January 13, 2016
Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:1-3
1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
Questions for Reflection:
It’s important that we study Scripture attentively. We should look for the key themes that the biblical author was trying to convey. A great starting question with any text is: what did the author mean when he wrote this to the original audience? One tip for discovering that meaning is looking for words or phrases that are repeated. They often illuminate the theme of a passage. What concepts are repeated in the passage above? What does John seem to be stressing in the first three verses of 1 John?
John begins his letter to the church by stressing that life of Jesus (the Word of life) is something that he was an eyewitness to. What words or phrases from the passage above underscore this idea? Verse 2 is a great example of the primary importance that John is giving this concept. In the original Greek, the phrase could be translated: “the life appeared AND we have seen it AND we are bearing witness to it AND we are proclaiming it to you…” John is so excited about what he has seen with his own eyes, what he has touched that he can’t stop for a breath. Why is John so concerned that his readers understands that he was an eyewitness to Jesus?
If you remember from yesterday’s study there was a group of people that were denying the humanity of Jesus. John wanted to dispel that erroneous teaching. It was dangerous in John’s view. As Gary Burge points out in his commentary, he believed that “Jesus’ incarnation is the central doctrine of the Christian faith. Embracing this historical Jesus and continuing to bear witness to him (seeing/touching/hearing) should be at the center of our lives together. Jesus Christ as God-in-flesh cannot be marginalized.” Bure continues: “In Christ, God walked with humankind, and anyone who had contact with that reality, anyone who had heard, seen, and touched that reality could never make it less than pivotal.”
If you have had a genuine encounter with Jesus, if He has changed your life, you will want others to know about it as well. What has Jesus Christ done in your life? What are you an eyewitness to in regards to His work in your life? What have you seen, heard and touched? What has He given you to testify to and proclaim about with regards to how He continues to work today? God doesn’t just work in our lives for our pleasure and benefit; He works in us so that we can tell others and either help give birth to faith or strengthen their faith.
For Further Study:
In the short video below, Dr. Richard Bauckham, a professor at Cambridge University, discusses the Gospel writers as eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry: