This epistle was probably written just a few years before the book of revelation. Tradition tells us that john was the longest living disciple and that his gospel was probably written last. It was written by the discipleapostle john around 8595 a. The key personalities are the apostles peter and paul. The author presents himself as peter the apostle, and, following catholic tradition, the epistle has been held to have been written during his time as bishop of rome or bishop of antioch, though neither title is used in the epistle. John piper writes, but dont get it in your head that the book is therefore only for unbelievers. This book was among the latest of all written books in the new testament, john having written all. Listen to chuck swindoll s overview of first john in his audio message from the classic series gods masterwork. The content, style, and vocabulary seem to warrant the conclusion that these three epistles were addressed to the same readers as the gospel of john. Brown an introduction to the new testament believes that 1 john makes more sense if understood as written in a period following the appearance of the gospel, at least after the.
It is written by the discipleapostle john around 8595 a. This short work was written before john was exiled to the island of patmos, and before he wrote the book of revelation. The recording is dramatized, from the king james bible. John 1, first letter, apostle, ephesus, asia minor, john. The book of 2 john would most likely have been written at about the same time as johns other letters, 1 and 3 john, between a. He wrote the gospel of john, 1st,2nd and 3rd john and revelation. The fruit of fellowship with christ i write these things to you who believe in the name of the son of god so that you may know that you have eternal life. The new international commentary series on 1 john by i. The first epistle of peter, usually referred to simply as first peter and often written 1 peter, is a book of the new testament. A study of the epistles of john gene taylor 6 first john. The book of 1 st john is a general epistle apostolic letter. When was the first epistle of john written answers. It is written anonymously, although it identifies an unnamed disciple whom jesus loved as the source of its. Did the same person write the gospel of john and the book of.
John is also traditionally credited with writing 1, 2, and 3rd john as well as the book of revelation. Howard marshall asserts that a date between 60100 a. John 1 john 2 john 3 john revelation only paul authored more new testament books than john. May 15, 2012 john was a companion of simon peter, and was a fisherman by trade before jesus called him. The author of this epistle never identified himself by name, but christians since the beginning of the church have considered this letter authoritative, believing it was written by john the apostle. Who wrote the gospel of john and was it the same person. John declares, but these are written that you may believe that jesus is the messiah, the son of god, and that by believing you may have life in his name john 20. Contained in the new testament are the epistles of 1, 2 and 3 john written by the apostle john. It is interesting to study why john wrote these epistles because this has much to do with their content and how they apply to us today as christians. There is no scholarly consensus as to the authorship of the johannine works. First john also is pastoral, written from the heart of a pastor who has concern for his people. Other than once in 2nd john, this word is used nowhere else in the bible. The letter is difficult to date with precision, but factors such as 1 evidence from early christian writers irenaeus and clement of alexandria, 2 the early form of gnosticism reflected in the denunciations of the letter and 3 indications of the advanced age of john suggest the end of the first century. The first letter of john was written by the apostle john and expresses the divinity and humanity of jesus christ.
In case a christian does sin, though, he has jesus christ as his advocate before the father. The book of john proclaims the wonderful good news of jesus christ. The earliest confirmed use of 1 john was in the roman province of asia in modern turkey where ephesus was located. Many contemporary biblical scholars believe that the writer of the letters was not the author of the gospel.
He was a messenger who came before jesus preparing the people for the coming of jesus. The book of 1 john is not a personal letter nor a letter written to one church as much as it is an impassioned office memo from headquarters corporate letter. The book went through two to three stages, or editions, before reaching its current form, at the latest, around ad 80100. We see therefore that there exists multiple reasons for dating john early, and certainly prior to the destruction of jerusalem in 70.
We may never know when the book of revelation was written, but it does seem to have been written in. Since the letter identifies no specific church, location, or individual to whom it was sent, its classification is as a general epistle. The gospels, the first four books of the new testament, tell the story of the life of jesus. The church in ephesus and throughout the province of asia. Aug 20, 2015 if every one of them were written down, i suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written john 21. In christian tradition, johns gospel has always been referred to as the fourth gospel, meaning it was composed after the other three. He lived to a very old age having written the gospel of john, the three epistles, and the book of revelation. He desired them to have joy regarding the certainty of their faith rather than being upset by the. Thus, the correlation between the gospel and the letters demonstrate a high probability that john the apostle also authored the letters along with the gospel. The author of the first letter is not identified, but the writer of the second and third calls himself presbyter elder. John s next two letters, however, are written to specific audiences. He was a leader in the early church, and he probably wrote his documents after most of the other new testament books were already written. As a shepherd, john communicated to his flock some very basic, but vitally essential, principles reassuring them regarding the basics of the faith. Context refers to the events that surround the book, e.
The author of the first epistle is termed john the evangelist, who most scholars believe is not the same as john the apostle. On the other hand, john shows evidence of being written after the synoptic gospels. Chapter 1 is the preamble of the messiahs coming ministry. Kummel argues that the gospel and the letter are from the same author introduction to the new testament, pp. Polycarp, a secondcentury christian martyr who knew john personally, told irenaeus that john had written the book during the apostles time serving the church in ephesus.
John s purpose in writing this third epistle is threefold. This summary of the book of 2 john provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 2 john. Since the author of 1 john seems to build on concepts and themes found in the fourth gospel see 1jn 2. The book of 1stjohn is a general epistle apostolic letter. In this epistle you will find 5 chapters of which john was writing to believers. Wasnt the new testament written hundreds of years after. It is fairly universally accepted that the book of 1 john was written primarily to contest the philosophies of gnosticism as existed in that day. The three books share the same writing style, however, and so are likely from the same hand. He wrote the gospel according to john, first, second and third john, and he was the penman of the book of the revelation of jesus christ. The gospel of john appears to have been written during the early part of the second century. Among his students were polycarp, pappias, and ignatius.
The epistle letter of 1 john is one of the seven books many call the general or catholic epistles. The words abideth 8 times and fellowship 4 times are used in 1st john more than any other book in the bible. John is not one of the three synoptic common view gospels, but instead was written with a more theological substance, yet equally as inspired and important as the first three gospels. Book of john overview insight for living ministries. Jan 02, 2020 however, all the evidence points to the author as john the beloved disciple who also wrote the gospel of john. The book of 3 john would most likely have been written at about the same time as john s other letters, 1 and 2 john, between a. Still, there is reason to believe that the traditional understanding here is correct. First john is the fourth of the general epistles or catholic letters, the writings of apostles to the church at large. This summary of the book of 1 john provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of 1 john. This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true john 21. Irenaeus and clement of alexandria suggest the letter was written after johns gospel circa a. Obvious similarities to 1 john and the gospel of john suggest that the same person wrote all three books.
The fact that the gospel of john feels a need to address it points to an early date for the book. The john rylands papyrus fragment 52 of john s gospel dated from 1178 a. It is the first and largest in a series of 3 epistles that bear the apostle john s name. Some writers, however, have advanced the preterist from a latin word meaning that which is past view, contending that the apocalypse was penned around a.
Since the author of 1 john seems to build on concepts and themes found in the fourth gospel, it is reasonable to date the letter somewhere between a. These three books are often referred to as letters, though only 1 and 2 john truly fit that description. Apparently this epistle, together with second and third john, was written in the later part of the first century while john was in ephesus. He was one of jesus 12 disciples, and therefore was an eyewitness to the events he recorded. There is a great emphasis on forms of the word know all through 1st john. All of his books were written later in life and after all the other books in the bible were recorded. The key personalities of this book are jesus christ, his twelve disciples, mary magdalene, john the baptist, lazarus, his sisters mary and martha, jewish religious leaders. The letters of john, particularly the first letter, bear a remarkable similarity to the gospel of john.
They may have been written to the churches in asia minor, over which john apparently took oversight. John was a companion of simon peter, and was a fisherman by trade before jesus called him. Book 23 john s first letter, to the churches around ephesus with people, places, definitions writer. How could john the baptist have written the gospel of john. The book of john is a gospel that contains narrative history, sermons, parables, and a few prophetic oracles. The book of john niv audio holy bible high quality and. John the baptist wasnt the author of the gospel of john. The book of first john is an epistle authored by the same john that wrote the gospel of john. While paul wrote to specific congregations and individuals, peter, james, john, and jude wrote to broader audiences scattered across the roman empire. The apostle john, towards the end of his life date. Its purpose was to warn about the increasing threat of false teachings and to reassure christians of their faith and love in jesus christ.
The first letter of john is the fourth of seven catholic or universal letters of the new testament of the bible, along with the james. This fourth catholic or general epistle is attributed to john the evangelist. Euangelion kata ioannen is the fourth of the canonical gospels. Despite the fact that there is no direct internal evidence that the apostle john wrote the three epistles called 1, 2 and 3 john, the conclusion of most church historians from the second century onwards is that the author was the apostle john. Because of this lack of specific information in the letter itself, the attempt to understand something of the background and setting of the johannine letters is related to two other areas which also require discussion. The relationship of 1 john to the fourth gospel has been the subject of much scholarly debate. Then he writes, so when john says, these are written so that you may believe that jesus is the christ, the son of god, and that by believing you may have life. The attributions within these books are not at all clear on this point, since the gospel of john and 1 john are anonymous, 2 john and 3 john are letters from the elder, and the revelation is given to simply his servant john rev 1. In places, believe it or not it drags but, all together it is john in his own write. Yet only onethe gospel of john claims to be an eyewitness account, the testimony of the unnamed disciple whom jesus loved. Traditionally, the authorship of 1, 2, and 3 john has been ascribed to the apostle, john son of zebedee, who also was understood to be the author of the gospel of john and revelation. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it twere the 60s. The first epistle of john and the writings of qumran. In 2 john the author is writing to a particular congregation to warn the believers there against giving aid or shelter to the false teachers in their ongoing missionary efforts.
In these epistles john the apostle of love will share his concerns about those things that would threaten the welfare of the church at the end of the first century. The book is essentially a lesson on distinguishing true christians from those who were not christians. Intro to 1 john biblica the international bible society. Norman perrin presents a solution that connects the redactor of john with the author of the letter the new testament. It has no traditional introduction from whom, to whom. John from the holy bible new international version niv book 43 please note we have increased the volume and the pitch of the audio for a clearer sound, so. It is written from the perspective of a first hand witness of the events of christs life. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john, is a book of the new testament. Jun 25, 2019 he had ministered to the church in ephesus. The first epistle of john, often referred to as first john and written 1 john or i john, is the first of the johannine epistles of the new testament, and the fourth of the catholic epistles. It is the 62 nd book in the bible and is located in the new testament. Clement of alexandria place the apostle john in ephesus during most of his later years.
Near the end of the 1st century, john was exiled to the island of patmos. Book of first john overview insight for living ministries. The book called the first epistle of john 1 john is believed to have been written shortly after the split in the johannine community, which appears to have occurred early in the second century. Believers on jesus must go on believing in jesus in order to be saved in the end.
Traditionally, the book of revelation has been dated near the end of the first century, around a. Ephesus, on the west coast of asia minor to where paul wrote his letter to the ephesians in c ad62 readers. The holy bible book 62 1 john kjv dramatized audio. In addition to this one, john wrote two other new testament letters, a gospel, and possibly the prophetic book of revelation. He was prolific and proud and not afraid to take risks. A number of reasons were involved in writing 1 john. Letters of john, three new testament writings, all composed sometime around ad 100 and traditionally attributed to john the evangelist, son of zebedee and disciple of jesus. Fellowship with god chapter 1 3 brotherly love chapter 4 victory over the world chapter 5. The gospel of john is supposed to have been written by john the apostle. Nov 19, 2015 the author we can say with confidence that the apostle john is the author of the book of 1st john. This is the holy book of 1 john, known as the first epistle general of john.
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