Week 20: \u00a0Feb 12, 2012<\/p>\n
Last time we saw how John, after pointing out the inconsistency between the claims and the actions of his opponents, switched to talking about his readers, talking first about \u00a0\u201cchildren\u201d i.e., about all Christians.\u00a0 Now he continues talking to \u201cFather\u201d\u00a0 i.e., church leaders,\u00a0 and then \u201cYoung men\u201d which could be members in general, but might be deacons.<\/p>\n
Study<\/p>\n
13a \u2013 I am writing to you, fathers,<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clause 1.2<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fathers <\/strong><\/em>\u2013 \u00a0\u03c0\u03b1\u03c4\u03ad\u03c1\u03b5\u03c2<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This was a common term that could be used to refer to<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Given the context here, I believe that the meaning of leaders is probably what John intended.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 because you have known the one who has existed from the beginning.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This passage ties back to verse 2:3 This is how we can be sure that we have come to know him.<\/strong><\/em> Like forgiven in the previous verse,\u00a0\u00a0known <\/strong><\/em>here is in the perfect tense, and refers to a completed action.\u00a0 Unlike verse 2:3, here John adds who has existed from the beginning<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 This is a statement of consistency and lack of change.\u00a0 A primary role of church leaders is to keep the members on track.<\/p>\n 13b \u2013 I am writing to you, young people,<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clause 1.3<\/p>\n Young people\u00a0 \u2013\u00a0 \u03bd\u03b5\u03b1\u03bd\u03af\u03c3\u03ba\u03bf\u03b9<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Today it is easy to see this phase as referring to older children or perhaps teenagers. But the Bible does not really have these concepts, is has only children, adults and the elderly.\u00a0 In John\u2019s day this term often referred to young adults between puberty and marriage, but could also be used to refer to a man in the prime of life.\u00a0 In the context here, it refers to those who are not \u201cfathers.\u201d<\/p>\n because you have overcome the evil one<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Greek word translated overcome (\u03bd\u03b5\u03bd\u03b9\u03ba\u03ae\u03ba\u03b1\u03c4\u03b5) means victorious, overcome, conquer.\u00a0 Like Forgiven and Known, it is in the perfect tense.\u00a0 This is something they already had done.\u00a0 The phase, the evil one <\/strong><\/em>(\u03c4\u1f78\u03bd \u03c0\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u03c1\u03cc\u03bd) \u00a0is masculine singular, and thus points to a particular individual: Satan.<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As believers we already have overcome.\u00a0 Satan\u2019s primary goal is to keep us from a saving relationship with Christ.\u00a0 By the very fact that we have entered into a saving relationship means that we have overcome Satan.\u00a0 Through the power of Christ we are victorious. \u00a0\u00a0Do we live as a victor?<\/p>\n 14a \u2013 I have written to you, little children,<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clause 2.1\u00a0<\/p>\n I have written \u2013 \u00a0\u1f14\u03b3\u03c1\u03b1\u03c8\u03b1<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As John begins the second half of the section he switches to aorist tense.\u00a0 For a discussion of the possible reasons for this, see the comments prior to verse 12 in last week\u2019s post.<\/p>\n \u00a0Little children \u2013 \u00a0\u03c0\u03b1\u03b9\u03b4\u03af\u03b1<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John also switches from \u03c4\u03b5\u03ba\u03bd\u03af\u03b1 to \u03c0\u03b1\u03b9\u03b4\u03af\u03b1. He elsewhere he uses the words interchangeably so change here is probably insignificant and just a stylistic change.<\/p>\n because you have known the Father.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Again this is a completed action.\u00a0\u00a0 In clause 1.1 John pointed out that their sins had been forgiven, here he reminds them that they have known the father. \u00a0Together these two points encapsulates the teaching to this point. Those who confess their sins are forgiven and know God.<\/p>\n 14b \u2013 I have written to you, fathers,<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clause 2.2<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With the exception of the change from \u201cI write<\/em><\/strong>\u201d to \u201cI have written<\/strong><\/em>\u201d\u00a0 this is unchanged from Clause 1.2.\u00a0 As such it emphasizes the role of Fathers in providing consistency and lack of change.<\/p>\n 14c \u2013 I have written to you, young people,<\/strong> –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Clause 2.3<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This final clause repeats you have overcome the evil one <\/strong><\/em>found in the clause 1:3.\u00a0 But now precedes it with two additional descriptions.\u00a0\u00a0 The first is that you are strong<\/em><\/strong>. \u00a0We are strong in Christ and this is the reason we have overcome Satan.\u00a0\u00a0 The second point is that God\u2019s word remains in you<\/strong><\/em>. God\u2019s word \u00a0here could refer to several things. \u00a0It could of course be a reference to the Bible. But it could also be a reference to Jesus as in John 1:1\u00a0 In the beginning was the Word\u2026<\/strong><\/em> Another option is that it could be a more general reference to the God speaking to us, not only through the Bible, but through prayer.\u00a0\u00a0 This latter view is probably what John intended.\u00a0 But this could be a case of deliberate ambiguity, as none of these meanings is really wrong.<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That God\u2019s word remains in us is the reason for our strength and our ability to overcome the evil one<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 It is the power of the message and truth of God and the relationship we have with him that gives us the strength to overcome. \u00a0\u00a0If we do not feel strong perhaps it is that we are not spending enough time with God\u2019s Word or spending enough time with God in prayer.<\/p>\n Looking back over these six clauses, we can summarize the points that John uses to describe Christians as: \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ii.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Warning: Do not love the world\u00a0 (2:15-17<\/p>\n 15* \u2013 Don\u2019t love[1] the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father\u2019s love is not in him.<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Having established his reader\u2019s position in contrast to that of his opponents John now starts instructing them with a command.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t love the world and the things that are in the world.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n In context John has just set them apart from his opponents, so this is more of a warning (Don\u2019t love), rather than a condemnation (Stop loving).\u00a0 But this warning immediately raises the question:\u00a0 What does John mean by \u201cthe world and the things that are in the world<\/em>?\u201d Some have taken this to mean that we should ignore the physical world and focus only on the spiritual. \u00a0But there is a danger in this approach for it tends to lead to legalism, and in fact a lot of legalism has been grounded in verses such as this. After all, one simply needs to declare _______ to be \u201cof the world\u201d and they now have a \u201cbiblical\u201d command against it!<\/p>\n A better approach would be to look at how John uses the term world <\/strong><\/em>(\u03ba\u03cc\u03c3\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd). Here are some of the ways that John uses this term.<\/p>\n It is also important to remember that John, following Jesus\u2019 example, normally speaks in spiritual terms, not material terms and as a result misunderstanding over this distinction plays a large role in the Gospel. As an example, consider John 2:19-20 Jesus answered them, \u201cDestroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will rebuild it.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 20<\/sup>The Jews said, \u201cThis sanctuary has been under construction for 46 years, and you’re going to rebuild it in three days?\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Thus, the world in John is that part of reality that is in rebellion to God. It is in darkness and hates Jesus, and therefore cannot receive the Holy Spirit.\u00a0 It is ruled by Satan.\u00a0 Yet God loves the world and seeks to redeem the world, sending his son.\u00a0 He has redeemed us from the world, such that we are no longer a part of the world. \u00a0Thus in John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But because you do not belong to the world and I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father\u2019s love is not in him.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From the description above it is pretty clear that the love of God, and the love of the world are incompatible.<\/p>\n To fully understand this verse, it is important to consider what John says in verse 16.\u00a0 Unfortunately we ran out of time so this discussion will continue next week.<\/p>\n If you have question or comments about the class, feel free to send me an email at\u00a0elgin@hushbeck.com<\/a>\u00a0and be sure to put \u201cEpistles of John\u201d in the header.<\/em><\/p>\n See here for references and more background on the class<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nbecause you have known the one who<\/strong>
\nhas existed from the beginning. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\nbecause you have overcome the evil one. <\/strong><\/p>\n
\nbecause you have known the Father. <\/strong><\/p>\n
\nbecause you have known the one who<\/strong>
\nhas existed from the beginning.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nbecause you are strong<\/strong>
\nand because God\u2019s word remains in you<\/strong>
\nand you have overcome the evil one. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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