Author

Although the writer of First John does not identify himself by name, there is no doubt that John the apostle of Christ is indeed that author.

The evidence within the book itself is overwhelming. The writer of First John was a close companion and an eye witness of the Lord (1:1-2; 4:14), as was John the apostle (John 19:34-35; 21:24). The Gospel of John is the only inspired account of Christ that begins by taking us to the beginning, as recorded in Genesis 1:1, and identifying Christ as the Word through Whom the worlds were made (John 1:1-3). First John also begins with a reference to the "beginning" and identifies Christ as the Word (1:1). John wrote His account of Jesus to lead unbelievers to believe so they might have life (John 20:30-31). He wrote First John so that believers might know we have eternal life (1 John 5:13), thus having joy (1 John 1:4). Only John identifies Jesus as the "only begotten Son" (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9; In fact, these two passages are parallel in thought). "In at least thirty-five passages in the two productions, the thought is parallel, and in many of these instances, the same words and phrases are used" (Woods. 203).

The books of John and First John are strikingly similar in style and language. First John contains 295 different words, and all but 69 of these are in John (Ibid. 202). These distinctive words are common to both books: Father, Son, Spirit, beginning, Word, believe, life, keep, light, commandment, love, abide, and Paraclete. In addition, these phrases are found in both: to do the truth (1:6; cf. John 3:21), to walk in darkness (John 11:52); to be born of God (3:9; cf. John 1:13); children of the devil (3:10; cf. John 8:44); to pass from death to life (3:14; cf. John 5:24); the Spirit of truth (4:6; cf. John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13); the only begotten Son (4:9; cf. John 3:16,18); no man has ever seen God (4:12; cf. John 1:18); the Savior of the world (4:14; cf. John 4:42); and the water and the blood (5:6; cf. John 19:34) (King. xxviii). The author of each of these two writings has the same love of opposites set in stark contrast to one another: light and darkness, life and death, love and hate, truth and falsehood (Ibid. xxix).

"The Epistle is a kind of moral and practical application of the Gospel" (Thiessen. 310).

External evidence that the inspired apostle John wrote First John is even more conclusive. "Two of John’s pupils, Polycarp and Papias, quote from it, attributing it to their teacher" (Woods. 199). Irenaeus, of the next generation, also identifies John as the author (King. xvi).

Assuredly, John the apostle of Christ, wrote First John.

Audience

Just as John does not identify himself, neither does he identify his audience. The writer uses no personal names except that of Jesus (e.g., 1:3). He makes no geographical or historical references. The book is in the form of a letter, in that John refers to himself as "I" (e.g., 2:1) and to his readers as "you" (e.g., 1:2). He calls his readers "little children" (e.g., 2:1), an appropriate way for an aged man to tenderly address a younger audience. Thus, this is truly a "general epistle."

Since he concludes by forbidding idolatry, the apostle obviously is primarily writing to Gentiles (5:21). Writers of the second and third century, some of whom knew John personally, say he spent the last few years of his lengthy life in Ephesus, in the Roman province of Asia (modern Western Turkey). Just as He addressed Revelation to seven congregation in Asia (Revelation 1:4), his primary audience was probably Gentile Christians in Asia.

Time of Writing

The date of the letter is unknown, but it best fits around the end of the reign of Domitian or beginning of the rule of Trajan (A.D. 98).

Style

John combines striking simplicity of language and grammar with awesome depth of thought. He frequently repeats himself in slightly different language. He uses Hebrew parallelisms (repetition) in a way similar to old Testament poetry. He is a great teacher, who is concerned with making difficult concepts understood rather than impressing his audience with his own intellectual prowess.

Background

By the end of the apostolic period, the complex set of false doctrines later identified as "gnosticism" (from the Greek word "gnosis" meaning "knowledge") were beginning to arise. Paul warned Timothy about them (1 Timothy 1:20; 6:20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18)) and dealt with the root of their damnable errors in Colossians chapter two. John also addressed the moral side of their errors in Revelation (2:14-15,20).

These heretics arrogantly claimed a superior knowledge through mystical illumination that they asserted was the real basis of salvation. Some of them denied the real humanity of Jesus, some denied his real deity, and most advocated that it didn’t matter how one lived. They taught that our bodies are inherently evil and that we will inevitably sin. They coldly denied the necessity of practical love for one another while emphasizing intellectual knowledge. Cerinthus, an early gnostic, lived in Ephesus at the same time as John and was an enemy of John’s.

John bluntly warns about "antichrists," those who deny the Father and the Son, and calls them "liars" and "false prophets" (2:18-19, 22-23; 4:1-6). These false teachers had arisen from within the body of believers but had left the fellowship because they already were of a differing spirit (2:19). They denied Jesus is the Christ (2:22), denied He came in the flesh (4:2-3), denied the reality of sin (1:8,10), lived immoral lives, and did not practice love of the brethren (3:10).

John assures believers we have true knowledge (2:20-21). Twenty-nine times in this five chapter book the writer uses the term "know," assuring believers we truly know God (cf. 2:13-14, 20-21). The tests of knowing God are keeping His commandments (2:3-4), loving the brethren (3:13-20; 4:8), believing in and confessing Christ (4:2-3; 5:13), and listening to the apostolic word (4:6).

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life (5:20-21).

To abide in Christ we must believe in the Father and the Son (2:22-23), believe Christ came in the flesh (4:2), is the Savior of the world (4:14), and is the Son of God (4:15). We must live righteously (3:5-10) and manifest practical love for one another (3:14-18). We must confess our sins (1:8-10), and we must not sin (2:1; 3:9-10).

Theme

The purpose of John’s account of the life of Christ is to lead unbelievers to believe, so they might have life (John 20:30-31). The beloved apostle wrote First John to give believers joy in the assurance that through believing they have eternal life (1 John 1:4; 5:13).

The book of First John shows us how to maintain fellowship with God (1:3,6-7). Two attributes of God form the basis of this fellowship: "God is light" (1:5) and "God is love" (4:8,16).

As God is light, John shows believers how to maintain fellowship with God by walking in the light (1:5-7). We walk in the light by properly maintaining seven relationships: relative to God, we must walk as He is (1:5-7), in relationship to sin, we must confess it and not sin (1:8 - 2:2), toward the commandments of God, we must keep them (2:3-5), in relationship to Christ, we must walk as He walked (2:6), relative to the brethren, we must love them (2:7-11), in relationship to the world, we must not love it (2:15-17), and toward truth, we must abide in it (2:18-27).

We have joy by being confident of our salvation (1:4; 2:28). We maintain this confidence by abiding in Him (2:28). To abide in Him, we must practice righteousness (2:29 - 3:10), love the brethren (3:11-18), and believe in the Son (3:19 - 4:6).

Thus, in the final major division of First John, the apostle exhorts us to love one another (4:7-21), keep God’s commandments (5:1-3), and believe in the Name of the Son of God (5:4-13).

These fundamental tests of the Christian life - doing righteousness, loving one another, believing that Jesus is the Christ, come in the flesh - are the connecting themes that bind together the whole structure of the Ep. (ISBE, 3: 1714).

The apostle identifies seven antitheses (antagonistic opposites): light versus darkness, life versus death, love versus hate, truth versus lie, Father versus the world, God versus the devil, and children of God versus children of the devil.

Thus, as he does in Revelation and as is characteristic of Jewish writing, John employs the mystical numbers seven (perfection, fullness) and three (divine). To walk in the light, we must faithfully maintain seven relationships. There are three conditions of abiding in the Son, and the book has three rounds of exhortations.

Outline

Prologue: The Word Made Flesh, the Basis of Fellowship with God - 1:1-4

I. Fellowship with God Depends on Walking in the Light - 1:5 - 2:28
A. Walking in the Light Tested by Righteousness - 1:5-2:6
1. Relationship to God: Walk as He Is - 1:5-7
2. Relationship to Sin - 1:8 - 2:2
a. Confess - 1:8-10
b. Sin Not - 2:1-12
3. Relationship to Commandments of God: Keep Them - 2:3-5
4. Relationship to Christ: Walk as He Walked - 2:6

B. Walking in the Light Tested by Love - 2:7-17
1. Relationship to Brethren: Love Them - 2:7-11
2. Those Addressed: Christians - 2:12-14
3. Relationship to World: Do Not Love It - 2:15-17

C. Walking in the Light Tested by Faith (Relationship to Truth: Abide in It) - 2:18-27

II. Confidence at His Coming Depends on Abiding in Him (Being Sons of God) - 2:28-4:6
A. Exhortation to Abide in Him - 2:28

B. Abiding in Him Tested by Righteousness - 2:29-3:10

C. Abiding in Him Tested by Love - 3:11-18

D. Abiding in Him Tested by Faith - 3:19-4:6
1. Believe on the Name of His Son - 3:19-24
2. Test the Spirits - 4:1-6

III. Exhortations - 4:7 - 5:13
A. Love One Another - 4:7-21

B. Keep His Commandments - 5:1-3

C. Believe in the Name of the Son of God - 5:4-13

Summary - 5:14-21

Works Cited

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
King, Daniel H., Sr., The Three Epistles of John.
Thiessen, Henry C., Introduction to the New Testament.
Woods, Guy N., A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles of Peter, John, and Jude.