1. Opening ( 1:1-4)

2. Living in the Light ( 1:5-3:10)
A. Fellowship with God and Onae Another ( 1:5-2:6)
B. Loving God and one another ( 2:7-17)
C. Exposing the Antichrist ( 2:18-29)
D. Revealing the Children of God ( 3:1-10)

3. Living in Love ( 3:11-5:12)
A. Loving the Brethren ( 3:11-24)
B. Discerning the Spirit ( 4:1-6)
C. God is Love ( 4:7-21)
D. Revealing the children of God ( 3:1-10)

4. Closing ( 5: 13-21)

1 THAT which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.
5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1That which was from þe beginning, which wee haue heard, which wee haue seene with our eyes, which wee haue looked vpon, and our hands haue handled of the word of life.

2(For the life was manifested, and we haue seene it, and beare witnes, and shew vnto you that eternall life which was with the Father, and was manifested vnto vs.)

3That which wee haue seene and heard, declare we vnto you, that ye also may haue felowship with vs; and truely our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Sonne Iesus Christ.

4And these things write we vnto you, that your ioy may be full.

5This then is the message which we haue heard of him, and declare vnto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkenesse at all.

6If we say that we haue felowship with him, and walke in darkenesse, we lie, and doe not the trueth.

7But if wee walke in the light, as he is in the light, wee haue fellowship one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne clenseth vs from all sinne.

8If we say that we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and the trueth is not in vs.

9If we confesse our sinnes, hee is faithfull, & iust to forgiue vs our sinnes, and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse.

10If we say that we haue not sinned, wee make him a liar, and his word is not in vs.

I == Luke 24:39 ; John 1:1 , 14 ; 15:27 ; 20:20 , 27 ; 1st John ; 2:13 ; 4:14

II == John 1:1-2 , 4 ; 11:25 ; 14:6 ; 21:24 ; Acts 2:32 ; 1st John 3:5 ; 5:20

III == John 17:21

IV == John 15:11 ; 16:24 ; 2nd John 1:12

V == John 1:9 ; 8:12 ; 9:5 ; 12:35-36 1st John 3:11

VI-VII == JN 3:21 ; 1st JN 2:4 , 11

VII == Eph 1:7 ; 1st Peter 1:19 ; 1st John Rev 1:5

VIII == Prov 20:9 ; Eccl 7:20 ; 1st John 2:4 ;

IX == Ps 32:5 ; 51:2 ; Prov 28:13 ; 1st JN 5:10

1 What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life 2 for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us -  3 what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We are writing this so that our joy may be complete. 5 Now this is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say, "We have fellowship with him," while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say, "We are without sin," we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 10 If we say, "We have not sinned," we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

COMMATARY

This Epistle neither names its author or to whom it is written to. From the beginning it has been excepted as a circular letter to the churches around Ephesus from Apostle John. It was to warn against Heresis and Paganized form of Christianity.

The apostle, John, who wrote his gospel about 85 A.D. is the same writer of 1, 2 and 3 John, about 90 A.D. Schofield notes say “The Gospel of John leads across the threshold into the Father’s house, and this book makes us at home there.” This is a general letter written to those he knew and loved throughout Asia Minor. A prominent heretical group were the Gnostics, who considered themselves of superior knowledge, yet they did not believe Jesus Christ had come in the flesh. They believed God descended on Jesus at baptism, but left before the crucifixion. They believed Jesus died, but not the Christ who was the Divine Spirit, and other departures from the truth.

John made Jerusalem his quarters for caring for Jesus' mother til her death. According to long recieved traditons, he made his residence at Ephesus after the destruction of Jerusalem. Here he wrote his Gospel, his three Epistes and the book of Revelations. Among John's pupils were Ignatius, Papias, and Polycarp.

This book gives seven penalties for Christians who practice sin: 1:4 Loss of joy; 1:6 Walk in darkness and Loss of fellowship; 2:5, 4:12 Loss of experiences (perfection); 2:28 Loss of confidence in His coming. 3:7 Loss of peace; 3:19-22 Loss of confidence in prayer.

VERSONS 1-4 When John testifies that Jesus is the life and son of God who manifested himself in a audible, tangible and visible way who He came in the flesh as a man (4:2) He was speaking for all the Apostles (we) Christians continues to give and show his life to the world by our actions and the failfullness in attanding church. This is showed by the Eucharist which gives us the human "flesh" ( 1st JN 4:2) and "blood" ( 5:6 ) of Jesus in His risen and gloridied State.

v 1,2. V 1 THE BEGINNING.....: When the world of God first reached the original readers (2:7 24 3:11 ) There was an allusion to the beginning mentioned in JN 1:1 where it points back to the dawn of creation when God brought all thinks together into being through his divine Son ( 1st JN 2: 13-14 3:8 ) THE WORD OF LIFE.....: The Good News of the Gospel (JN 1:1 Rev 19:13) John attacks the Gnostic views head on. He had personally seen, walked, talked with and had physical contact with the Son of God who was from all eternity, and who was the only means of eternal life. V 2 WITH THE FATHER.....: Christ embodies the eternal life He has with God and the inner life in the Trinity (5:11 JN 5:26 1st JN 5:20 JN 1:1 , 18

v 3,4. John is passing on what he has seen and heard in order that the salvation they have in common can be extended to a fellowship that is also in the Father & Son. This fellowship is not considered optional, but essential for complete joy. Not  mere friendship with one another, “In God’s presence is fullness of joy, Ps. 16:11. V 3 FELLOWSHIP.....: The apostles extend this gift to us by their sacramental ministry and preaching. It is the interpersonal communion that believers have with each of others and God ( 1st Cor 10:16-17) (1:6-7) This comunion is based on a common participation in divine life that established us as God's children (3:1)

v 5. God’s light is spoken of several times in Scripture, and it not only shows His perfection, but reveals our error and sin, Eph. 5:13. V 5 GOD IS LIGHT.....: God is truth, infinite goodness, and purity. DARKNES.....: Stands for ever thing the Devil gives out for every thing that is evil and false. (3:19-21) Relationship is impossible with God unless believers live in te light, loving as God loves us and staying pure from Sin (1st JN 1:6-7) The Jewish authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls also shared the black and white vision of the world.

v 6. Those professing fellowship in Christ while walking in sin lies. They are deceiving  themselves, thinking the enjoyment they have in exposure to what is moral and good is the real thing. They need to examine and prove themselves to see if they are truly in the faith, 2 Cor. 13:5.

v 7. To walk in the light is to walk as Christ walked, with no hard feelings or jealousies, but with a unity of spirit. The blood of Christ is the basis for both justification and sanctification, with two results, fellowship with one another and cleansing from all sin.

V 8 WE HAVE NO SIN.....: Any one who says this is delusion and insulting God. (1:10) John caustioned readers not to take this insulting Version. I. Some question the existence of God, hence no sin.  II. Some think a loving God wouldn’t hold any thing against us. III. Some blame our actions on our environment etc. and it is not our fault.  IV. Some through pride even deny doing anything wrong. All these are self deceptive and show the absence of the true Gospel in hearts. 

v 9. IF WE CONFESS: Confession is not just a moment of admission of weakness, but the specific act of wrong doing. (PS 32:3-5) V 9 GOD IS EAGER TO SHOW AND GIVE MERCY.....: to the contrite spirit (PS 51:17) The Lord urge believers to seek forgiveniss on a continuing basis because the need for repentance, confession, and forgiveness is on going. ( MT 6:12 LK 11:4) confession in biblical terms for some thing you do with your lips (MK 1:5 Rom 10:10 Jas 5:16) This lead to the Scarament of Reconiliation (JN 20:23) Priestly confession is a practice long observed in Israel ( Lev 5:5-6 Num 5:5-10)

v 10. This continues the thought of verse 8, with the added emphasis that to deny we sin would be to make God a liar. Compare Prov. 30:12.