Bible Commentaries
1 John

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN.

INTRODUCTION.

This Epistle is attributed to the apostle John, without any question of which I am aware. He is the same John who is the author of the fourth Gospel, called by some the crown of all the Gospels. He was a son of Zebedee, and the brother of James. He needs no lengthy introduction to the reader. It is enough for us to know that special favors were bestowed upon him by the Master, among which were: Being permitted to be present at the raising from the dead of the daughter of Jairus, at the transfiguration and at Gethsemane, the privilege and pleasing duty to care for the mother of Jesus in her declining days, and, finally, to receive the last communication from the Master designed for the children of men. To these special favors, thus bestowed upon John for wise purposes, I think it is safe to add that he was the only one of the Lord's chosen witnesses who was permitted to die a natural and peaceful death.

TIME AND PLACE OF WRITING.

Both the place where John was at the time of writing this Epistle, and the year in which the same was written, can not be determined with even tolerable accuracy. He was evidently somewhere in Judea, and wrote the same imme-diately after his escape from Jerusalem. This escape occurred after the city was besieged by the Romans. Some statements contained in it lead me to this conclusion, which are not necessary to name, as the reader will, on reading the Epistle, easily discover the same. This view, being the correct one, fixes the date of the writing about the year A. D. 69.

In the first instance to Christians in Judea and the surrounding country, and, secondly, for all Christians in all the succeeding ages.

WHY WRITTEN.

The time had arrived predicted by the Master that false Christs would arise. They were then making themselves known, and were promulgating their false doctrines and subverting the faith of some. To prevent the success of their mission, and to encourage the disciples in their loyalty to the doctrine and the cause of Christ, was this Epistle written. These two important objects induced the apostle to write this grand and noble letter.

The rebukes administered to the false teachers are scathing, and the refutation and repudiation of their vicious teachings are cogent, convincing and fearless, while the exhortations to steadfastness in the faith on the part of disciples are the most tender and urgent. The great love of God for the children of men, the model life of the Master, and the inestimable reward to the faithful of eternal life are powerfully portrayed by a master mind and a loving heart.