Recap

So far in 1-3 John we've started 1 John and read through walking in the light vs the darkness and the importance of love. The three Johannine epistles are traditionally attributed to the apostle John, though 1 John is anonymous and 2-3 John are signed “the elder.” They share language with John’s Gospel, hence being attributed to John.

1 John opens by affirming the tangible reality of Jesus, the “word of life,” revealed to the disciples. Believers are invited into this relationship with God and each other. Living in God’s light means confessing sin, seeking forgiveness through Jesus, and rejecting falsehood. The author reminds readers that Jesus’ atonement is available for all.

Obedience to Jesus’ commandments proves a genuine relationship with him. Believers are called to love one another and reject worldly desires, which are fleeting. True life is found in loving what God loves. The author warns against “antichrists,” those who oppose Jesus and lead others astray. Believers are encouraged to remain steadfast, holding to the truth they have been taught and abiding in Jesus.

The author reminded believers of their identity as God’s children. As children of God, believers were called to grow in purity, reflecting their heavenly Father. Those who continually indulged in sin, however, revealed themselves as children of the devil. They set themselves against Jesus, who came to destroy sin’s power. Believers, instead, were to live righteously and love one another.

Love is the ultimate test of faith. The author contrasted love with Cain’s hatred, which led him to murder his brother. True love, modelled by Jesus, involves self-sacrifice. Believers were called to demonstrate love through practical actions, using their resources to meet others’ needs. Love was not to be a mere sentiment, but a lived reality. Those struggling with guilt over their failures in love could bring their concerns to God, trusting His grace.

The command was clear: have faith in Jesus and love one another. By doing so, believers abided in God and with one another. The author warned against false teachers who rejected Jesus’ humanity and divinity, calling them antichrists. Believers were assured of the Holy Spirit’s power within them, greater than any worldly spirit, and urged to discern truth through faith in Jesus.

Returning to love, the author declared that God is love, and those who love reflect God’s nature. Believers, though unable to see God, experience His presence through mutual love. This love casts out fear, for perfect love leaves no room for punishment. To withhold love from others is to withhold it from God. True faith is inseparable from love. Believers who abide in love abide in God.

1 John 5, 2 John, 3 John

Continuing on love, the author points out that anyone who loves a parent should also love their child. In the same way, if believers are to love God, then they need to love God’s children. Loving other believers, loving God, and obeying his commandments are all tied up together. You can’t have one without the other.

Keeping all this isn’t some burden believers have to bear. It is the means by which believers conquer and overcome. It is the source of faith.

The author then points out that there are three things that testify to Jesus; water, blood, and spirit. Believers have water baptism that they receive through Jesus, their sins have been washed and cleansed by the blood of Jesus, and they now experience the Holy Spirit.

Each of these three work together to testify of the truth of Jesus and are at work in the believer’s heart. The truth of Jesus is eternal life. Whoever does not hold to these three things does not have Jesus or eternal life, but the one who does have both.

And so the author concludes that this has been one of the reasons for this letter. They write to their readers that they might know Jesus better and therefore have eternal life. This should lead the readers to have boldness to ask God to help meet their needs in him. This includes praying for fellow believers that all into sin. This prayer should be that God continues to bless them with life, presumably the life of Jesus that unravels sin.

Cryptically, the author mentions a mortal sin. There is much debate around what this mortal sin that shouldn’t be prayed for. In light of the focus of the letter, it would seem reasonable to assume it has something to do with rejecting Jesus.

Meanwhile, believers should not worry about the power of sin because, as children of God, they do not indulge it and God continues to protect them from it. God will continue to give them understanding that they might know him better, and 1 John ends.

Moving to 2 John, this is addressed from, ‘the elder; and to ‘the elect lady and her children’ (2 John 1). There’s some debate over who the elect lady and her children are, but there’s some agreement that the author is referring to the church and its members. They share in the love of believers, abiding with one another.

The author commends them, excited that many of them are still walking in the truth. The author reminds them again that walking in the truth looks like loving one another and being obedient to God.

Then comes the warning. There are those that have rejected Jesus. The antichrists mentioned in the previous letter. They are deceivers, and the believers should be on their guard to hold on to the faith they have. Those who rejected Jesus and refuse to abide in his teaching have rejected God. Those who abide in Jesus and his teachings have both Jesus and the father.

The author then warns their readers to have nothing to do with these false teachers and rebels. While his encouragements to them so far have been to love one another, to indulge and welcome these people is to participate in the evil that they bring. Firm boundaries need to be drawn to protect others from them.

The author then gives final greetings, expressing their desire to visit face to face and sharing the greetings of another church, and 2 John ends.

Finally, 3 John is addressed from ‘the elder’ to someone called ‘Gaius’. The author prays for Gaius’ health and soul and then commends him for how he has shown hospitality to others. They have heard from others how Gaius has loved them and welcomed them, even those who were strangers.

This brings the author great joy to hear of believers walking in the faith like this. They encourage Gaius to be generous to his guests, making sure he sends them off with all they need so he might join in the work that they are doing.

In contrast, the author then mentions Diotrephes. Diotrephes has no interest in the love of other believers. He lies about the author and his colleagues. He shows no hospitality and actively removes people from the church that he doesn’t want to know. Diotrephes is not to be imitated. If he refuses to do good and chooses evil, then he proves he is not of God.

And then this letter also ends with a desire to visit face to face and greetings from others.

1-3 John is a letter all about the unity of believers. By being united with Jesus and other believers in love, they demonstrate Jesus’ light to a dark world. This love and mutual hospitality, caring for one another, is what proves and purifies the believer. There are those who want to reject Jesus, and because of this, they should be rejected from the community. This isn’t being unloving, but setting healthy boundaries to protect those in the church. That is 1-3 John.

Psalm 36

This psalm is attributed to king David and is often placed in the category of lament, but this is loose and tentative. It is based on Psalm 36:11, where the psalmist finally makes a request for protection. This would suggest that they are going through struggles, but that’s the extent that this psalm reflects a lament psalm.

As we’ll see, this psalm is a wisdom psalm blended with a prayer psalm. It speaks of the wisdom of God’s order and then invites that order down to earth.

a) Psalm 36:1-4 - The folly of the wicked

b) Psalm 36:5-9 - The steadfast love of God

b) Psalm 36:10 - Let your steadfast love continue

a) Psalm 36:11-12 - Let the wicked fall 

The first section looks like a wisdom psalm, teaching on the foolishness of the wicked. They fear God and have no integrity. They flatter, but speak deceitfully. They have stopped choosing wisdom and instead have set themselves down a path where they no longer reject evil.

Typically, a wisdom psalm would contrast this first section with a section on those who are righteous. But instead of focusing on humans who are righteous, the psalmist compares the wicked with God’s righteousness and steadfast love.

God’s faithfulness and love are never ending. They are precious, protecting God’s people from wicked and sustaining them. God is the source of all life..

It’s at this point the psalm switches into a prayer psalm. Motivate by the wisdom of God’s love, the psalmist asks for more of God’s love. May it continue.

Then, motivated by the folly of the wicked, the psalmist asks that God deal with them. May their wickedness fail, and they lay fallen, defeated by God.

In this psalm, we see that the foolishness of the wicked comes from their rejection of God’s faithfulness and love. God’s love is sustaining. We also see how wisdom (in our case, theology) isn’t meant to be just head knowledge, but it to lead us to prayer.