Notes on 1 John 2:7-14

I am not writing you a new command - 1 John :7-8

old… new commandment. See WCF 19.5. In his upper room discourse, recorded in the Fourth Gospel, Jesus cites the old commandment that we must love one another (cf. Lev 19:18; Jn 13:34), but places it in a new context: he is laying down his life for his friends (Jn 15:12). John contrasts the love between Christians and the hate the world has for Christians (see notes on Jn. 15:18-19). Christians love each other because Christ loved them, and people hate Christians, because they hate Christ and his ways (see notes on Jn. 15:12, 18). Through the commandment to love one another, Jesus confronts the hatred of the world, demonstrating the power of love to cast out hate, and the power of light to dispel the darkness (see notes on 1 John 4:7-21).

Hate - 1 John :9-11

hate. See HC 106. If someone does not love their fellow Christians, it shows that they do not love Christ. The word hate here is not about a person who gets angry occasionally, when wronged by others. Rather, the present participle in Greek, "one who hates," suggests a life characterized by opposition to Christ, his commands and his people.

Stumbling - 1 John 2:10

stumbling. This word (skandalon) refers to an object that makes someone trip, that causes a person's downfall. The imagery of 2:9-11 echoes John's primary claim that God is light (see notes on 1:5-7) and that those who walk in the light do not stumble in the darkness. John tightly connects obedience to Jesus' command to love one another with walking in God's light.

The Letter's Recipients Know God and Overcome Evil.- 1 John 2:12-14

Having cautioned his readers about the importance of loving one another, he assures them of his confidence in their confession about Christ and their obedience to his command. He intends to encourage them with this letter to overcome the evil one by staying true to the course they are on.

Children . . . fathers . . . young men - 1 John 2:12-14

dear children… fathers… young men… little children. John could be addressing people of different ages in the same congregation or people at different stages of spiritual growth. He offers his readers a clue by repeatedly calling them children (2:12, 13), which indicates that the purpose for his writing, repeated to their fathers and young men applies to everyone. By addressing their fathers or leaders, John is addressing the congregation's representatives. By addressing their young men or apprentice leaders, John is addressing the congregation's future character. Each set of three statements, repeated with slight variation, then, addresses everyone in the congregation.

Children - 1 John 2:12

forgiven… name. On forgiven, see notes on Lk. 1:31; 2:21. On name, see notes on Acts 2:38; 3:6; 4:12. In Hebrew, the name Jesus means 'the Lord saves or delivers' and his mission was to 'save his people from their sins' (see notes on Matt. 1:21). John's summary about the means of forgiveness echoes his identification of Jesus in 2:2 as the atoning sacrifice for sinners (see notes on 2:2).

Young men...overcome the evil one - 1 John 2:13-14

young men… overcome the evil one. The theme of overcoming evil is crucial for John in this letter (see notes on 4:4; 5:4) and in the Revelation (see notes Rev 1:9; 2:7, 11, 26; 3:5, 21). John's confidence in these young men is rooted in the test they have already passed by remaining in the church; their good confession of Christ; and their obedience to his commands. John does not tell the young men to defeat evil. Rather, they have overcome the evil one (past tense), because of the presence of Christ's Spirit in and among them (1 John 4:4).

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