First, Second, and Third John

Gary W. Derickson

General Editor: H. Wayne House

New Testament Editors: W. Hall Harris III, Andrew W. Pitts

First, Second, and Third John: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary

Copyright 2012 Gary W. Derickson. All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America.

Published by Lexham Press, 1313 Commercial St., Bellingham, WA 98225

http://www.lexhampress.com

You may use brief quotations from this commentary in presentations, articles, and books. For all other uses, please write Lexham Press for permission. E-mail us at permissions@lexhampress.com.

English quotations from 1, 2, 3 John for this commentary are the author’s own translation.

Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations outside 1, 2, and 3 John are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

For Rebekah, my wife, and Ian, my son,

without whose encouragement and support

I could not have completed this work.

Contents

Acknowledgments

Series Preface

Abbreviations

Introduction

Excursuses

List of Foreign and Technical Words

General Bibliography

Index of Biblical Verses

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to thank the general editor, H. Wayne House, for inviting me to participate in this series. His personal encouragement and help have been invaluable. I have learned much from him as well as from the study of these epistles. Through his encouragement and guidance I have grown as a student of the Scriptures. Through this deeper study I have grown spiritually as well.

I also wish to thank NT editor W. Hall Harris III for his willingness to work with me and the encouragement he has given throughout the process of writing this commentary. His insights and suggestions have challenged and guided my understanding of key points. He has graciously led me to look more deeply into those points and enabled me to correct and clarify my thinking. I appreciate his extensive knowledge of Johannine literature and the guidance he has willingly provided me.

My greatest desire is that God will be glorified and Christ’s church edified, not only through this work, but also through the entire EEC series. As we commit ourselves to the study of His inerrant Word, may He change each of us through it and use us to touch other lives in turn.

EDITORS’ PREFACE

We are happy to present the Evangelical Exegetical Commentary (EEC) series on the Bible. Though there are many excellent commentaries that have been produced in recent years, the EEC is a needed addition for scholars, pastors, and students of the Bible. As the title of the series indicates, the authors of this series are committed to both the evangelical faith and a careful exegesis of the biblical ...