Introduction – The Epistles of John

Likely written to the first-century church in Ephesus, the Epistles of John aim to encourage believers to uphold the truth while also warning them to remain vigilant against the infiltration of baseless ideologies into their communities. Although the author of these letters does not explicitly identify themselves, they are traditionally attributed to the Apostle John. This is primarily due to the distinct writing style and the similarity of the opening lines to those of the Gospel of John, which was written by “the disciple Jesus loved”, assumed by most to be John.

Purpose

The Epistles of John provide a glimpse into a challenging period for the early Christian communities, likely in Ephesus. These letters address disputes involving theological and behavioural issues that arose after the writing of John’s Gospel. Some members of the community denied essential beliefs about Christ, such as his divine nature and the necessity of his death for forgiveness. This led to a division, with dissenters leaving the community and spreading their views as travelling preachers, causing confusion among the faithful.

The First Epistle of John

The First Epistle aims to reaffirm the faith of believers and provide guidelines to counter the false claims of dissenters, intended for distribution among the affected churches. It emphasizes key theological themes, particularly the nature of God, portrayed as the Father of Jesus Christ, as Light, and as Love demonstrated through the atoning sacrifice of His Son. Believers are seen as God’s children, recipients of His abundant love.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! – 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

The letter also highlights the works of Jesus Christ, who is essential for understanding God the Father. Jesus offers forgiveness for sins, serves as our advocate with the Father, and protects us from evil. John reassures believers by stressing that their anointing is from the Holy Spirit, which teaches them and safeguards them against false teachings. Believers, born of God, transition from death to life, receiving eternal life. They are called to live righteously, love one another, overcome the world, and avoid sin, gaining an understanding of God the Father.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. – 1 John 5:13 (NIV)

Assurance is another key theme, grounded in God’s testimony about His Son, allowing believers to approach judgment day with confidence by living godly lives, showing love to others, and having assurance in prayer.

The Second Epistle of John

The second Epistle targets a specific church and cautions against offering hospitality to heretical teachers, as doing so would implicate one in their wrongdoing. It reinforces themes from the first letter, including the importance of loving one another and recognizing Christ’s incarnation, while introducing the warning about the consequences of supporting false teachers.

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take them into your house or welcome them. Anyone who welcomes them shares in their wicked work. – 2 John 1:10-11 (NIV)

The Third Epistle of John

The third Epistle is a personal letter addressed to Gaius, praising him for his hospitality towards faithful travelling preachers and highlighting the negative behaviour of Diotrephes, who denied such hospitality and opposed John. It is unclear whether Diotrephes’ actions stemmed from doctrinal differences or personal conflicts. The letter also underscores the importance of hospitality, commending those who host missionaries sharing the truth and stressing the necessity of church discipline against those spreading misinformation and obstructing others’ hospitality.

Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. – 3 John 1:11 (NIV)

Lessons from the Epistles of John

The author arranged the letter in an unconventional way, not adhering to a linear flow from one subject to another. Instead, it revisits the same subjects and elaborates on them. Consequently, rather than analyzing these letters by chapters, it is more effective to extract insights by focusing on the individual themes and issues that the author addresses. We will examine these writings through the following themes, The Word of Life, Walking in the Light, The True Love & The Spirit of Discernment.