Lesson 21: 1-3 John & Jude Antioch Bible Institute Spring/Summer 2014 Rev. Christopher J. Respass

1-3 John I. Authorship:Apostle John (1 John 1:1-4, “we” statements) II.Date:early to mid 90s. Insufficient data to assign a more specific date.

1-3 John III. Recipients A. 1 John: recipients referred to as “little children” (2:1) and “brethren” (2:7). Most likely a group of Christians from Asia Minor. B. 2 John: “elect lady and her children (v.1) C. 3 John: Gaius (v.1)

1-3 John IV. Purposes A. 1 John 1. urge the readers to practice obedience (2:1) 2. warn against false teaching (2:26) 3. provide a basis for the assurance of salvation (v. 5:13)

1-3 John B. 2 John: Warn against false teaching that misunderstood the genuine humanity of Jesus Christ (2 John 7). C. 3 John: Provide guidance for a church divided by an internal dispute (3 John 9-10)

1-3 John V.Themes A. 1 John: Evidence of True Faith 1. Obedience as Evidence of Faith 2. Love as Evidence of Faith 3. Right Belief as Evidence of Faith

1-3 John B. 2 John: Walking in the Truth 1. Concern for the internal life of the congregation. 2. Concern for the external life of the congregation.

1-3 John C. 3 John: Working Together for the Truth 1. Commendation of Gaius 2. Warning against Diotrephes 3 Commendation of Demetrius

Selected Readings in 1-3 John I.1 John A. Fellowship with the Apostles (1 John 1:1-4). B. Walking in the Light (1 John 1:5-10) C. Christ our Advocate (1 John 2:1-6) D. Being Children of God (1 John 3:1-10) E. Testing the Spirits (1 John 4:1-6)

Selected Readings in 1-3 John 2.2 John: in its entirety 3. 3 John: in its entirety

Jude I. Author:Jude, the brother of James and the Lord’s brother. II. Date:no later than 70 or 80 AD III. Recipients: “Those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ.”

Jude IV. Theme: Contending for the Faith A. Purpose of the Letter (3-4) B. Urgency in resisting the Heretics (v.5- 19) C. Contending for the Faith (v ) D. Doxology (.v24-25)

A Key Passage in Jude But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh (v.17-23)

QUESTIONS