1, 2 & 3 John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC)

Top Highlights

“John’s First Epistle appears to have a double purpose, namely, pastoral and polemical, with the pastoral dominant and the polemical brought out only as it relates to pastoral concerns.” (Page 27)

“What he has said about confessing sin instead of denying it was said in order to encourage them to avoid sin, not to give permission to commit it.” (Page 115)

“The recipients of 1 John were Christians of Asia Minor where John ended his days in ministry from Ephesus.” (Page 5)

“The Test of Life view identifies three tests in 1 John, which reveal whether the reader is in union with God and so has spiritual life.” (Page 24)

“Selecting one or the other purpose statement as controlling the message of the epistle has led to two approaches to the message of 1 John.⁶¹ The first view, and most commonly held, is best described as the ‘Test of Life’ view. The second view, representing a minority of scholars and popular writers, is the ‘Test of Fellowship’ view. In recent years a third approach has developed, taken by this commentary. The interpretation of the epistle should be based on its subject, the experience of eternal life, that is introducted in the prologue rather than any of the stated purposes.” (Page 24)