Koine Foundations

Assurance to the Readers that they are Walking in the Light

^2:12 I am writing to you, little children, to affirm that your sins are forgiven you on account of ˹Jesus’˺ name.

^2:13a I am writing to you, fathers, to affirm that you know the One who is from the beginning.

^2:13b I am writing to you, young men, to affirm that you have overcome the Evil One.

^2:13c Indeed, I wrote to you, children, to affirm that you know the Father.

^2:14a Indeed, I wrote to you, fathers, to affirm that you know the One who is from the beginning.

^2:14b Indeed, I wrote to you, young men, to affirm that you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.

Translation by the author from the SBL Greek New Testament.

Summary of Verses 2:12-14

Based on his personal knowledge of them, John assures his readers that they are walking in the light. John makes it clear where his readers stand before he moves forward in the letter.

Click here for a full outline of First John.

Structure of Verses 2:12-14

Verses 2:12-14 are a grammatical unit organized around two sets of three statements introduced by two tenses of the verb “I write”: “I am writing” (γράφω / graphō) and “I wrote” (ἔγραψα / egrapsa). The second set of statements duplicates some of the material in the first set. Each set addresses groups referred to as “children”, “fathers”, and “young men”. Visually, the structure looks like this:

Set 1:

1. I am writing to you, little children, to affirm that… (vs. 2:12)
2. I am writing to you, fathers, to affirm that… (vs. 2:13a)
3. I am writing to you, young men, to affirm that… (vs. 2:13b)

Set 2:

1. I wrote to you, children, to affirm that… (vs. 2:13c)
2. I wrote to you, fathers, to affirm that… (vs. 2:14a)
3. I wrote to you, young men, to affirm that… (vs. 2:14b)

Unfortunately, the verse divisions, which are not part of the original text, do not align with this structure – one statement is in verse 2:12, three statements are in verse 2:13, and two statements are in verse 2:14.

The syntax of all six statements is identical: a form of the verb “to write”, followed by an expression of direct address (children, fathers, young men), followed by an affirmation statement.

In Greek this syntax is: the Present or Aorist Tense form of γράφω / graphō, a vocative of address, and a ὅτι / hoti clause.

Click here to open a PDF document that explains and illustrates the structure of verses 2:12-14 in more detail

The statements sum up some of the teaching at the beginning of the letter up to this point, look forward to teaching that is ahead, and provide encouragement by stressing things that are true about the people John writes to. The three main points made in the statements are:

• Their sins are forgiven.
• They know the Father.
• They have overcome the evil one.

There are two challenges to understanding and translating these verses:

1. What is the identity of the three groups addressed in the statements: children, fathers, young men.
2. What is the significance of the change in tense for the verb “I write”?

Children / Fathers / Young Men

Scholars debate how the terms children, fathers, and young men are to be understood, though they would agree that they represent the entire congregation that has remained faithful to the truth. The various opinions are summarized below.

1. The terms represent three distinct groups based on age. But contra this, the readers would have probably understood the term “children” to refer to everyone as it was used in verse 2:1, and not as just referring to youngsters. And if the terms do refer to distinct age groups, why are they not in chronological order, i.e., children, young men, fathers?
2. The terms represent three distinct groups based on spiritual maturity. Thus, children are new believers, fathers are mature believers, and young men are those with a younger, vigorous faith. But again, the issue is why they are not in order. Also, John gives no indication that he is using these terms metaphorically to refer to spiritual maturity.
3. The distinctions are a rhetorical device used to highlight key characteristics of the Christian’s experience – forgiveness of sins, knowing God, and overcoming the Evil One. [See CULY p. 39.]
4. The term “children” is a term of affection that refers to the readers as a whole, as it is used throughout the letter. Fathers and young men are two sub-groups within this group.
   • “Fathers” is not fathers in the sense of men with children, but more in the sense of how we would we use the phrases “church fathers” or “founding fathers”. These are members of the congregation who are mature in years and in faith, and who have responsibility in the community of believers (whether officially or unofficially) for building community life and deciding matters of doctrine. They keep the community grounded in the faith against the disruptors.
   • “Young men” is not strictly younger men, but the younger generation of active believers who get things done. They have the energy and take action to resist the disruptors and overcome the Evil One.
   • See Acts 22.1 for a similar threefold division where Paul addresses a crowd as “men, brothers, and fathers“. See also 1 Timothy 5:1, where Paul breaks the group of men into fathers and young men.

Tense Change

As noted above, the tense of the verb “I write” changes from the Present Tense (“I am writing“) in the first set of statements to the Aorist Tense (“I wrote“) in the second set of statements. Scholars have discussed the reason for this change even since commentaries were written on First John. Some scribes who copied the manuscripts were also possibly puzzled by the change and altered the Aorist Tense verbs to Present Tense verbs in a number of manuscripts. Here is a summary of the reasons for the change purposed by scholars:

1. We don’t know the reason for the change in tense.
2. There is no significance to the change in tense.
3. The change in tense is merely a stylistic variation to avoid repetition.
4. The change to the Aorist Tense indicates that John is now referring to the preceding part of the letter, an earlier letter such as Second or Third John, or the Gospel of John.
5. The change is used for emphasis to underscore that what John writes is true, similar to saying, “Indeed!”.

Overall, it appears that the change in tense is stylistic and added for emphasis.

Verse 2:12

I am writing to you, little children, to affirm that your sins are forgiven you…

This first statement to the children points back to verses 1:8-10 that dealt with sin, confession, forgiveness, and cleansing.

John addresses the recipients as “little children” to express his affection for them. It also implies that he has a more senior standing in relation to them.

on account of ˹Jesus’˺ name.

The name stands for the person. God forgives sins on account of Jesus Christ who was the atoning sacrifice for our sins (see verses 2:2 and 4:10).

Greek Note: on account of

“on account of” is the translation of the Greek preposition διὰ / dia. It can be followed by a word in the accusative case giving διὰ a meaning like “because of” or “on account of”; or followed by a word in the genitive case giving διὰ a meaning like “through”. John constructs the phrase using the accusative case: διὰ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ / dia to onoma autou, where τὸ ὄνομα (“the name”) is in the accusative case. This presents Christ as the primary cause of forgiveness of sins. If “the name” was in the genitive case, it would simply present Christ as somehow instrumental in the forgiveness of sins, rather than the primary cause.

Verse 2:13a

I am writing to you, fathers, to affirm that you know the One who is from the beginning.

John now addresses those who are mature in both years and faith. “Fathers” would be a title of respect.

If fathers are a sub-group of children (i.e., all believers to whom John is writing), then this is an additional affirmation that is highlighting their maturity in the faith.

In contrast the those who do not know God such as the disruptors (see verse 2:4), they have come to a mature personal knowledge of Jesus Christ that comes only with experience.

“the One who is from the beginning” is Jesus Christ whom John wrote about in verses 1:1-3.

Verse 2:13b

I am writing to you, young men, to affirm that you have overcome the Evil One.

John now addresses the younger generation of active believers who get things done.

Some commentators speculate that the troublemakers whose false teaching split the congregation were from this age group. In which case, John commends these young men for holding fast and overcoming their false teaching. They have rejected the false teaching and remained faithful to the true teaching. Ultimately, “the Evil One” (i.e., Satan) is the source of all false teaching.

If young men is a sub-group of children (i.e., all believers to whom John is writing), then this is an additional affirmation that is highlighting their successful rejection of all that the disruptors stood for and taught.

In our culture, some people might object to the exclusive masculine references in these verses (fathers, young men). But remember that women are an important part of Biblical teaching. The Ten Commandments say to honor “your father and mother”. Robert Yarbrough make this insightful comment in his commentary: “As long as men refrain from handling these verses as if they referred only to males, women have no reason to feel that the masculine form of the words πατέρες and νεανίσκοι excludes them… The author ‘includes all Christians, who will permit themselves to be addressed by this homily.’” [YARBROUGH p. 117-118]

Greek Note: young men

The Greek word νεανίσκοι / neaniskoi which is translated as “young men” always refers to people of a younger age and never refers to people of less spiritual maturity in the New Testament, i.e., the word is never used metaphorically.

Greek Note: the Evil One

The words translated as “the Evil One” are masculine in the Greek and so refer to a person which would be Satan. If they were neuter (which they are not), they would refer to “evil”. The Evil One is the ruler of the realm of darkness (1:6; 2:9).

Verse 2:13c

Indeed, I wrote to you, children, to affirm that you know the Father.

John now writes another set of three statements, which duplicate some material from the first set but also introduce some new material. Perhaps these statements are repeated to emphasize their importance in affirming the faithfulness of the readers to the truth. This set addresses the same three groups of children, fathers, and young men.

This second statement to the children points back to verses 2:4-6 that dealt with knowing God and keeping His commandments.

John encourages the entire congregation with similar words he addressed to the fathers. In contrast to those who do not know God, they truly know God.

Greek Note: children

John uses a different word for “children” than what he used in verse 2:12. In verse 2:12 it was τεκνία / teknia (“little children“), in this verse it is παιδία / paidia, a much more common word for children in the New Testament (8 times vs. 52 times). It is difficult to see much of a difference that it makes to the two statements. As Glenn Barker notes in his commentary: “If a difference in emphasis is intended, the use of teknia emphasizes more the relationship, the dependence or weakness of the infant; while paidia stresses the immaturity (subordination) of the child, the need to be under instruction or direction.” [BARKER p. 320]

Robert Yarbrough also makes this helpful comment: “What the words share semantically is greater than what separates them, and in some cases they are no doubt synonymous”. [YARBROUGH p. 116]

Regardless, both words are terms of affection for the whole congregation, which he uses throughout his letter.

Greek Note: Tense of γράφω / graphō

In the first three statements, John used the Present Tense form of the word γράφω / graphō (“I am writing“). For the next three statements he changed to the Aorist Tense form ἔγραψα / egrapsa (“I wrote“). It is not completely clear why he changed tenses (see discussion above), but it may be to emphasis the points just made or to heighten the rhetorical effect. Perhaps the sense is “this is important, keep this in mind”. Since we are not ancient Greek speakers, we cannot fully appreciate the subtle rhetorical feel of the language. Interesting Note: In verses 1:1 to 2:13, the Present Tense form γράφω is always used, but after that in the rest of the letter, it is always in the Aorist Tense form ἔγραψα.

Verse 2:14a

Indeed, I wrote to you, fathers, to affirm that you know the One who is from the beginning.

Other than the change in verb tense, this statement to the fathers in verse 2:14a is identical to that in verse 2:13a. However, there may be a change in who is being referred to by the phrase “the One who is from the beginning“. In verse 2:13a the phrase comes after the reference to Jesus in verse 2:12. In this verse it comes after the reference to the Father in verse 2:13c. So the difference in these two statements about the fathers may be an affirmation that emphasizes they know Jesus (verse 2:13a) and then an affirmation that emphasizes they know the Father (2:14a).

Verse 2:14b

Indeed, I wrote to you, young men, to affirm that you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the Evil One.

John expands on the previous statement he made in verse 2:13b to the young men.

Closely associated with their strength is the abiding word of God in their lives. They remained faithful to the message they heard from the beginning of their Christian experience.

There is a link between God’s word and moral strength for the young person. See Psalm 119:9.

Go back to Verses 2:9-11
Go forward to Verses 2:15-17

Your Personal Study

Read First John 2:15-17 below and answer the questions.

^2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in him, ^2:16 because all that is worldly –

The craving for what the flesh desires,
The craving for what the eyes see,
The arrogant pride over material possessions,

– is not from the Father but is from the world. ^2:17 What’s more, the world is passing away, along with its cravings. But the one who does the will of God abides forever.

1. What does John warn believers about in these verses?

2. There is a contrast between love of the __________ and love of the __________.

3. Why do you think that love for the things of this world negatively affects one’s love for God?

4. What would be a specific example of “the craving for what the flesh desires“?

5. What would be a specific example of “the craving for what the eyes see“?

6. What do you think “the arrogant pride over material possessions” refers to?

7. What is temporary? What is eternal? Based on this, where would the wise person place their focus?

8. Is the focus of you life on love of worldly things or love of God? What evidence is there for your answer?

---

First John Translation.

First John Translation with Outline and Notes.

Bibliography of source information used for this series of posts.

Title Slide Image Credit: First John in Codex Alexandrinus, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Unless otherwise noted, English translations of Bible verses are by the author from the Greek text and are not quotations from any copyrighted Bible version or translation.

How you can have eternal life.

© Copyright 2022-2024 by Matthew Jones
koinefoundations@gmail.com