1. The Epistles of John
Confident Christians

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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