The Epistles of John Confident Christians

Introduction The books were written anonymously because his audience knew him well. The author is the Apostle John, son of Zebedee. Early church writers ascribe the letters to John. Likely written after the gospel of John because they were probably written in response to some wrong interpretations of the Gospel (85-100) Irenaeus said that John lived out his life as an elder in Ephesus We don’t know who 1 John was written to 2 John written to “elect lady and her children” 3 John written to Gaius

The False Teaching Denied Jesus was the Christ (2:22) Denied that Jesus had a body (4:2-3) Claim to have a special revelation (4:1-3) Obedience to Christ not required (2:4-6) Loving their brother was overlooked Declared moral perfection (1:8-10)

Early Gnosticism maybe? Cerinthus was first century false teacher of early “Gnosticism.” Lived during the time of John Irenaeus, a second century bishop, says that John would not even bathe in the same bathhouse in Ephesus as Cerinthus Teachings of Cerinthus: All matter is evil and only spirit is good, so God becoming flesh would be ridiculous The “Christ” descended at Jesus’ baptism and left right before his death Christ did not suffer because spirit cannot suffer

1 John 2 John 3 John Passages to Look at Walking in the Light (1:5-2:11) Who is the antichrist? (2:22) Love One Another (3:11-24) Test the Spirits (4:1-6) 2 John 3 John