“I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning” (1 John 2:1414And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: (John 2:14)). This term fathers marks out attainment, and that alone. “Fathers” are not necessarily old believers, though it will be generally true that the “fathers” will mainly be composed of such. Still, it is to be remembered that many old Christians — old in the sense of the length of time they have been believers — are yet but babes, while in some cases those who are comparatively young believers may, from their rapid growth in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, be found among the “fathers.” The important thing is to see that this class includes all, of whatever age, who are distinguished by the spiritual characteristic of knowing Him that is from the beginning.
“From the beginning” in John points out a very distinct epoch. It is not, as in his Gospel, “in the beginning,” which dates from eternity itself, but from the beginning; that is, from the time Christ as the eternal life was introduced into this scene, for as soon as Christ was born into the world He was the second Man, though it is also true that He did not take the place of such until after the resurrection. Nor was He indeed in the condition of the second Man (as to circumstances) until after He had risen from the dead. “Him that is from the beginning” will therefore indicate Christ as He now is at the right hand of God, as the firstborn from the dead and the beginning of the creation of God (Col. 1:1818And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18); Rev. 3:1414And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; (Revelation 3:14)). Together with the cross, and by means of the cross, God closed up His relationship with Adam, the responsible man, and thereafter everything dates from the Man of His counsels, the ascended and glorified Christ. Hence, according to the testimony of John, blood and water flowed out from the side of a dead Christ — the blood that expiated sin, and the water that cleanses or purifies — in token that life is not in the first but in the last Adam. Christ therefore is, as Paul speaks, Himself our life, and He is on this account the true beginning, inasmuch as He is the firstborn from the dead.
Christ As He Is
To know Him that is from the beginning is thus to know Christ as He is and where He is as the eternal life “which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us,” as all that He now is in Himself, as the glorified Man at the right hand of God. But it is sometimes asked, “Do not all believers know Him?” Yes, all believers more or less know Christ as their Saviour and own Him as their Lord, but this is a far different thing from knowing Himself. To know Him in any character is blessed, but the knowledge of which the Apostle here speaks embraces what He is, apart from any special presentation or character. For example, we who live in England may know the Queen as our sovereign without any personal acquaintance at all with her. Her children, on the other hand, while they do not forget that she is the sovereign, know her rather as what she is in herself — her mind, character and ways. So the fathers here have risen beyond any character, office or relationship which He may sustain towards them and find their delight in Himself, in what He is, in all His moral beauties, perfections and excellences.
The Highest Attainment
And this is the highest and last attainment to be made; there is nothing beyond. When converted, we are occupied mainly with the work of Christ and the grace of God; afterward we delight in truth. But finally, if we press on to the things that are before, Christ Himself absorbs our attention, and then only do we become “fathers,” in the meaning of the Apostle. Some time back it was our privilege to visit a saint in great bodily suffering. His hands and his face were alike distorted by the severity of his affliction. But though suffering most acutely when we saw him and with scarcely any temporal comforts to alleviate his condition, he did not for one moment speak of himself or his pains. His conversation turned entirely on the Lord. In the course of our visit, he used words to this effect: “For the first ten years of my Christian life I knew and enjoyed the efficacy of the precious blood of Christ. After that, the whole circle of church truth dawned upon my soul, and, while I did not lose the blessedness of the value of the blood, the new truths that had been opened out to me formed the chief subject of my meditations. But now,” he said, “through the goodness of God, I have been introduced into another circle, where Christ Himself fills my vision. Not that,” he continued, “the other truths are less precious, only Christ Himself is more precious still, and I feel that now I want nothing beside. No,” he concluded, “it is Christ Himself now, and only Christ.” This saint of God was, as the reader will perceive, a true father, and his experience marks the order of Christian growth and justifies the statement already made, that the knowledge of Christ Himself is the last attainment reached.
Nothing More Needed
Another thing may be added. As it is the last attainment, so when this is possessed, nothing more is needed, except an ever fuller and increasing knowledge of the One we know. This is shown from the fact that when John turns to address the several classes, he has neither counsel, warning nor exhortation for the “fathers.” He simply repeats, “I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known Him that is from the beginning” (vs. 14). This is easily understood. These “fathers” were wholly occupied with Christ Himself, and they had therefore discovered the secret of all growth, progress and safety, for conformity to Christ is produced, through the power of the Spirit, by the contemplation of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). The one object of the Christian life is to learn more of Himself, and Satan cannot find entrance into a heart that is full of Christ. John therefore needed not to say anything to these, for, in fact, they wanted nothing. Take, for example, all the precepts of Scripture, and what are they? They are but the embodiment of some trait of Christ, and hence in knowing Him these “fathers” possessed all, or were at the source of all, that was necessary for their sustenance and growth in the divine life. If they needed encouragement, wisdom, guidance, consolation or admonition, as well as all the blessings secured for us in redemption, they possessed them in the One they knew.
Contentment
It may be that but few are really “fathers.” But the question for our souls is this — shall we be content to be anything else? The child of today is the man and the father of the future. Should it not be the same with us spiritually? Alas! that so many of us are so dwarfed and stunted. The consequence is that many never pass beyond the stage of childhood. As we read in the Epistle to the Hebrews, “When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat” (Heb. 5:1212For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. (Hebrews 5:12)). But if we would know the full blessedness of the Christian life, or rather if we desire to learn more of the boundless treasures that are contained for us in Christ Himself, we must press on with full purpose of heart in the study of all the blessed unfoldings of His person, of His graces, beauties and moral perfections which are contained in the Word of God. If indeed we sit daily, like Mary, at the feet of the Lord, to hear His Word, we shall be on the road to become “fathers” in the family of God.
E. Dennett (adapted)