1,2,3, John: Lesson 1

Overview

The Epistles of Love: Foundations for Studying 1, 2, and 3 John

The letters of John are rightly called the Epistles of Love. The Greek words translated "love" appear 291 times in the New Testament; remarkably, 52 of those occurrences are in these three short letters (46 in 1 John alone), with another 57 in John's Gospel. No biblical author dwells on love more deeply. Each letter has its own focus: 1 John emphasizes the two natures of Christ—truly God and truly man—and the call to love one another; 2 John warns against false teaching; 3 John commends correct teaching. Familiar passages such as 1 John 1:8-9 and 1 John 4:7 anchor the believer in confession, forgiveness, and love that flows from God himself.

From Son of Thunder to Apostle of Love

John's life is itself a testimony to grace. Called from his fishing nets in Luke 5:1-11, he and his brother James were nicknamed "sons of thunder," and we see why: in Luke 9:51-55 they want to call fire down on a Samaritan village, and in Mark 10:35-40 they jockey for seats of honor while Jesus walks toward the cross. Yet this same man becomes the apostle of love. That is the work of God through Word and Sacrament—a reminder that we are not who we were and not yet who we will be. Every believer remains under construction, which gives us reason to be patient with others who are likewise being shaped by grace.

John belonged to the inner circle with Peter and James (see Mark 5:37; Mark 9:2; Mark 14:33). He stood at the cross, received Mary into his care, ran to the empty tomb, and was later recognized as a "pillar" of the early church Galatians 2:9. His firsthand witness gives weight to his opening words in 1 John 1:1-4: "what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes…concerning the word of life."

The Closed Canon and the Voice of God

The price of apostolic leadership was steep. Eleven of the Twelve were martyred—including John's own brother James Acts 12:1-2. John alone died in exile on Patmos, and his long life served a vital purpose: he helped the church discern which writings were genuinely apostolic. The principles that guided this discernment asked whether a book was authoritative (claiming to be from God), prophetic (written by a servant of God), authentic (truthful), dynamic (working by the Spirit), and accepted by the people of God. Jesus himself promised this apostolic guidance in John 14:26 and John 16:12-15. By the time John wrote Revelation around AD 95, the canon was complete—and its closing words in Revelation 22:18-19 warn against adding or subtracting.

Pastoral Application

This shapes how we listen for God's voice today. When someone says, "God told me…," alarm bells should ring, because Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son. Personal impressions cannot stand alongside Scripture as a second authority. The canon is closed; God's authoritative voice comes to us through the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word preserved through the apostles. As we move through these Epistles of Love in the weeks ahead, we come not to human opinion but to the testimony of an eyewitness—one transformed from a son of thunder into the apostle of love—calling us to the same transforming fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.

Transcript

Well, good morning. 4s

What a beautiful day that the Lord has given us, huh? 6s

Beautiful day. 10s

Let's pray together. 11s

Blessed Lord, you have caused all of Scripture to be written for our learning. 13s

Grant that we may so hear, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest the Bible. 19s

That by patience and comfort of your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed 27s

hope of everlasting life through Jesus Christ, our Lord. 34s

Amen. 39s

Well, welcome to Raleigh Sunday, the read beginning of Sunday School, and this marks the beginning 41s

of a new cycle in terms of teaching, a new cycle that's going to go through until we hit 47s

summer of 2025. 54s

So just a little overview of where we're going to be going here in the months ahead. 57s

Today, of course, it begins a nine-week study in which we're going to look at 1st, 2nd, 63s

and 3rd John. 67s

These are called the Epistles of Love, and it'll be very apparent to why that nomenclature 69s

is put on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. 77s

That's going to continue until the first week of November, and then from mid-November until 79s

the end of November, we're going to take a look at lessons from the mission field. 86s

We're going to see what the Bible has to say to us in terms of mission work and as part 91s

of the various classes, you're going to hear little stories of missionaries on the mission 96s

field. 102s

We're then going to study Wisdom incarnate that Jesus is the power and wisdom of God. 103s

That's December and January. 108s

And then in January through March, we're going to study prepared with a reason, and that 111s

is biblically addressing assumptions that our society makes. 117s

So how can we address those biblically? 122s

And then from the end of March until May, through May, we're going to study Galatians justified 126s

by grace through faith. 134s

So I'm so looking forward to this new cycle and so glad that you are here today. 136s

Today what I want to do is I want to lay some foundation for our weeks ahead, like every 143s

home has to have a good foundation. 149s

So I hope to establish here a good solid foundation in terms of what are these letters about, 151s

just big picture, and also who was the author, who was John, because that's important for 158s

us to understand. 165s

Unlike other New Testament letters, the letters of or first John does not begin with a greeting. 168s

For example, in Ephesians, the first chapter, it says, Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus by 177s

the will of God to the saints who are in Ephesus. 184s

Well, you don't have, as you turn to the pages of first John, you don't have there that 188s

type of greeting. 196s

So that's a little bit unique. 197s

Also, unlike other New Testament letters, when you come to the epistles, you don't have 200s

John mentioning the fact that he is the author. 207s

He was understood that he was an author. 211s

And so it communicates, we're going to get to this later on today, the weight of apostolic 213s

authority in his letters. 219s

You're going to see, as we study, for a second and third John, an abundance of the word love, 222s

an abundance of the word love. 230s

And the New Testament, Greek words that are translated as love, they show up 291 times 232s

in the entire New Testament. 240s

52 of those times occur in first, second and third John. 244s

And we consider how long for a second and third John is compared to the corpus there 251s

of the New Testament. 257s

That's quite a proportion here, isn't it? 260s

52 of those times occur, as I mentioned in first, second, third John. 264s

46 of them occur in first John alone. 268s

So 46 of the 291 references to love occur in first John. 273s

When you get to the gospel of John, John just stays at it here, inspired by the Holy Spirit. 281s

And you have 57 references of love in the 21 chapters of the book of John. 287s

So if there's one biblical book above all of the other books of Holy Scripture that 296s

emphasizes love, the first, second, third John, and the gospel of John, the writer, is 304s

certainly that. 311s

We're going to come across some very, very familiar passages in first, second, third John. 312s

For example, in first John chapter 1, turn there, would you please, first John chapter 318s

1. 325s

Good way to find first John is just go to the back of the New Testament, go to Revelation, 325s

then slowly work your way left and you're going to be right there. 331s

You're going to quickly cross over Jude and then you're going to be at first John. 334s

First John chapter 1, picking up in verse 8. 338s

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 345s

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from 353s

all unrighteousness, that should sound a little familiar, right? 360s

Remember, this is a parent or a grandparent loves to hear the teachings that they do to 366s

which I, how much God must love to hear us speak back to him, his very words that he gives to us. 371s

Or let's go over to first John, the fourth chapter, verse 1, first John chapter 4, verse 1. 380s

Another familiar portion, beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see 393s

whether they are from God. 400s

For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 401s

Another very familiar one, first John 4, verse 7. 407s

Beloved, let us love one another because love is from God. 413s

Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 417s

So as we move through these epistles here in the weeks ahead, familiar passages are going to pop out and we're going to unpack them together. 422s

So as we look at the three epistles, what is the overview of each of them? 431s

In terms of first John, first John, you have an emphasis on the two natures of Christ, that Christ is truly God and truly man. 440s

He's a 100% God and he's a 100% man. 460s

So there's an emphasis in first John on the two natures. 464s

You also have an emphasis on loving one another, loving one another. 467s

As you turn to second John, the concern is false teaching. 475s

Can you go to third John and the emphasis is on correct teaching. 485s

Those are really good topics. 495s

We're going to unpack the two natures here that John talks about. 499s

We're going to unpack the loving one another. 502s

We're going to talk about what's he talking about here in terms of the false teaching that was going on and what is the importance of correct teaching. 505s

That's a 30,000 foot flyover of what we're going to deal with in nine weeks. 515s

But hopefully that will provide an anchor for us as we move along. 522s

Who was John? 527s

Let's turn to Luke the fifth chapter, Matthew, Mark, and then Luke. 532s

Luke the fifth chapter. 538s

We see him referenced here. 542s

Luke chapter five will pick up in verse one. 546s

Once well Jesus was standing beside the lake of Ganesurate and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God. 555s

He saw two boats there at the shore of the lake. 564s

The fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 568s

He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. 572s

Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 579s

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, put out into the deep water and let your nets down and let down your nets for a catch. 584s

Simon, Master, we've worked all night long, but have caught nothing. 593s

Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets. 598s

When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 602s

They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. 607s

They came and filled both boats so that they began to sing. 611s

When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees saying, 616s

Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man. 620s

For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken. 624s

And so also were James and John, sons of Zebidi, who were partners with Simon. 630s

Then Jesus said to Simon, do not be afraid from now on, you will be catching people. 639s

When they had brought their boats to shore, they had left everything and followed him. 645s

John and his brother James were called the sons of thunder. 654s

The sons of thunder. 660s

Bible never tells us why they got that nickname. 663s

But you can project a little bit, can't you? 668s

That if somebody is called a son of thunder there, there must be a personality there. 672s

There must be an expression of a personality. 682s

When you think of thunder here, right, and then you attach thunder with a person. 685s

Well, that was the name here for James and for John. 693s

Never tells us specifically how they got that. 700s

But we do see examples of the audacity associated with these two. 704s

Take a look please at Luke 9th chapter 9, picking up in verse 51. 712s

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. 731s

And he sent messengers ahead of him. 738s

On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him. 741s

But they did not receive him because his face was set toward Jerusalem. 745s

When his disciples, James and John saw it, they said, Lord, 753s

do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them? 757s

Okay, now you're starting to get a little glimpse here, right? 765s

There's different worship practices between the Samaritans here and the Jews. 768s

There's different worship practices there. 776s

And so when it says his face was set to go to Jerusalem here, there's not a reception here by the Samaritans. 778s

That really gets James and John angry. 785s

And so here's their solution, the sons of thunder. 790s

We're just going to burn them up, right? 793s

So send that, do you want us to do that, Lord? 796s

Verse 55, it says, but he turned and rebuked them. 802s

Then they went on to another village. 806s

Or we see the audacity here of these two in Mark, the 10th chapter. 808s

Let's go there, Matthew, Mark, and then Mark. 814s

Mark the 10th chapter will pick up in verse 35. 817s

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him and said to him, teacher, 831s

we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you. 837s

Now just pause on that question right there, right? 842s

It gets the glimpse, right? 846s

We want you to do whatever we ask of you. 848s

And he said to them, what is it you want me to do for you? 850s

And they said to him, grant us to sit when it's your right hand and when it's your left in your glory. 853s

But Jesus said to them, you do not know what you're asking. 862s

Are you able to drink the cup that I drink? 866s

Or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? 870s

What's the reference to the cup here, but it's the cup of suffering? 874s

They replied, we're able. 878s

And Jesus said to them, the cup that I drink, you will drink. 881s

And with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized. 884s

But to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared. 889s

Their concern, the sons of thunder, is to get the seats of honor. 901s

Jesus here is going to the cross and their concern is, where am I going to sit in heaven? 910s

The sons of thunder. 923s

Isn't it interesting how a son of thunder becomes known as an apostle of love? 925s

Now that's a transformation, isn't it? 934s

We are not who we were and we're not who we will be. 941s

We are all in process, all in process. 951s

And God is working at us through the means of word and sacrament to make us to be more and more. 957s

And we will never arrive this side of heaven. 967s

We will always be under construction. 973s

That helps us, doesn't it? 979s

When we are reminded that all of us are a work in progress, it reminds us, perhaps when we might be tempted to be impatient with other people that are in the same way. 981s

But we are a work of progress. 994s

To remind ourselves, you know they haven't arrived in either heaven, and I'll never arrive. 997s

But God is at work, because I'm not what I was, I'm not what I'm going to be. 1007s

But He's at work through word and sacrament today to transform me and to be more and more like Jesus Christ. 1012s

He takes a son of thunder, and now He's known as the apostle of love. 1019s

That's God's grace, isn't it? That's God's grace. 1028s

He learns this from Christ. 1035s

He's evidence of the transforming power of God. 1037s

So the son of thunder becomes the apostle of love. 1044s

We also see that John here is a part of Jesus' inner circle. 1049s

Jesus had an inner circle in terms of his disciples. 1054s

And John was part of it. 1058s

Let's go to Mark, chapter 5, please. 1060s

Mark chapter 5. 1063s

We'll pick up in verse 37. 1071s

He allowed no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 1080s

There's the inner circle. 1090s

And we see that popping up in Holy Scripture. 1093s

Let's go to Mark the ninth chapter, verse 2. 1096s

Mark chapter 9, verse 2. 1101s

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James, and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. 1106s

And He was transfigured before them. 1115s

In other words, they saw His post-Easter glory, and noticed it's the inner circle. 1119s

That was allowed to see that. 1125s

In Mark the 14th chapter, verse 33, Mark 14, verse 33. 1127s

This is in reference to Gethsemane. 1138s

Let's go into 32. 1144s

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and He said to His disciples, sit here while I pray. 1146s

He took with Him Peter and James, and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. 1152s

In His own gospel, John describes Himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. 1161s

So when you come across that little phrase there, John is referring to Himself there. 1168s

John was next to our Lord at the Last Supper. 1177s

All of this, I think, brings just great meaning to when John writes in 1 John chapter 1 again, verse 1, 1182s

we declare to you what was from the beginning, what we've heard, what we've seen with our eyes, what we've looked at, 1191s

and touched with our hands concerning the Word of life. 1199s

This life was revealed, and we have seen it and testified to it, and declared to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. 1203s

We declare to you what we've seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 1213s

We're writing these things so that our joy may be complete. Jesus says, we saw with our own eyes, we heard Him, we touched Him, and we are testifying to Him. 1226s

When Jesus hung on the cross, who did He commend? 1242s

Who did He commend His mother to the care of? It was John. It was John. 1248s

Of the twelve disciples, the only disciple that is mentioned, that witness the crucifixion, is John. 1259s

It's John. 1271s

And let's go to John the 20th chapter, please. John chapter 20. 1272s

Verse 2. 1283s

Early on the first day of the week, 20 verse 1, early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 1293s

So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, they've taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. 1305s

And it's John who is receiving the Word. 1321s

He emerges then. The son of thunder as an apostle of love, he emerges as part of the inner circle here of Jesus. 1326s

And we see how we also played an important role in the early church after the ascension. 1337s

Let's go to Acts the 8th chapter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and then Acts. 1344s

Acts chapter 14. 1351s

Now in the apostles, chapter 8, verse 14. 1364s

Now in the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 1369s

So in the early church then, he's playing an important role. Let's go over the book of Galatians. 1381s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans. First and second Corinthians, and then Galatians. 1386s

Galatians chapter 2, verse 9. Galatians 2, verse 9. 1394s

And when James, this is Paul writing here, and when James and Seifas and John, notice the description here, 1410s

who were acknowledged pillars, recognized the grace that had been given to me, they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 1418s

So he plays an important role. The price of leadership in the early church was high. It was high. 1434s

Let's go back to Acts the 12th chapter. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and then Acts. Acts chapter 12. 1445s

We'll pick up in verse 1. 1455s

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. 1467s

Note the detail. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. 1475s

After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the festival of unleavened bread. 1484s

All 11 of the 12 apostles were martyred. 1497s

John wasn't. John was exiled to the island of Patmos, and it was on the island of Patmos that he receives the revelation of our Lord. 1504s

We have it the book of Revelation. The price of leadership in the early church was really high. 11 martyred, one not. 1519s

And it was John. Now, the importance of John's long life is really, really important for us to understand. 1532s

Because John was critical in discerning false writings, forgeries from that which were true with regard to Jesus. 1544s

All of scripture is referred to as the canon. 1557s

The canon. The canon is the rule. So it is that which norms our belief. 1564s

If we say something which is in disagreement with the scriptures, we have to change. Right? Not the scriptures. 1575s

And there's principles of canonicity. In other words, why did some of the writings wind up in Holy Scripture and why did some not? 1584s

Now, the point I'm going to be driving at with all of this is the importance of John's life being spared and how long John lived. 1595s

Because John was crucial in this collection process. So here's some principles of canonicity. 1606s

The first thing is to say, is the book authoritative? In other words, does it claim to be of God? That was the question that was asked. 1614s

Second thing is the book prophetic. In other words, was it written by a servant of God? 1626s

So is it authoritative? Does it claim to be of God? Was it prophetic? Was it written by a servant of God? 1636s

Third principle of canonicity, in other words, whether a book belongs in Holy Scripture or not, whether it is true or whether it is a forgery, the third principle of canonicity is, is it authentic? 1644s

Does it tell the truth? Does it tell the truth? 1662s

Fourth principle is the book dynamic. And by dynamic, does it do something to the here? In other words, does the Holy Spirit take the word and are there results here from the sharing of the word? 1666s

So is it authoritative, prophetic, authentic, dynamic? And was it received or was it accepted by the people of God to whom it was originally sent? 1684s

So is it authoritative, prophetic, authentic, dynamic, and was it accepted? 1700s

By the end of the first century, all 27 books of the New Testament were received by the church. And who was crucial in that? In determining what's true and what's false, but the apostles. 1706s

The apostles. They go, look, please, it, John the 14th chapter, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and then John. John chapter 14 verse 26. 1726s

Jesus says, let's go to 25. I have said these things to you while I'm still with you. But the advocate, that's a good word for today, isn't it? If you've heard the sermon, but the advocate, the Holy Spirit, 1752s

whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have said or over into John chapter 16 verse 12. 1767s

Jesus says, I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears. And he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. 1784s

For this reason, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. When the selecting process then was at work in the first century, every alleged word was subject to what? 1808s

To apostolic teaching. 1830s

The authoritative prophetic, authentic, dynamic, and was it accepted? The apostles were the final court of appeal. 1835s

So, say a time, let me just give you a scripture reference on that, second Peter 1, 16. The apostles guided the formation and the preservation of the inspired books of the New Testament. 1847s

When John writes Revelation about 95 AD, all the other apostles are dead and killed. When John writes Revelation around 95 AD, that's a good life here for John, considering especially who John witnessed too. 1865s

When John writes Revelation, 95 AD, the canon is enclosed. It's closed. 1888s

Take a look please at Revelation chapter 22 verses 18 and 19. Revelation 22, 18 and 19. 1899s

These words here apply not only to Revelation but to all of scripture. 1915s

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. 1921s

If anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city which are described in this book. 1932s

The canon is closed. We don't expect any more revelation from God. 1947s

Okay now, compare that to what is oftentimes heard by many when they will say, God told me. God told me. 1956s

Compare here the closed canon, the words here of John, how the scripture is put together here with apostolic oversight and the key that John then played in that role. 1978s

Remember, it's apostolic oversight. Why? We've seen him. We've touched him. We've heard him. 1995s

They're the ones that received the message that indeed God is going to bring about the correctness here of what it is that they are to proclaim and the word that they record. 2006s

When someone says, God told me, do you hear the alarm bells should go off in someone's mind. 2021s

Alarm bells should go off because what happens in our sinful nature? In our sinful nature, what we are tempted to do then is if I've got this and I've also got this. 2031s

I'm going to listen to this and not the word. It is a dangerous movement by those that say, God told me. 2051s

That's why whenever somebody says, God told me I encourage the response in many various ways God spoke to his people of olden his last days he spoke to us by his son, Hebrews. 2068s

There you go. And then you say, how is it that you can discern and why is it that you put yourself on the same level of Holy Scripture? 2078s

Do you see where that can be a problem? Or as a professor of mine said in seminary, those that claim that the Spirit has talked to them, it might just be indigestion from lunch. 2090s

What we have here is the canon, the rule, the authority of the eyewitnesses. John played a key part in this and that is the word of God that we listen to. 2105s

And God has said, I have spoken here and the canon is closed. And so we turn to the word of God to hear God's voice. 2122s

Well, the epistles of love, son of thunder to the apostle of love, the inner circle used by God in incredible ways to give us the authoritative word that we can say indeed. 2140s

It is an errant, it is contains no errors, it is infallible, it is incapable of error because it is exhaled by God, it is preserved by God's action through the apostles. 2159s

So what is it then that John says inspired by the Holy Spirit included in the canon? What is it that John says to that we turn to next week? 2172s

Blessings. 2186s