(A)There...
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(A)
There is a tendency to think of John's First Epistle as a love letter, pure and simple. It is often referred to as a fatherly bit of advice to children in need of knowing the necessity of loving one another. To my knowledge it has never been compared to Romans or any of the Pauline letters for its theological profundity. Yet, from time to time, Saint John delves and delves deeply into the realm of profound theology.
We are taken back by verse six that comes as the conclusion to this passage. John spends five verses emphasizing and embellishing his favorite theme. Then he makes a sharp turn, much like the good guys chasing the bad guys on television during the Prohibition Era.
Verse six talks about the indispensability of both water and blood. John is plumbing the depths by connecting our Lord's baptism and his crucifixion. It is not an either/or proposition; it is a both/and theological truth. The Spirit witnesses to them and they are joined in a kind of holy wedlock that scintillates mystery.
Never underestimate John's First Epistle!
-- Lacy
There is a tendency to think of John's First Epistle as a love letter, pure and simple. It is often referred to as a fatherly bit of advice to children in need of knowing the necessity of loving one another. To my knowledge it has never been compared to Romans or any of the Pauline letters for its theological profundity. Yet, from time to time, Saint John delves and delves deeply into the realm of profound theology.
We are taken back by verse six that comes as the conclusion to this passage. John spends five verses emphasizing and embellishing his favorite theme. Then he makes a sharp turn, much like the good guys chasing the bad guys on television during the Prohibition Era.
Verse six talks about the indispensability of both water and blood. John is plumbing the depths by connecting our Lord's baptism and his crucifixion. It is not an either/or proposition; it is a both/and theological truth. The Spirit witnesses to them and they are joined in a kind of holy wedlock that scintillates mystery.
Never underestimate John's First Epistle!
-- Lacy
