42
January 1927
T h u
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Outline Studies in the Ep istles of John \ T. C. H orton TH E F IR ST EP ISTLE OF JOHN /
connected with tfie one great thought of righteousness (Heb. 9:22) : j “And almost al( things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” (Ex. 29:4) : ; “And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.” Baptism was a Jewish rite for the remission of sins! John the Baptist was the accredited messenger of Jehovah. (Luke 1 :13-17). I Jesus recognized him as a law abiding Jew (Luke 7:27);: “This is he of whom it is written, Behold I send my mes senger before thy face, which .shall prepare the way before thee.” John’s baptism, was for the purpose of Jesus’ manifes tation (John 1 :31) : “And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” Those baptized by John were confessed sinners, but the Pharisees refused to submit to the rite. Jesus took His place, as a Jew, in the waters of Jordan. He thus assumed the! sins of the world. John immediately pro claimed Him: “The Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world.” (John 1:29). Jesus was both Lamb and High Priest. As the priest of old was washed and then anointed before assuming the office, so Jesus. He came as the representative of men-L the last Adam (1-Cor. 15:45)—and was numbered with the transgressors, (Isa. 53:12): “And he Was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Mark 15:28>. “And th e .Scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.” Jesus came by blood. He bore the sin of mankind to- the cross and shed His blood for remission. As the priest offered the sacrifice, He offered Himself .- (-Heb.-7 :27) j Between these two events- -His baptism and crucL fixion—Jesus was manifested to -the world. (John 2:11; 17:6). Before His baptism, He was unknown to the world! After the crucifixion, He was unseen by the world. Both these events were supernaturally attested. At His bap-; tism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and the voice of God was heard (Luke 3 :22): “And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove; ■Hponr.him, and:,-a voice;came from heaven, which said,' Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.” At the crucifixion, there, was the darkened sky, the quaking earth. Besides the- water and the blood, there is also the wit-1 ness of the Spirit (v. 8 ) : . “And there are three that bear witness'in earth, the .Spirit and the blood; and these three agree in one.” The promise of the Lord to His disciples was the gift (or the baptism) of the Spirit. (Matt. 3 :11) : “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not
Outline of the Epistle:
(1) Introduction (1 :l-4). (2) God is Light: Fellowship with God in light (1:5 to 2 :28). (3) God is Love. The sonship of the believer ( 2 :29 to 3:24). : (4) Source of Sonship: Possessed by the Spirit (4:1 to 5:12). (5) Conclusion. The law of love ( 5 :13-21). Outline of Chapter F ive: (1) Truth’s Conflict and Conquest, vs. 1-5. (2) Threefold Confirmation of Deity .of Jesus Christ, vs. 6-13. (3( Teaching Concerning Intercessory Prayer, vs. 14-17. (4) Three Certainties, vs. 18-21. In the first five verses of this chapter we had set forth the victory ovet the world which comes through faith— faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Let us not.forget that the purpose for which this epistle 'was written was that we might have assurance of eternal life, as set forth in 1:1, 2 and in v. 13 of this chapter. The same purpose is in the Gospel of John (20:31) that we may “know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and “may have life through His name.” (2) A THREEFOLD CONFIRMATION OF THE DEITY OF JESUS CHRIST, vs. 6-13. “A three fold cord is not easily broken” ( Eccl. 4:12), and “in the mouth of two or three witnesses1shall every word be established” (2 Cor. 13:1). Here we have Jesus Christ set forth as the Son of God who gives eternal life : “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,.and the Holy -Ghost: and these three aré one. “And there-are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.. “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. • He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liarj because he believeth not the record that God gave'of his Son. And this is the récord, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ' He that hath the Son hath life ;: and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. “These things have I written unto ybu that .believe on the name of the Son of God.” Jesus came “by water and blood”! (v.- 6). The Spirit of truth bears witness to this fact. There are three wit nesses,—the Spirit, the water and the blood—and these three witness to one thing (v. 11). . “And this is the record, that God hath given to ús eternal life, and this life is in His, Son.” He “came by water.” The only reasonable interpreta tion of this statement is that the reference is to His bap-, tism by John. The rites and ceremonies; the constant use of water and blood, in the old dispensation, were all
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