We are further told in 1:1 that the content of the witness and announcement concerns “word of life” (ho logos56 tēs zōēs), a life further defined as “the life eternal” (tēn zōēn tēn aiōnion) in 1:2. The use of logos is not new in the writings of John, for he uses the same for Jesus in John 1:1. The relation of “word” to its description “of life” (tēs zōēs) is either that he (the word) gives life57 or he himself is life.58 Identification of Jesus as “life” is not far-fetched in view of Jesus’ own claim in John 14:6: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Jesus gives life because he himself is Life.
By implication, therefore, we have here a reliable witness concerning one whose titles include “Word” and “Life”; one who is eternal, having his existence in continuance with the Father in the beginning; yet one who has been revealed. He is outside of history (since he is eternal) but has been made to become part of history (since he has been revealed). This is one of the distinguishing features of what John announces here, from other forms of beliefs.59 There is combination in it of both eternity and time. During the phase of his life in which he was living on this earth, he was seen, heard, beheld, and touched. In his eternal existence, he was with the Father.
The goal of the activities of bearing witness and announcing is that the readers will also have fellowship with the writer and his team (hina kai humeis koinōnian echēte meth’ hēmōn, “in order that you [yourselves] also may have fellowship with us,” 1:3), whether the team is limited to the apostles60 or includes all believers61 that share the experience John expresses in the four sensory verbs. There are four levels of fellowship here.62 First there is the fellowship John has with his fellow-apostles.63 Then, there is the fellowship John is inviting his readers to have with him and the other apostles. John then adds a third fellowship, which is much more blessed than these horizontal ones (apostle with apostle and apostles with readers/hearers). Both the apostles and their readers who accept the invitation have a fellowship with the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1:3)64 who themselves have been in fellowship with one another from the beginning, that is eternity (1:1). This is a wonderful community65 of fellowship (koinōnia).
Where there is the fellowship John has in mind here, heart meets heart in the openness of sharing and sincere support of each other. It begins with those who are themselves “witness bearers” or “announcers.” Using modern language, it starts with the ministers of the gospel. It does not dwell on whether one was a fisherman, tax collector, a tent maker, or whatever else our backgrounds are. It is a fellowship around the joy of salvation and the duty to announce it to others. The competition we see from time to time among those who bear the titles “pastor,” “Bible teacher,” or “bishop” is out of place. It fails miserably in reflecting the business they have been called to. There is eternal fellowship between the Father and the Son, which we are called upon to not only exemplify but also to announce and invite others to. It is a fellowship which leads us to “share all things in common” in the sense that none of us will starve while others feast. In our day, it is an international fellowship since we live in a global village. We are meant to rejoice together and to cry together, to eat together and to starve together—all hearts united to God to please him, and to each other in love. Nevertheless, and as John will show later in disputing some wrong teachings, the fellowship within the context of relationships has as its base the context of belief. This is why John relates this fellowship to the witness on whose bases the facts about the Word of life are reaffirmed. Schnackenburg rightly observes that even in the forward, the author “focuses on the heresy he is combating throughout the letter.”66 This, however, should not be emphasized to the point where it becomes the controlling factor of John’s message here. John’s message is broader than just correcting the heresy. His message is not just corrective of error but much more a reaffirmation of a wonderful blessing that is ours as believers. We have a fellowship whose base is eternal, in the Trinity, and whose completion is achieved by inviting others to enjoy it. We, however, do so as a team, fellowshipping in life of holiness and purity of doctrine.
The readers’ positive response to the witness borne and announcement made becomes an opportunity to increase the joy of the witness bearers. John says, “in order that our joy may have been made full or complete” (hina hē chara hēmōn ē peplērōmenē, 1:4). The use of the verb “complete” or “make full” (plēroun) is deliberate here, with regard to this joy. In other words, it is not that they do not have joy even before the readers’ response. They do, on the basis of their own fellowship with God and Jesus Christ. Until the readers are brought in, however, there is still something missing. Here is a lesson for us. Yes, we need to enjoy the presence of God all the time. However, when we fail to invite others to enjoy that blessing also, the process is not complete. The duty of the believer is not to enjoy and store for oneself, but to enjoy and dispense the same to others, to enjoy also. It is a call to a mission that never ceases as long as we are in the world.
The literal translation of the periphrastic construction ē peplērōmenē in 1:4 is “may have been made complete,”67 that is, by the act of sharing and much more so by the positive response of the hearers. True Christian ministry means rejoicing when we see others grow in their faith. It is a fellowship that leaves out all competition and jealousies. We are not called to build our empires but to bring others to fellowship with God and other members of the community of faith. What a corrective reminder to us serving the Lord in the twenty-first century where we witness all sorts of unhealthy competitions for control and pursuit for personal fame and prosperity!
Inescapable Fact and Its Implication (1:5–10)
(1:5) And this is the message which we have heard from him and we announce to you, that “God is light and in him there is not any darkness at all.”68 (6) If we should say that we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and we do not do the truth (7) But if we should walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin (8) If we should say that we do not have sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us (9) If we should confess our sins, he is so faithful and just that he will forgive69 us the sins and will cleanse70 us from every unrighteousness (10) If we should say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
This passage revolves around an inescapable fact found in 1:5, namely, “God is light” (ho theos phōs estin). The verb “is” (estin) here makes an assertion that is true at all times. It is a timeless fact.71 This is emphasized by saying the same thing in a different way in the same verse, that is, “and in him, there is not any darkness at all” (kai skotia en autō ouk estin oudemia). Within his being and the sphere in which God dwells, there is no darkness at all.
There is no doubt that “light” and “darkness” are used metaphorically here. Light may be viewed as standing for holiness while darkness stands for sin.72 Simply put, therefore, one may say, “God is holy and in him there is no sin at all.” At one level, sin may be defined as that which is contrary to the will of God, but at another level it can be defined as that which hurts God’s creation.73 God made creation to live in harmony, but it was the intrusion of sin that destroyed that harmony. In the garden of Eden where sin entered into the sphere of humankind (Gen 3; Rom 5:12) there was disobedience for sure but much more so, there was hurt, embarrassment (Gen 3:7, 10) and passing of blame (Gen 3:12, 13). Life of joy, confidence, and oneness were taken away from Adam and Eve. Harmony was also taken away from the rest of creation (Gen 3:17, 18). The rule of God who is light restores this harmony between members of humankind, by way of fellowship with God and with one another.
A further point we can draw from this statement of fact (that is, God is light) is that God cannot deny himself or hurt any of his creation. He keeps his promises and is out to do good to all those prepared to benefit from his fellowship with them. This benefit must also be extended to all his creation. By implication, the Christian duty is not just toward God and to other members of humankind, but also to our environment and all the creation that surrounds us.
Conditions upon which such a relationship can be maintained are spelled out. They are expressed in such a way that they confront the one who assumes this relationship without reflecting on what the inescapable fact about God’s holiness means. At the same time, they also affirm