1Jn 1

Background: 1John was probably written at the end of the 1st century to churches of mainly non-Jewish descent (few OT references) to tackle false teachings that endangered the unity among Christians, in particular of those who denied that Jesus had come ‘in the flesh’ (docetism), and of early manifestations of Gnosticism which claimed that this world was created evil as it is, and that salvation is by knowledge of the divine in us, see e.g.:

Read: 1 John 1

1) What did John specify as the purpose why he wrote this letter? vv3&4; 2:1; 2:12-14; 5:13

  • Why did any of these aims require him to write? Why not just pray? [Unity among Christians and their protection against the twisting of Scriptures requires Scriptures]

2) vv1-2: What is emphasized here? Why? cf 2Pet 1:15-21

  • Why did John (and Peter) insist that they wrote as eye witnesses?

3) Read again v3: What did John mean by ‘fellowship’ if such fellowship depends on his writing?

  • Why did John expect that his writing will be instrumental for producing fellowship (and joy)? cf Jn 17:8
  • John speaks of fellowship with the father and the son…”: Why add ‘…and the son’? cf 1Jn 4:3
  • How were the recipients of this letter led to ‘deny the Son’ by Gnosticism? Did gnostic teachings deny Jesus openly, or rather inconspicuously?
  • Who was Jesus to them, and by what ‘logic’ did they deny his deity?

4) v4: How is the joy of Christians linked to what was written about Him by John (i.e. in this and all other books in the Bible)?

  • Why did John insist at all that such joy depends on what he was about to write?
  • Hint: How did false teachings of the Gnostics threaten to undermine Christian unity and its joy?

5) How does v5 sum up the gospel message and where it comes from?

  • Did John take no credit at all for this message? cf v4
  • What deviations from this message did John set out to address?
  • The message that God is only light and no darkness rejects the dualism of Gnostics: They claimed that the world was created by a fallen demiurge in its fallen state. For them, salvation consisted in their enlightened knowledge (gr. gnosis) about it, which they attributed to Jesus. How did John set out to refute this?
  • What does light do?
  • Read Jn 1:4-5. In what sense is Jesus the light of life?
  • What does darkness stand for as a metaphor? Jn 1:10; 8:12; 12:35; 17:3

6) vv6-8: How can one ‘walk in the darkness’ and claim to have fellowship?

  • What did John mean by ‘walking in the darkness’ (or in the light, respectively)?
  • How does the light of Jesus and his teaching impact the conduct of his true followers?
  • e.g.: How does v8 contrast genuine holiness to the morality that hypocrites put on as sheep’s clothing?

7)  vv9-10: Why did John see ‘confession of sin’ as of vital importance?

  • Enemies of the gospel have always accused Christianity for tolerating evil by offering an ‘easy way out’ by granting forgiveness: What could be true about this charge, or why is it wrong?
  • Why is ‘confession’ essential for any genuine morality?