1 John 1v1-2

‘5 W’ questions to ask about any book of the Bible:

  1. Who? Apostle John
  2. When? Approx. AD 60-100
  3. What? Light, Love, Life, Knowing and Abiding in God
  4. Why? 5 reasons (1v4, 2v1, 2v12, 2v26, 5v13)
  5. Whom? Christians

1 That which was from beginning, that which we have Aheard, that which we have Aseen with the eyes of us, that which we MDlook upon-a and the hands of us Ahandle-a concerning the word of the life–

What is the ‘that?’

  • The word ‘that’ appears 4 times in this 1st verse and also appears again in verse 3: that which we have Aseen;
  • It is replacing a noun and so therefore must be a person, place, thing or idea.

There have been different answers to this question:

  1. The word of the life;
  2. The eternal life;
  3. Jesus.

However,

  • In the Greek text ‘that’ is neuter;
  • A noun in Greek can be masculine, feminine or neuter; 
  • Whatever John has in mind is a neuter noun, as the relative pronoun ‘that’ has to match the gender of the noun it is replacing;
  • So grammatically it must be a neuter noun;
    • Word is masculine;
    • Life is feminine;
    • Jesus is masculine.
  • The problem is, there is no neuter noun in the 1st verse…or the 2nd…or the 3rd…or even the 4th.  Many commentators regard the 1st 4 verses as the introduction and start the main body of the letter at verse 5 missing the connection of verse 1 with verse 5.
  • The 1st neuter noun is in verse 5 where it says ‘God is light.’ 
  • Light is a neuter noun. 

So, John is saying in verse 1:  The light which was from beginning.

Why is this important?  

  1. The 1st part of the letter is about light and John is going to make an important theological point when we get to verse 5;
  2. It also relates back to the 1st chapter in the Gospel of John.  John the Baptist was a witness of the light (John 1v7);
  3. Indirectly the answer is Jesus because He said, “I am the light of the world,” (John 8v12) but the direct answer is the light.

Additional Proof

If we were to keep reading in 1 John to Ch2v24 we come to two further ‘that’s’ which are also neuter, identical to the ones in Ch1:

(Note: The additional proof is to show the grammatical point of the gender of the relative pronoun matching the noun it is replacing.  In this case it happens that the relative pronouns in Ch1v1&3 and in Ch2v24 are replacing the same noun.)

24 Yous therefore, that which yous Ahear-a from beginning, let it Aabide in yous.  If in yous (might) Aabide-a that which yous Ahear-a from beginning, yous also will Aabide in the son and in the father.

It is no longer that which we have heard (Ch1v1) but that which yous hear-a from beginning.  Again, there are no neuter nouns in this verse.  So what is the neuter noun that John is referring to?

  • Whatever this noun is, John is telling his audience to let it abide in them;
  • What has he already told them to let abide in them by this stage in the letter that is a neuter noun? 
  • The only neuter noun connected with abiding this far in the letter is in Ch2v10:

10 The one Aloving the brother of him, Aabides in the light and no offense is in him.

  • ‘That’ in Ch2v24 is replacing ‘the light.’

Continuing on in verse 1:

‘The light’ which was from beginning…

  • Notice there is no definite article ‘the’ which is different from our English translations;
  • What beginning is John talking about?
    • Creation – linked to John 1v1 “In beginning was the word…”
      • but notice no definite article in John 1v1 either, although context is creating;
    • Incarnation – when Jesus was born;
    • Jesus’ ministry and resurrection;
  • When there is no definite article the author is leaving it open;
  • Context may determine;
  • There is no definite article, therefore no need for debate; 
  • All of the 3 answers fit, are true and correct;
  • We will see this more as we go through 1 John.

Who is the ‘we’ referring to?

  • Most likely the apostles, although most of them were perhaps dead by the time John wrote this.

The 4 verbs:

  1. We have heard = physically heard (perfect tense – result lasts to the present);
  2. We have seen = physically saw (perfect tense – result lasts to the present);
  3. We MDlook upon-a = what does this mean?
    • Look upon is more than simply seeing – view attentively, contemplate;
    • Aorist tense – undefined in terms of type of action or timing of action but in this case would start in the past;
    • MD = Middle deponent – a verb which is never written in the Active voice (See key);
    • Does it function as an active verb or is it simply a middle verb?
    • Would this mean that the one you are looking upon is also looking at you?
  4. Ahandle-a = physically touched;
    • Aorist tense – undefined in terms of type of action or timing of action but in this case would start in the past;
    • Why would this be undefined?
    • Need to understand the word of the life.

What is the word?

  1. Spoken word;
  2. Written word;
  3. Word in flesh.

The following chart shows a timeline for the word:

  • The word in verse 1 cannot mean the spoken word as the spoken word cannot be handled and there is debate amongst commentators as to whether it is the word in flesh (Jesus) or the written word;
  • With the aorist tense verb being undefined it can quite easily mean both at different times – different aspects and word in flesh (past) and written word (present and future);
  • There need be no debate – people are seeing differently but both are correct and fit with the grammar;
  • Apostles physically handled/touched Jesus but also handled the written word.

What is ‘the life?’

  • Notice the definite article;
  • ‘The life’ has a greater quality than simply life;
  • This is another attribute of Jesus.

Jesus said,  

  • “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11v25)
  • “I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14v6)

What is the word of the life?

  1. The word became flesh and was/is the life;
  2. The written word about the life.
  • We too can look upon the light and handle the written word concerning the life.

Why does John start talking about the life, continuing to do so further in verse 2?

  • Many think he goes off on a tangent but no, this is what Jesus said:

John 8v12 Therefore (the) Jesus Aspeak-a again to them Asaying, “I am the light of the world.  The one Afollowing me will not Awalk in the darkness but will Ahave the light of the life.”

  • The spoken word of Jesus, which later became the written word, connects the light and the life together;
  • Verse 2 is proclaiming the life, the age-lasting one, to his readers;
  • Verse 3 is proclaiming the light to his readers;
  • You need to have the light to have the life;
  • You cannot have the life without following the light.

2 and the life Pmanifest-a and we have Aseen and Abear witness and Aproclaim to yous the life, the age-lasting one which was with the father and Pmanifest-a to us—

  • P = The manifesting was/is/will be done to the life;
  • Aorist tense = undefined;
  • There will be a future manifesting of Jesus (1 John 2v28);
  • Also – the one who has the son, has the life (1 John 5v12) – so is this not an ongoing manifestation of the life in believers?

What is the life, the age-lasting one?

Why not eternal life? 

Why is this translated as age-lasting and not eternal?

  • Future study to come around 1 John 2v25;
  • Notice the 2 definite articles – this is unique to 1 John and it appears again in Ch2v25;
  • When John writes age-lasting life in his gospel the article is never used except once in John 17 but only 1 article;
  • In 1 John – 2 times 2 articles, 3 times no article, 1 time 1 article.  Is there significance?  Future study.

To understand the life, the age-lasting one, we need to ask why are there 2 manifestations?

  • The life, the age-lasting one, is distinct from the life but yet connected;
  • This phrase is referring to the life in ‘the age’ or in the Millennial age with Jesus.  This is the kingdom life.  Why do I say this?
  • The transfiguration (Read Mat 16v28-17v8) – white as the light;
  • Peter, James and John saw Jesus coming in His kingdom but He will be manifested again in the future during the Millennium.

The life, the age-lasting one, is the light, the life, the glory which was with the father before Jesus became a man, displayed at the transfiguration, but is available to share with Jesus for faithful believers in the Millennial kingdom i.e. for the bride of Christ.