The Johannine Writings
Gospel, Epistles, and Revelation
Background and Context
Interpretation—Epistles and Revelation
Part 4
The Letters of John
Introduction
Because of a vocabulary and style that are quite similar to the
Gospel of John, the three letters known as 1–3 John are
regarded as part of the “Johannine Writings.” Although by no
means certain, these letters were probably written after the
publication and circulation of the Gospel of John, with the first
letter possibly written, in part, as a commentary on the Gospel.
This seems to be the case because 1 John appears to be
interpreting the Gospel in such a way as to avoid the potentially
Gnostic interpretation towards which certain aspects of the
Gospel appear to lean. This is seen in the way the physical,
fleshly reality of Jesus is emphasized (1 John 1:1; 4:2; 2 John
7), as well as the emphasis upon Jesus’ messiahship (as
aspect for which the Gnostics cared little; 1 John 2:22).
1 John
Outline of 1 John
1:1–4
Prologue
1:5–2:6
Fellowship with God
2:7–17
The New Commandment
2:18–27
The Christian and the Spirit of the Antichrist
2:28–3:10
Children of God
3:11–18
Love One Another
3:19–24
Confidence
4:1–6
The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error
4:7–21
God is Love
5:1–5
The Victory of Faith
5:6–12
The Witness to the Son
5:13–21
The Knowledge of Eternal Life
Principal Themes of 1 John
• Jesus is from God (4:3), came in flesh
(4:2), and is the Messiah (2:22).
• True Christianity results in love for and
fellowship with one another.
• True Christianity necessitates the
confession of sin.
• Faith provides the Christian with victory.
2 John
Background of 2 John: The “Elder” (perhaps the Apostle John or
his successor, who probably had something to do with the final
form of the Gospel of John and with 1 John) has written to the
“Chosen Lady” (either an actual woman and her actual
“children,” or a church and its members). The letter warns of
itinerant false teachers (vv. 7–11).
Outline of 2 John
1–3
Salutation
4–6
The Command to Love
7–11 The Need for Sound Doctrine and Avoidance of
False Teaching
12–13 Conclusion and Final Greetings
3 John
Background of 3 John: A certain Diotrephes was refusing those
commended by the elder. Some think that Diotrephes was an
arch-conservative who resisted the pneumatic activities of the
“Elder” and his following. Others think that Diotrephes was a
false teacher with Gnostic leanings. In any case, the “Elder”
gives notice to a certain “Gaius” that he will confront this
Diotrephes to his face over his behavior. In contrast to
Diotrephes is Demetrius of whose behavior the “Elder” approves.
Outline of 3 John
1
Salutation
2–4
Following the Truth
5–8
Hospitality
9–12 Diotrephes and Demetrius
13–15 Conclusion
Raymond Brown’s Construct of the
Johannine Community
Some years ago Raymond E. Brown published a book (The Community of the
Beloved Disciple [New York: Paulist, 1979]) in which he attempted to trace
the stages of development of the Johannine community. He proposes the
following four stages:
(1) A group of followers of John the Baptist was joined by a group of
Samaritan converts (echoed in 4:42). This group was led by the “Beloved
Disciple,” who was not one of the original Twelve Apostles (a departure from
Brown’s earlier view as seen in vol. 1 of his AB commentary). The group's
christology became the chief reason for conflict with “the Jews” (or
“Judeans”). This period can be dated between 50 and 80 CE.
(2) The second phase is initiated with the publication of the Gospel of John
(90 CE). The Jamnia expulsion of “heretics” in 85 CE (see 16:2). Brown
identifies various groups in this period: “secret” Christians (such as
Nicodemus [19:39], Joseph of Arimathea [19:38], and others [12:42]), Jewish
Christians, and “apostolic” Christians.
cont’d
Brown’s Construct (cont’d)
(3) By 100 CE the Johannine community is torn by a schism. This is seen by the
writing of the letters by the “Elder” who is confronting the heresies of the
secessionists. The latter are not naive docetists, but adherents of a very high
Christology in which the human death of Jesus was viewed as unimportant. They
believed very strongly in Jesus' continuing presence in the community through the
Spirit, which, by virtue of their special anointing, made them superior to the other
believers. 1 John functions in part as a commentary on the Fourth Gospel. “What
was from the beginning, what we have heard” harks back to the opening words of
the Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word.” Brown further suspects that the
expression, “this is the message,” of 1 John 1:5 should be translated: “this is the
gospel, which we have heard,” etc. ajggeliva can just as easily be rendered
“gospel,” as the more customary eujaggevlion.
(4) The secessionists continue to advance flesh-denying views of Jesus and wind
up full-fledged docetic Gnostics by 125 CE, while in reaction the “conservatives”
emphasize more and more the historicity of the Jesus traditions and eventually
merge with the “Great Church” and so become part of what would eventually be
regarded as “orthodoxy.”
Epistles of John
Early signs of heresy
• 1 John 1:1 “What was from the beginning [ajrchv], what we have
heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld
[qeavomai] and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life [oJ
lovgo" th'" zwh'"].” cf. John 1:1 “In the beginning [ajrchv] was the
Word [oJ lovgo"] . . . in it was life [zwhv]” (v. 4); “and we beheld
[qeavomai] its glory” (v. 14).
• 1 John 4:2 “By this we know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that
confesses Jesus as the Messiah having come in the flesh is of
God.” cf. John 20:31 “These things are written that you believe that
the Messiah, Son of God, is Jesus.” John 1:14 “The Word became
flesh.”
• 2 John 7 “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, who do not
confess Jesus as the Messiah having come in the flesh.” cf. ibid.
• 1 John 2:22 “Who is the liar, other than the one who denies, (by
saying,) ‘Jesus is not the Messiah.’” cf. John 20:31
More heresy
“7Many deceivers have gone out into the world, who do
not confess Jesus as the Messiah having come in the
flesh. 8Watch yourselves, lest you lose what you worked
for, but should receive a full reward. 9Everyone who goes
too far and is not abiding in the teaching [didachv] of the
Messiah does not have God; the one abiding in the
teaching [didachv] has both the Father and the Son. 10If
someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching
[didachv], do not receive him into your home and do not
speak to him a greeting. 11For the one who greets him
partakes in his evil deeds” (2 John 7–11).
Note: An early collection of the teaching of Jesus is in fact
called the Didache, i.e., “The didachv of the Lord.”
and finally schism
“9I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who
loves to be first over them, does not receive us. 10For this
reason, if I should come, I shall recall his deeds that he
does, slandering us with evil words, and not satisfied with
this, he does not receive the brothers, and those who are
like-minded he forbids and casts out of the church.
11Beloved, do not imitate the bad, but the good” (3 John
9–11a).
The Revelation of John
More heresy
• Ephesus — 2:2 “I know your deeds . . . that you cannot endure
evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves
apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false.” 2:6
“You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans.”
• Smyrna — 2:9 “I know your tribulation . . . and the blasphemy by
those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue
of Satan.”
• Pergamum — 2:14–15 “You have some who hold the teaching
of Balaam . . you also have some who in the same way hold the
teaching of the Nicolaitans.”
• Thyatira — 2:20 “You tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls
herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads astray . . .”
Judaic traditions in the seven letters
• Ephesus — false apostles, Nicolaitans, lampstand,
Tree of Life, Paradise of God
• Smyrna — blasphemy, Jews, synagogue of Satan
• Pergamum — Satan, Balaam, Balak, sons of Israel,
things sacrificed to idols, immorality, Nicolaitans,
manna
• Thyatira — Jezebel, things sacrificed to idols, Satan,
morning star
• Sardis — Book of Life, angels
• Philadelphia — key of David, opens/shuts,
synagogue of Satan, Jews, new Jerusalem
• Laodicea — amen, the beginning of creation of God
Revelation and state-sponsored
persecution
•
•
•
•
“I, John, your brother and fellow-partaker in the tribulation . . . was on
the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the
testimony of Jesus” (Rev 1:9).
“And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he
persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child . . . and the
dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with
the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold
to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 12:13, 17).
“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea . . . and the dragon gave him
his power and his throne and authority . . . and it was given to him to
make war with the saints and to overcome them . . . Let him who has
understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that
of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six” (Rev 13:1, 2, 7,
18).
“And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the
blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (Rev 17:6; cf. 18:24).
Judgment of the Wicked
Salvation of the Saints
An illustrated overview
John’s Vision of the Exalted Christ
The four horses
Seven trumpets
Michael fighting the Dragon
The holy city, the new Jerusalem
Qumran and the New Jerusalem
Several scrolls from Qumran concern a vision of a New
Jerusalem:
1Q32
2Q24
4Q554–555
5Q15
11Q18
Sample passage: “… of the bread, and they shall take the
bread [… outside the temple to the south-]west, and [the
bread] shall be divided [… and they will be accepted …]
and while I watched, [the bread was distributed to
eighty-four priests … from all seven sections of the
tables of …] the marks [written …] the elders among
them, and fourteen priests […] the priests. (vacat) Two
loaves of bread that were [covered with incense … and
while] I was watching, one of the two loaves was given
to the [high] priest …” (2Q24 frag. 4 lines 9–14).
11Q18 cols. 1–2
1 [... and] its four sides were high: [...] cubits, [...] living waters
2 [... and the chan]nel near the wall which surrounds the [...] this(?) is of pure gold
3 [... its width is] two [cubits] and its height two cubits [...] water from
4 [...] is beautiful and all is of pure gold [...] vacat
How do we interpret Revelation?
The Problem of Interpretation: There are at least four approaches to the interpretation
of Revelation that are or have been adopted by commentators and theologians down
through the centuries:
1. Futurist Interpretation: Revelation is understood as a prophecy of future events.
Chapters 6–21 are seen as futuristic.
2. Historicist Interpretation: A favorite among the Reformers, this approach attempts to
relate chapters 6-21 to the history of the Church. However, this approach is quite
subjective.
3. Allegorical Interpretation: Some have seen in Revelation no prophecy, but a
symbolic, or allegorical, presentation of the struggle between good and evil. The
popular symbols of apocalyptic have been employed, but should not be taken literally.
4. Preterist Interpretation: Traditionally, a favorite among non-conservative scholars,
this view sees Revelation, especially chapters 6–21, as describing either contemporary
events (from the point of view of the author) or past events. It is pointed out that this
was quite often done with apocalyptic literature (e.g., Daniel appears to have been
written during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar and descendants, when in fact it was
written during the Maccabean period as a message of hope for the Jews struggling
against Antiochus IV).
A suggested approach
Preterist-Futuristic Interpretation: This view combines the scholarly
insights of the Preterist view, but allows for the prophetic possibilities
inherent in the Futuristic view. Although much, if not most, of the contents
of Revelation 6–21 should be viewed against the time in which they were
written, the assertion that Christ will return and vanquish his foes should be
taken seriously by evangelicals who believe in Christ’s return.
Main Theme: Although the Church is portrayed in a life-and-death struggle
against evil in the last days, she is to be encouraged by knowing that her
Lord is sovereign and will conquer her enemies and will vindicate her.
Introductory Matters
Who wrote Revelation, when and why?
Introduction: No other book in the NT is subject to more speculative interpretation than
the Revelation of John. Of the five so-called Johannine Writings only in this one does
the author identify himself as “John” (1:4). But who this John is was debated in the
early Church and is still unresolved today.
Background: The author claims to be in exile for the testimony of Christ (1:9), at which
time he received the vision which he was to send to the seven churches (1:10–11). As
to date Revelation may have been written during the period of persecution under
Emperor Domitian, (c. 96 CE) or perhaps as early as during the reign of Emperor Nero
(c. 64 CE).
Composition: Most scholars believe that the letters to the seven churches in chapters 2–
3 are edited versions of longer letters originally sent to these (and perhaps to other)
churches. These letters originally had been exclusively concerned with false teachings
and immoral practices (such as eating meat sacrificed to idols), an element which is still
present. In their shortened and rewritten form eschatology has been introduced thus
making the letters fit the context of the whole new book better. What prompted the
rewriting of these letters was the vision described in chapters 4–5 and the vision of the
end times of chapters 6–21.