1 João 1
Tyndale Open Study Notes · Tyndale Open Study Notes
1 João 1:1
1:1-4 Este prólogo poético reflete a mensagem do prólogo do Evangelho de João (João 1:1-18). • O nós que ocorre ao longo do prólogo refere-se a João e aos outros apóstolos, e talvez a outros cristãos que viram e tocaram Jesus Cristo. Os apóstolos estavam entre as testemunhas oculares de Jesus e tinham comunhão pessoal com Deus por meio dele. João, representando os apóstolos, agora convida os leitores a participarem dessa comunhão. 1:1 Nós vos proclamamos aquele que existiu desde o princípio: isto é, desde antes dos tempos, eternamente (João 8:58). Quando Jesus veio em carne (João 1:14), os apóstolos o viram. . . e tocou nele. Esta afirmação de que realmente tocaram a Palavra da vida é importante porque o gnosticismo e o docetismo (primeiras heresias cristãs) negavam que Cristo fosse verdadeiramente um ser humano (ver 1 Jo 4, 2-3). Jesus, o Filho de Deus, é a expressão pessoal do Deus invisível e o doador da vida eterna (João 1:1-4).
1 João 1:2
1:2 life itself (Greek zōē): Throughout the New Testament, this word is used to designate the eternal life of God (e.g., Eph 4:18). This life resides in Christ, and he makes it available to all who believe in him. • This one . . . was revealed to us: Jesus, the Christ, was known to his apostles as a human being during his earthly ministry.
1 João 1:3
1:3 what we . . . have actually seen: The Word of life had, as a man, revealed God to the apostles. • our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son: Once the Spirit regenerated the apostles, they entered into spiritual fellowship with the Father and the Son. • you may have fellowship with us: Whoever entered into fellowship with the apostles by associating with them while they were alive, or enters now by remaining in their teaching, has fellowship with the Father and the Son through them.
1 João 1:4
1:4 so that you may fully share our joy: The joy that the apostles have comes from their fellowship with God the Father and the Son (1:3). Readers will share this joy when they enter into the same fellowship.
1 João 1:5
1:5–2:6 Here John focuses on the first aspect of living in fellowship with God. Living in the light means that the believers will see that they are sinners, but they will also realize that Jesus is their Advocate to make them right with God (see Eph 5:6-13). 1:5 God is light: This light shone through Jesus Christ to all he came in contact with, to expose their sin and to illumine the moral nature and character of God (see John 1:4-5, 9; 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5; 12:35-36, 46). In the writings of John, “light” represents God’s holiness and revelation. It is the opposite of false teaching and undisciplined living, which is “darkness” (1 Jn 1:6).
1 João 1:6
1:6 This is the first of several instances in which John challenges the claims of the Gnostics, who had broken away from the apostolic fellowship and were thus living in spiritual darkness. They claimed to have fellowship with God but did not express his character, which is light. Jesus had warned the Jewish leaders of his day not to let the light they thought they had be darkness (Matt 6:23)—their religious beliefs had blinded them to the spiritual illumination they could have received from Christ. In like manner, these Gnostic teachers thought they were enlightened but were actually darkened by their so-called illuminations. They claimed to have spiritual experiences from God, yet they rejected fellowship with the ones who had actually seen God in the flesh, namely, John and the other apostles.
1 João 1:7
1:7 Believers have fellowship with each other and with God as they live in the light. People cannot say they commune with God and then refuse to have fellowship with God’s people. This was the case with the Gnostics. The apostles of Christ had known Jesus Christ as God-in-the-flesh and were continuing to have spiritual fellowship with him (1:3).
1 João 1:8
1:8 If we claim we have no sin: This is the second false claim of the Gnostics (see 1:6). They claimed that they were or could be sinless since Christ had abolished their sins once and for all—their higher knowledge would lift them above the realm of sin. But Christians do still sin when they live in their old nature (see Rom 7:14-25). The true Christian both acknowledges this sin (1 Jn 1:9) and trusts in Christ to take it away.
1 João 1:9
1:9 To maintain continual fellowship with God, we need to confess our sins to him. Forgiveness and cleansing are guaranteed because God is faithful to his promises and because he acts on the basis of his justice. Christ’s death for our sins fulfills God’s justice and acquits us of our guilt.
1 João 1:10
1:10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar: God’s word emphasizes the permeating and penetrating nature of sin (see study note on 1:8).