The Hebraic Epistle of First John – Chapter 1

Yochanan Aleph opens with a preamble concerning the Word of life and then Yochanan addresses the claims of the secessionists to know יהוה . Their claims to know יהוה are to be tested by their attitudes to sin. Yochanan’s purpose is to strengthen the communities commitment to what they already know. There’s really 3 temporal junctures to which Yochanan is writing this letter: The epoch of Yahusha’s incarnation existence on the earth. The epoch when witnesses came into contact with Him. The epoch of this letters reading and the communities response to it. First John 1:1 He who was from Beresheeth, whom we have heard, whom we have seen with our eyes, that which we did behold, and our hands have handled, we declare to you that He is the Torah of chayim.  5 descriptions/facts of the ‘the Torah/Word of Chayim’:  ‘that which was from the beginning’ (ho e’n ap’ arches) – it’s parallel is found in the Fourth Gospel, ‘In the beginning was the Word’ ( en arche’ e’n ho logos) – in the Gospel of Yochanan – time before the creation of the world – in Yoc Alef – ‘the Word of life’ incarnate in Yahusha – the fact of the incarnation – the transcendent has become palpably immanent – the divine has made himself corporeal and historical. ‘that which we’ve heard’ 1:1 makes it clear that this is a firsthand hearing and proclamation of the Master! ‘that which we’ve seen with our own eyes,’ eyewitness testimony – in the LXX it means sense and perception – a direct personal experience with that which was seen. ‘that which we did behold ’ – the actual seeing with the human eye ‘theaomai’ ‘beheld,’ this is more a solemn witness than just a casual glance of the eye as the NIV has it ‘looked at!’ ‘that which our hands have handled,’ – in the LXX it’s used predominantly to denote actual touching with hands. The incarnation manifested. First John 1:2 And the chayim was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness to, and declare to you that eternal chayim, that was with Abba and was manifested to us. 3 We announce to you that which we have seen and heard; that we declare to you, that you also may have chavurah with us; and truly our chavurah is with Abba and with His Son gauvh ha Moshiach.  Koino’nia: commitment to a common task, personal relationship, sharing financially, fellowship with each other beginning at the start of the Festal year – Passover. First John 1:4 And these things we write to you that your simcha may be full. 5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that vuvh is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.  V.6-10. Three conditional sentences which show Yochanan’s understanding of the claims of the secessionists, thereby addressing their false teaching. If we say that we have chavurah/fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness…. If we say that we have no sin…. If we say that we have not sinned…. First John 1:6 If we say that we have chavurah with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the emet. 7 But if we walk in the Light as He is in the Light, we have chavurah with one another and the dahm of gauvh ha Moshiach His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the emet 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.  Lying about your relationship with יהוה – יהוה is light and there is no fellowship between light and darkness (their claim to walk with יהוה (whilst walking in darkness) is false. They are guilty of ‘not doing the truth’ . The opposite of doing evil – doing the truth means living in the light of the truth and seeking to avoid sin. You can’t claim to know יהוה and leave it at that – put it into practice and flee from sin. John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that Light has come into the olam hazeh, and men loved darkness rather than Light, because their deeds were ev