Day 334

Daniel 7:1-28; 1 John 1:1-10; Psalm 119:153-176; Proverbs 28:23-24

TODAY WE WERE reunited with a familiar voice as we began the first of three letters attributed to the beloved apostle John. Ironically, the letter makes no mention of who it is from. Neither does it specify to whom it is addressed. We could conclude that the letter is anonymous, but church fathers in the mid-second century —a mere fifty years (give or take) after it was written —attributed the letter to John the Evangelist. Neither the letter nor its authorship were disputed when the New Testament was canonized. Only in more recent times have scholars begun to ask questions of style between the Gospel of John and the Epistles of John.

Part of the reason for not addressing the letter to a specific group of people may have been that it was intended for circulation in many churches. It is possible that the initial readers were familiar enough with John that he didn’t need to introduce himself in the letter. It is also possible that the recipients of the letter were not identified in order to protect them from potential persecution.

First John was probably written from Ephesus very late in the apostle’s life. Most scholars date the letter between AD mid-90s and AD early 100s. John was largely writing for one purpose: to address false teachings.

Some of the earliest forms of Gnostic thought had made their way into the conversation —especially the early Docetic view that Jesus was not actually a human being but only appeared to be one, and the view of Cerinthus, who taught that the divine Christ united with Jesus at His baptism and then departed at His crucifixion.

John had a unique and authoritative voice against these false teachings —he had been there. John was part of Jesus’ inner circle. He had been with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry. He could dispel a falsehood about Jesus with an eyewitness account —which he did in 1 John.

Beyond denouncing false teaching, the letter offers many contrasts to test our hearts’ postures and encourages us forward in the assurance of our salvation. As we end the eleventh month of our year together, let’s embrace the encouragement offered in the first letter of John the Evangelist.

MEDITATION:

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.