Genesis 28:1 - Meaning and Application

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The First General Epistle of John

1. The church has long believed that this letter came from John the apostle. Even so, there is other evidence that strongly supports that tradition, and for some people it may even be stronger than tradition itself. The writer sounds like one of the apostles because he speaks with direct, personal certainty about the Son of God in his human nature: “That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He also refers to the evidence Christ gave Thomas, when he told him to feel the marks of the nails and the spear, an event John recorded. And he must have been one of the disciples who were present when the risen Lord came to them on the same day he rose from the dead and showed them his hands and his side (John 20:20).

2. To know which apostle this was, almost any careful reader who pays attention to style, argument, and spirit will conclude that this letter came from the same writer as the Gospel of John. The two writings agree wonderfully in the names and titles they give the Savior, such as the Word, the Life, and the Light. Jesus is also called the Word of God (compare 1 John 1:1 and 1 John 5:7 with John 1:1 and Revelation 19:13). They also agree in praising God’s love to us (1 John 3:9; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 5:1; John 3:5, 3:6). And both writings point to the same passage about water and blood coming from the Savior’s pierced side: “This is he that came by water and blood” (1 John 5:6). So this letter plainly comes from the same hand as that Gospel.

3. I know of no other Gospel where the text itself gives such clear evidence about its writer as the Gospel of John does. In John 21:24, the sacred writer identifies himself: “This is the disciple that testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.” Who is this disciple, except the one Peter asked about, “What shall this man do?” And whom the Lord answered, “If I will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?” (John 21:22). He is also described in John 21:20 by three marks, he was the disciple whom Jesus loved, the Lord’s special friend, he leaned on Jesus’ breast at supper, and he asked, “Lord, who is it that will betray you?” If it is certain that this disciple was John, then the church may be just as certain that the Gospel and this epistle came from the beloved John.

4. This letter is called general because it is not addressed to one particular church. It is more like a circular letter, or a bishop’s visitation charge, sent to several churches, some say in Parthia. Its purpose was to strengthen believers in their firm loyalty to the Lord Christ and to the holy teachings about his person and work against false teachers. It also aimed to stir them up to honor that teaching by loving God and their fellow believers, especially one another, since they come from God, are united under the same head, and are moving toward the same eternal life.