FELLOWSHIP IN THE

LIFE ETERNAL

AN EXPOSITION OF THE

EPISTLES OF ST JOHN

BY

GEORGE G. FINDLAY, D.D.

HODDER AND STOUGHTON

LONDON MCMIX (1909)

[Digitized by Ted Hildebrandt, Gordon College, 2006]

UXORI DILECTISSIMAE

PER TRIGINTA TRES ANNOS

PRECUM ET LABORUM CONSORTI

COHEREDI GRATIAE VITAE.

PREFACE

THE Exposition here presented was first delivered

sixteen years ago to the Headingley students of

that time, and is published partly at their request.

Chapters of it have appeared, occasionally, in the

pages of the Expositor, the Wesleyan, Methodist Maga-

zine, and Experience; these have been carefully

revised and re-written. The features of the work

and the method of treatment will be apparent from

the full Table of Contents that is furnished. I have

had primarily in view the needs of theological

students and preachers; but professional language

has been avoided and matters of technical scholarship

kept in the background, and I venture to hope that

the interpretation may be of service to other readers

who are interested in questions of New Testament

doctrine and Christian experience. To no age since

his own has St John had more to say than to ours;

the opening of the twentieth century is, in some

ways, wonderfully near to the close of the first.

Amongst previous interpreters of the Epistles of

John, my debts—at least, my more immediate debts—

are greatest to Lucke, Erich Haupt, Rothe, and

Westcott. Lucke excelled in grammatical and logical

vii


viii PREFACE

acumen; Haupt in analytic power and theological

reflexion; Rothe was supreme in spiritual insight

and fineness of touch; in Westcott there was a

unique combination of all these gifts, though he may

have been surpassed in any single one of them.

Neither Lucke's nor Rothe's commentaries, unfortu-

nately, have been translated from the German.

GEORGE G. FINDLAY.

HEADINGLEY.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I

PAGE

THE TWO LITTLE LETTERS (2 and 3 John) 3

Nature of the Two Notes—The Apostle John's Correspondence—

Private or Public Letters?—Connexion between 2 and 3 John—

Relation of both to I John—Causes of their Survival.

CHAPTER II

HOSPITALITY IN THE EARLY CHURCH (2 and 3 John) 13

Importance of the Imperial Roman Roads—Churches echeloned

along the Great Highways—W. M. Ramsay upon Travelling at the

Christian Era—Hospitality an essential Church Function—Enter-

tainment of Itinerant Ministers—Abuse of Church Hospitality—

The Didache—St John's Solicitude on the subject.

CHAPTER III

THE ELECT LADY (2 John) 23

The words e]klekth> kuri<a—Theory of Dr Bendel Harris—Vindication

of rendering "Lady"—Proof of the Public Destination of 2 John-

Lady-ship of the Church—The Apostle's relations to the Church in

question--Possibility of identifying the “Elect Lady.”

CHAPTER IV

GAIUS, DEMETRIUS, DIOTREPHES (3 John) 35

3 John full of Personalities—Three Typical Characters of late

Apostolic Times—The Gaiuses of the New Testament—Gaius of

ix


x CONTENTS

PAGE

Porgamum—His Characterization—The name Demetrius—A Tra-

velling Assistant of St John—His Visit to Gaius' Church—The

Triple Testimony to him—Diotrephes the Marplot—Significance of

his Name—Nature of his Influence—His Insolence toward the

Apostle—Indications of the State of the Johannine Churches.

CHAPTER V

THE APOSTLE JOHN IN HIS LETTERS 47

St John's Reserve — Companionship with St Peter — Contrast

between the Friends—St John's Place in the Primitive Church—

The Apostle of Love—The Apostle of Wrath—Combination of the

Mystical and Matter-of-fact—St John's Symbolism a product of

this Union—Twofold Conflict of the Church: Imperial Persecution,

Gnosticizing Error.

CHAPTER VI

SCOPE AND CHARACTER OF THE FIRST EPISTLE 59

The Letter a Written Homily—Addressed to Settled Christians—St

John's Ministry that of Edification—Complement of St Peter's

Ministry—Continuation of St Paul's Ministry—Polemical Aim of

the Epistle—Connexion of this with its Ethical Strain—Comparison

of St John's Teaching with St Paul's—Obligation of the latter to

the former—Absence of Epistolary Formulae—"We" and "I" in

the Epistle—An Epistle General—Traits of Johannine Authorship

—Relation of Epistle to Gospel of John—Analysis of 1 John—

Appendix: Tables of Parallels.

DIVISION I: FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

(CHAPTER 1. 1-2. 27)

CHAPTER VII

THE MANIFESTED LIFE (1 John 1. 1-4) 83

Construction of the Passage—The Eternal Life unveiled—Gnostic

Dualism of Nature and Spirit—"In the Beginning" and "From

the Beginning"—Actuality of the Manifestation—Competence of

the Witnesses—Fellowship of Men in the Testimony—Fellowship

with God through the Testimony.


CONTENTS xi

CHAPTER VIII

PAGE

FELLOWSHIP IN THE LIGHT OF GOD (1 John 1. 5-10) 95

The Gospel a Message about God, proposing Fellowship with God

—The Old Gods and the New God—The God of Philosophy—The

Incubus of Idolatry—God as Pure Light —Light a Socializing

Power—One Light for all Intelligence—Blindness to God the

mother of Strife—Cleansing through the Blood of Jesus—Three

Ways of opposing the Light of God.

CHAPTER IX

THE ADVOCATE AND THE PROPITIATION (1 John 2. 1, 2) 111

Aim of the Gospel the Abolition of Sin—Perversion of the Doctrine

of Gratuitous Pardon—Ground of the Apostle's Joy in his Children

—Case of a Sinning Brother—Implication of the Society—Resort to

the Advocate—Discrepancy in St John's Teaching —The title

Paraclete—Advocate and High Priest—Character and Competency title

of the Advocate—Disposition of the Judge—The Advocate has

"somewhat to offer"—The term Propitiation — Heathen and

Jewish Propitiations — The Scandal of the Cross to Modern

Thought -- The Cost of the Propitiation to its Offerer—Law

operative in Redeeming Grace—The Advocate in the Sinner's place

—Universal Scope of the Propitiation.

CHAPTER X

THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD (1 John 2. 3-6) 133

Elements of Fellowship with God— Connexion of Ideas in chap. 2. 1-6

—Danger of Providing for Sin in Believers—Loyalty the Test and

Guard of Forgiveness—What is keeping of Commands?—What the

Commands to be kept?—Good Conscience of Commandment-keeper

—Falseness of Knowledge of God without Obedience—Knowledge

translated into Love—Love the Soul of Loyalty—"Perfecting" of

God's Love—"The Commandments" and "the Word" of God—

Communion passing into Union with God—Mutual Indwelling—

Jesus the Example of Life in God—The Features of His Image.

CHAPTER XI

THE OLD AND NEW COMMANDMENT (1 John 2. 7-11) 155

Teaching of last Paragraph familiar to Readers—"The Command-

ment" Christ's Law of Brother-love — St John harps on this


xii CONTENTS

PAGE

String—The Breaker of the Christian Rule—The Sin of Hatred—

Its Course and Issue—The Scandal it Creates—Life in the Light—

The Commandment of Love Old as the Gospel—Old as Revelation

—Old as the Being of God—New as the Incarnation and the Cross

—"New in Him, and in You"—The Novelty of Christian Brother-

hood—Dawn of the World's New Day.

CHAPTER XII

RELIGION IN AGE AND YOUTH (1 John 2. 12-14) 177

Pause in the Letter—"I write," "I have written"—Little

Children, Fathers, Young Men—All knowing the Father through

Forgiveness — The "Fathers" deep in Knowledge of Christ-

Christology the Crown of Christian Thinking—"Young Men" and

their Strength—Violence of Passion—Allurements of Novelty—

Beacon Light of Scripture—The Militant Strength of Young Men.

CHAPTER XIII

THE LOVE THAT PERISHES (1 John 2. 15-17) 195

The Rival Loves—"The World" in St John—To be loved and to be

loathed—The Church and the World--"All that is in the World"

—The Temptations in the Garden and in the Desert—Physical

Appetite—Subjection of the Body — AEsthetic Sensibility—The

Worlds of Fashion and of Art—Life's Vainglory—Intellectual

Ambition — Pride of Wealth — The Essence of Worldliness —

Transience of the Evil World—Of the Roman Empire—Of the

Kingdom of Satan on Earth.

CHAPTER XIV

THE LAST HOUR (1 John 2. 18-27) 213

St John in Old Age —The Veteran sure of Victory—Seceders from

the Church—"Last Hour" of the Apostolic Age—Ignorance of

Times and Seasons—Cyclical Course of History—Etymology of

"Antichrist"—Gnostic Denial of the Son of God — Separation

of "Jesus" from "Christ"—Axiom of Gnosticism--Safeguards of

Faith—The Chrism of the Spirit—The Witness of the Apostles—

The Promise of Christ.


CONTENTS xiii

DIVISION II: SONSHIP TOWARD GOD

(CHAPTER 2. 28-5. 12)

CHAPTER XV

PAGE

THE FILIAL CHARACTER AND HOPE (1 John 2. 28-3. 3) 229

Main Division of the Letter—Comparison of its two Halves—St

John awaiting Christ's Coming — New Testament Horizon —

Confidence or Shame at the Judgement-seat—Pauline and Johannine

Eschatology--"Begotten of God"—Doing the Vital Thing—The

Righteous Father and Righteous Sons--"Look, what Love!"—To

be, and to be called, God's Children--Veiling of the Sons of

God—The Hope of Glory — Internal and External Likeness to

Christ—Vision presumes Assimilation—Purification by Hope.

CHAPTER XVI

THE INADMISSIBILITY OF SIN (1 John 3. 4-9) 253

Hope awakens Fear—Five Reasons against Sin in Believers—Sin

Ruinous—Sin Illegal—Deepening of Sense of Sin in Scripture—The

Constitutional Objection to Sin—Sin Unchristian — Bearing and

Removing Sin—Sinlessness of Sin's A.bolisher — Sin and Christ

Incompatibles—Paradox of a Sinning Christian—Sin Diabolical-

Extra-human Origin of Sin—The Dominion of Satan—Its coming

Dissolution—"Children of the Devil"--Sin Unnatural in God's

Child—The Facts of Saintship—The Source of Saintship—The

Christian non possumus—St John's High Doctrine of Holiness.

CHAPTER XVII

LOVE AND HATRED, AND THEIR PATTERNS (1 John 3. 10-18) 273

Divine or Diabolic Sonship "manifest"—Two Sorts of Men—

Personality of the Evil One—Marks of Spiritual Parentage—Love

the Burden of the Gospel—Diligo, ergo sum--The Master of Love,

and His Lesson—Testing of Love by Material Needs—Cain a

Prototype—Evil must hate Good—Implicit Murder—Misanthropy.

CHAPTER XVIII

CHRISTIAN HEART ASSURANCE (1 John 3. 19-24) 289

Probing of the Uneasy Conscience—Double Ground of Re-assurance

—Love, Faith's Saviour—Love, the Touchstone of Knowledge-


xiv CONTENTS

PAGE

"We shall persuade our Hearts"—The Scrutiny of God—Assurance

by the Spirit's Witness -- Peril of Mysticism — Grammatical

Ambiguity in verses 19, 20—The Apostle warning, not soothing—

Grounds for Self-reproach—Christian Assurance and Prevailing

Prayer—God's Favour toward Lovers of their Brethren.

CHAPTER XIX

THE TRIAL OF THE SPIRITS (1 John 4. 1-6) 311

False Spirits abroad in the World—A Critical Epoch—Spurious

Inspiration — Some Popular Prophets—The Criteria of True and

False Christianity—The Doctrinal Test: the Person of Christ—

St Paul's Confessional Watchword, and St John's—The Practical

Test: the Consensus of Believers— The Historical Test: the

Authority of the Apostles—Papal Claims versus the New Testament

—Modernism on its Trial.

CHAPTER XX

THE DIVINITY OF LOVE (1 John 4. 7-14) 327

Solidarity of Love in the Universe—Love of, not only from God—

Love the "One Thing needful"—Lovelessness of Man—Love and

other Attributes of the Godhead—The Incarnation the Outcome of

God's Fatherhood—Bethlehem consummated on Calvary — The

Surrender of the Son by the Father for Man's sake—The Conquests

of God's Father-love—Divine Love " perfected " in Good Men—

Thwarted in Selfish Men.

CHAPTER XXI

SALVATION BY LOVE (1 John 4. 15-21) 343

St John's Freshness in Repetition—God in Men that love Him—

Men love Him for sending His Son—Chilling Effect of a minimizing

Christology—Faith reproduces the Love it apprehends —Love

removes Fear of Judgement—Confidence of the Christ-like—Fear a

Salutary Punishment—Learning Love from God—The Lie of loving

God alone—Orthodoxy without Charity—God no Monopolist.

CHAPTER XXII

THE CONQUERING FAITH (1 John 5. 1-5) 359

St John's Life-span—The World of his Time—The Long Campaign

—The Centre of the Battle—Ancient Doketism—Modern Hu-


CONTENTS xv

PAGE

manism—A Real Incarnation and Atonement—Love and Discipline

—Loving the Begetter in the Begotten—Depth and Breadth of

Christian Love—The Anvil of Character—Failure of Undisciplined

Churches—"His Commandments not grievous."

CHAPTER XXIII

THE THREE WITNESSES, AND THE ONE TESTIMONY

(1 John 5. 6-12) 377

Transcendental and Experimental in St John—His Gospel an

Autobiography—The Three Heavenly Witnesses—One Jesus Christ

—"Through Water and Blood"—The Lord's Baptism and Cruci-

fixion—Crises of St John's Faith—The Testimony of Pentecost—

Three Witnesses merged in One—"Making God a Liar"—Witness

of the Christian Consciousness.

THE EPILOGUE (CHAPTER 5. 13-21)

CHAPTER XXIV

THE ETERNAL LIFE, AND THE SIN UNTO DEATH (1 John

5. 13-17) 395

Postscript to the Letter—Purpose of Gospel and Epistle—Faith and

Assurance of Faith—The Certainty of Life Eternal—Practical Use

of Christian Assurance—"Asking according to His Will" — The

Possibilities of Intercessory Prayer—A Limit to Prayer—What is

the "Sin unto Death"?—Mortal and Venial Sins—The Case of

Jeremiah and his People—The Mystery of Inhibited Prayer.

CHAPTER XXV

THE APOSTOLIC CREED (1 John 5. 18-21) 415

The three-fold "We know"—St John's Positiveness—The Order of

his Creed—"I believe in Holiness"—The Blight of Cynicism—The

Son of God Keeper of God's Sons—The Question of Entire Sanctifi-

cation—"I believe in Regeneration"—A "World lying in the

Evil One"—Mystery of New Births—The Christian Noblesse oblige

—"I believe in the Mission of the Son of God"—Come to stay—

Christian Use of the Understanding—The True God and the Idols

—Christ come to conquer.

INTRODUCTION

THE TWO LITTLE LETTERS

THE SECOND AND THIRD EPISTLES OF ST JOHN

Nature of the two Notes—The Apostle John's Correspondence—Private

or Public Letters?—Connexion between 2 and 3 John—Relation of both

to 1 John—Causes of their Survival.

"The Elder to the Elect Lady and her children."--2 JOHN 1.

"The Elder to Gaius the beloved."--3 JOHN 1.

CHAPTER I

THE TWO LITTLE LETTERS

THE Second and Third Epistles of John are the

shortest books, of the Bible. They contain in

the Greek less than three hundred words apiece;

closely written, each might cover a single sheet of

papyrus—to this material the word "paper" (chartes)

refers in 2 John 12. Together they barely fill a page

out of the eight or nine hundred pages of the English

Bible. These brief notes, or dispatches, appear to have

been thrown off by the Apostle in the ordinary course

of his Church-administration, and may have occupied

in their composition but a few moments of his time; in

all likelihood, he wrote scores of such letters, bearing

upon public or private affairs, during his long presi-

dency over the Christian societies of Asia Minor. By

a happy providence, these two have been preserved to

us out of so much that has perished with the occasion.

Doubt has been entertained, both in ancient and

modern times, as to whether these notes should

not be ascribed to another "John the Elder," of

whose existence some traces are found in the ear-

liest Church history, rather than to the Apostle

of that name; but their close affinity to the First

Epistle of John sustains the general tradition as to

their authorship and vindicates them for the beloved