First John presents lofty claims: "I write this to you so that you will not sin" (2:1); "No one who is born of God will continue to sin" (3:9); and "Anyone born of God does not continue to sin" (5:18). These must be understood in their original context, without dismissing their enduring spiritual implications. This commentary attempts to balance the scriptural call to holy living with the pastoral call to treat redemptively those who fail.
The letters of 2 John and 3 John offer a significant window into the life of first-century churches. Readers encounter issues of ecclesiology (church leadership, gender issues, and how the churches were interconnected) and social/cultural realities. Here we see especially how hospitality in the early churches was related to itinerant evangelism.
Rick Williamson moves verse-by-verse through 1, 2, and 3 John after providing in-depth introductions to each book.
