1 João 2
John Piper · Citado em PreceptAustin
1 João 2:1-6
Piper - So here in 1 John 2:4 John not only says that this disobedient person does not know God. He goes on to say at the end of the verse, "The truth is not in him." This is why his knowledge is not knowledge. It is not in him. He carries it on the surface. It has never sunk in. He has never tasted the truth he mouths so easily. So the knowledge John has in view in 1Jn 2:4 is an experience of Christ and God the Father in which they are taken into the depths of our life and change the way we live. John's whole case hangs on the certainty with which knowing God produces obedience. If a person could know God and still live in disobedience, then John could not say to this disobedient man in verse 4 that he is a liar when he claims to know God. John would not be able to know if he is a liar or not if he might know God and yet live in disobedience....the point is that people who do not keep the word of God cannot claim to love God or have the love of God in them. As 1Jn 4:8 says, "He who does not love does not know God; for God is love." So the first stage of the argument is the foundational truth that there is a necessary connection between knowing Christ and obeying his commandments. Anyone who claims to know him and lives in disobedience is a liar. (Obedience Confirms Our Standing in God) Robert Candlish - The language is more forcible than ever. He not merely “lies” (1Jn 1:6); but “is a liar.” Not merely does he “not do the truth,” but in that man “the truth is not.” To affect any knowledge of God that is not to be itself known and ascertained by the keeping of his commandments,—to dream of knowing God otherwise than in the way of keeping his commandments—is to be false to the heart’s core. "An unchanged life is the sign of an uncleansed heart." -- C H Spurgeon Gary M. Burge says here John "describes the person who feigns intimacy with God and rejects obedience (the same description is given in 1Jn 2:11). John’s words are severe: This person is a liar. In 1Jn 1:8 we learned that the denial of sin is evidence that truth is not in a person. Now we learn that the denial of obedience means the same thing: Truth is absent. We must keep in mind the central place of “truth” in Johannine vocabulary. Truth describes Jesus (John 14:6), the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:17), and the word (Jn 17:17). Truth is the principle of spiritual integrity that should accompany all worship that is empowered by God’s Spirit (Jn 4:24). Therefore, John is here not simply saying that someone who fails to obey has missed the point; instead, such people are seriously disconnected from God. (See The Letters of John - Page 98). You can stop these things without being born again, but you cannot be born again without stopping them. Ray
1 João 2:1-6
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; Greek: Teknia mou, tauta grapho (1SPAI) humin hina me hamartete. (2PAAS) kai ean tis hamarte, (3SAAS) parakleton echomen (1PPAI) pros ton patera, Iesoun Christon dikaion; Amplified: MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father—[it is] Jesus Christ [the all] righteous [upright, just, Who conforms to the Father’s will in every purpose, thought, and action]. (Lockman) ESV: My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. KJV: My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: NIV: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. NLT: My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if you do sin, there is someone to plead for you before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who pleases God completely.
1 João 2:7-11
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:7 Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: αγαπητοι ουκ εντολην καινην γραφω υμιν αλλ εντολην παλαιαν ην ειχετε απ αρχης η εντολη η παλαια εστιν ο λογος ον ηκουσατε Amplified: Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the message which you have heard [the doctrine of salvation through Christ]. (Lockman) Berkley (Modern Language): Dear friends, I am writing you no new command, but only the old command which you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. ESV: Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. KJV: Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. HCSB: Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old command that you have had from the beginning. The old command is the message you have heard. NET: Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have already heard. NIV: Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. NLT: Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.
1 João 2:7-11
Piper - 1 John 2:7-11: The One Who Loves Lives in Light Love and Live in the Light There is a direct link between last week’s text and today’s text. Last week in 2:4 John said, “He who says ‘I know him’ but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” Today in 2:9 John says, “He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. He who loves his brother abides in the light.” In other words last week John spoke of obedience to the commandments in general as the way we test ourselves. This week he speaks of obedience to the love commandment in particular as the way we test ourselves. Today’s text falls into two halves. In the first half verses 7 and 8 tell us what specific commandment John thinks we should use in testing the reality of our new birth. And in the second half verses 9–11 describe the way that test would be carried out in two cases. One case (verses 9 and 11) amounts to a warning—professing Christians who hate are doomed in the dark! The other case (verse 10) amounts to a promise—people who love live in the light, that is, they are truly born again.So the overall point of the passage (verses 7–11) is that we should keep the commandment of love and so confirm our standing in the light of God....The test is virtually the same as 1Jn 3:14, “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren.” Love is the living evidence of new birth and eternal life. The gospel contains not only the commandment to trust Jesus, but also the commandment, in the power of that trust, to be changed into a loving person. 1 John 2:8 On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: παλιν εντολην καινην γραφω υμιν ο εστιν αληθες εν αυτω και εν υμιν οτι η σκοτια παραγεται και το φως το αληθινον ηδη φαινει Amplified: Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true (is realized) in Him and in you, because the darkness (moral blindness) is clearing away and the true Light (the revelation of God in Christ) is already shining. (Lockman) Berkley (Modern Language): On the other hand I am writing you a new command, realized in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. ESV: At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. KJV: Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. HCSB: Yet I am writing you a new command, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. NET: On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. NIV: Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. NLT: Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
1 João 2:12-14
Piper - Why John Addresses Three Groups Here - Let's get one obstacle out of the way right off the bat. When John addresses children, fathers, and young men, he does not mean that what he says of one group is not true of the other. That's obvious as you read the whole letter and see each of these privileges applied to the church as a whole. I think the three groups of "children," "fathers," and "young men" originated something like this. In these verses John wants to reach out to the church with affection and encouragement. So he begins by calling them all children, just like he does five other times (1Jn 2:1, 18; 3:18; 4:4; 5:21). Then he pauses and thinks: "I certainly don't want to give offense to the leaders in the church—the venerable old men or the virile young men—with this affectionate term 'children.' Perhaps I should address these two groups directly this once." And so he applies truths that are valid for the whole church to these two specific groups: the venerable fathers have knowledge, and the virile young men have conquered. But don't skip over these verses if you don't happen to be in one of those groups. What is true for them is true for all believers… John knows that his letter is tough. The main burden of this letter is that you can have assurance that your hope in the foxhole is real when you start shooting your machine gun. But he knows that's not all he needs to say. In this text his burden is to say, "Fellow soldiers—fellow sinners—there is good reason for hope. Sins are forgiven for Christ's sake. You know that Christ has been king forever. And be assured that his enemy and yours is defeated." (The Strong Need Strength) B F Westcott - Hitherto St John has stated briefly the main scope of his Epistle. He has shewn what is the great problem of life, and how the Gospel meets it with an answer and a law complete and progressive, old and new. He now pauses, as it were, to contemplate those whom he is addressing more distinctly and directly, and to gather up in a more definite form the charge which is at once the foundation and the end of all he writes. The section is divided into two parts. The Apostle first gives the ground of his appeal (vv. 12–14); and then he gives the appeal itself (15–17). W A Criswell - This section consists of six sentences, each beginning with the verb "write" (grapho) and containing both an address to a particular group and a commendation. The author counsels three groups: "little children," "fathers," and "young men." Most likely, "children" is a general title for believers (cf. 1Jn 2:1, 18; 3:7; 5:21; etc.), while "fathers" and "young men" refer to mature Christians and new Christians, respectively. These poetic statements are intended to encourage and affirm the confidence of the readers. William
1 João 2:12-14
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:12 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for His name's sake. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: γραφω υμιν τεκνια οτι αφεωνται υμιν αι αμαρτιαι δια το ονομα αυτου Amplified: I am writing to you, little children, because for His name's sake your sins are forgiven [pardoned through His name and on account of confessing His name]. (Lockman) Berkley (Modern Language): I am writing you, dear children, because for His name’s sake your sins have been forgiven you. ESV: I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake. HCSB: I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven because of Jesus’ name. NET: I am writing to you, little children, that your sins have been forgiven because of his name. NIV: I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. NLT: I am writing to you who are God’s children because your sins have been forgiven through Jesus.
1 João 2:15
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:15 Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: Me agapate (2PPAM) ton kosmon mede ta en to kosmo. ean tis agapa (3SPAI) ton kosmon, ouk estin (3SPAI) e agape tou patros en auto; Amplified: Do not love or cherish the world or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) ASV: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. BBE: Have no love for the world or for the things which are in the world. If any man has love for the world, the love of the Father is not in him. GWT: Don't love the world and what it offers. Those who love the world don't have the Father's love in them. (GWT) ICB: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (ICB: Nelson) ISV: Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father's love is not in him. KJV: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Macent: Love not the world, nor let worldly things engage your affections. he that is worldly affected is a stranger to divine love. NAB: Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. NCV: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. (NCV) NJB: Do not love the world or what is in the world. If anyone does love the world, the love of the Father finds no place in him, NLT: Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. (NLT - Tyndale House)
1 João 2:16
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: hoti pan to en to kosmo, e epithumia tes sarkos kai e epithumia ton ophthalmon kai e alazoneia tou biou, ouk estin (3SPAI) ek tou patros all' ek tou kosmou estin. (3SPAI) Amplified: For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification] and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the pride of life [assurance in one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things]—these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) ASV: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 João 2:17
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:17 The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: kai o kosmos paragetai (3SPPI) kai e epithumia autou, o de poion (PAPMSN) to thelema tou theou menei (3SPAI) eis ton aiona. Amplified: And the world passes away and disappears, and with it the forbidden cravings (the passionate desires, the lust) of it; but he who does the will of God and carries out His purposes in his life abides (remains) forever. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) ASV: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. BBE: And the world and its desires is coming to an end: but he who does God's pleasure is living for ever. GWT: the world and its evil desires are passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever. (GWT) ICB: The world is passing away. And everything that people want in the world is passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever. (ICB: Nelson) ISV: And the world and its desires are fading away, but the person who does God's will remains forever. KJV: And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Macent: and the world is passing away, with all its vices: but he that obeys the divine will, shall enjoy a life of immortality. NAB: Yet the world and its enticement are passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains forever. NCV: The world and everything that people want in it are passing away, but the person who does what God wants lives forever. (NCV) NJB: And the world, with all its disordered desires, is passing away. But whoever does the will of God remains for ever NLT: And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever (NLT - Tyndale House)
1 João 2:18-23
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: παιδια εσχατη ωρα εστιν και καθως ηκουσατε οτι αντιχριστος ερχεται και νυν αντιχριστοι πολλοι γεγονασιν οθεν γινωσκομεν οτι εσχατη ωρα εστιν Amplified: Boys (lads), it is the last time (hour, the end of this age). And as you have heard that the antichrist [he who will oppose Christ in the guise of Christ] is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen, which confirms our belief that it is the final (the end) time. (Lockman)
1 João 2:18-23
Piper explains anointing - Acts 10:38+ says that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit. And 1 John 4:13 says that God has given us of his Spirit. So the anointing referred to in 1Jn 2:20 (see note) and 1Jn 2:27 is probably the pouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we are born again. So we can go back and rephrase 1Jn 2:20 like this: “You have the Holy Spirit from God in you and so you know the truth.” And 1Jn 2:27 would go like this: “The Holy Spirit which you received from God abides in you and so you have no need that any one should teach you. That is, you don’t need these progressive prophets who claim to add new information about Christ beyond the truth you heard at the beginning.” What is plain from these two verses is that without the Holy Spirit we would not know the truth. Knowing the truth about Christ is a gift of the Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:18-27 Let What You Heard Abide in You) Luke also records Jesus of Nazareth was anointed "with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38+, cp Acts 4:27+) This anointing of the believers and the resulting knowledge were what distinguished those who remained in the Johannine community from those who left it (1Jn 2:19+). Warren
1 João 2:24
Piper: The world is not just divided into two groups: disciples of Jesus and non-disciples. It is divided into three groups: non-disciples, unreal disciples, and real disciples—people who make no pretense of following Jesus, people that say they follow him and have a surface connection with him, and people who truly follow him. Why did Jesus bring up this distinction? It's disturbing. It makes us squirm and ask ourselves the question which one we are. He brought it up because verse 30 says, "As he was saying these things, many believed in him." There had been a large response to what he was teaching. And whenever there is a large response to anything you may guess that some are being carried along by the crowd. If your friends are going, it's easy for you to go, even if you wouldn't go on your own. You are along for the ride. So Jesus doesn't assume that all this belief is real. What he does is give a test that we can use to see if we are real. And in giving us this test Jesus helps us be real. It is not just a test of reality. It is a pathway to reality. So what becomes clear here again, as we have seen several times before (for example, John 2:23-25; 6:26) is what John meant when he wrote in John 20:31, "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." He meant that this Gospel was written not just to awaken faith in non-disciples, but also to wakeup people who think they are disciples but aren't, and to help those who are real disciples confirm their reality and be stronger in their faith. John's Gospel is written to sustain faith as well as create it. You are in one of those three categories. And therefore all of you are included here. What then is a true disciple? Or what does Jesus mean by saying in verse 31, "you are truly my disciples"? Let's be really clear here: For Jesus "true disciple" is the same as "true Christian" or "true believer." Jesus is not saying that "true disciple" is a second stage in the Christian life. First believer, and then later you attain the level of disciple. There have been ministries who talk that way. First, you're an unbeliever, then you are a believer, then you grow into a disciple, and then you are a disciple maker. That is not the way Jesus thought. And one piece of evidence for saying this is to notice the words he uses here in verse 31: "Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." He did not say to these professing believers, "If you abide in my word, you will become truly my disciples." In other words, he did not teach that being a true disciple was a later stage after simple belief. No. He said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." Now that you have believed, here is how you can know what you now are. You can know if your belief is real: You are now my true disciples if you go on abiding in my word. So there is no thought here about "true discipleship" being a second stage of Christian maturity. True disciple means true believer or true Christian or true follower. It means, for example, truly forgiven for your sins. Look at verse 24: "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." So he says, if you do believe in me, you won't die in your sins… What does it mean to abide in his word? "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." The word "abide" is simply the word "remain." It doesn't carry in it any special spiritual connotations in itself. It means remain in his word. Don't leave it. This doesn't mean that you can't lay your Bible down and go to your work. No. Abiding in the word of Jesus means remaining in that force field of the word. It means not leaving it. (1) Abide means not ceasing to be persuaded by its truth, and never elevating any other truth above it. (2) Abide means not ceasing to be attracted by its beauty and value, and never seeing anything as more beautiful or more valuable or more attractive than the word and the Lord it reveals. (3) Abide means not ceasing to rest in its grace and power—never turning away as though greater peace could be found anywhere else. (4) Abide means never ceasing to eat and drink from the word as the bread of heaven and living water, as if life could be sustained anywhere else. (5) And abide means never ceasing to walk in the light of the word, as though any other light could show the secrets of life. This is what it means to be a true disciple. "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." And the fact that Jesus puts the emphasis on abiding—remaining—gives the answer to our last question: 5. How are abiding in his word and truly being his disciple related to each other? "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples." Jesus is saying that the mark of the true disciple is lasting, enduring, persevering, keeping on in the force field of the word. Temporary tastes of the truth and beauty and value and power and grace and bread and water and brightness of the word do not make you a Christian. The mark of Christians is that we taste and we stay. (Read or listen to Dr Piper's full message - If You Abide in My Word, You Are Truly My Disciples) Comment: I am amazed at some of the comments on this section (Jn 8:30-58), even by scholars who are generally otherwise excellent expositors, such as Dr Thomas Constable (whose work I consider generally to be of peerless scholarship!) And so Dr Constable makes the statement on Jn 8:30 that "in view of the following verses, the faith of some of them seems to have been quite shallow." How can those have genuine saving faith (albeit "shallow") when they are seeking to kill the Savior? (Jn 8:38) And how can they be said to have "shallow" faith, when the Lord Jesus Christ Himself plainly states "You do not believe Me?" To say that John 8:30-59 does not describe a faith that does not save a person (a spurious faith), seems to be ignoring the plain reading of the words of John and of Jesus. I could be in error, but even the Greek text says the same thing in my opinion. John 8:35 "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. NET Note: Jesus’ point is that while a slave may be part of a family or household, the slave is not guaranteed a permanent place there, while a son, as a descendant or blood relative, will always be guaranteed a place in the family (remains forever).
1 João 2:24
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:24 As for you, let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. ( NASB: Lockman) Greek: υμεις ο ηκουσατε απ αρχης εν υμιν μενετω εαν εν υμιν μεινη ο απ αρχης ηκουσατε και υμεις εν τω υιω και εν τω πατρι μενειτε Amplified: As for you, keep in your hearts what you have heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the first dwells and remains in you, then you will dwell in the Son and in the Father [always].
1 João 2:25-27
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:25 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life: (NASB: Lockman) Greek: kai aute estin e epaggelia en autos epeggeilato hemin ten zoen ten aionion Amplified: And this is what He Himself has promised us—the life, the eternal [life].
1 João 2:25-27
Piper explains anointing - Acts 10:38+ says that Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit. And 1 John 4:13 says that God has given us of his Spirit. So the anointing referred to in 1Jn 2:20+ and 1Jn 2:27 is probably the pouring of the Holy Spirit into our hearts when we are born again (cf Titus 3:6+). So we can go back and rephrase 1Jn 2:20+ like this: “You have the Holy Spirit from God in you and so you know the truth.” And 1Jn 2:27 would go like this: “The Holy Spirit which you received from God abides in you and so you have no need that any one should teach you. That is, you don’t need these progressive prophets who claim to add new information about Christ beyond the truth you heard at the beginning.” What is plain from these two verses is that without the Holy Spirit we would not know the truth. Knowing the truth about Christ is a gift of the Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:18-27 Let What You Heard Abide in You) “The Bible without the Holy Spirit is a sundial by moonlight” --D L Moody The Holy Spirit's ministry of guiding and teaching is often described by the term illumination. Without an illumination of the Holy Scriptures, no man can understand God’s divine, infallible revelation ILLUMINATION - A theological term used to express the manner in which the Holy Spirit makes clear to man the Word of God, whether preached or in written form. Without an illumination of the Holy Scriptures, no man can understand God’s divine, infallible revelation because spiritual things are only spiritually—i.e., by the aid of the Holy Spirit—understood or discerned (1 Cor 2:11–14; Jn 16:13). Therefore Paul prayed that the “eyes” of our hearts might be enlightened (Eph 1:18). The Bible in its original text is the inspired, infallible Word of God. Inspiration therefore describes the work of the Spirit in the authors of the Scriptures and the Scriptures themselves; illumination, the means by which the Scriptures are made clear to the reader. (Borrow The Wycliffe Bible encyclopedia) Blind men may read the Bible with their fingers, but blind souls cannot. We need a light to read the Bible by; there is no reading it in the dark. C H Spurgeon -The Holy Ghost – The Great Teacher - But perhaps the best way in which the Holy Ghost leads us into all truth is by illumination. He illuminates the Bible. Now, have any of you an illuminated Bible at home? “No,” one says, “I have a morocco Bible; I have a Polyglot Bible; I have a marginal reference Bible.” Ah! that is all very well; but have you an illuminated Bible? “Yes; I have a large family Bible with pictures in it.” There is a picture of John the Baptist baptizing Christ by pouring water on his head and many other nonsensical things; but that is not what I mean: have you an illuminated Bible? “Yes; I have a Bible with splendid engravings in it.” Yes; I know you may have; but have you an illuminated Bible? “I do not understand what you mean by an illuminated Bible.” Well, it is the Christian man who has an illuminated Bible. He does not buy it illuminated originally, but when he reads it A glory gilds the sacred page, Majestic like the sun; Which gives a light to every age,— It gives, but borrows none. There is nothing like reading an illuminated Bible, beloved. You may read to all eternity, and never learn anything by it, unless it is illuminated by the Spirit; and then the words shine forth like stars. The book seems made of gold leaf; every single letter glitters like a diamond. Oh! it is a blessed thing to read an illuminated Bible lit up by the radiance of the Holy Ghost. Have you read the Bible and studied it, my brother, and yet have your eyes been unenlightened? Go and say, “Oh Lord, gild the Bible for me. I want an expounded Bible. Illuminate it; shine upon it; for I cannot read it to profit, unless you enlighten me.” Blind men may read the Bible with their fingers, but blind souls cannot. We want a light to read the Bible by; there is no reading it in the dark. Thus the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, by suggesting ideas, by directing our thoughts, and by illuminating the Scriptures when we read them. (Spurgeon's full sermon - The Holy Ghost – The Great Teacher) Wuest emphasizes the permanence of the Spirit's abiding in believers - David could pray, “Take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (Ps 51:11+), since the Spirit came upon an individual in Old Testament times for the period of that person’s ministry, and left him when that ministry was over, without affecting his salvation. But in New Testament times, the Spirit is in the believer to stay. As Jesus explained to His disciples the Holy Spirit will be with believers forever (Jn 14:16). (Eerdmans Publishing - used by permission) The Holy Spirit always leads us to the Word and to a deeper understanding of the supremacy and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ. Steven
1 João 2:25-27
Piper asks "How does the anointing of the Spirit enable the saints to know the truth and protect them from deception? 1Jn 2:24 is the key. What it shows is that the truth which the Holy Spirit enables us to know is a truth that is delivered in the preaching of the apostles. “Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father.” Twice in that verse John stresses that the truth that should remain in them is truth that came to them through the ear at the beginning of their Christian walk: “what you heard from the beginning … what you heard from the beginning!” This was the preaching of the apostles. So John is not saying that the anointing of the Spirit enables us to know the truth of Christ by giving additional information beyond what they heard from the beginning. On the contrary John is intent on telling them they have enough revelation in what they heard from the beginning. He does not want to set them off in pursuit of something new. Remember 1Jn 2:7+, “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.” In other words John makes effort to avoid the saying that what the church needs is new revelation. It does not. It needs to let the original apostolic teaching about Christ abide in them. The Word Tests the Spirit - 2 John 9 warns about the danger of progressiveness and newness in the doctrine of Christ: “Any one who goes ahead [progresses] and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who abides in the doctrine has both the Father and the Son.” So the opposite of abiding in what you have heard from the beginning is to “go ahead” to new revelations and secret knowledge offered by Mohammed and Charles Russell and Joseph Smith and Mary Baker Eddy and Jim Jones and Sun Moon and an ever larger stream of antichrists in this last hour of deception. The Holy Spirit does not expand the apostolic teaching of Christ. On the contrary, the Word tests the Spirit. 1 John 4:2 says, “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus has come in the flesh is of God.” The Spirit agrees with the apostolic doctrine or it is not the Spirit of God. This is why we reject the teaching of Mr. Moon. Not because we can boast of different revelations from the Spirit, but because his claim does not square with the faith once for all delivered to the saints in the teaching of the apostles. So the work of the Holy Spirit is not to take us beyond the teaching of the apostles. It is to help us accept and abide in that teaching. It helps us grow in our understanding of that teaching. It strengthens our power to practice that teaching. It increases our confidence in the truth of that teaching. But it does not change the teaching. It does not expand on the teaching. (1 John 2:18-27 Let What You Heard Abide in You) RELATED RESOURCES: The Bible and Illumination Our Anointing - The Holy Spirit John Piper's Sermon - How the Spirit Helps Us Understand - Desiring God Scriptures Related to Illumination: Ask for illumination - Psalm 119:18+ "Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Thy law. " Jesus provides illumination on the Scriptures. Luke 24:45+ "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures" The Holy Spirit will bring illumination. John 14:26+ “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (While this was a promise given specifically to the 11 disciples, but in principle it is applicable to all disciples.") Pray for illumination Ephesians 1:16-19+ (I) do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might Scriptures pierce and illuminate - Hebrews 4:12+ For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Candlish - This anointing is permanent — “it (ultimately not an it but a He) abides in you.” This anointing is not a fitful emotion or wayward impulse, a rapture of excitement, alternating perhaps with deep depression. The anointing partakes more of the nature of a calm, constant, settled conviction. Frames, feelings, fancies, are all fluctuating; they are like the surface waters of the ocean, agitated by every wind. But this inward anointing is far down in the still depths beneath. It “abides in us;” the same always in its own inherent stillness and strength, amid whatever tossing its contact with the upper air may cause. Through tears and cries, as well as smiles and laughter, it abides in us the same; as it did in him who “rejoiced in the Spirit,” and who also “groaned in the Spirit.” “With our groanings which cannot be uttered,” the anointing Spirit, abiding in us, “makes intercession for us;” and our joy, like Christ’s, is “in the Holy Ghost.” This unction then is not to be confounded with our own varying moods of mind, or the varying impressions made on us by external circumstances. This anointing is something far more stable. It gives a certain firm and fixed apprehension of divine things and persons, which various vicissitudes (fluctuations of our state or our conditions) can scarcely interrupt or weaken, and cannot destroy. There may be more or less of the vivid sense of this anointing, at different seasons and in different circumstances; the signs of it may be more or less clearly discernible, and the hold we have of it in our consciousness may be more or less strong. Nevertheless the anointing “abides in us;” keeping God and eternity still before us as realities, in our sorest trials and darkest hours; causing us, as we fall back upon it, like David in his recovery from doubting despondency, to exclaim:—“I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High” (Ps. 77:10). (1 John 2:26-28 The Guileless Spirit, through the Abiding Messianic Unction) Simon Kistemaker - Countless individuals gain a knowledge of salvation through the reading of Scripture. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they are led to Jesus Christ and accept him in faith. After they accept Christ as their Savior, they are baptized in the name of the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yet before their baptism, when they first came to conversion, they already experienced the anointing of the Spirit. (James and the Epistles of John) From Him - From God, with most commentators interpreting this as a reference to Jesus Christ. In Luke 22:49 Jesus affirms "behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father (referring to the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost) upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high." In John 14:16 Jesus declares "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever." So while from Him may refer to Jesus, it is clear that the Father is also intimately involved in sending the Holy Spirit. TEACHING & TEACHER ARE RELIABLE And you have (ou - absolutely) no need (chreia) for anyone to teach (didasko) you; but as His anointing (chrisma) teaches (didasko - present tense) you about all things, and is true (alethes) and is not a lie (pseudos), and just as it (the anointing - aka the Spirit) has taught (didasko) you, you abide (meno - present imperative but some favor present tense) in Him - John is not saying we abandon all teachers but that we have no need to listen to teachers who diverge from the gospel message. No need (chreia) for anyone to teach (didasko) you - To reiterate John is not saying we don't need teachers. John's letter itself is a teaching! And the Bible continually calls for Spirit filled teachers of the saints (F F Bruce adds that “the ministry of teaching must be exercised by men who themselves share the ‘anointing’ of which John speaks, men who remain in the fellowship of the Spirit.”) The NT repeatedly emphasizes teaching (see Mt 28:20, Acts 13:1, 19:9, 2:42, 1Cor 12:28, Eph 4:11, Col 3:16, 1Ti 4:11, 2Ti 1:11, 2:2, 2:24 and cp Jesus' words to Peter to tend the sheep -- Jn 21:15-17 -- you feed them by teaching them the pure milk of the word, solid meat!) Remember also the context of this statement is deceivers trying to cause them to stray from the truth of the gospel message. In that setting we may not always have an anointed teacher present (think about when the 2 Mormon, but we do always have the "Teacher", the Spirit (Jn 14:26, cp 1Cor 2:10-13) and if we are abiding in Him, in fellowship with Him, filled with Him, He will guide us into all the truth (Jn 16:13). The teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit is often referred to as illumination (in contrast to revelation), that is, His "illumination" shines light on His "revelation" (Word of God) so that we might understand its spiritual truths. The Spirit gives us the spiritual capacity to appreciate and appropriate God's truth which is already revealed (in His Word). John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. 1Cor 2:10 For to us God revealed [them] through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 11 For who among men knows the [thoughts] of a man except the spirit of the man, which is in him? Even so the [thoughts] of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual [thoughts] with spiritual [words.] John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. W E Vine on No need of anyone to teach you - this does not suggest that they were without the need of teaching, but rather that with the divine power given to them to detect false teachers they were able to refuse their teachings. The ascended Lord has given spiritual gifts in the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers and these are for the building up of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11, 12+); but the apostle’s point here is that believers are able by the Spirit’s power to be secure against all deceits of the enemy. Human instrumentality was never intended to take the place of dependence upon God; yet, on the other hand, young believers are to be free from that fanaticism which refuses the help of spiritual gifts in the church. (Collected writings) Simon Kistemaker - “Believers do not have to consult learned professors of theology before they can accept God’s truth; in the sight of God, clergy and laity are the same; the Holy Spirit is the teacher of every believer, without distinction.” (James and the Epistles of John) Hiebert adds "The apostle's words must be understood in the light of the context; he "is dealing not with the accumulation of the knowledge of the truth, but with the detection of the truth." John here has in mind the teachings of the Gnostics who claimed to possess an enlightenment which rose higher than the revelation in Christ proclaimed by the apostles. Because the Holy Spirit indwells the true believer and enables him to discern heretical error, he has no need for some cult leader to initiate him into additional secret "knowledge" or professed spiritual insights." (1 John Commentary) The conjunction and (kai) (no need of anyone to teach) "adds the result" (Hiebert) THOUGHT - While AND may seem to be a simple conjunction, it behooves the Bible student (2Ti 2:15) to be diligent to observe this conjunction, asking what is being coupled together? The child of God, with the Bible in his hand and the Holy Spirit in his heart, is capable of all spiritual knowledge. A W
1 João 2:28-29
Piper adds that "Insight or understanding is the product of intensive, headache-producing meditation on two or three verses and how they fit together. This kind of reflection and rumination is provoked by asking questions of the text. And you cannot do it if you hurry. Therefore, we must resist the deceptive urge to carve notches in our bibliographic gun. Take two hours to ask ten questions of Galatians 2:20+ and you will gain one hundred times the insight you would have attained by reading thirty pages of the New Testament or any other book. Slow down. Query. Ponder. Chew.... (John Dewey rightly said) "People only truly think when they are confronted with a problem. Without some kind of dilemma to stimulate thought, behavior becomes habitual rather than thoughtful.” “Asking questions is the key to understanding.” --Jonathan Edwards That said, below are the 5W/H questions for each verse in this chapter (click page to enlarge). This is not neatly typed but is handwritten and was used for leading a class discussion on this chapter, so you are welcome to use it in this "as is" condition... 1 John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: και νυν τεκνια μενετε (5720) εν αυτω ινα εαν φανερωθη (5686) σχωμεν (5632) παρρησιαν και μη αισχυνθωμεν (5686) απ αυτου εν τη παρουσια αυτου Amplified: And now, little children, abide (live, remain permanently) in Him, so that when He is made visible, we may have and enjoy perfect confidence (boldness, assurance) and not be ashamed and shrink from Him at His coming.