Epistles of John – digital book (ePub download for Kindle, Apple Books & Nook)

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INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the study of the Johanine Epistles. You will
hear from the Apostle who writes as one who saw with his
eyes, heard with his ears, felt with his hands, and contemplated
with his mind the historical realities of the Messiah’s mission
and message. He writes as one of the apostles whose empirical
experiences verify their collective testimony. The “we,” “us,”
and “our” of 1 John. 1:1-4 confirm the multiple, corroborating
support for the message contained in this letter. In the verses
cited the Apostle presents “his right to write.” After all he lived
through the history he records.
John writes as an Apostle who is an authentic interpreter
of the life and teachings of Jesus. He is concerned about the
doctrinal and moral soundness of the recipients of this
correspondence. John addresses them as my “little children,”
“beloved,” “brethren,”and “the chosen lady and her children,
whom I love in the truth” (2 John 1:1). His concern grows out
of the encroaching menace of error introduced by those whom
he calls “antichrist,” “the deceivers,” the “liars,” and the
“false prophets.” These “spirits” (cf. 1 John 4:1), as they call
themselves, have penetrated the fellowship of the church with
their insidious lies about Jesus’ person and with perversions of
Jesus’ message.
It is obvious that John writes as one who deeply cares
about the brethren and about the purity of the message they
have embraced. Therefore, he writes as an apologist to defend
Jesus’ nature as to His deity, His humanity, and His
messiahship. Frequently the Apostle becomes a polemicist- one who attacks the errors that are threatening the doctrinal and moral purity of the church. John does not use the term
Gnosticism. However, it is quite clearto scholars by his context
that the Apostle is warning against and even denouncing and
refuting several gnostic errors. Greater definition of those errors
will be presented later in this introduction and particularly in
the exegetical treatment of the verse by verse commentary on
John’s message.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION. ............................... 1
THE FIRST EPISTLES OF JOHN
Chapter 1................................. 12
Chapter 2................................. 32
Chapter 3................................. 65
Chapter 4................................. 91
Chapter 5................................. 111
THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JOHN
Chapter 6................................. 134
THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN
Chapter 7................................. 150
BIBLIOGRAPHY . .............................. 164

Author: Gerald Paden

Textbook for course: Epistles of John (SIBI Studio)