It is very generally held that the three Epistles of John and his Gospel were written long after any of the other books of the New Testament.
It is believed that the false doctrine of Christ having no real body, which John condemned, was developed near the end of the first century, when many who had known the Lord as a real man on earth had passed away.
Others asserted that the Gospels and Epistles contained only the germ of Christianity, and that its development must be sought after, as is professed in the present day. This was met by the apostle insisting again and again on ‘that which was from the beginning’—Christ Himself.
Morally John's writings find their place after those of Peter and Paul, when ruin had come into the church, and the ‘last time’ had arrived. Life is his great subject. See the Lord's words in John 21:2222Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. (John 21:22). In a sense John tarries till He comes.
John declares three objects in writing this Epistle: (1) That our joy may be full, having communion with the Father, and with Jesus Christ His Son, 1 John 1:44And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. (1 John 1:4). (2) That we should not sin, for God is light, &c., 1 John 2:11My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: (1 John 2:1) (3) That we may consciously know that we have eternal life, and that in the Son, 1 John 5:1313These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:13). The advocacy of Christ to maintain communion is also in this Epistle.
It should be noticed how frequently the expression ‘born’ or ‘begotten of God’ occurs from 1 John 2: 29 to the end, showing what characterizes the divine nature.
Christ and God are often spoken of as if they were before the apostle as one Person.
The apostle speaks throughout abstractly, without stopping to show that experimentally things may be different.
1 John 1
That which had been from the beginning (of Christianity) had been heard, seen, contemplated, and handled concerning the word of life (thus meeting the false teaching of the Gnostics: it was a man bodily they had handled); the life had been manifested, and was characterized as the eternal life which was with the Father. What the apostles had seen and heard was reported to them, that they might have part in their fellowship (common thoughts, joys, and feelings) with the Father and the Son (cf. John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)), and that their joy might be full.
The message was that God is light, without any darkness. If any say they have fellowship with Him and walk in darkness (characteristic of the unbeliever) they lie, and do not practice the truth (cf. 2 Cor. 6:1414Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)). If any walk in the light (characteristic of a believer) as He is in the light, they have fellowship with one another; and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin.
If any say that they have no sin (in them as in the body) they deceive themselves. If any confess their sins, God is faithful and righteous to forgive and to cleanse. (Cf. Num. 19 for provision for cleansing by the way.) If any say they have not sinned they make God a liar (for He declares all have sinned).
1 John 2
John wrote these things to believers that they should not sin; but if any sin, Jesus Christ the righteous is an Advocate with the Father (to restore the joy of communion), and this on the ground that He is the propitiation for their sins, and also for the whole world.
The blessed obedience of love is the test that we know Him. By this it may be known if we are in Him. He that says He abides in Him, ought to walk as He walked.
John wrote an old commandment, the word that had been from the beginning. (The Lord's words were the expression of the Father's commandment, and of eternal life, John 12:49,5049For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. (John 12:49‑50).) Again he wrote a new commandment, what is true in Him and in the believer (it was old in Christ before the cross; the word of life is now formative of Christ in the believer, hence it is new in being in Christ and in the believer) because the darkness is passing, and the true light already shines. Cf. John 1:4,5,4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (John 1:4‑5) where the darkness did not comprehend the light.
Thus far ‘obedience’; 'love to the brethren' follows. He that loves his brother abides in the light (showing how the two characteristics of God—light and love—are exemplified in the divine nature of a Christian). The converse is also true.
In 1 John 2:13-1713I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. 15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:13‑17) the three stages of growth in the family of God are spoken of. (This is the more remarkable as the Epistle treats of life and the divine nature abstractly.)
John wrote unto children (all Christians, as in verses 1 and 28) because their sins were forgiven for Christ's name's sake (true of all Christians). He wrote to the fathers, because they had known Him that is from the beginning. He wrote to the young men, because they had overcome the wicked one (strength in conflict and service). He wrote to the little children, because they had known the Father (the babe knows he is a child of God).
Again he wrote to the fathers, because they had known Him that is from the beginning.
He wrote to the young men, because they were strong, and the word of God abode in them, and they had overcome the wicked one. The danger to young men was from the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him: because all that is in the world is not of the Father, and is passing; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for eternity.
The danger to the little children was from seducing spirits: they are warned that it is the last hour; this was known because there were many antichrists. (It was the ‘last hour’ because the power of evil which had apostatized from Apostolic doctrine had come in; and nothing but judgment could follow: cf. 2 Tim. 3: 1; 2 Peter 3:33Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3:3); Jude 1818How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. (Jude 18).) The little children have an unction from the holy One, and know all things. John as an apostle wrote to them because they knew the truth. He is a liar that denies that Jesus is the Christ (as Jewish unbelievers did). The antichrist denies the Father and the Son (rejecting Christianity). Whoever denies the Son has not the Father: he that confesses the Son has the Father also. If what they had heard from the beginning abode in them they should abide in the Son and in the Father (cf. John 17:33And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. (John 17:3)).
The children (all Christians) were exhorted to abide in Christ, that when He should be manifested the apostles might have boldness, and not be put to shame at His coming.
1 John 3
This chapter treats especially of the divine nature, hence the name of ‘God’ is found rather than ‘Father’. The last verse of 1 John 2 introduces it: " If ye know," etc.
See what love the Father has given to ‘us’, those born of God, that we should be called the children of God. The world knows us not, because it knew Him not. Now are we the children of God, and though not yet manifested, when He is manifested we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. Every one that hopes to be like Him then, purifies himself now even as He is pure.
Every one that practices sin practices also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness (not ‘the transgression of the law’). In Him is no sin. Whoever is characterized by sinning is not one of the family of God at all.
Let none be led astray. He that practices righteousness is righteous, as He is righteous. He that practices sin is of the devil, who sins from the beginning. The Son of God has been manifested that He might undo the works of the devil. The new nature, and the believer here is looked at only according to this—cannot sin. In this are manifest the children of God and the children of the devil. (Righteousness and love are the characteristics of God's family; sin and hatred, of Satan's.)
We know what love is by Christ having laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one shows no compassion to his brother in need, how abides the love of God in him? Let us not love with word nor with tongue, but in deed and in truth; and practice the things which are pleasing in His sight. A walk like Christ's is accompanied by confidence like His: cf. John 11:4242And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. (John 11:42).
He that keeps His commandments abides in Him (resting on the bosom of God), and He in him (for the commandment is the expression to us of what God is). We know that He abides in us by the Spirit which He has given us.
1 John 4
Verses 1-6are tests, whereby to discern the spirits: it is not simply owning that He was incarnate; confessing Jesus Christ come in flesh is to own the Person of Jesus, not a mystical doctrine, but what is of God come to us in a very man. We are to prove the spirits: every spirit which confesses Jesus Christ come in flesh is of God, and every spirit which does not confess Jesus Christ come in flesh is not of God. (This characterizes Antichrist.) Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
Another mark of the false spirits is that they are of the world: consequently the world hears them. The apostles were of God, and he that knew God heard them.
Let us love one another, because love is of God; and every one that loves has been begotten of God. God is love, and has manifested His love by sending His only begotten Son a propitiation for our sins, and that we might live by Him.
If God has so loved us, we ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. (The activities of the divine nature in the saints express the love of the unseen God: compare John 1:1818No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18).) We know that we abide in Him, and He in us, in that He has given us of His Spirit. The testimony declares that the Father sent the Son as Savior of the world.
Whoso shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. We have known and have believed the love which God has to us. And love has been perfected with us that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. (He judges by His own righteousness, and that is our righteousness.) Even as He is we also are in this world: Christ is the source of life, the stream is in us, and is not severed from its source. Perfect love casts out fear. We love because He has first loved us.
This commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God, love also his brother: now
1 John 5
All that has been begotten of God gets the victory over the world; and this victory is our faith. (Christian faith is that Jesus is the Son of God, and this was declared in resurrection); but this is He that came by water and by blood, Jesus Christ.
They that bear witness are three: the Spirit (bearing witness to life, as outside this world, and beyond death); the water (to cleansing); and the blood (to expiation); and the three agree in one. This is the witness of God, concerning His Son, namely that God has given to us eternal life; and this life is in His Son. He that has the Son has life: he that has not the Son of God has not life. These things are written that they who believe on the name of the Son of God may consciously know that they have eternal life.
If we ask Him anything according to His will He hears us. And we have the petitions which we have asked of Him.
A brother that has sinned may be interceded for, unless it be a sin unto death (of the body in discipline: cf. 1 Cor. 11:3030For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:30)). Every unrighteousness is sin, but may not be a sin unto death.
Verses 18-20: in conclusion the apostle states what the believer has conscious knowledge of. We know that every one begotten of God does not sin (the new nature sinneth not), he keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we should know Him that is true; and we are in Him that is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
Children, keep yourselves from idols, that is, from any object taking Christ's place in the heart.