Keith Essex
The Johannine Epistles

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 30: The Johannine Epistles.

19. The Johannine Epistles [NIVZSB, 2558-60; DLNT, 587-99]
    1. Introduction [CCC, 894-913; CMINT, 670-77, 683-85; BNTH, 415-21]
       1. The History of Interpretation [DTIB, 391-92; ACCS, vol. XI]
       2. The Schismatic False Teachers (1Jo 2; 4; 2Jo 1; 3Jo 1)
       3. The Teaching of the False Teachers
          1. Denied Jesus was Christ (1Jo 2:22; 5:1, 5)
          2. Denied Christ came in the Flesh (1Jo 4:2; 2Jo 1:7)
          3. Denied their own Sinfulness (1Jo 1:8, 10)
          4. Denied Salvation through Christ (1Jo 2:2)
          5. Denied Righteous Conduct (1Jo 1:6; 2:29; 3:6, 10)
          6. Denied Brotherly Love (1Jo 2:9)
          7. Opposed John's Authority (3Jo 1:10)
    2. Date: ca. AD 80-90
    3. Major Themes [CCC, 922-24; CMINT, 685-86]
       1. God (God – 67x; Father –16x) [DLNT, 425-6]
          1. God's Relationship with Jesus (1Jo 3:8; 4:9, 15; 5:5, 10)
          2. God's Relationship with His Children (1Jo 3:1-2, 9, 10; 4:4, 6, 7; 5:1, 4, 18, 19; 3Jo 1:11)
       2. Jesus is the Christ (1Jo 2:22-23; 4:3, 15; 5:1, 5, 13; 2Jo 1:7)
       3. Love (agape root 62x)
          • verb – 1Jo 2:10, 15; 3:10, 11, 14, 18, 23; 4:7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21; 5:1, 2; 2Jo 1:1, 5; 3Jo 1:1;
          • noun – 1Jo 2:5, 15; 3:1, 16, 17; 4:7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 16, 17, 18; 5:3; 2Jo 1:3, 1:6; 3Jo 1:6
       4. Commands (18x - 1Jo 2:3, 4, 7, 8; 3:22, 23, 24; 4:21; 5:2, 3; 2Jo 1:4, 5, 6)
       5. Abiding (27x - 1Jo 2:6, 10, 14, 17, 19, 24, 27, 28; 3:6, 9, 14, 15, 17, 24; 4:12, 13, 15, 16; 2Jo 1:2, 9)
    4. 1 John [MSB, 1931-3; ESVSB, 2425-9; NIVZSB, 2560-61; RSB, 2262-67; RFW, 191-3; BTINT, 483-98]
       1. Purpose:
          • John declared the truth that gave believers assurance of eternal life and fellowship with God's children (cf. 1Jo 5:13; 1:3).
       2. The Literary Structure: see the outline [CCC, 913-21; CMINT, 669-70; DLNT, 1046; VOCNT, 65]
          1 JOHN

          1. The Introduction (1Jo 1:1-4)
             1. The Eyewitness Testimony to the Word of Life (1Jo 1:1)
             2. The Historic Manifestation of the Word of Life (1Jo 1:2)
             3. The Fellowship of Believers (1Jo 1:3-4)
          2. The Assurances that One is a True Believer in Jesus Christ (1Jo 1:5-1Jo 5:12)
             1. Assurance Through the Test of Fellowship (1Jo 1:5-1Jo 2:17)
                1. The Basis for Fellowship (1Jo 1:5)
                2. The Hindrances to Fellowship (1Jo 1:6-10)
                3. The Maintenance of Fellowship (1Jo 2:1-17)
                   1. The Provision for Fellowship (1Jo 2:1-2)
                   2. The Signs of Fellowship (1Jo 2:3-17)
                      1. Obedience (1Jo 2:3-5)
                      2. Imitation (1Jo 2:6)
                      3. Love (1Jo 2:7-11)
                      4. Separation (1Jo 2:12-17)
             2. Assurance Through the Conflict of Faith (1Jo 2:18-1Jo 4:6)
                1. The Conflict between Truth and Error (1Jo 2:18-28)
                2. The Conflict between the Children of God and the Children of the Devil (1Jo 2:29-1Jo 3:12)
                   1. The Sign of the Child of God (1Jo 2:29-1Jo 3:3)
                   2. The Child of God and Sin (1Jo 3:4-12)
                3. The Conflict between Love and Hate (1Jo 3:13-24)
                4. The Conflict between the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error (1Jo 4:1-6)
             3. Assurance from the Evidence of Love (1Jo 4:7-1Jo 5:5)
                1. The Nature of Redeeming Love (1Jo 4:7-16a)
                2. The Results of Love (1Jo 4:16b-1Jo 5:5)
             4. Assurance from the Witness of the Spirit (1Jo 5:6-12)
                1. The External, Historic Witness (1Jo 5:6-9)
                2. The Internal Witness of the Spirit (1Jo 5:10-12)
          3. . The Conclusion (1Jo 5:13-21)
             1. The Certainty of Salvation (1Jo 5:13)
             2. The Confidence of Answered Prayer (1Jo 5:14-15)
             3. The Counsel Concerning Intercession (1Jo 5:16-17)
             4. The Certainties of the Christian Faith (1Jo 5:18-20)
             5. The Final Warning against Idols (1Jo 5:21)
    5. 2 John [MSB, 1945-6; ESVSB, 2439-40; RSB, 2276-78; RFW, 193; BTINT, 499-503]
       1. Purpose:
          • The elder warned about showing hospitality to any false teachers.
       2. The Literary Structure: see the outline [CCC, 917, 921; CMINT, 670; DLNT, 1046-7; VOCNT, 66]
          2 JOHN

          1. The Prologue (2Jo 1:1-4)
             1. The Salutation (2Jo 1:1-3)
             2. The Elder's Joy in Finding the Chosen Lady's Children Walking in Truth and Love (2Jo 1:4)
          2. The Body: The Elder's Directives for the Chosen Lady and Her Children (2Jo 1:5-11)
             1. The Elder's Appeal for Love and Obedience (2Jo 1:5-6)
             2. The Elder's Warning against False Teachers (2Jo 1:7-9)
             3. The Elder's Call not Receive False Teachers (2Jo 1:10-11)
          3. . The Epilogue (2Jo 1:12-13)
    6. 3 John [MSB, 1949-50; ESVSB, 2443-4; RSB, 2281-84; RFW, 194-5; BTINT, 503-8]
       1. Purpose:
          • The elder commended a true believer and named an unworthy church leader.
       2. The Literary Structure: see the outline [CCC, 917, 921-22; CMINT, 670; DLNT, 1047; VOCNT, 67]
          3 JOHN

          1. The Prologue (3Jo 1:1-4)
             1. The Salutation (3Jo 1:1)
             2. The Elder's Prayer for Gaius' Health and His Joy for Gaius' Walking in Truth (3Jo 1:2-4)
          2. The Body: The Elder's Evaluations for Gaius (3Jo 1:5-12)
             1. The Elder's Commendation of Gauis for His Support of Travelling Christian Teachers (3Jo 1:5-8)
             2. The Elder's Condemnation of Diotrephes for His Evil Deeds (3Jo 1:9-11)
             3. The Elder's Commendation of Demetrius for His Good Testimony (3Jo 1:12)
          3. The Epilogue (3Jo 1:13-14)
    7. Bibliography
       1. Exegetical:
          • Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John (WBC).
          • *Yarbrough, 1-3 John (BECNT).
       2. English Interpretation:
          • *Hiebert, The Johannine Epistles.
          • Kruse, The Letters of John (PNTC).
          • Marshall, The Epistles of John (NICNT).
       3. Expositional:
          • Burge, The Letters of John (NIVAC).
          • MacArthur, 1, 2, 3 John (MacNTC).
    8. Selected Interpretive Issues
       1. "A sin leading to death" (1 John 5:16-17) [MSB, 1944; ESVSB, 2437; NIVZSB, 2569; RSB, 2266]
          1. A Sin Resulting in Physical Death [BKC]
          2. A Specific Sin Resulting in Spiritual Death
          3. A Final, Culminating Sin Resulting in Spiritual Death
          4. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
          5. Apostacy [Smalley; Marshall; Hiebert; Kruse; EBC (?)]
          6. A lack of saving knowledge of Jesus Christ [Yarborough]
          7. Idolatry and a Lack of Love [EBC2]
       2. The Chosen Lady (2 John 1) [MSB, 1947; ESVSB, 2441; RSB, 2279]
          1. A Local Church [Smalley; Yarborough; Kruse; Marshall; Burge; EBC1; EBC2; BKC]
          2. A Particular Woman [Hiebert]
    9. Preaching the Johannine Epistles

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.