Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

• 1. The new commandment 13:31-35
  Jesus began His instructions with His disciples' most important responsibility.13:31-32 Judas' departure to meet with the chief priests signalled the beginning of the Son of Man's glorification, which John recorded Jesus as c...
• 2. Toward burdened Christians 6:2-5
  6:2 In view of the context probably the burden Paul had in mind was an excessive burden of particular temptation and struggle with the flesh (cf. Rom. 15:1). This could be a burden caused by social, economic, spiritual, or ot...
• Outline
  I. Introduction: the purpose of the epistle 1:1-4II. Living in the light 1:5-2:29A. God as light 1:5-7B. Conditions for living in the light 1:8-2:291. Renouncing sin 1:8-2:22. Obeying God 2:3-113. Rejecting worldliness 2:12-1...
• II. Living in the light 1:5--2:29
  "The teaching of 1 John is concerned essentially with the conditions for true Christian discipleship. The two main divisions of the letter set out these conditions and exhort the readers to live in the light (1:5-2:29) as chi...
• III. Living as children of God 3:1--5:13
  "In the second division of this document (3:1-5:13) John concentrates on the developing spiritual life of his followers, rather than sustaining his attack on the heretics, some of whom have already seceded from his church (2:...
• The command to love 3:23-24
  3:23 Jesus taught the apostles to trust in Him and to love each other. This is the distillation of His teaching. Specifically He taught them to trust in the efficacy of His name when they prayed to His Father (John 14:12-15; ...
• 3. Rejecting worldliness reaffirmed 4:1-6
  "The worldliness' in view here, as in 2:12-17, is primarily a wrong attitude: a determination to be anchored to a society which does not know God (cf. 3:1 . . .). But whereas in the earlier section John shows that worldly att...
• 4. Practicing love 4:7-5:4
  "By inserting this condition, John interrupts the symmetry which exists between the two halves of his letter . . .; for the idea of love' by itself is not given separate treatment in 1:5-2:29. However, the discussion of love ...
• The inspiration of love 4:11-16
  4:11 That demonstration of love by God is our model for showing love to others. As God manifested love in (among) us then by sending Jesus Christ, so He manifests His love among us now as we love one another (vv. 12-13).4:12 ...
• The command to love 4:21-5:4
  4:21 Furthermore, God commanded us to love both Himself and our brothers, not just Himself (2:3; 3:23-24; 5:3). Here is another false claim (cf. 1:6, 8, 10; 2:4, 6, 9, 22; 5:10)."Much verbal expression of devotion for the per...
• A. Confidence in action: prayer 5:14-17
  5:14-15 Prayer is another expression of the believer's trust in Jesus Christ and confidence toward God (cf. 3:21)."Prayer is not a battle, but a response; its power consists in lifting our wills to God, not in trying to bring...
• A. Practicing the Truth vv. 4-6
  John wrote this epistle to urge his readers to continue to be obedient to God by responding positively to the truth of His revelation. He also wanted them to resist the inroads of false teachers who sought to distort this tru...