Lesson 6 - Johannine Epistles Flashcards
What does John say about the seemingly paradoxical nature of sin and the life of the believer?
“You’re not sinless, but you should stop sinning”
- ) No one is sinless, everyone is a sinner (1 John 1:9)
- - 2nd use of the law (total depravity)
- - against perfectionism of gnostics - ) We should not live in sin; we shouldn’t go on sinning
- - 3rd use of the law
- - 1 John 2:1
What specific heresies does John combat in his first epistle? How does he go about refuting them?
His concern is not polemical, but pastoral.
– He does not attack the false teachers like Peter, but rather he encourages his readers to abide in sound Christian faith and live consistently with true Christian conduct.
- ) Gnostics - claimed special knowledge
- - 1 John 2:18-20; 27
- - use of all : you all have knowledge
- - Gospel is for every single person - ) Denied that JEsus came in the flesh
- - 1 John 4:2-3 - ) Denied that Jesus was the Christ (2:22)
- - Cerinthus - gnostic heretic (believed Jesus gave up the Christ before he died)
- - Adoptionistic view of Christ - ) Antichrists
- false Christs
- most important false doctrine is around the person and work of Christ
How do Christians live as Children of God?
- SinceGod is light it means that his children must walk in the light (truth)
- Since God is love it means that his children too must love as he loved (sacrifices his self for the sake of the brotherhood)
- love and holiness/obedience
How does John’s use of “the whole world” impact the doctrine of atonement?
1 John 2:22 - Jesus died for the whole world
Everyone limits the atonement, unless you’re universalist (Atonement is not limited in power, but in intent)
- “whole world” doesn’t mean “whole” (not without exception, but without distinction)
- Not talking about quantity of people, but ethnicity (jesus didn’t just die for Israel, but whole world)
- Jesus is savior of all kinds of different people
Explain how John’s letter does not teach perfectionism.
1 John 3:6 - no one born of God sins
- ) Translation
- NIV: “Keeps on sinning” - ) Present tense Greek
- Simple/Undefined - I sin
- Progressive - I am sinning/I keep on sinning - ) Context
- - seems to point toward continous
- - Not the existence of salvation that puts your salvation to question, but it’s the continuation of sinning
What is the controversy surrounding 1 John 5:7-8? Is this an important issue? Why or why not?
Textual Variant from the KJV
- 5:7-8 in KJV based on the Textus Receptus: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the blood; and these three agree in one. (Problematic addition)
- We have no Greek manuscript before the 14th c. that includes this (only 4 after have it)
- Erasmus (3rd edition)
What are the various interpretations of 1 John 5:6? How do these compare with the overall context of the book as a whole?
What is meant by the water and blood?
- ) Reference to Jesus’ death
- John 19:34 - Jesus stabbed and water flowed out
- Problems:
- - different order of water and blood
- - verb: came (how does Jesus come by water and blood)
- - v. 6 - doesn’t explain by water only? - ) Reference to Sacraments
- Sacraments don’t fit context (incarnation, not church)
- Verb: came (how does Jesus come by sacraments)
- blood is never used to refer to Lord’s Supper in early church
- What would it mean to come by water only? - ) Reference to Jesus baptism and crucifixion against false adoptionistic teaching
- said only in Jesus baptism is Jesus the Son of God
- explains v. 6 - not by water only
