Tuesday 30 December 2008

Background

I have a difficulty with today's appointed reading. It neitherstarts nor ends where the writer intended. The writer employs anABB' writing style, where A is introductory; B is the firstdevelopment; and B' is the second, paralleling and concludingdevelopment. But 1 John 2:12-17 is not an ABB' reading - 1 John 2:7-14 is!Therefore, I invite you to read 1 John 2:7-14 instead. It is thefinal part of the first section of this letter which focuses on'God is light' and 'living in that light'.

I give you my own literal translation of the original Greek:

A
Beloved, no new commandment I write to you, but an old commandmentthat you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is theword that you have heard. 8 Yet a new commandment I write to youthat is true / in him / and in you, because the darkness is passingaway and the true light is already shining. 9 The one saying, "I amin the light," while hating his brother, is still in the darkness.10 The one loving his brother remains in the light and in him is nocause for stumbling. 11 But the one hating his brother is in thedarkness and in the darkness walks, and he knows not where he isgoing, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 12
B
I am writing to you little children because your sins are forgivenon account of his name. 13 I am writing to you fathers because youknow him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you young menbecause you have overcome the evil one. 14
B'
I wrote to you young children because you know the Father. I wroteto you fathers because you know him who is from the beginning. Iwrote to you young men because you are strong and the word of Godabides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

This is a mystical passage. It is disciplined. It has a literarybeauty that is worth a concentrated look. Notice how the parts A, Band B' themselves break down into a, b and b' parts and how each ofthese parts breaks down in the same way too.

1 John 2:7-14 completes the letter's opening section. Its part Abegins with a frequently used introductory word, "Beloved". Parts Band B' can be well described as a pair, a duality. They affirm thewriter's confidence in those to whom he is writing.

To Ponder

In the Gospel of John, Jesus exhibited in his ownlife the qualities of God and of love in particular. The writer ofthis epistle says the same is possible in the lives of the readersof this letter. How is this so?

How is it possible in your life too?