JOHN, Epistles of. Three short epistles in the New Testament traditionally assigned to the Apostle John. The first and longest con tains no definite indication as to its author or destination. It lacks the usual epistolary intro duction and closing salutation. Nevertheless, it is a genuine letter and from one author, on his own sole responsibility, in spite of the occa sional use of the first person plural (e.g., in chap. i). Though the author speaks with au thority on matters of the Christian faith, it is the authority of fatherly affection, rather than of official position, that is felt and asserted. The inference is that the author was an old man writing to a church or group of churches whose members looked to him for spiritual guidance and regarded him with deep affection. The general purpose of the letter was to urge and lead those addressed to a fuller realization of their fellowship with God through His Son Jesus Christ, the Word of Life. He argues and pleads for the sinless life (confession of sin, trust in the Divine grace, positive *walking in the light”, with special emphasis on love as absolutely essential. This can be realized only through a full acceptance of the great redemp tive work of God in Christ and therefore a full confession of Jesus Christ, son of God, *come in the flesh" is indispensable. The letter aims
at counterventing certain docetic and antino mian tendencies that were threatening to sub vert the faith of those addressed. Linguisti cally and doctrinally 1 John has so much in common with the Fourth Gospel that the pre vailing opinion is that it was from the same hand and for the same circle of readers. Evi dence of its use from Polycarp (c. 110 A.D.) down is abundant and trustworthy.
The second and third epistles are very short letters and belong together. 2 John, addressed to a church (called *lady," Greek It vpia), is a message of affectionate admonition, warning against erroneous teachers (*anti-Christs*). 3 John, to Gaius, a member of the church ad dressed in 2 John, is of a more private and confidential character. Gaius is commended for his hospitality to itinerant missionaries. Dio trephes was probably the leading member of the church addressed in 2 John. The author, in both letters, calls himself *the elder,* but doe•, not give his name. Stylistically and doctrinally the relation of 2 and 3 John to 1 John is close, and identity of authorship is the most probable view. For literature see article on JOHN,