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Reformed Expository Commentary
1–3 John
How can we know that we possess eternal life? The apostle John answered that question in the three epistles that bear his name. He wrote that we must firstly believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that Christ came in the flesh. Secondly, we are to obey God’s commandments. Thirdly, we must love others. In this illuminating and engaging commentary on John’s letters, pastor-scholar Douglas Sean O’Donnell illustrates and applies these three essential tests that judge whether we possess eternal life or not. Grow in your knowledge of Christ, our Savior. Learn how to live in the light. Grab hold of the gospel-transformed life!
235 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2015
18 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Sean O'Donnell
41 books13 followersDoug O'Donnell is the Senior VP of Bible Publishing at Crossway Books. He has authored or edited over a dozen books, including commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew, the Song of Songs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and 1-3 John. He earned his PhD from the University of Aberdeen.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 15, 2015
The Apostle John wrote this letter so that we might know certain things about ourselves and others within the Christian community, as well as those who have left it. To him, orthodoxy, (right belief in Jesus) and orthopraxy (obedience and love) are accurate indicators of an eternal fellowship with God.
The key to this study and foundation is apostolic authority and testimony. Because of the importance of membership, the teaching of Christ, false teaching, we can have assurance of the Gospel. What I found that was most helpful was the apostolic authority and testimony which I would say is not as relevant as we may think it is. Let me say, my eyes were opened and encouraged. It is in the creeds that we have a firm foundation of the apostolic authority and testimony.
The books of I-3 John relate to the Christian and to living as a Christian. Dealing with sin but also how we are desensitized to the effects of sin. It is not moralism but it is sin that rules our lives if we are not dealing with it correctly. Living in union with Christ is dealing with our sin. Dealing with our sin, leads us to love God and others. It is the books of John that the theme of love is addressed more than 51 times. We are told in 1 John 2:15 not to love the world is our only negative. In not loving the world, it can lead to more questions. If God created the world which is good, what does this mean? It means that we must not love the world that is against the Lord. In loving the world, we are putting our hope in the things of the world that will pass. There is no future in worldliness. That needs to be tattooed to my head. We love God first, trust in the Son for our salvation and live in according to word that is our future. That will have everlasting consequences. It is by replacing our love for the world with a love for the things of God. This is daily, minute by minute, running to the cross. I loved what he says that the glory of Christ is our antidote for all that dazzles and sparkles but fades.
Some quotes that I found encouraging.
When one walks in God’s light, that light shows us who we are – sinners! As a result, the only way forward is to cling to the cross, or to follow the metaphor here, to be washing in the blood.
Almighty God, you love us, but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from our neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed. God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that you come to us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen
In John’s writing, the world has a wide range of meaning. To summarize the data: on one hand, the world was made by God through Christ and is loved by God through Christ. On the other hand, the world lies in the grip of Satan and comprises people on earth who oppose and ignore God and seek to live independent of him. It is obvious that it is this second “world” that John has in mind.
It’s loving the values and pursuits of the world that stand opposed to God. More specifically, it is to gratify and exalt oneself to the exclusion of God. It rejects God’s rule and replaces it with our own. Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness? Do you esteem and crave approval of those around you? Do you go to great lengths to avoid looking foolish or being rejected for your Christian faith? Do you consider present and material results more important than eternal reward? Have you departed from God and adopted idols instead?
You cannot have God as your spouse and still have the world as your mistress. You cannot be in an intimate relationship with both God and the world. You cannot love all that God is and has to offer and still love this world and all that it has to offer.
Very informative and convicting study that challenges any believer to examine their own heart and how we must respond. Is this important? Yes, I think is. In the Old Testament, you can recall in worship, the Ark of the Covenant (no one must touch it), that worship is important. We cannot worship God the way that seems right to us but in spirit and in truth. It is hard teaching but we have the righteousness of Christ that humbles our heart to His.
A Special Thank you to P & R Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the blessed opportunity to post an honest review.
The key to this study and foundation is apostolic authority and testimony. Because of the importance of membership, the teaching of Christ, false teaching, we can have assurance of the Gospel. What I found that was most helpful was the apostolic authority and testimony which I would say is not as relevant as we may think it is. Let me say, my eyes were opened and encouraged. It is in the creeds that we have a firm foundation of the apostolic authority and testimony.
The books of I-3 John relate to the Christian and to living as a Christian. Dealing with sin but also how we are desensitized to the effects of sin. It is not moralism but it is sin that rules our lives if we are not dealing with it correctly. Living in union with Christ is dealing with our sin. Dealing with our sin, leads us to love God and others. It is the books of John that the theme of love is addressed more than 51 times. We are told in 1 John 2:15 not to love the world is our only negative. In not loving the world, it can lead to more questions. If God created the world which is good, what does this mean? It means that we must not love the world that is against the Lord. In loving the world, we are putting our hope in the things of the world that will pass. There is no future in worldliness. That needs to be tattooed to my head. We love God first, trust in the Son for our salvation and live in according to word that is our future. That will have everlasting consequences. It is by replacing our love for the world with a love for the things of God. This is daily, minute by minute, running to the cross. I loved what he says that the glory of Christ is our antidote for all that dazzles and sparkles but fades.
Some quotes that I found encouraging.
When one walks in God’s light, that light shows us who we are – sinners! As a result, the only way forward is to cling to the cross, or to follow the metaphor here, to be washing in the blood.
Almighty God, you love us, but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from our neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed. God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that you come to us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you and receive forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen
In John’s writing, the world has a wide range of meaning. To summarize the data: on one hand, the world was made by God through Christ and is loved by God through Christ. On the other hand, the world lies in the grip of Satan and comprises people on earth who oppose and ignore God and seek to live independent of him. It is obvious that it is this second “world” that John has in mind.
It’s loving the values and pursuits of the world that stand opposed to God. More specifically, it is to gratify and exalt oneself to the exclusion of God. It rejects God’s rule and replaces it with our own. Does outward prosperity appeal to you more than growth in godliness? Do you esteem and crave approval of those around you? Do you go to great lengths to avoid looking foolish or being rejected for your Christian faith? Do you consider present and material results more important than eternal reward? Have you departed from God and adopted idols instead?
You cannot have God as your spouse and still have the world as your mistress. You cannot be in an intimate relationship with both God and the world. You cannot love all that God is and has to offer and still love this world and all that it has to offer.
Very informative and convicting study that challenges any believer to examine their own heart and how we must respond. Is this important? Yes, I think is. In the Old Testament, you can recall in worship, the Ark of the Covenant (no one must touch it), that worship is important. We cannot worship God the way that seems right to us but in spirit and in truth. It is hard teaching but we have the righteousness of Christ that humbles our heart to His.
A Special Thank you to P & R Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the blessed opportunity to post an honest review.
November 21, 2015
I first became acquainted with Douglas Sean O'Donnell after reading his commentary on Matthew. Three thing impressed me about that commentary. The first is that O'Donnell writes with a deeply pastoral tone. Secondly, he is a masterful exegete and lastly, he communicates the meaning and application of the text with vivid illustrations. I was thrilled to discover that his commentary on 1-3 John was written in the same vein.
As one who reads a lot of commentaries in my sermon preparation, I have come across a number of commentaries which lack a pastoral perspective. There is certainly a lot of value in approaching the text from a grammatical and linguistic perspective, and much can be gained by understanding the historical and sociological context. These are both valuable and I have my good share of these. However, nothing gets me fired up quicker (in a good way) than a commentary written from the perspective of a pastor who really wants to edify the body. Time and time again, O'Donnell brings the meaning of the text back to a practical application which is not only intended to impart knowledge, but change hearts. This is gold.
The pastoral perspective aside, a good commentary would be lacking if it extracted application from a faulty understanding of the meaning. Here too O'Donnell demonstrates an incredible talent. Throughout the commentary, he is careful to bring out the meaning of the text through skillful and responsible exegesis. This was no surprise to me having already read his commentary on Matthew and being published by P&R (perhaps the publisher I trust the most).
Lastly, I was impressed by O'Donnell's artfully crafted illustrations which seemed to be used in a timely manner. Douglas O'Donnell is a master at using real life examples to tease out the meaning and application of the text. This is very important and often overlooked in commentaries. O'Donnell uses them liberally and appropriately. The result is a clearly communication of both the meaning and application of the passage.
These three things combined (O'Donnell's pastoral approach, his responsible exegesis, and his use of vivid illustrations) make this commentary one that I would recommend to anyone. Those who want a good commentary that is easy to follow, responsible in its interpretation of scripture and targets the heart will do good to start with O'Donnell's 1-3 John. This commentary would be very useful for pastors. I can't think of a better author for pastors to emulate when preparing a sermon than the author of this book. This is a commentary that should be on everyone's bookshelf or E-Reader.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from P&R Publishing in exchange for an online review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
As one who reads a lot of commentaries in my sermon preparation, I have come across a number of commentaries which lack a pastoral perspective. There is certainly a lot of value in approaching the text from a grammatical and linguistic perspective, and much can be gained by understanding the historical and sociological context. These are both valuable and I have my good share of these. However, nothing gets me fired up quicker (in a good way) than a commentary written from the perspective of a pastor who really wants to edify the body. Time and time again, O'Donnell brings the meaning of the text back to a practical application which is not only intended to impart knowledge, but change hearts. This is gold.
The pastoral perspective aside, a good commentary would be lacking if it extracted application from a faulty understanding of the meaning. Here too O'Donnell demonstrates an incredible talent. Throughout the commentary, he is careful to bring out the meaning of the text through skillful and responsible exegesis. This was no surprise to me having already read his commentary on Matthew and being published by P&R (perhaps the publisher I trust the most).
Lastly, I was impressed by O'Donnell's artfully crafted illustrations which seemed to be used in a timely manner. Douglas O'Donnell is a master at using real life examples to tease out the meaning and application of the text. This is very important and often overlooked in commentaries. O'Donnell uses them liberally and appropriately. The result is a clearly communication of both the meaning and application of the passage.
These three things combined (O'Donnell's pastoral approach, his responsible exegesis, and his use of vivid illustrations) make this commentary one that I would recommend to anyone. Those who want a good commentary that is easy to follow, responsible in its interpretation of scripture and targets the heart will do good to start with O'Donnell's 1-3 John. This commentary would be very useful for pastors. I can't think of a better author for pastors to emulate when preparing a sermon than the author of this book. This is a commentary that should be on everyone's bookshelf or E-Reader.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from P&R Publishing in exchange for an online review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
December 22, 2015
Preaching the word of God is a tremendously important task. Make sure you have good mentors who can show you an example of what good preaching is, is essential to that end. What I’ve always tried to do when teaching on any particular books of the bible is to find expository commentaries that preaches on the book and learn from them.
For those look for help in preaching the Epistles of John, they can consult this commentary. Within this commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell shows readers how he preached the epistles of John. He allows readers to understand how he interprets the passages, and why he makes the point that he makes. I have to say that O’Donnell has certainly been very exegetical within this commentary. He examines the passages phrase by phrase, looking into the meaning of each of them. Explaining them in the context of the passage and giving helpful illustrations along the way.
Although I did not find this commentary to be as sermon-like as his previously commentary on Ecclesiastes was (which was excellent). I do see a clear strength in his exegesis. I think for preachers who struggles with understanding what is good exegesis, or the difference between eisegesis and exegesis, this will be a good commentary to consult. O’Donnell will bring you through step by step his exegesis for the passage.
One sad ‘regret’ is how short this commentary is. However given how the epistles of John consist mostly of 7 chapters. It is understandable why this commentary is much thinner that the others within the same series.
Are you preaching on the epistles of John any time soon? Or perhaps aiming to study the epistles of John? Then do get this book and read it both devotionally and also gain some exegetical knowledge on how to understand the passages.
As with every commentary in the Reformed Expository Commentary, this commentary is excellent for any preachers and seminary students who intends to study or preach this passage.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
For those look for help in preaching the Epistles of John, they can consult this commentary. Within this commentary, Douglas Sean O’Donnell shows readers how he preached the epistles of John. He allows readers to understand how he interprets the passages, and why he makes the point that he makes. I have to say that O’Donnell has certainly been very exegetical within this commentary. He examines the passages phrase by phrase, looking into the meaning of each of them. Explaining them in the context of the passage and giving helpful illustrations along the way.
Although I did not find this commentary to be as sermon-like as his previously commentary on Ecclesiastes was (which was excellent). I do see a clear strength in his exegesis. I think for preachers who struggles with understanding what is good exegesis, or the difference between eisegesis and exegesis, this will be a good commentary to consult. O’Donnell will bring you through step by step his exegesis for the passage.
One sad ‘regret’ is how short this commentary is. However given how the epistles of John consist mostly of 7 chapters. It is understandable why this commentary is much thinner that the others within the same series.
Are you preaching on the epistles of John any time soon? Or perhaps aiming to study the epistles of John? Then do get this book and read it both devotionally and also gain some exegetical knowledge on how to understand the passages.
As with every commentary in the Reformed Expository Commentary, this commentary is excellent for any preachers and seminary students who intends to study or preach this passage.
Rating: 4.5 / 5
Disclaimer: I was given this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
May 26, 2016
I enjoy this series immensely, though not this particular one. It was very repetitive, and his examples were often sill or quite a stretch to relate to the point he was trying to make. The letters of John are among my favorite epistles, though I wouldn't recommend this volume as a lay commentary to accompany.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews