinginthetruthjustaswewerecommandedbytheFather.”
• Again,Paulfollowsthisconven>onalformat
inmostofhisepistlesandleRers:
“IgivethankstomyGodateveryremembranceofyou,prayingalwayswithjoyinmyeveryprayerforallofyou,becauseofyourpartnershipforthegospelfromthefirstdayunTlnow.
(Philippians1:3-4)
261,2&3John,Part1
• Johnthengoesontheissuethe1stoftwoexhorta>ons,addressingthechurchasa
wholebyreferringtothemas“Lady,with
“you”acollec>vesingularpronoun:
“Butnow,Lady,Iaskyou,notasthoughIwerewriTnganewcommandmentbuttheonewehavehadfromthebeginning:letusloveoneanother.”
• Jesushadsaid,“Igiveyouanewcommandment:loveoneanother”(John13:34),butforthe“Lady”love[ajgapavw]isnotanewcommandment:itistheestablished
founda>onuponwhichtheJohannine
community’slifeinChristisbuilt.
271,2&3John,Part1
• Since“love”[ajgapavw]canbeexpressedandlivedoutinmanyways,JohnrecallsJesus
saying,“Ifyouloveme,youwillkeepmy
commandments”(John14:15),andhe
clarifieshisexhorta>onbyadding:
“Forthisislove,thatwewalkaccordingtohiscommandments;thisisthecommandment,asyouheardfromthebeginning,inwhichyoushouldwalk.”
• No>cehowtheexhorta>on“loveoneanother”anditsclarifica>on“forthisislove”
followsthemannerof“stepped-up
parallelism”thatfeaturessoprominentlyin
thePsalms:astatementmadeandthen
restatedinthenextlineinanamplified
fashion,usuallyinanA/B/B’/A’orA/B/A’/B’
fashion.
281,2&3John,Part1
2 John
A I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. But now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning:
B let us love one another. B’ For this is love, A’ that we walk according to his commandments; this is the
commandment, as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
291,2&3John,Part1
1. Addressandgree>ng(1-3)2. Topic#1:
Livingintruthandlove(4-6)
3. Topic#2:
Bewareoffalseteaching(7-11)
4. Finalwordsandgree>ngs(12-13)
311,2&3John,Part1
“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works.”
(7-11)
321,2&3John,Part1
• OurNABtransla>onofthissec>onbegins,“Manydeceivershavegoneoutintotheworld...,”buttheGreektextbeginswitho{ti [ha’-tee],“for”or“because,”givingthereasonforwhat
hasoccurredintheprevious
paragraph.Thatis,Johnisgladto
knowthatthechurchislivinginthetruthandheexhortsittoshowlove
becausethereisagravedangerofthe
churchbeingcorruptedby
“deceivers,”whichwouldleadtoa
lackoflove.
331,2&3John,Part1
• Jesushadwarnedaboutsuch“deceivers”and“falseprophets”intheOlivetDiscourse
(MaRhew24:4-5),andnowhiswarninghas
cometopass.“Manydeceivershavegoneoutintotheworld,”andtheyarespreadingtheirunderstandingofChrist,an
understandingthatisdiametricallyopposed
tothatoftheJohanninecommunity’s.
• Their“heresy”isthat“theydonotacknowledgeJesusChristascomingintheflesh”(7).Wemightthinkthattheysimply
deniedtheincarna>on.But“coming”is
e{rcomai [er’-kho-my]andwereaditinthe
presentcon>nuoustense,theac>on
ongoing;thatis,JesushadcomeandsTllexisted“intheflesh.”
341,2&3John,Part1
Andhereiswhereweiden>fythe
divergentthinking,the“heresy”ifyouwill.
Inthelate1stcenturyandonintothe2nd,
Gnos>cismenteredthethinkingofthe
earlychurch.Gnos>cism[fromtheGreek
gnwstikovß,gi-nos-Tk-os’,“havingknowledge”]shunnedthematerialworld
ofmaRer,fleshand>measflawed,
imperfectandevil,whileassocia>ngthe
spiritualworldwithGod,thesouland
perfec>on.Insuchaworldview,God
couldnot“becomeflesh”andliveamong
us.Rather,thoseinfluencedbyGnos>c
thinkingbelievedthatJesuswasbornlike
anyotherman,butathisbap>sm“Christ”
cameuponhimintheformofthe“Spirit”
anddepartedfromhimatthecrucifixion.
351,2&3John,Part1
Notme.
1,2&3John,Part1
Andalsowhyon
thecrossJesus
said,“MyGod,myGod,whyhaveyouforsakenme?”
Thatwouldmeanthattherewas
nolas>ngunionofthedivine
withthehumaninJesus;noreal,
las>ngincarna>onasJohn’s
gospelclearlystates!
36
AnotherlineofthoughtwithinGnos>cism,
Doce>sm[fromtheGreekdokei:n,“toseem”],wentevenfarther.Forthem,the
chasmbetweenthematerialworldandthe
spiritualworldwassogreatthatGodcould
notpossiblybecomeman.Consequently,
Christ’sbodycouldnothavebeenhuman
atall;rather,itwaseitherpureceles>al
substanceoranillusion,aphantasm.
Forthosewhofollowedthislineof
thinking,Jesusonlyappearedtobehuman;onlyappearedtobenailedtothecross;onlyappearedtosuffer.
371,2&3John,Part1
This,ofcoursefliesinthefaceofJohn’s
gospel,inwhichhesays:
“InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,andtheWordwasGod...andtheWordbecamefleshandmadehisdwellingamongus.”
(John1:1,14)
CerinthuswasamongtheDoce>stswho
opposedJohnatEphesus.InhisAgainstHeresiesSt.Irenaeusrecallsanencounterbetweenthem:
“John,thediscipleoftheLord,goingtobatheatEphesus,andperceivingCerinthuswithin,rushedoutofthebath-housewithoutbathing,exclaiming,‘Letusfly,lesteventhebath-housefalldown,becauseCerinthus,theenemyofthetruth,iswithin!’”
(iii,3,4)
381,2&3John,Part1
• JohninsiststhatsuchpeopleasCerinthus,arethe“an>christ,”the
deceiversparexcellence,theenemiesofChristandhischurch.TheGreek
wordisajntivcristoß [an-tek’-re-tos].Thewordonlyoccurs4>mesin
Scripture:1John2:18,22;4:3and
herein2John1:7.
• Anyonewhofollowssuchpeoplewilllikelyruntheshipoftheirfaith
ontotherockyshoalsoferror,destroyingwhattheyhadstruggledto
aRain.
Johncon>nues:
391,2&3John,Part1
“Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works.”
(7-11)
401,2&3John,Part1
• ForJohn,the“teachingofChrist”istheteachinghandeddownbytheApostles,of
whomJohnisthelast,andanyonewho
deviatesfromthisteachingisafalseteacher,
someonewhois“progressive.”TheGreek
wordisproavgw [pro-ah’-go],onewho“runsahead”or“goestoofar,”inthepejora>ve
sense.SuchapersonisanenemyofChrist.
• Conversely,onewhoremainsfaithfulto
“orthodox”Johannineteachinghasboththe
FatherandtheSon.
• Johntheninsiststhatifsucha“deviant”teacherarrives,the“Lady”(thatis,the
churchcommunity)shouldnotreceivethem
orevengreetthem,forbydoingsothe
churchwouldshareintheir“evilworks.”
411,2&3John,Part1
1. Addressandgree>ng(1-3)2. Topic#1:
Livingintruthandlove(4-6)
3. Topic#2:
Bewareoffalseteaching(7-11)
4. Finalwordsandgree>ngs(12-13)
431,2&3John,Part1
“Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. Anyone who is so ‘progressive’ as not to remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; for whoever greets him shares in his evil works.
Although I have much to write to you, I do not intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to face so that our joy may be complete. The children of your chosen sister send you greetings.”
441,2&3John,Part1
• AlthoughJohnhasmuchmoretosaytothe
“Lady”andher“children,”heisnotgoingto
usepaperandinktodoit;rather,hehopesto
visitsoonandspeaktothechurchinperson,
amuchmorecongenialandfriendlymeansof
communica>on.
• John’sfinalwordshereareratherformal,as
wemightexpectfromanoldermanina
posi>onofimportance.Hewillrepeatthem
almostword-for-wordin3John.
• Finally,Johnclosesbysendinggree>ngsfrom“thechildrenofyourchosensister,”that
is,John’scommunity,mostprobablythe
churchinEphesus.
451,2&3John,Part1
Notme.At’scertainly
1,2&3John,Part1
That’scertainly
verydifferentfrom
thewaythingsare
today!
Thethingthatstrikesmemost
about2JohnisJohn’s
unwillingnesstoallowthechurch
eventohearotherperspec>vesonimportanttheologicalissues,
nevermindtoconsiderthem.
46
1. Attheendofthe1stcentury,whyweretheresomanydiverseopinionsaboutwhoChristisandwhathedid?
2. WhywouldJohnaddressthechurchcommunityasthe“Lady”anditsmembersas“herchildren”?CouldJohnactuallybewri>ngtoaliteralwomanandherchildren?
3. Canapersonteachsomethingotherthanwhatisconsidered“orthodox”andnotbea“deceiver”?
4. TheJohannineworldconsistsofstartcontrasts:above/below,light/dark,truth/lies,authen>c/decep>ve.Isthisausefulapproachtoexaminingcomplexques>ons?
5. In2John,whatisJohn’sprimarymeansofpersuasion?
471,2&3John,Part1
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481,2&3John,Part1