First John/Chapter 5:1-9/Commentary

Page 1

First John Chapter 5:1-9

Outline I. Faith, Obedience and Love: 5:1-5 II. The Sonship of Jesus Verified: 5:6-12 III. The Resulting Confidence: 5:13-17 IV. Final Admonitions: 5:18-21 “We have by now become familiar with the three tests which John applies, with repeated but varied emphasis. In chapter 2 he describes all three tests in order, obedience (3-6), love (7-11) and belief (18-27). Now in the brief opening paragraph of chapter 5, we meet the three together again. The words ‘believe’ and ‘faith’ occur in verses 1,4 and 5, ‘love’ in verses 1,2 and 3, and ‘obey’ or ‘keep his commandments’ in verses 2 and 3. What he is at pains to show is the essential unity of his three-fold thesis. He has not chosen these tests arbitrarily or at random and stuck them together artificially. On the contrary, he shows that they are so closely woven together into a single, coherent fabric that it is difficult to unpick and disentangle the threads” (Stot pp. 171-172). We might say that much of what John wrote is a commentary on the two great commandments, love God and love your neighbor as yourself.

1


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
First John/Chapter 5:1-9/Commentary by Mark Dunagan - Issuu