1 John 1:1-10 - Including General Introduction

<p>     John opens his letter with a statement about personal knowledge pertaining to the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life” (1 John 1:1). The phrase, from the beginning likely refers to Jesus’ ministry (1 John 2:7, 24; 3:11). The reason for this understanding is that John connects the phrase with his personal experience as one who had heard, seen, and touched the Lord Jesus. This emphasizes that Jesus existed bodily and not merely as a spirit (cf. Luke 24:39). This makes the content of the letter a deposition born out of John’s eyewitness account (cf. John 21:24). The phrase, the Word of Life (τοῦ λόγου τῆς ζωῆς), refers to Jesus, whom John had described with similar language in his Gospel (John 1:1, 4, 14; 11:25; 14:6).</p> <p>     Concerning Jesus, John said, “and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us” (1 John 1:2). Manifested (φανερόω phaneroo) means to make visible or clear.<a href='#_ftn1'>[1]</a> Jesus repeatedly revealed Himself as the Messiah. What John had seen concerning Jesus, he then testified and proclaimed to his readers via the written word. This assumes the integrity of the text and the use of language as a reliable vehicle for the transmission divine truth. Furthermore, what John is proclaiming pertains to eternal life (τὴν ζωὴν τὴν αἰώνιον), which believers can never lose (John 10:28).</p> <p>     What John had seen and heard concerning Jesus was true, and that truth was proclaimed to his audience and was the basis for their fellowship with God and each other. John said, “what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3). Fellowship (κοινωνία koinonia) for the Christian has both a vertical and horizontal