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Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons
Fall 2003
by Jarl K. Waggoner
Lesson 1 - James 1:1-8, 12-18
1:1 - "James" - Most scholars agree the author was the half-brother of Jesus and the leader of the church in Jerusalem (cf. Acts 15; 21:18; Gal. 1:2; 2:9). See Tasker (20ff) and BKC (815-16) for support of this view and discussion of dissenting views.
1:1 - "twelve tribes" - Some take this as a figurative expression referring to all Christians. Most, however, take it more literally as a reference to Jewish-Christians scattered throughout the Gentile world (cf. NIVBC, 1016-17; Hiebert, 54-56).
1:2 - "temptations" - This word is better translated "trials" here (cf. NASB, NIV). The word is used of both trials, which have a beneficial purpose and effect, and temptations to do evil, as in verse 13 (Vine's, 622). Here it clearly has the meaning of trials, which in this case involved the "trying of your faith" (v. 2).
1:3 - "trying of your faith worketh patience" - "Trying" is the word dokimion, meaning a test or proof (Vine's, 492; Robt., 6:12). It is translated "testing" in NASB, NIV, NKJV. "Patience" means steadfastness or endurance (BKC, 821). NIV has "perseverance."
1:4 - "perfect and entire" - "Perfect," or "mature," "denotes something that has attained its proper goal" (Hiebert, 67). "Entire" ("complete") means "complete and intact."
1:5 - "If any of you lack wisdom" - "The believer needs 'wisdom' to see his trials in a true light and to profit spiritually from them" (Hiebert, 69). Hiebert notes that the language does not suggest that there were individual exceptions to the need for wisdom.
1:6 - "Ask in faith, nothing wavering" - NIV has "he must believe, and not doubt." "The answer from God depends on assurance in God" (BKC, 821).
1:8 - "double minded" - Literally, it is "double souled" (Robt. 6:15). It depicts one who is trying to face in two directions at once. His heart and mind is not turned wholly to the Lord in faith.
1:12 - "endureth temptation" - "Temptation" here is better translated "trials" (see note above on verse 2). Cf. NASB, NIV. Temptations are not to be endured but resisted. This speaks of one who endures with steadfastness and faith (cf. vv. 1-2; Tasker, 44).
1:12 - "crown of life . . . promised to them that love him" - "Crown" most commonly is used of the wreath placed upon the head of the victor in an athletic contest. The "crown of life" can be understood as: (1) eternal life, thus a crown "which consists in life eternal" (Mayor, 2:47); (2) life in its fullest sense; that is, something more than "the eternal life given to every believer . . . [it is] a still higher quality of life" (NIVBC, 1021; cf. Hiebert, 83); (3) a special sign of God's approval of one who endures trials (Tasker, 45).
1:13 - "tempted" - This is the verb form of the noun used in verses 2 and 12. Here it clearly refers to temptation to sin (cf. Hiebert, 89).
1:14 - "lust" - This is a neutral term for desire. The context determines whether the desire in view is evil. Here, it is evil desire and is so translated by NIV. The source of temptation comes from within, in man's own sinful desires (cf. Mark 7:21-23). Human depravity is assumed here.
1:14 - "enticed" - Literally, the word means to "catch fish by bait or to hunt with snares" (Robt. 6:18). Thus, the idea is "lured by bait."
1:15 - "when lust hath conceived . . . bringeth forth death" - James uses the language of conception and childbirth to illustrate that temptation leads to sin, which in turn leads to death. "The author's intention is simply to trace the results of temptation when one yields to it" (NIVBC, 1022). The death here is primarily spiritual death, "but physical death is certainly included and ultimately eternal death also" (Hiebert, 96).
1:16 - "Do not err" - This can be translated "do not be deceived" (NASB) or "stop being deceived." It can be connected with preceding, meaning "do not be deceived into thinking that God is the source of temptation, or with the following, meaning "do not be deceived into thinking God is not the source of all good." A connection with what precedes is more likely.
1:17 - "Every good gift and every perfect gift" - James uses two different words for good and perfect and two different words for gift. See Hiebert (98-99) and Tasker (47-48) for various possibilities regarding distinctions in the words. The point is clear, however: all good things come from God.
1:17 - "Father of lights" - NIV's "Father of the heavenly lights" conveys the idea. He is creator of the stars and planets and is sovereign over them.
1:17 - "shadow of turning" - While there is some question about the exact meaning, the point is clear that God does not change. The language here probably refers to the changing shadows cast by the sun, which stand in contrast to the changeless nature of God (cf. NIVBC, 1022).
1:18 - "begat he us with the word of truth . . . firstfruits" - Regeneration is seen as the supreme example of God's good gifts. This is something "he chose" (NIV). Regeneration comes through the "word of truth," that is "a divine message, spoken or written" (Hiebert, 103), i.e., the gospel. James and his Jewish-Christian readers were a "kind of firstfruits." Their salvation was a promise of many more conversions to come.
Lesson 2 - James 1:22-27; 2:8-9, 14-17
1:23-24 - "beholdeth himself and goeth his way" - James compares the one who hears God's Word but does not do it to one who looks in a mirror but then does nothing to improve his appearance. "The very fact of having looked in a mirror leave him without excuse" (Motyer, 36).
1:25 - "perfect law of liberty" - This is a title for God's Word, which is "perfect," or complete and final. "Unlike the imperfect metal mirror in the previous illustration, this law is able to give the beholder a true and undistorted revelation of himself" (Hiebert, 122). It also is a law that gives liberty. This is the "freedom from bondage that the believer knows through faith in Christ" (Hiebert).
1:26 - "religious and bridleth not his tongue" - "Religious" speaks of the external, ceremonial aspect of religion (Vine's, 520-21; Robt. 6:24). If such a person cannot control his tongue, he is deceiving himself. His religion is an "external sham" (NIVBC, 1024).
1:27 - "pure religion" - This is not a definition of religion but an illustration to show that "genuine religion is a life-changing force" (NIVBC, 1024).
1:27 - "visit the fatherless and widows . . . keep . . . unspotted from the world" - "Visit" is more than a social call; it means to "look after" (NIV), or "care for" (NRSV). Thus true religion is characterized by caring for the needy and helpless. It is also marked by personal purity, not being polluted by the pollution of the evil world system.
2:8 - "royal law" - The command to love one's neighbor as oneself is call the "royal law." It stands as the supreme law governing human relationships (cf. Matt. 22:36-40).
2:9 - "respect to persons" - One who shows partiality is guilty of breaking the royal law.
2:14 - "can faith save him?" - James is presenting a hypothetical case of one who says he has faith but does not evidence it in his works. Can such professed "faith" save that person? The question in Greek assumes a negative answer (Robt. 6:34).
2:15-16 - Here James gives a "concrete illustration of the abstract principle stated in v. 14" (Mayor, 2:93). A person who claims to have faith but does nothing to help a needy believer has no true faith at all.
Lesson 3 - James 3:1-8, 13-18
3:1 - "be not many masters" - "Masters" is didaskalos, which is normally translated "teachers." James is not attacking "the office of the teacher or the teaching function . . . Rather, he is seeking to restrain the rush to teach on the part of those not qualified" (Hiebert, 185).
3:1 - "receive the greater condemnation" - NASB's "incur a stricter judgment" is better. "The pretence of knowledge adds to the teacher's responsibility" (Robt. 6:39).
3:2 - "in many things we offend" - This is particularly addressed to teachers (cf. v. 1). "Because a teacher constantly uses words, there is a particular danger in this area for him" (WBC, 1435).
3:2 - "a perfect man . . . able to bridle the whole body" - One who is able to control the tongue is also able to control the whole body. He is a "perfect man," that is, one who has attained spiritual maturity (Hiebert, 189).
3:3-4 - "bits . . . helm" - The point James is making in these illustrations is that horses and ships are controlled by a very small thing. "The two illustrations clearly establish the need in life for the exercise of control at the crucial point" (Hiebert, 192), in this case, the tongue must be controlled.
3:5 - "a little member, and boasteth great things" - The tongue (and thus speech) is considered a small thing, but it has great power and very destructive power when uncontrolled.
3:6 - "the tongue . . . defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature" - See Hiebert (194) for discussion of the various problems with interpreting this verse. James is here describing the 'devastating effects" of an uncontrolled tongue (Tasker, 75). It is a "world of iniquity," probably meaning that it is "a vast system of iniquity"; it "embodies in itself the essence of all wickedness" (Hiebert, 195) and corrupts the "whole body." "James seems to use "body" to refer to the entire person. In reality, he is not referring to the tongue of flesh but to the intelligent, communicating mind that uses the tongue as its instrument. So the mind corrupts the whole person" (NIVBC, 1030). The thought pictured by the setting on fire of "the course of nature"is unclear. "Course of nature" literally means "wheel of existence" (BKC, 828) and probably conveys the idea of "life's varied relationships being set ablaze by an uncontrolled tongue" (Hiebert, 197).
3:6 - "it is set on fire of hell" - The true source of the tongue's power for evil is traced back to hell. Just as heaven is often used to refer to God, so hell here refers to the devil (Mayor, 2:114).
3:7 - "every kind of beasts . . . is tamed" - "Tamed" does not necessarily imply domestication. It means to subdue or subjugate, "to bring under control of one's purpose" (Hiebert, 198).
3:8 - "the tongue can no man tame" - Man is incapable of controlling his own tongue. God, however, can control it.
3:13 - "good conversation" - See NASB for better translation. Godly wisdom and knowledge are seen in one's behavior ("conversation"). "His deeds must be 'done in the humility that comes from wisdom'" (Hiebert, 205).
3:15 - "This wisdom . . . is earthly, sensual, devilish" - "Where 'bitter jealousy' and 'selfish ambition' are present . . . there [is] being manifested a counterfeit wisdom" (Tasker, 81). Such "wisdom" is limited to earthly concerns; it is "sensual," or unspiritual (cf. 1 Cor. 2:14), pertaining to the natural world as opposed to the supernatural (BAG, 902); and it is demonic.
3:17 - "wisdom from above" - Wisdom that comes from God is described here. See NIV for alternate rendering of some of the terms. "Easy to be intreated" occurs only here in the NT. It means compliant, approachable (Robt. 6:47), "submissive" (NIV), "reasonable" (NASB), "willing to yield" (NKJV; NRSV).
3:18 - "fruit of righteousness is sown in peace" - A harvest of righteousness is the result of the wisdom that is from above. NIV has "Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." "'In peace' . . . stresses the circumstances needed for the crop" (Hiebert, 213).
Lesson 4 - James 4:1-10, 13-17
4:1 - "wars and fightings" - "Wars" refers to a campaign, while "fightings" refer to individual battles within a war (Robt. 6:49). Here they are used as expressions of "open antagonism" (NIVBC, 1032).
4:1 - "come they not . . . of your lusts" - The question anticipates an affirmative answer. The conflict in the church ("among you") comes from the "lusts" within individuals ("in your members"). "Lusts" (hedonon) are "inner sensual . . . pleasures" (BKC, 829; cf. Vine's, 475).
4:2 - "Ye lust, . . . ye kill" - "Lust" (epithumia) means to strongly desire. Here it is used in a negative sense. The failure to obtain their desires led to killing. This probably should be taken figuratively to mean hatred (cf. 1 John 3:15; NIVBC, 1032; Hiebert, 225).
4:2 - "ye have not, because ye ask not" - This is the first of two reasons why James's readers did not have what they wanted. "They were going after it the wrong way. They did 'not ask God' for it. They were lusting and fighting rather than praying" (NIVBC, 1032). This does not mean that none of these people prayed, however, for at least some did. These are the ones addressed in verse 3.
4:3 - "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss" - Those who did pray for what they wanted did not receive it because they asked "amiss." NASB translates, "You ask with wrong motives." This catches the essence of the meaning. "Amiss" (kakos) means "in an evil manner, badly" (Hiebert, 227; cf. Robt. 6:50). Their goal was to gratify themselves and their "lusts" (hedonon).
4:4 - "Ye adulterers . . . a friend of the world is the enemy of God" - James's readers were exhibiting worldly attitudes (vv. 1-3). Here their friendship with the world is described as spiritual adultery.
4:5 - "The scripture saith . . ." - James is not quoting any specific Old Testament passage, unless he is looking beyond the remainder of this verse to the quotation in verse 6 (cf. BKC, 830). It seems he is summing up "the content of many passages" (Tasker, 91; cf. Mayor, 2:135-6). Hiebert (231) suggests that verse 5 should be divided into two separate sentences, the first reading, "Do you think that the Scripture speaks in vain?" (cf. ASV). Since this would be a general question, no direct quotation follows. James would then be saying that those who think they can love both God and the world are, in essence, saying that what Scripture says is of no authority.
4:5 - "The spirit . . . lusteth to envy" - This phrase can be variously translated and interpreted. See BKC (830). Some take "spirit" to be a reference to the human spirit, while others believe it is the Holy Spirit. In addition, "lusteth" can have either a negative connotation (evil desire) or a positive/neutral one (desire), and the phrase can be either a statement or a question. Hiebert (233) lists four possible meanings for the phrase. The most likely is that "the Holy Spirit, imparted to us by God at conversion, yearns enviously for our total loyalty and devotion to Him."
4:6 - "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" - This is a quotation of Proverbs 3:34. "Resisteth" was a military term, meaning to "range in battle against" (Robt. 6:52). The "grace" here probably refers to God's "gracious gift of help" (Hiebert, 234; cf. WBC, 1437). Such grace is received only by those who humble themselves.
4:7 - "Submit yourselves . . . to God. Resist the devil" - This is the first of several imperatives that "constitute an urgent call to repentance" (Hiebert, 236). "Submit" here means to subordinate oneself to God's will. It "is not the same as obedience. Instead, it is the surrender of one's will, which in turn leads to obedience" (NIVBC, 1033).
4:9 - "Be afflicted and mourn . . ." - Mayor (2:142) says this is "a call to the godly sorrow spoken of in 2 Cor. vii. 10 and Matt. v. 4." "A contrite spirit of confession is essential for God's cleansing" (BKC, 830).
4:14 - "ye know not what shall be on the morrow" - James here is condemning the world's wisdom, which is exhibited in a presumptuousness that "we are masters of our own life" (Motyer, 94). "Worldliness does not always manifest itself in open enmity toward God; it also may reveal itself in an arrogant attitude of self-sufficiency in planning daily life activities in total disregard of God" (Hiebert, 249). Those who make plans without any reference to God's will presume that they can know the future when, in fact, they don't even know what tomorrow holds.
4:14 - "your life . . . is even a vapour" - Planning without regard to God's will is a "presumptuous disregard of the uncertainty of human life" (Hiebert, 252), which is transitory. "Believers need this godly perspective on their earthly sojourn. Among other things, it blasts boasting right out of the selfish, proud quagmire from which it emerged" (BKC, 831).
4:16 - "ye rejoice in your boastings" - Rather than "subjecting their plans to God's will," some were boasting about their plans. "To make plans without considering God's plan is the same thing as arrogantly claiming to be in full command of the future" (NIVBC, 1035), and this is "evil."
4:17 - "to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, . . . it is sin" - This statement has wide application, but in the immediate context, James is, in essence, saying, "'Now that I have pointed the matter out to you, you have no excuse.' Knowing what should be done obligates a person to do it" (NIVBC, 1035).
Lesson 5 - 1 Peter 1:3-5, 13-21; 2:4-5, 9-10
1:3 - "begotten . . . again" - NASB translates, "has caused us to be born again," and NIV , "has given us new birth." It means to "'beget spiritually, to a new spiritual life'" (Lenski, 31).
1:3 - "lively hope by the resurrection" - "Lively" is better translated "living" (cf. NIV). This hope is living. It is the opposite of "an empty, false, deceptive hope" (Lenski, 32). The basis for this assured hope is the resurrection of Christ (note that "by" is translated "through" in NKJV, NASB, NRSV, NIV).
1:4 - "an inheritance . . . reserved in heaven" - This is "a picture of the blessedness in store for us pilgrims" (Robt. 6:81). The eternal inheritance is "reserved," or kept (guarded) until a given point in time (TDNT, 8:141).
1:5 - "salvation . . . revealed in the last time" - This is the inheritance of verse 4. "Salvation" is here used in the sense of "the final realization of what Christians already have and enjoy" (NIVBC, 1043; cf. vv. 9, 13). This revelation of salvation will occur in "the last time," that is, when Christ returns (LBC, 2602).
1:13 - "gird up the loins of your mind" - "Gird up the loins" means to prepare oneself for work. It came form the figure of people lifting the bottom of their robes and tying them at the waist in order to free their legs for work or battle. Thus the idea here is prepare your minds, or "'make up your minds decisively'" (Lenski, 51).
1:13 - "be sober" - This word is used only figuratively in the New Testament of being "free [from] every form of mental and spiritual 'drunkenness'" (BAG, 540), that is, "well-balanced, self-controlled."
1:13 - "hope to the end" - More literally, this is, "fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you" (NASB; cf. NIV). The "grace" here is the grace of Christ's coming and the glorification of the believer.
1:15 - "as he . . . is holy, so be ye holy" - To be "holy" basically means to be separated from all that is sinful or profane and unto righteousness (cf. Vine's, 307). God is the pattern for our holiness. "Though absolute holiness can never be achieved in this life, all areas of life should be in the process of becoming completely conformed to God's perfect and holy will" (BKC, 843).
1:16 - "Be ye holy" - James is quoting the Old Testament command found in Leviticus 11:44; 19:2; and 20:26.
1:18-19- "ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, . . . but with the precious blood of Christ" - The logic here is, "'Live . . . because you know!' That is, the Christian life is lived out of knowledge of the redemption that Christ has accomplished" (NIVBC, 1045). "Redeemed" means to be "set free by payment of a ransom" (Robt. 6:90). The term comes from the slave market. Here the payment for believers' redemption from the sinful, "futile way of life inherited from [their] forefathers" (NASB) is not money but the blood (death) of Christ.
1:20 - "Who . . . was foreordained . . . but was manifest in these last times" - "Foreordained" is the Greek proginosko, literally meaning to know beforehand, in advance (BAG, 710; cf. NASB). Arminians make a sharp distinction between foreknowledge and foreordination. However, God's foreknowledge is clearly more than foresight. God did not merely know in advance that Christ would die for the redemption of sinners; He ordained, or planned, that Christ would die for their redemption. Thus, the translation of "foreordained" or similar expressions in NIV, NKJV, NRSV. See the discussion in Ryrie, Basic Theology (313; cf. EDT, 458; NIVBC, 1046). This eternal plan of God was revealed "in these last times." This refers to the time of the fulfillment of the prophecies in Christ's coming (LBC, 2604; NIVBC, 1046). BKC (843) notes a distinction between "these last times" (the present age) and "the last time" (v. 5, the coming age).
1:21 - "raised him up . . . and gave him glory" - "Jesus' resurrection is the foundation of our faith, and his glorification is the pledge of the hope of our new future" (NIVBC, 1046).
2:4 - "a living stone" - Peter is "thinking now of God's people as a building and of Jesus Christ as the living stone, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 28:16" (LBC, 2606).
2:5 - "lively [living] stones, . . . built up a spiritual house" - This is almost certainly an allusion to Christ's words to Peter in Matthew 16:18, though Peter emphasizes Christ as the "chief cornerstone" (v. 6) of the church, or "spiritual house" (v. 5) that is being built. "Here is an identity in nature with Christ" (WBC, 1446), for the same words are used to describe believers as are used to describe Christ in verse 4.
2:5 - "holy priesthood . . . spiritual sacrifices" - "Believers not only make up the church but serve in it, ministering as a holy priesthood" (BKC, 845). The "spiritual sacrifices" they offer are not spiritual in the sense of being immaterial. They include faith (Phil. 2:17), material gifts (Phil. 4:18), believers' bodies (Rom. 12:1), praise and thanksgiving (Heb. 13:15), and sharing and good works (Heb. 13:16).
2:9 - "chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people" - The wording here is very similar to Exodus 19:6. "Chosen generation" is more literally "chosen race." It "stresses God's loving initiative in bringing the church to himself" (NIVBC, 1049). Believers are also "a royal priesthood." This emphasizes our high position, for Old Testament priests were not royalty. Though believers are from many nations, in Christ they are a "holy nation," one body set apart to God. "A peculiar people" is better translated "a people for God's own possession" (NASB) or "a people belonging to God" (NIV), and thus "a people greatly prized" (WBC, 1447).
Lesson 6 - I Peter 2:11-12; 3:13-17; 4:7-11; 5:8-10
2:11 - "strangers and pilgrims" - "Strangers" are aliens or exiles in relation to the world (TDNT, 5:851). "Pilgrims" are temporary residents (TDNT, 2:64). Christians are in the world temporarily; they do not belong here as permanent residents.
2:11 - "war against the soul" - "War" here refers to a military campaign (Robt. 6:100; cf. Jas. 4:1). "Soul" is used of the person or self (cf. NIVBC, 1049; cf. 1044 on 1:9).
2:12 - "honest" - This is more properly translated "good" (NIV) or "excellent" (NASB) or "honorably" (NRSV; cf. NKJV). It carries the ideas of beauty (Trench, 389), in the sense of perfect balance and proportion, and morally excellent, noble, and admirable (Lenski, 107).
2:12 - "speak against you as evildoers" - Are the ones speaking against believers "evildoers," or are they accusing believers of being "evildoers"? NIV clearly follows the latter idea.
2:12 - "glorify God in the day of visitation" - This may speak of the former accusers glorifying God at Christ's return because they have been converted, or it may refer to their glorifying God when God "visits" them in the day of their salvation (NIVBC, 1050). Either view is possible, though "visitation" more frequently is used in relation to judgment, thus favoring the first view (TDNT, 2:606). In both cases, the glorify of God is the result of unbelievers being converted due to the consistent testimony of godly believers.
3:13 - "who . . . will harm you?" - This could simply be pointing to the fact that normally one who does what is right will not be persecuted, even though there are exceptions (v. 14, Lenski, 146-7; NIVBC, 1053). Some, however, take this in the sense of ultimate, or real, harm. That is, even if persecuted, the godly person who does what is right cannot be harmed in an ultimate sense (BKC, 850; Robt. 6:113).
3:14 - "if ye suffer, . . . happy are ye; and be not afraid" - One who suffers because of his or her righteousness will be "happy." This is the same word translated "blessed" in Matthew 5:10-11. "Be not afraid of their terror" is a quote from Isaiah 8:12-13.
3:15 - "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts" - When facing suffering, Christians must "sanctify," or "set apart," Christ as Lord in their hearts. Note that "Christ as Lord" or "Lord Christ" is the correct reading here (cf. NASB, NIV, NRSV). This means to acknowledge him as Lord (By inserting "Christ" in the Old Testament quote from Isaiah, Peter is equating Christ with "Lord," Yahweh) and "keep him in our hearts as the 'Holy One'" (Lenski, 149).
3:15 - "with meekness and fear" - NIV has "with gentleness and respect." "'Gentleness' . . . is the quality that trusts God to do the work of changing attitudes . . . 'respect' . . . is reverential awe of God" (NIVBC, 1053). This phrase is put in verse 16 by UBS Greek Text and some modern versions (cf. NRSV).
4:7 - "the end . . . is near" - Since the time of Christ's coming is unknown, it is always considered as being "near." This nearness of Christ's return is set forth as a motivation for holy living and service.
4:8 - "fervent charity . . . shall cover the multitude of sins" - The Greek word for "charity" is agape and is better translated "love." This is probably a quotation of Proverbs 10:12. Love does not atone for sins. Rather, the idea her is that "love suffers in silence and bears all things (1 Co 13:5-7). Christians forgive faults in others because they know the forgiving grace of God in their own lives" (NIVBC, 1056; cf. Lenski, 195-6).
4:10 - "every man hath received the gift" - "Gift" is charisma and undoubtedly refers to a spiritual gift graciously given by God. Believers are to be good stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to them.
4:11 - "If any man speak, . . . if any man minister" - "Peter divided Christian service into two general categories: the one who speaks . . . and the one who served. One whose ministry primarily involves speaking is to be guided "by the pertinent things that God has said" (Lenski, 198). One whose ministry is primarily serving (doing) is to "depend on God's help by the Spirit" (NIVBC, 1056).
5:8 - "Be sober, be vigilant" - "Sober" means "self-controlled" (cf. NIV) or of "sober spirit" (NASB). The same word is rendered "watch" in 4:7 in KJV. The second word, here translated "vigilant," comes closer to the meaning of watch ("be alert" in NASB, NIV; cf. Robt. 6:133).
5:9 - "resist . . . in the faith" - "In the faith" can mean either "'your positive faith and trust in God'" (NIVBC, 1059) or "'firm as regards the faith,' not denying the doctrine of Christianity" (Lenski, 226).
Lesson 7 - 2 Peter 1:3-15
Background - Peter's second epistle presumably was written to the same churches as his first letter (1 Pet. 1:1; 2 Pet. 3:1). It was written between A.D. 64 and 68, shortly before Peter's death in about A.D. 68 (cf. 2 Pet. 1:13-15).
1:3 - "his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness" - Divine power has given us all we need. The means of doing so is "through the knowledge" of Christ. "Knowledge" is epignosis, which refers to an "'exact or full knowledge, discernment, recognition'" (Vine's, 348), "a deeper and more intimate knowledge" (Trench, 285).
1:3 - "to glory and virtue" - This "does not refer to our glory and virtue, but that of Jesus Christ" (LBC, 2619). NIV translates more properly, "called us by his own glory and goodness."
1:4 - "Whereby are given unto us . . . promises" - "Whereby" probably refers back to the glory and goodness in verse 3. "Are given" is perfect tense in Greek, indicating that something has been given and continues to be possessed. "God has in fact freely given to us the very things that He had promised in the Old Testament" (LBC, 2619).
1:4 - "partakers of the divine nature" - This shows the "reason that the promises were fulfilled. . . . God intended by accomplishing salvation in Christ that believers would share a common quality of life. Peter is not making new promises for the future, he is proclaiming fulfillment and present reality for his readers" (LBC, 2619). The only way to escape the "corruption" of the world and possess the virtues described in verses 5-7 is to be made "partakers of the divine nature." "Participation in the new life is the experience which follows logically upon faith in Christ. . . . The nature of this new life is marked by the phrase 'life and godliness.' This confines participation in the divine nature purely to the realm of the moral and spiritual. In no sense do believers participate in [God's] metaphysical attributes" (Hoyt, 28).
1:5 - "add to your faith" - Because of the new birth and the promises associated with it, Christians participate in the divine nature (v. 4). But the new birth does not rule out human activity. . . Peter urgently calls for a progressive, active Christianity" (NIVBC, 1065). To "add" is to make a "lavish provision." The Christian is to "bring in alongside his faith a complement of virtue. He should work hard at cultivating the seven qualities Peter listed in verses 5-7. As a Christian does so, he becomes more like Christ, participating more fully in God's divine nature" (BKC, 865).
1:5 - "virtue" - This is the same Greek word used in verse 3. Vine says it "denotes whatever procures preeminent estimation for a person or thing; hence, 'intrinsic eminence, moral goodness, virtue'" (661). NASB translates "moral excellence"; NIV has "goodness."
1:6 - "temperance" - The word means "self-control" (BAG, 215) and is so translated in most modern versions (cf. NKJV, NRSV, NIV, NASB).
1:6 - "patience" - The word can also be translated endurance, perseverance, or steadfastness (BAG, 854). It means "'staying under.' . . . [and] is frequently used in the New Testament to refer to constancy or steadfast endurance under adversity, without giving in or giving up" (BKC, 866).
1:7 - "brotherly kindness charity" - "Brotherly kindness" is philadephia, i.e., brotherly love. "Charity" is agape, love.
1:8 - "if these things . . . abound" - See NASB for smoother translation. "These things" refers to the seven qualities just listed. To "abound" means to increase in number, multiply, grow (BAG, 673).
1:8 - "knowledge of our Lord" - "Knowledge" is epignosis (see note on verse 3).
1:9 - "he that lacketh these things is blind, and . . . hath forgotten that he was purged" - This can be taken in either of two ways. Some take it to mean that those who do not possess these qualities are unsaved. LBC (2621) takes this position, saying, "It should be obvious that the object of the forgetting here is not that he was purged, since he had never been cleansed in the first place. What escaped him was 'the cleansing'; he never saw that his sins had to be cleansed or washed away before he could live the Christian life." The NRSV translation, which is quite literal here, is most conducive to this interpretation: ". . . is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins." The other view is that a Christian can truly lack these qualities, and one who does is immature. He has been cleansed from sins but has not grown spiritually (BKC, 866; Hoyt, 31-32).
1:10 - "make your calling and election sure" - This exhortation is made "in view of the dangers spoken of in v. 9 and the possibility of a fruitful knowledge of God (v. 8)" (NIVBC, 1066). "Fruitbearing will convince the believers that their election of God in eternity past was a fact and that his calling of the Lord through the Gospel was effective. Fruit is the evidence, evidence that anyone can see and understand" (Hoyt, 32).
1:10 - "shall never fall" - To "fall" means to "stumble,"or to "experience a reversal" (BKC, 867). This does not "suggest that a believer loses his salvation, for salvation does not depend on one's spiritual growth. . . . Certainly one who is maturing in Christ will not trip up in his spiritual life as readily as one who is immature and nearsighted."
1:11 - "an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly" - See NIV translation. It is not just an entrance into "the everlasting kingdom" that is in view but a "rich welcome" into that kingdom. "Christians who diligently pursue holiness . . . will not barely make it into the kingdom . . . Peter's words in this verse may allude to the honors paid to winners of the Olympic games. When a winner came back to his hometown, he would be welcomed by a special entrance built in the town or city wall in his honor" (NIVBC, 1066).
1:13 - "this tabernacle" - The reference is to the tabernacle, the temporary dwelling, of the physical body, as indicated by the NIV and NRSV.
1:14 - "put off this tabernacle, even as . . . Christ has shewed me" - Peter anticipates his coming death and "refers to a special revelation Jesus gave him (possibly Jn 21:18-19, where Jesus spoke of a violent death for Peter)" (NIVBC, 1067).
1:15 - "after my decease to have these things" - "Decease" is exodus, meaning going out or departure-in this case from his earthly tabernacle and thus meaning death. In view of his coming death, Peter promised to make every effort to provide for his readers a means of remembering the things he had taught them. This probably refers to his completing this second epistle, though some have suggested he was alluding to the completion of the Gospel of Mark, a work for which he probably supplied much of the information (Lenski, 283-4).
Lesson 8 - 2 Peter 3:3-5, 7-15a, 17-18
3:3 - "Knowing this . . . that there shall come in the last days scoffers" - Peter was calling to remembrance what had been spoken by Old Testament prophets and "the apostles of the Lord"(v. 2), particularly as it related to the "last days." "Last days" refers broadly to the period between the first and second comings of Christ (NIVBC, 1073; BKC, 875).
3:3 - "walking after their own lusts" - Lenski (339) notes that mockery and lusts go together. Their selfish desires lead them to mock the truth rather than acknowledge it and submit to it.
3:4 - "all things continue as they were" - "The argument of the false teachers is essentially a naturalistic one-a kind of uniformitarianism that rules out any divine intervention in history" (NIVBC, 1074).
3:5 - "willingly are ignorant" - Their assumption that "all things continue as they were" demonstrated ignorance of God's past intervention in history as seen in both creation and the universal flood of Noah's day.
3:5 - "by the word of God the heavens were . . . and the earth standing out of the water and in the water" - God's creation shows that all things are not as they have always been. The reference is obviously to the creation of the heavens and the earth by his spoken word. "It seems unlikely that Peter is seeking to affirm that water was the basic material of creation. He does not use the verb 'create' but says that the earth 'was formed . . . out of water and with water'" (NIVBC, 1074). That creation was destroyed by the flood, which again shows that God intervened in history, this second time to bring judgment (v. 6).
3:7 - "by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire" - "In the world was destroyed in the Flood by God's Word and by water; in the future it will be destroyed by the same Word and by fire" (BKC, 876).
3:8 - "one day is with the Lord ad a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day" - Peter quoted Psalm 90:4 to remind his readers of why the Lord's coming seemed to be delayed. God is not bound by human measurements of time.
3:9 - "longsuffering . . . not willing that any should perish" - It is also God's long-suffering (patient) nature that explains his apparent delay in the coming of Christ. "God's great plan for the universe is redemptive. . . . it is not essentially retributive" (Hoyt, 109). His "delay" is to meant to give people more time to repent. His unwillingness to see anyone perish does not constitute a "decree, as if God has willed everyone to be saved. Universal salvation is not taught in the Bible. Instead, those words describes God's wishes or desires; He longs that all would be saved (cf. 1 Tim. 2:4) but knows that many reject Him" (BKC, 876).
3:10 - "day of the Lord" - This expression is used in the Old Testament for a time of judgment (cf. EDT, 319). As it relates to the end times, several views have been proposed: (1) the Day of the Lord begins with the rapture and ends with the destruction of the earth and the establishment of the new heavens and earth; (2) the Day of the Lord begins with the return of Christ at the end of the millennium and ends with the destruction of the heavens and earth (see Pentecost, Things to Come, 229-30); (3) the Day of the Lord refers to any specific time of judgment and thus refers to the end of the tribulation period and the judgment of the heavens and the earth, not all the intervening time (millennium) (Mayhue, "The Prophet's Watchword: Day of the Lord," GTJ, Fall 1985, 246.
3:10 - "as a thief in the night" - Cf. Matt. 24:42-44; 1 Thess. 5:2-4. The figure speaks of the suddenness and unexpectedness of the day's arrival.
3:10 - "the heavens shall pass away . . . the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up" - This is the culmination of the Day of the Lord. The destruction of the present order will follow the millennium and will usher in the new heavens and new earth. The fact that the "works" in the earth will also be burned up suggests that "public exposure of sinful works seems to be the purpose of this cosmic dissolution" (Hoyt, 111).
3:12 - "hasting unto the coming of the day of God" - "Hasting" (speudo) means to hasten or speed along. However, when used intransitively, as here, it means to "'desire earnestly'" (Vine's, 292; cf. BAG, 769). NIV translates it "look forward to."
3:13 - "new heavens and a new earth" - Believers can look forward to a "new heavens and a new earth," which God has "promised" (cf. Isa. 65:17; 66:22; Rev. 21).
3:15 - "the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation" - The seeming delay in Christ's return is a demonstration of God's patience. It is designed to allow people more time to come to salvation.
3:17 - "beware lest ye also, being led away with the error . .. fall" - NIV has "fall from your secure position." This may simply refer to the danger of losing one's secure position in the truth (BKC, 878). Hoyt (128), however, notes that Peter was writing to an entire assembly of professing believers. Among these were people who were not genuinely saved, and they needed to be warned.
Lesson 9 - 1 John 1:5-2:6, 15-17, 29-3:1
Background - There are many ideas concerning the heresy John is combating in 1 John. Some have suggested that it was an early form of Gnosticism; others believe it was the teachings of Cerinthus.or the Docetists. "It is probably a mistake to attempt to systematize the thought of the heretics whom John opposed in this letter. According to his own statements, he had 'many' false teachers in view (2:18; 4:1). There is no reason to think that all of them held exactly the same views" (BKC, 881). Among the teachings addressed are the supremacy of knowledge, the denial of the incarnation, Docetism (Christ only seemed to be human), and antinomianism.
1:5 - "light . . . darkness" - These terms are used in a figurative and ethical sense here (Bruce, 41). Light speaks of holiness (WBC, 1467).
1:6 - "if we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness" - Some try to make "fellowship" here mean a Christian's communion with God (BKC, 884-5). However, it seems "fellowship" here should be equated with salvation, that is, the eternal life, or supernatural life that Christians share (NIVBC, 1083; Vine, Epistles, 14). Those who claim to be saved but continue to walk in the darkness of sin are not saved at all.
1:7 - "walk in the light, as he is in the light" - "To be walking in the light as He is in the light is both to have relationship with God and to live in a manner corresponding to the relationship" (Vine, Epistles, 14).
1:7 - "we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus . . . cleanseth us" - Fellowship with one another is the first result of "walking in the light." This is the "fellowship of believers with each other, though that is the evidence and expression of fellowship with God" (Vine, Epistles, 14). The second result is that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin. The present tense indicates that this is a continuous process: his blood keeps on cleansing us from sin. This shows that "walking in the light" is not sinless perfection but a habitual life-style. Sins are still committed on occasion, but cleansing is available.
1:8 - "If we say that we have no sin" - Here the claim is "We have no sin." They probably "did not claim that they had never committed wrongful acts, but they denied that the sin principle had lasting power over them or even had a presence in them, at least in those who had attained superior spiritual enlightenment" (NIVBC, 1085).
1:9 - "If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us" - To confess is literally, to "say the same thing." It is agreeing with God that sin is sin and forsaking it, "for that is God's attitude for us concerning sin" (WBC, 1467). God is "faithful and [righteous]." That is, he "keeps his word and is just in all his actions, including the way he forgives sins, which is on the basis of the death of his Son."
1:10 - "If we say that we have not sinned" - This is a slightly different claim from the one made in verse 8. Here the idea is "I am not a sinner today because I have not sinned in the past." "To assert that one has never sinned is to contradict the consistent witness of divine revelation and human experience" (Bruce, 45). To make such a claim is to "make [God] a liar."
2:1 - "an advocate" - The word is paraclete, literally meaning one called alongside to give aid. It has two main uses: (1) a comforter or encourager; (2) an advocate or intercessor, a defense attorney. This second meaning is the one present here. "Sin interrupts communion, which is restored through His advocacy" (Vine, Epistles, 21). The Holy Spirit "pleads the cause of the believer against Satan" (WBC, 1468).
2:2 - "the propitiation for our sins: and . . . for the sins of the whole world" - "Our advocate does not maintain our innocence but confesses our guilt. Then he enters his pleas before the Father on our behalf as the one who has made 'the atoning sacrifice for our sins'" (NIVBC, 1086). NIV translates "propitiation" as "atoning sacrifice." Propitiation is the "turning away of wrath by an offering" (EDT, 962). Christ is the one who has turned away God's wrath by the sacrifice of himself. "For the sins of the whole world" "does not mean that the application of the atonement is automatic for all the individuals in the world, but simply that if anyone in the world will believe in Christ and confess his sin, he too will find the atonement sufficient" (LBC, 2632).
2:3 - "we know him, if we keep his commandments" - Robertson (6:210) brings out the force of the tenses with, "If we keep on keeping his commandments, we know that we have come to know and still know him." A continual, consistent keeping of God's commands is evidence of one's relationship to him. John was probably responding to those who (like the later Gnostics) claimed that knowledge of God came through mystical insights and was unrelated to moral conduct (NIVBC, 1086).
2:5 - "the love of God perfected" - "Perfected" means to be made complete (cf. NIV). "Love of God" can mean the love that is inherent in God's nature, the love that God shows, or our love for God. The latter is most likely here (WBC, 1468; LBC, 2632). Our love for God finds perfect expression in obedience and gives us assurance of our salvation.
2:15 - "Love not the world" - "World" here is used in a negative sense to mean "the evil system under the grip of the devil" (NIVBC, 1089; cf. Vine, Epistles, 33).
2:15 - "the love of the Father is not in him" - This is love for the father. One who loves the world will be one in whom "the love of the Father is not the controlling principle of his life" (Vine, Epistles, 33; cf. Westcott, 64). One who keeps on loving the world (present tense) is unregenerate (Lenski, 425).
2:16 - "lust of the flesh . . . lust of the eyes . .. pride of life" - The love of the world (v. 15) is here described. "Lust of the flesh" refers to purely human desires (Harris, 43) and particularly those that are evil and excessive, the "lusts which the flesh feels" (Boyer, 41). "Lust of the eyes" is anything that "entices the eyes. It is a tendency to be captivated by outward show, and especially indicates greed and a desire for things aroused by seeing them" (NIVBC, 1090). "Pride of life" is more literally "boastings of life" (cf. NASB, NIV). "Life" is bios, which refers to the external aspect of life (Robt. 6:214), the manner of life, or "calling, trade or even means of support" (TDNT, 2:836; cf. Trench, 91-92). Thus, the idea is boasting of what one has or has accomplished. "'Pride of life' will be reflected in whaever status symbol is imnportant to me or seems to define my identity" (NIVBC, 1090). Many commentators see theses three aspects of "worldliness" appealed to in the temptations of Eve, Achan, David, and Jesus.
2:17 - "the world passeth away" - Better is NASB's "the world is passing away." It is presently in the process of passing away.
2:29 - "every one that doeth righteousness is born of him" - God (or perhaps the reference is particularly to Jesus) is "righteous," and the one who does the kind of righteousness that characterizes him proves that he is "born of him," and is a child of God (Boyer, 48; Westcott, 83).
Lesson 10 - 1 John 3:11, 14-16; 4:7-16
3:14 - "We know that we have . . . life, because we love the brethren" - Love for the brethren proves that one has eternal life. Conversely, one who does not love the brethren abides, or remains, in a condition of death.
3:15 - "Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer" - "God looks on the heart, and the heart that is full of hate is potentially capable of murder" (WBC, 1473). Bruce (96) says, "if murder, the end-product of hatred, proves that eternal life is absent, so does the root principle of hatred itself." Cf. Matthew 5:21-22.
4:7 - "love is of God" - The reason Christians are to love is because "love is of God." Love also is the evidence that one has been "born of God." "Since love has God as its source, those who show the love that is here spoken of give evidence thereby that they are the children of God" (Vine, Epistles, 79).
4:8 - "God is love" - This is far different from saying that love is God. Love is not God, but God is love in the sense that the quality of love is at the core of God's nature (cf. NIVBC, 1101; WBC, 1475; Boyer, 73).
4:9 - "only begotten" - The word (monogenes) means unique, or one of a kind (Harris, 96; EDT, 866). John uses it only of Jesus.
4:12 - "No man hath seen God" - This statement may be John's response to the claim of false teachers to have "seen" God (Harris, 98; NIVBC, 1103). "The connection between this thought and the context seems to be this: Since no one has seen God ever, the only way he who is love can be seen is by his children's loving one another and thus showing the family likeness" (WBC, 1475). "Loving one another accomplishes the same goals as supposedly would be accomplished by such sight" (Boyer, 74).
4:13 - "he hath given us of his Spirit" - This is another assurance of one's salvation. But in what sense are believers given "of his Spirit"? While this could mean that God gives us something of his spirit (small s), that is, his attitude or character, most commentators take it as a reference to the Holy Spirit (cf. Boyer, 74). "Of his Spirit" thus could mean "that we receive certain of the many gifts of the Spirit" (WBC, 1475). Lenski (507), who follows this same interpretation, translates it "from his Spirit." Cf. 1 John 3:24.
4:15 - "confess that Jesus is the Son of God" - This is a confession of Christ's deity "that implies surrender and obedience also, not mere lip service . . . This confession is proof (if genuine) of the fellowship with God" (Robt. 6:234; cf. Vine, Epistles, 85).
Lesson 11 - 1 John 5:1-15
5:1 - "Jesus is the Christ" - This may be asserted here in answer to those (Cerinthus) who denied the identity of Jesus with the Christ (Robt. 6:237). Bruce (116) says, "this means more than assenting to the proposition that Jesus is the promised Messiah; it means personal faith in Him, personal union with Him who has been revealed 'in the flesh' (4.2) as the Christ and Son of God." (cf. Lenski, 518). In this case, it is almost equivalent to 4:15 and 5:5.
5:1 - "born of God" - This expression is equivalent to "born again" (John 3:3, 7). The Greek word (gennao) is generally used in reference to the father's part in giving birth (Vine's, 57).
5:2 - "we know that we love the children of God, when we love God" - "Even as one cannot love God without loving his children, so also it is impossible to truly love the children of God without loving God also" (NIVBC, 1104). The evidence of love for God is love for brethren (4:20), and the evidence of love for the brethren is love for God (5:2). The two are inseparable (Boyer, 79).
5:3 - "this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments" - Obedience is the evidence of genuine love (cf. John 14:15), just as obedience is also the evidence of genuine faith (1 John 2:3; 3:24).
5:3 - "his commandments are not burdensome" - "Burdensome" means heavy or oppressive (BAG, 133). "Love makes the commandments of God light" (WBC, 1476; cf. Matt. 11:30).
5:4 - "overcometh the world . . . overcometh the world" - The first "overcometh" is present tense, indicating continuing action. The second is aorist active, indicating a past action. Thus, a better translation is "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith" (NASB). Our faith in Christ at conversion "overcame" the world, for we were through it joined to the one who overcame the world (John 16:33). This past experience of salvation is the basis for our continuing victory over the world now (Boyer, 80; cf. WBC, 1476). The "world" here is the evil world system with all its allurements (cf. 1 John 2:15-17).
5:6 - "by water and blood" - There are various interpretations of this expression. All agree that "blood" refers in some way to Christ's death. "Water," however, is taken to mean any of at least three things: (1) the water that came from Jesus' side along with blood when he was pierced (John 19:34), in which case, both blood and water refer to Christ's death; (2) the water of birth, in which case, Jesus' birth and death are in view; (3) the water of baptism, in which case, the beginning and end of Jesus' earthly ministry are in view. Most scholars today take the third view. "The purpose of the statement seems clear. The author once more affirms that it is the historical Jesus who is the Christ, the Son of God" (NIVBC, 1105), in contrast to the teaching of Cerinthus, who maintained that "the divine Christ came upon the human Jesus at his baptism (by water only), but left him before the cross" (Boyer, 81; cf. NIVBC, 1105). John is asserting that "the One who died on the cross was as truly the Christ, the son of God, as the One who was baptized in Jordan" (Bruce, 119). These two incidents may be "singled out because at the baptism Jesus was formally set apart to his Messianic work by the coming of the Holy Spirit upon him and by the Father's audible witness, and because at the Cross his work reached its culmination" (Robt. 6:239).
5:6 - "Spirit that beareth witness" - The Holy Spirit continues (present tense) to witness to the truth of Christ's incarnation.
5:7 - "For there are three that testify" - The verse ends here according to NASB, NIV, and other modern versions. The omitted portion found in the KJV (including the first nine words in verse 8) is largely lacking in manuscript evidence (See Bruce, 129-30).
5:9 - "the witness of God" - "The divine witness is not limited to the Spirit but includes the witness of the Father. His witness is greater than the authenticated witness of a human being because of the nature of the one who gives it and of its greater trustworthiness" (NIVBC, 1106). The precise nature of the Father's witness is not stated. It may be referring to his witness through the water, blood, and Spirit (v. 8) or to his testimony to the Son in the Gospels (cf. Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 12:28).
5:10 - "He that believeth . . . hath the witness in himself" - Whoever accepts the witness of God by believing in the Son of God has "the witness in himself" in the person of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Bruce, 121), who testifies that they "are right to trust in Christ" (NIVBC, 1106).
5:11 - "this is the record" - "Record" is more literally, "testimony" (NASB). "The content of the external and internal witness is that God gave his divine Son that men might have eternal life" (WBC, 1477).
5:12 - "He that hath the Son hath life" - Because eternal life is in the Son, to possess the Son through faith (cf. 2:23) is to possess eternal life (cf. John 3:36).
5:13 - "I have written . . . that ye may know that ye have eternal life" - Robertson (6:242) suggests John is referring to what he has written in verses 1-12. But most believe he is referring to the entire epistle (cf. Westcott,188). His purpose in writing is to give assurance to his readers, through some very practical tests, that they have eternal life.
5:13 - "and that ye may believe" - This is not another reason for John's writing the epistle. Rather, it reinforces the point with a safeguard. It should be translated "even you who believe" or "that is, you who really believe." See Bruce (122) and Boyer (85).
5:14 - "if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us" - Note that "this verse leads up to an exhortation as to intercessory prayer, especially on behalf of an erring brother. . . . If our prayer has as its object, not our self-interest, b ut our brother's real good, the condition is fulfilled and prayer will be answered in God's time and way" (Vine, Epistles, 103-4). "Heareth" here means to be heard favorably (NIVBC, 1107).
5:15 - "Whatsoever we ask" - This expression is "synonymous with the according to his will of verse 14. The believer who is in fellowship with God will not ask anything that is contrary to God's will" (WBC, 1477).
Lesson 12 - 2 John 4-9; 3 John 3-11
Background - Both 2 and 3 John are written by the "elder." There is strong support both externally and internally to identify the "elder" with the Apostle John (Guthrie, New Testament Introduction, 884-90, 95). The third epistle is written to an individual named "Gaius,"about whom we have no further information. The second letter is written to the "elect lady and her children." The "lady" has been identified as either an individual woman (Guthrie, 890-93; WBC, 1479) or as a reference to the church or a local church (NIVBC, 1110). Some, like Vine (Epistles, 111), argue that "since the withholding of the facts was evidently intentional, any endeavour to establish them seems inadvisable."
2 John 4 - "I found of thy children walking in truth" - The idea is better conveyed by the translation "I found some of your children walking in truth" (cf. NASB, NIV). This could indicate that John was speaking of some who had visited him recently or that he was rejoicing that some continued in the truth while others had not (NIVBC, 1111).
2 John 4 - "a commandment from the Father" - The commandment here could refer simply to the "truth" (Lenski, 562), to the "preaching of the apostles" (LBC, 2642), or to the truth they had heard from the beginning (v. 5), namely, the command to love one another (NIVBC, 1111).
2 John 6 - "this is love, that we walk after his commandments" - "Love is not merely a matter of feeling; it is the action of doing the will of God" (WBC, 1480).
2 John 7 - "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" - The verb ("is come") is present tense (cf. NASB). Robertson (6:253) says this treats "the Incarnation as a continuing fact." Some, however, take this as a reference to Christ's second coming. Thus, the denial would relate to Christ's physical return (Hoyt, The End Times, 117; cf. WBC, 1480).
2 John 7 - "an antichrist" - Literally, this is "the antichrist" (NASB) and may point to the future Antichrist (WBC, 1480). "Antichrist" means "against Christ" or "instead of Christ." Both ideas may be present in the word (EDT, 68). John saw many "antichrists" in his day (1 John 2:18), but they only prefigured a future, personal Antichrist (cf. 2 Thess. 2:3-9).
2 John 8 - "we lose not those things which we have wrought" - The first "we" may instead be "you" (plural) as in NASB. "It is the apostles who have preached and thus fulfilled the Commission and made great gin (salvation) possible for the believers; the apostles will not lose anything themselves, but the believers stand to lose all the blessings of Christianity if they listen to the false teachers. It is the believers also who will receive the reward, which is not a reward for something done, but the gift of salvation by grace" (LBC, 2642).
2 John 8 - "full reward" - This speaks of one possibility: that a "reader is partially deceived and so loses some of his reward for faithfulness and perseverance" (NIVBC, 1112) at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:12-15).
2 John 9 - "abideth not in the doctrine of Christ" - This envisions another "more radical departure from the faith . . . The situation here implies not a loss of reward but of God himself, the loss or nonattainment of eternal life" (NIVBC, 1112). "The doctrine of Christ" can refer to Christ's teaching or to the authoritative apostolic teaching about Christ (Bruce, 141-2). Either fits here, though most seem to prefer the idea that this is Christ's teaching or teaching "which derives from Christ and is vested with His authority" (Bruce 141; cf. Lenski, 568).
3 John 3 - "the brethren came and testified . . . thou walkest in the truth" - The "brethren" may have been traveling missionaries, teachers, or evangelists. They had gone out for Christ's "name's sake," taking nothing from unbelievers (v. 7) and thus were dependent upon the hospitality of fellow Christians.
3 John 5 - "brethren, and . . . strangers" - The "brethren" and the "strangers" are the same persons (Vine, Epistles, 124; cf. NIV).
3 John 6 - "bring forward on their journey" - "The phrase probably means that the traveling brothers were to be recognized as servants of God and supported as such" (NIVBC, 1115).
3 John 9 - "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes . . . receiveth us not" - John had written a letter previously to the church, probably asking them to extend hospitality to traveling teachers. Diotrephes, a leader in the church, apparently had thwarted the apostle's wishes.
3 John 10 - "prating against us . . . neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out" - Diotrephes exercised almost complete control in the church. He "prated" against John, that is, made false accusations (Vine, Epistles, 126; cf. NASB). He forbade others to receive the traveling Christians and even threw out of the church those who refused his orders. This may refer to excommunication (Vine, Epistles, 126), but Lenski thinks it speaks only of the intention or desire of Diotrephes, not of his success in doing so (588).
3 John 11 - "he that doeth evil hath not seen God" - The contrast is general in nature, although Diotrephes and Demetrius (v. 12) provide examples of good and evil. LBC (2645) suggests that John is saying that Diotrephes is not even a believer.
Lesson 13 - Jude 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13, 16-23
Background - Jude was the "brother of James" (Jude 1) and thus undoubtedly the half-brother of Jesus. The Book of Jude could have been written around A.D. 60 to 65 (NIVBC, 1118), but some date it later in the first century (cf. LBC, 2647).
Jude 3 - "I gave all diligence to write . . . of the common salvation" - Jude's original intent was to write on the doctrine of salvation.
Jude 3 - "it was needful for me to write" - NASB has "I felt the necessity to write." "Jude explains that a compelling obligation to the people of God prompted him to change his focus for their spiritual good" (NIVBC, 1121).
Jude 3 - "contend earnestly for the faith . . . once delivered unto the saints" - To "contend" means to "struggle in behalf of, fight" (BAG, 281). The present tense suggests a continuing struggle. The "faith" here is the objective revealed truth of God. This body of truth has been entrusted to believers by Christ.
Jude 4 - "For . .. certain men crept in unawares, who were . . . ordained to this condemnation" - "Crept in unawares" literally is, "settled down alongside" (Coder, 21; Vine's, 138). "Ordained" means "written about" (cf. NIV). The doom of such apostates was written about previously in Scripture (cf. Deut. 13:1-11; 2 Pet. 2:17).
Jude 4 - "turning the grace of God into lasciviousness" - The ungodly teachers had misapplied the grace of God, teaching that God's grace allows his people to sin all they want and still receive forgiveness (LBC, 2649). NIV translates "license for immorality." "Lasciviousness" refers to all kinds of moral excess (Lenski, 614; Trench, 56-57; Vine's, 353).
Jude 4 - "denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ" - The two titles have only one article, indicating that only one person is in view. Thus, this phrase argues for the deity of Christ (Lenski, 615).
Jude 8 - "defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities" - Defiling the flesh speaks of "various forms of sexual excess" (NIVBC, 1121). "Despise dominion," or "reject authority" (NIV, NASB), probably refers to their rejection of Jesus as Lord (Lenski, 626), but may have wider application to a rejection of all authority. To "speak evil of (literally, blaspheme) dignities" may refer to the reviling of angelic beings, as suggested by NIV and NASB. This idea fits nicely with the illustration in verse 9. However, the term "dignities" ("glorious ones" in NRSV) is a more general term (cf. 2 Pet. 2:10) for those in authority and may refer to Christ and Christian leaders (Lenski, 626; WBC, 1488).
Jude 10- "what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves" - NASB is better: "the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed." Their knowledge is limited to animal instinct, and it is this unreasoning pursuit of their desires that brings on their destruction. "Corrupt themselves" is present passive. The idea is that they are being destroyed either by or because of the things they practice.
Jude 12- "spots in your feasts of charity" - "Spots" (spilas) means either a rock or hidden reef (BAG, 770; cf. NASB) or a spot or stain (see NIV). A rock suggests a hidden danger, while a spot suggests defilement (NIVBC, 1122). "Feasts of charity" refers to the "love feasts" of the early church at which the Lord's Supper was observed (NIVBC, 1122; WBC, 1488).
Jude 12- "feeding themselves" - Literally, "feeding" here is "tending the flock." The idea thus is caring for themselves alone (Robt. 6:191).
Jude 12-"clouds . . . without water . . . trees . . . without fruit" - The apostates here are described as being like clouds that produce no rain. They promise much but deliver nothing. They are like trees that produce no fruit and are, in fact, dead.
Jude 13- "raging waves . . . wandering stars" - The "raging waves" probably picture the restless but wasted efforts of the apostates. They produce only "foam." "Wandering stars" may be a reference to meteors, planets, or hypothetical stars that constantly move and thus are unpredictable and useless for navigation (NIVBC, 1122-3).
Jude 18- "mockers in the last time" - This verse is very similar to 2 Peter 3:3. The mocking in 2 Peter related to the second coming. Here, it is more general. The reference to what the apostles had said probably refers to their oral preaching (NIVBC, 1123).
Jude 19- "separate themselves, sensual" - "Separate themselves" is better translated "cause divisions" (NASB). "Sensual" is psychikos. It means physical, or being governed only by "natural instincts" (NIV).
Jude 20- "building up yourselves on your . . . faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" - The main verb in the sentence is "keep yourselves in the love of God" (v. 21). The means for doing this is "building up yourselves . . . praying . . . and looking" (v. 21). "Faith" here, as in verse 3, probably refers to the objective body of Christian truth (Lenski, 645). Some, however, take it as personal faith (Coder, 109-10; Robt. 6:194). Lenski argues that the translation should be "by means of your . . . faith," not "on your . . . faith" (645). "Praying in the Holy Ghost (Spirit)" may mean "according to the Spirit's will" (NIVBC, 1124) or worshiping God as led by the Spirit (LBC, 2651).
Jude 21- "Keep yourselves in the love of God" - This is the main verb and thought in verses 20-21 (See above). It does not mean that we must guard against being alienated from God's love (cf. Rom. 8:35-39). "This is the love of God for the readers and not their love for God. To keep oneself in God's love is to stay where God can love us as his children and can shower upon us all the gifts of love that he has for those who are his children" (Lenski, 646).
Jude 21- "looking for the mercy of our Lord" - This is a reference to the mercy of the Lord expressed at Christ's second coming (cf. Titus 2:13; LBC, 2651).
Jude 22- "of some have compassion, making a difference" - In verses 22-23, Jude speaks of three groups of people and how believers are to show compassion toward them. The KJV indicates there are two groups, but see NIV, NASB, and NRSV, which more properly reflect the Greek construction. The first are those who doubt. See NIV and other modern versions for the translation here: "Be merciful to those who doubt." This probably refers to those who have been influenced by the false teachers and thus are "uncertain about the truth of Christianity" (NIVBC, 1124).
Jude 23- "pulling them out of the fire" - The second group are those who are in immediate and grave danger. They need to "be dealt with directly and vigorously" (NIVBC, 1124).
Jude 23- "hating even the garment spotted by the flesh" - This description relates to a third group (see NIV, NASB, NRSV). These people seem to be those deeply involved in and committed to the heresy that is being taught. Believers are to be merciful to them, but also cautious, realizing the danger of being stained by falling prey to their deceptive teaching.
Abbreviations:
BAG - Bauer, Arndt, Gingrich, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Boyer - James L. Boyer, Johannine Epistles
Bruce - F. F. Bruce, Epistles of John
BKC - Bible Knowledge Commentary
Coder - S. Maxwell Coder, Jude: The Acts of the Apostates
EDT - Evangelical Dictionary of Theology
GTJ - Grace Theological Journal
Harris - Hall Harris, The Letters of John
Hiebert- D. Edmond Hiebert, James
Hoyt - Herman A. Hoyt, Studies in 2 Peter
LBC - Liberty Bible Commentary (KJV Parallel Commentary)
Lenski - R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of I and II Epistles of Peter, the Three Epistles of John, and the Epistle of Jude
Mayor - The Epistle of James
Motyer - The Tests of Faith
NASB - New American Standard Bible (Updated Edition)
NIV - New International Version
NIVBC - NIV Bible Commentary
NKJV - New King James Version
NRSV - New Revised Standard Version
Robt - A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (6 vols.)
Tasker - General Epistle of James
TDNT - Theological Dictionary of the New Testament
Trench - Richard C. Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament
UBS - United Bible Societies
Vine, Epistles - W. A. Vine, The Epistles of John
Vine's - Vine, Unger, White, Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
WBC - Wycliffe Bible Commentary
Westcott - Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistles of St. John
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