The Commandment to Love
2:7-11
In the previous passage, John addressed his readers as “my little children”. He starts this new passage by addressing his readers as “Beloved”(or “dear friends in the NIV”). (7) This is again an expression of his affection for them, but also is used to focus them on this commandment to love.
By the “old commandment”, John refers to the gospel command to believe in Jesus and to love him and other believers. The beginning is the time they first heard and believed the gospel.
Then it seems John contradicts himself, for he says while it is an old commandment, it is a new commandment which is true in Jesus because the darkness is passing away and true light is already shining. (8)
Jesus gave a new commandment to his followers. He said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. (John 13:34-35)
Therefore we see that the commandment was new when Jesus gave it, but is now an old commandment to them decades after Jesus gave it and after they first heard it. This is John’s way of saying he is reminding them of this commandment to love each other, but it is not a new thing he made up; he is just teaching what Jesus taught.
This new commandment is true, or real, in Jesus and in those who follow him, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Jesus has ushered in a new era. The kingdom has arrived even though it is not consummated. Jesus is destroying the works of the devil and repelling the darkness that he brings. Darkness is the realm where sinful behavior predominates.
You have to love Jesus to accomplish this love for God and neighbor. In fact, you demonstrate that you are in Christ when you love your brother or sister in Christ. If you hate them, you are not in Christ. You are not walking in the light, but the darkness. (9) If you live in darkness, you do not even know where you are going, because darkness blinds your eyes. (11) This indicates that those who left the church in John’s time and location did not practice love for fellow believers. They likely hated John and those loyal to him and his gospel.
But if you love your Christian brothers and sisters, you do abide, or live, in the light. That light is Jesus who will not cause you to stumble, to fall into sin.
The loudest voices in American culture right now are blinded by their rejection of Jesus and his holy requirements. They do not see where they are going, and where the end is, because they are blind. But their way leads to destruction. Proverbs 14:12 says “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death”. When the absolute truth of God’s word is rejected, the only truth is that of the mob, the loudest voices, and it will always lead to darkness, death and judgment.
Affirmation and Exhortation
2:12-15
In this section, set out as a poem, John twice refers to his readers as children, fathers, and young men, both times in this order. At first glance, one might think that John is speaking to three different groups of people. However, John began this passage speak of the whole group as his little children. (2:1) He sums up the passage by referring to them all as “little children”. (2:28)
He has a relationship with them similar to a parent and child. He loves them, feels responsible for them, teaches them, and protects them. Therefore, the term “children” here seems to apply to the whole group of believers John addresses. This is further demonstrated by John’s statement the he writes them because their sins are forgiven for his (Christ’s) names sake. (12) All believers are forgiven by the Father because of the work of the Son.
Within the whole group of believers, John addressed two groups: fathers and young men. This seems to simply refer to older believers and younger believers. It is similar to 1 Timothy 5, where Paul instructed Timothy to treat older men and fathers and younger men as brothers.
We should also note that women are not excluded from this passage. The use of the masculine terms is the way people spoke at that time. Older women and younger women fit into these terms just like the men.
John writes to the older men and women (fathers) because they have known Jesus, he who is from the beginning. He writes to the younger people because they have overcome the Evil One. By abiding in God through Christ, they receive the protection of the Father and the son and are able to over come evil through their faith. They will not be led astray by those who have left the fellowship or those who are just in the world.
Again in verse 13, John refers to them as children, this time as children who know the Father. All of those who are in Christ know the Father. Jesus told his disciples, “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:7)
John then repeated his earlier statement that he wrote the older people because they had known Jesus from the beginning. But, writing to the younger people, he expanded on his previous statement. He added they they were strong and the word of God abided in them. They are strong because they have the word of God in them. In this context, the “word of God” likely means the commandment to believe in Jesus and to love one another. Since they are firm in their faith and obedience, they overcome the evil one.
So, we see that all of these statements are positive. They are affirmations of the strong faith of his readers. next, John will exhort them on a particular issue.
The Exhortation: Do Not Love The World
2:15-17
John instructed his readers not to love the world and the things in the world. He drew a stark contract between the things of the world and God. First, he said, if you love the world, you do not love the Father. (15) The “world” here is all of the attitudes and values that are opposed to God and the things he values.
The things of the world are the desires of the flesh (the cravings) are those things we want and desire for the wrong reasons. They are the desires of the eyes and the pride in possessions. (16) The desires, or lusts, of the eyes involve things we see and covet. You see a big house a friend owns and you covet it, for example.
Next is the pride in possessions (pride of life). This means being puffed up with pride because of what you have. You have a bigger house than your friends, or a more expensive car, or take fancier vacations, and you are proud of that.
John said these desires are not from the Father, they are from the world. You cannot love the Father and these things too. Additionally, these things will all pass away, along with the desire for them. All the expensive possessions that make you feel better than everyone else will pass away. Certainly they will pass away at the end, but they may also go away before then. Life is uncertain.
But, while possessions are temporary, the person who does the will of God is eternal. The man or woman who loves Jesus, lives in obedience to God’s word, and finds their joy in these things, will enjoy these things forever.
The one who loves worldly things will pass away with them and the world at the end.
No comments:
Post a Comment