22 lines
1.4 KiB
Markdown
22 lines
1.4 KiB
Markdown
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title = "1 John 2:12–14"
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date = "2024-07-31"
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### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1John2.12-17)
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The _Reformation Study Bible_ notes say that the poem in vv. 12&endash;14 are not addressed to three distinct groups ("children", "fathers", and "young men"), but is referring to the same audience in three different ways.
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This wasn't something I'd ever considered before, but after looking at the words more closely, I tend to agree.
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All of the reasons John gives for writing to them in each stanza don't make sense as separate, distinct reasons because they overlap so much.
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The children know the Father, but the fathers know the Eternal One.
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Of course, both lines are referring to the same God.
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The young men have overcome evil, but they wouldn't have done that if their sins weren't forgiven like the children's.
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And, of course, we do not have our sins forgiven unless we know the Father, too.
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However, each reason given for writing also correlates to the description of the audience.
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Children have to be forgiven by their parents, and they know the Father like they know their fathers.
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Fathers share in fatherhood with God the Father and with being older than the younger generations, who view them as having lived "basically forever".
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Young men are the strongest and are the ones who overcome enemies in battle.
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* * *
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Forgive us our sins, let Your word abide in us, and help us to overcome evil.
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