ABBREVIATED
Epistles of
John and the Book of Revelation
The First Epistle of John
The First Epistle of John has strong external evidence
concerning John’s authorship. Polycarp and Papias gave strong evidence of his
authorship. Internally, the author is seen to be an eyewitness (ch.
(1) John wrote concerning the
presence of false teachers and the spiritual carelessness of believers. He
warned against the antichrists who deny the true humanity of Jesus.
(2) John also wrote concerning
the spiritual condition of the believers. Some were careless in their way of
life, involving themselves with the world (
John wrote to explain true fellowship with the Son.
Outline
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Part One: The Source of Fellowship (1:1 – 2:27) |
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I. |
Introduction |
1: 01-04 |
II |
The Circumstances for Fellowship |
1:5-2:14 |
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A. Walk in the Light |
1:05-07 |
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B. Confession of Sin |
1:8-2:2 |
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C. Obedience to His Commandments |
2: 03-06 |
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D. Love for One Another |
2: 07-14 |
III. |
The Cautions to Fellowship |
2: 15-27 |
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A. Love of the World |
2: 15-17 |
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B. Spirit of the Antichrist |
2: 18-27 |
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Part Two: The Behaviour of Fellowship ( |
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I. |
Kind of Fellowship |
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A. Purity of Living |
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B. Practice of Righteousness |
3:04-12 |
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C. Love in Deed and Truth |
3: 13-24 |
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D. Testing the Spirits |
4: 01-06 |
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E. Love as Christ Loved |
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II. |
Consequences of Fellowship |
5: 04-21 |
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A. Victory over the World |
5: 04-05 |
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B. Assurance of Salvation |
5: 06-13 |
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C. Guidance in Prayer |
5: 14-17 |
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D. Freedom from Ordinary Sin |
5: 18-21 |
The Wisdom of
John
Commonly known
as the First Epistle of John
Prologue
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have
handled, concerning the Word of life – the life was manifested, and we have
seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life, which was with
the Father and was manifested to us – that which we have seen and heard we
declare to you, that you may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship
is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1: 01-03)
God is Light
This is the message which we have
seen and heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no
darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness,
we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in
the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ
His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:
05-07)
Cleansing from Sin
If we say that we have no sin, we
deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His
word is not in us. (1 John 1: 08-10) My little children, these things I write
to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for
our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. (1 John 2: 01-02)
The Commandments our Surety
Now by this we know that we know
Him, if we keep His commandments. He who
says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is
perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in
Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. (1 John 2: 03-06)
The Old and New Commandments
Brethren, I write no new commandment
to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old
commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new
commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the
darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in
darkness until now. He who loves his
brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he
who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know
where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. (1 John 2: 07-11)
The Three Ages
I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His
name's sake. I write to you, fathers, because
you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young
men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children,
because you have known the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you have
known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you,
young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you
have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2: 12-14)
Love of the World
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, because all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of
life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and
the lust of it, but he who does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:
15-17)
Antichrist
Little children, it is the last time. And just as you have
heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, from
which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were
not of us; for if they were of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out so that it might be
revealed that they were not all of us. But you have an anointing from the Holy
One, and you know all things. I have not written to you because you do not know
the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. Who
is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He who denies the Father
and the Son is antichrist. Everyone who denies the Son neither has the Father.
The one confessing the Son also
has the Father. Therefore what you heard from the beginning, let it abide in
you. If what you heard from the
beginning remains in you, you will abide in both the Son and in the Father. And
this is the promise that He has promised us: everlasting life. These things I have written to you
concerning those leading you astray. But the anointing which you received from
Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His
anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He
has taught you, abide in Him. And now, little children, abide in Him, so that
when He is revealed, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him in
His coming. (1 John 2: 18-28)
Sons of God
29 If
you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who does righteousness
has been born of Him.
1 John 3
Behold
what manner of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children
of God. Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not yet been revealed what we
shall be. But we know that when He shall be revealed, we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope on him purifies
himself, even as that One is
pure. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, for sin is
lawlessness. And you know that He was revealed that He might take away our
sins, and in Him is no sin. Everyone who abides in Him does not sin. Everyone
who sins has not seen Him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive
you. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as that One is righteous. He who practices
sin is of the Devil, for the Devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose
the Son of God was revealed, that He might undo the works of the Devil.
Everyone who has been born of God does not commit sin, because His seed remains
in him, and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. In this the
children of God are revealed, and the children of the Devil: everyone not
practicing righteousness is not of God, also he who does not love his brother.
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; not as Cain who was of the evil one, and killed
his brother. And for what did he kill him? Because his own works were evil, and
his brother's things were righteous. (1 John
Love of the Brethren
Do not marvel, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know
that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who
does not love his brother
abides in death. Everyone hating his brother is a murderer. And you know that
no murderer has everlasting life abiding in him. By this we have known the love
of God , because He laid down
His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But whoever has this world's goods
and sees his brother having need, and shuts up his bowels from him, how does
the love of God dwell in him? My children, let us not
love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And in this we shall know
that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him, that if our
heart accuses us, God is greater than our heart and knows all things. Beloved,
if our heart does not accuse us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we
ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things
that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment that we should
believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave
us commandment. (1 John 3: 13-23)
The Spirit our Surety
24 And
he who keeps His commandment dwells in Him, and He in him. And by this we know
that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He gave to us.
1 John 4
Beloved,
do not believe every spirit, but try the spirits to see if they are of God,
because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the
Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit
that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antichrist you heard is
coming, and even now is already in the world. You are of God, little children,
and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is
in the world. They are of the world, therefore they speak of the world, and the
world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not
of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit
of error. (1 John 3: 24 – 4: 06)
Love
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and
everyone who loves has been born of God, and knows God. The one who does not
love has not known God. For God is love. In this the love of God was revealed
in us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might live
through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and
sent His Son to be the
propitiation concerning our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to
love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God
dwells in us, and His love is perfected in us. By this we know that we dwell in
Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and
testify that the Father sent the Son to
be the Saviour of the world. Whoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son
of God, God dwells in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that
God has in us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides
in God, and God in him. In this is our love made perfect, that we may
have boldness in the Day of Judgment, that as He is, so also we are in this
world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear
has torment. He who fears has not been perfected in love. We love Him because
He first loved us. If anyone says, I love God, and hates
his brother, he is a liar. For if he does not love his brother whom he has
seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And we have this commandment
from Him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. (1 John 4: 07-21)
Faith
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born
of God. And everyone who loves Him who begets also loves him who has been born
of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, whenever we love God
and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that
we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome. For
everything that has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the
victory that overcomes the world, our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world,
but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5: 01-05)
The Three who bear witness
This is He who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water only, but by the water and blood. And the Spirit is He who bears
witness, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that bear witness
in heaven: the Father, the Word, and
the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.
And there are three that bear witness on the earth: the Spirit,
and the water, and the blood; and the three are into the one. If we receive the
witness of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God
which He has testified about His Son. He who believes on the Son of God has the
witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he
does not believe the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God has given to us everlasting life, and this
life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son
of God does not have life. I have written these things to you who believe on
the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have everlasting life,
and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5: 06-13)
Boldness in asking
And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if
we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He
hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired
of Him. If anyone sees his brother sin a sin not to death, he shall ask, and He
shall give him life for those that do not sin to death. There is a sin to death, I do not say that he shall pray for it. All
unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not to death. (1 John 5: 14-17)
Epilogue
WE KNOW that everyone who has been
born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself,
and the evil one does not touch him.
WE KNOW that we are of God, and all
the world lies in evil.
And WE KNOW that the Son of God has
come, and He has given us an
understanding so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him that is
true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and the everlasting life.
Little children, guard yourselves from idols. Amen. (1
John 5: 18-21)
The Second
Epistle of John
In this second epistle, there is not much external
attestation; but, internal evidence suggests a similarity of structure, style,
and language with John’s gospel. The second epistle has terminology that
identifies it with John; “truth,” “walk,” “new commandment,” “love,” and more.
The epistle was probably written about A.D. 80 from
This could refer to:
(a) The universal church;
(b) A local church;
(c) An actual lady.
By normal language usage, John was probably writing to
a lady whom he knew but who is unknown to scholars today. John wrote to warn
the lady (and the church that was probably meeting in her house, the “ecclesia domestica”) against encroaches of
false teachers. The lady was hospitable and friendly, and John saw the distinct
danger of the lady inviting the itinerant false teachers into her home. John
warned her against showing openness to those false teachers (2 John 10).
Outline
I. |
Abide in God’s Commandments |
01-06 |
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A. Salutation |
01-03 |
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B. Walk in Truth |
04 |
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C. Walk in Love |
05-06 |
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II. |
Abide Not with False Teachers |
07-13 |
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A. Doctrine of the False teachers |
07-09 |
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B. Avoid the False Teachers |
10-11 |
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C. Benediction |
12-13 |
2 John
The
elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth and not only
I, but also all those who have known the truth, for the sake of the truth
dwelling in us, and which shall
be with us forever. Grace will be with you, mercy and peace from God the
Father and from the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. (1 John 01-03)
I rejoiced greatly that I found your children walking in
truth, as we have received command from the Father. And now I beseech you,
lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had
from the beginning, that we
love one another. And this is love, that we walk
according to His commandments. This is the commandment, as you heard from the
beginning, that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have entered into the
world, who do not confess Jesus Christ coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the anti-christ. Look to
yourselves, so that we may not lose those things which we worked out, but that we
may receive a full reward. Everyone transgressing and not abiding in the
doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ,
he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring
this doctrine, do not receive him into your
house, nor speak a greeting to him. For he who speaks a greeting to him is partaker
of his evil deeds. Having many things to write to you, I do not want to say with paper and ink. But I
trust to come to you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be full. The children of your elect sister greet you.
Amen. (2 John 04-13)
The Third
Epistle of John
The close association of epistles 2 and 3 of John
relates both of these to the first epistle and demands a common authorship.
Third John was likely written from
Outline
I. |
The Commendation of Gaius |
01-08 |
|
A. Salutation |
01 |
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B. Godliness of Gaius |
02-04 |
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C. Generosity of Gaius |
05-08 |
II. |
The Condemnation of Diotrephes |
09-14 |
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A. Pride of Diotrephes |
09-11 |
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B. Praise for Demetrius |
12 |
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C. Benediction |
13-14 |
3 John
The elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in the truth. Beloved,
in regard to all things I pray that
you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. (3 John 01-02)
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified of the truth that is in you, even
as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than these things, to hear that
my children walk in the truth. Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you work for
the brothers and for strangers, who in love bore witness of you before the church, whom you will do well to send
forward worthily of God; because they went forth for His name's sake, taking
nothing from the nations. Therefore we ought to entertain such, so that we
might be co-workers in the truth. I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who
loves to have the pre-eminence among them, did not receive us. Therefore if I
come, I will remember his deeds which he does, ranting against us with evil
words. And not content with
these, neither does he himself receive the brothers.
And he forbids those who would, and casts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate the bad, but the
good. He who does good is from God, but he who does
evil has not seen God. Demetrius has good report by all, and by the truth
itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our witness is true. I had
many things to write, but I will not write to you with pen and ink, but I trust
I shall shortly see you, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by
name.( 3 John 03-14)
The Revelation
of Jesus Christ
There is considerable external evidence for John’s
authorship of Revelation (or Apocalypse)
from such early writers as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, and Tertullian. Internally
the writer reveals himself as John (Revelation
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The Seven Sevens of Revelation |
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1 |
The Seven Churches |
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2 |
The Seven Seals |
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3 |
The Seven Trumpets |
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4 |
The Seven Personages |
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The woman |
12: 01-02 |
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The dragon |
12: 03-04 |
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The Man Child |
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The Archangel Michael |
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The Remnant |
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The beast out of the sea |
13: 01-08 |
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The beast out of the earth |
13: 11-18 |
5 |
The Seven Bowls |
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6 |
The Seven Dooms |
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Ecclesiastical |
17: 01-18 |
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Political |
18: 01-24 |
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Antichrist and the false prophet |
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Antichristian nations |
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Gog and Magog |
20: 08-09 |
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Satan |
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The Wicked Dead |
20: 11-15 |
7 |
The Seven New Things |
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New heavens |
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New earth |
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21: 09-23 |
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New nations |
21: 24-27 |
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New tree |
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New throne |
22: 03-05 |
Under Construction
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