By Al Johnson
By the time John wrote this letter, he was an older man, having spent decades following Jesus and pastoring people. His words in 1 John are not dry doctrine but the passionate plea of a spiritual father urging his children to remain in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
When John first met Jesus, he was somewhat of a wild man, passionate, impulsive, and ready to call down fire from heaven on those who opposed Christ. He and his brother James were the sons of Zebedee, a fisherman, and they were known by the nickname “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17). I imagine they could have had a famous career as tag team wrestlers with a fight name like that. James and John were rough, rugged, fun dudes, probably loud, headstrong, but quick-to-action type guys.
One day as Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem, he sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. However, the Samaritans did not welcome him because of the deep-seated hostility between Jews and Samaritans. John and James asked Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54).
This is not the tone of 1 John. When he writes 1 John, he is a wise, seasoned father. John’s transformation is a testimony to the sanctifying power of Jesus, who takes the roughest, most headstrong individuals and molds them into instruments of his grace.
That You May Know
What I love about John is that he simply won’t stop talking about Jesus. His entire life was consumed by the person and work of Jesus. By his example we stand to learn a lot from him throughout our study.
From the opening of his Gospel to the final verses of his letters, John’s message is clear: if you get Jesus, you get everything; if you miss Jesus, you miss everything.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” —1 John 5:13
This is why John writes, so that his readers might have certainty in their faith. The word “know” appears over 30 times in 1 John alone. For John, Christian faith is rooted in the unshakable knowledge of Jesus Christ. He doesn’t want us to be unsure or wavering; he wants us to know.
In a world full of distractions, doubts, and competing priorities, John reminds us that nothing is more important than truly knowing Jesus. Not just knowing about Jesus but walking with and experiencing life with him day in and day out.
My hope is that through this study, you will not only grow in your understanding of the Scriptures but also deepen your love for Jesus. So, as you read and study, pray and ask God the Holy Spirit, who is mentioned throughout 1 John (2:20, 27; 3:24), to help you remain close to Jesus as you walk with him daily and experience the life-giving transformation he promises to those who abide in him.
I wrote a commentary and study guide to help you study 1 John that you can read here.