1 John 4: 4 12 God’s Love And Mercy

Target year level: Year Ten

Scripture text

Introduction

The First Letter of John (1 John) is part of a body of literature in the New Testament that is collectively given the title Johannine Literature. Included in this literary corpus are the Gospel of John, the Book of Revelation and the three Letters or Epistles of John. This body of New Testament literature is attributed to the apostle John. In New Testament times and in the early period of Christian history, scholars identify distinctive Johannine communities of Christians whose theological and spiritual character is closely linked to the Gospel of John and the emphases and concerns expressed in Johannine Literature.

For a brief orientation to the Johannine letters 1 John, 2 John, 3 John go to Johannine Letters.

World behind the text

The authorship of the First Letter of John is disputed by scholars and is not certain. In the ancient world, it was not uncommon to attribute authorship of a work to a well-known and authoritative figure in order to anchor the authority and authenticity of a text. A date later than 100 CE is suggested for 1 John. The Johannine letters are generally agreed to have been written after the Gospel of John which some think to have been written between 90-100 CE. Scholars note that Gnosticism and Dualism form an important background in understanding Johannine literature in its historical context. In comparison to the more down to earth emphases of the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John is characterised by a strong emphasis on signs, on strong contrasts, on the importance of the Spirit and on Jesus as the Word the Way, the Truth and the Life come down from heaven to earth to save humankind. The Gospel of John was the favourite Gospel of Gnostic Christian Churches that developed in the early history of Christianity and came to be regarded as hereticalby the Christian mainstream. 1 John is written against the background of splits in the Johannine communities between those who overemphasised Jesus’ divinity and tended towards heretical Gnostic and dualistic interpretations of John’s Gospel and those who held onto the humanity of Jesus and stressed the significance of Jesus’ incarnation for an orthodox, balanced Christology and Ecclesiology.

For further discussion on authorship, date, audience, purpose and historical context of 1 John, see the The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), Introduction to 1 John.

World of the text

1 John 4:4-6 in the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible is set out under a heading - Testing the Spirits. Verses 4-6, dealing with contrasting those who are ‘from God’ with those who are ‘from the world’, can be interpreted in the light of the struggles over orthodoxy and correct living of the Christian life both within and beyond the Johannine communities. There is need for discernment as to what is really true and what is false. Error exists both within the Christian community and beyond it. 1 John 4:7-12 comes under the heading - God is Love. The writer summarises what is at the kernel of John’s Gospel and John understands Jesus’ incarnation, his becoming human, as at the core of what it is to be Christian. The test of authentic Christian life is the test of love. Love is to be expressed in down to earth ways both in love of God and love of one another. For a more detailed commentary on 1 John 4:4-12 go to Michael Fallon 242-243. (pdf)

World in front of the text

The struggle against error and the asserting of what is true continues to be important in contemporary society. Truth is not ultimately a matter of weaving together persuasive words and smart arguments. In the end, we come to know truth through experience and particularly through the fruits that truth produces. Something can seem plausible but, in the end, we come to experience that it is not authentic, that it is in error, that it is just not true. From a Christian perspective what is true is what passes the test of love of God and love of neighbour.