The Letters of John, written by Ekkehardt Mueller, is the companion book for next quarter’s Adult Bible Study Guide. Thirteen chapters comment on all three of John’s epistles. Chapter 1 introduces the three letters of the apostle John, discussing to whom they were addressed, what problems they faced (somewhat similar to those addressed by the Gospel of John), why John wrote these letters, and the role of Jesus in them. Nine chapters comment on 1 John, followed by a chapter devoted to its important themes, including the Godhead, the church, salvation, ethics, and future events. Both 1 John and 2 John combat heresy, especially in connection with the nature of Christ, affirming Jesus as the Son of God who has come in human flesh. A false understanding of Jesus also has repercussions on the concept of God, sin, and ethics. In the first epistle we find appeals, promises, a moving exposition on love, and the best statement on assurance of salvation in Scripture, while the second epistle furnishes information on how the church should relate to secessionists. By contrast, the problem confronted in 3 John is no longer theological error but the abuse of power in the church. Writing toward the end of the first century, the apostle wrestles already with the proper scope of church authority, which became a major problem in the second and third centuries and led to the establishment of the papacy and the strict hierarchical system of the Roman Church. Mueller’s book shows how, in confronting vital issues, all three epistles speak to our present situation, mixing admonition with joy and a call to a more intimate walk with the Lord. Published by Pacific Press, the 128-page book costs US$11.99.
New Companion Book to the Epistles of John
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