When was johns epistles written

Please note, our website requires JavaScript to be supported. Please contact us or click here to learn more about how to enable JavaScript on your browser. Follow us:. Listen Now. The author of this epistle never identified himself by name, but Christians since the beginning of the church have considered this letter authoritative, believing it was written by John the apostle.

That group of witnesses includes Polycarp, an early second-century bishop who as a young man knew John personally. John did not specify the recipients of this letter, but given his addresses in Revelation 2—3 to seven churches in the immediate vicinity of Ephesus—the city where John ministered late in his life—he likely had those same churches in mind for this letter. The letter offers little in the way of specifics, so pinpointing the date of its composition can be difficult.

While I must refer you to the commentaries, which cover the arguments in detail, I believe that a very good case can be made that:. While 1 John is anonymous and not in letter format, it is clear that this is not just a theological treatise penned for a general audience, but is very personal. The author knows his readers, for he refers to them as "dear children" or "little children," as well as "beloved" or "dear friends.

We first get to know John the Apostle when he was called with his brother James, both of whom Jesus nicknamed the "Sons of Thunder" Mark Their father was Zebedee. Their mother was probably Salome, who may have been Jesus'mother's sister Matthew with Mark ; John Thus John may have been Jesus'cousin.

He and his brother James were fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, working with their father. He was an "unschooled, ordinary" man Acts When Jesus called them, they followed immediately Mark During Jesus'ministry, John isn't usually mentioned alone by name, but usually along with his brother James or with Peter.

He was one of Jesus'inner circle -- Peter, James, and John -- and thus was present at the transfiguration, at the raising of Jairus'daughter, and in the Garden of Gethsemane. Early in his discipleship, John seems to have struggled with pride, for Jesus rebukes him and his brother for seeking to sit on his right and left in the Kingdom Mark , for trying to stop a man who is casting out demons in Jesus'name Luke , and for wanting to call down fire upon a Samaritan village that didn't welcome Jesus Luke John's brother James was the first martyr among the apostles Acts If John the Apostle is the author of the Gospel of John as I believe he is , then he is "the disciple whom Jesus loved," a disciple particularly close to Jesus.

He leaned on Jesus'breast at the Last Supper John , was appointed to care for Jesus'mother at the cross John , and recognized Jesus in the miraculous catch of fish John He may also have been the "other disciple" who knew the high priest John and also the one who ran with Peter to the empty tomb John In the life of the early church he is associated with Peter in healing the lame man at the temple Acts , and appearing before the Sanhedrin for their bold teaching about Jesus and the resurrection Acts He was arrested, released by an angel, and later flogged with the other apostles Acts In Galatians he is mentioned as a "pillar" of the Jerusalem church.

But that's the last Bible reference to him. However, early church history is pretty much agreed that John the Apostle lived and ministered in Asia Minor toward the end of his life. He was exiled to the island of Patmos Revelation during the persecution of Domitian reigned 81 to 96 AD , specifically in Domitian's fourteenth year, 7 that is, about 95 AD.

Eusebius records a strong persecution by Domitian against Christians. Domitian was assassinated on September 18, 96 AD. Jerome c.

This would put his death after 98 AD. He was apparently the only disciple of the original twelve who died of natural causes, as alluded to at the end of John's Gospel Stories from the Early Fathers that illustrate his character can be found in an Appendix. To whom was First John written? These short letters were written in Ephesus before John was banished to Patmos.

John continued to have an impact on the earliest Christians as we see throughout the New Testament. False teachers were a problem in early Christianity. Since there was no complete New Testament yet for Christians to refer to, many churches fell prey to pretenders who taught their own ideas and advanced themselves as leaders. John wrote his first letter to set the record straight on some important issues, particularly concerning the identity of Jesus Christ — the Son of God.

But if they bickered and fought all the time, or were selfish and did not look out for one another, they were lying to themselves about their relationship with God. He said:. Genesis , 18 Jan. Genesis 19 Jan. Genesis 20 Jan. Genesis 21 Jan. Genesis 22 Jan. Genesis 23 Jan. Genesis 24 Jan. Genesis 25 Jan. Genesis 26 Jan. Genesis 27 Jan. Genesis 28 Jan. Genesis , 29 Jan. Genesis ,, 30 Jan. Genesis ,, 31 Jan.

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