1 Johannes 1


1 Johannes 1:1

Wat van die begin af was, wat ons gehoor het, wat ons met ons oë gesien het, waarna ons gekyk en met ons hande aangeraak het, aangaande die Woord van die Lewe—

(a) Van die begin af. John was with Jesus from the beginning of his ministry (Matt. 4:21). He was one of the Lord’s closest friends.

The “from the beginning” phrase appears seven times in John’s first epistle and twice in his second epistle. John has at least three beginnings in mind. Here in 1 John 1:1 “the beginning” refers to the beginning of John’s experience with Jesus. Elsewhere “the beginning” refers to the first time you heard about Jesus or his message (1 John 2:7, 24, 3:11, 2 John 1:5, 6). And sometimes “the beginning” refers to the beginning of time (1 John 2:13–14, 3:8).

(b) Wat ons gehoor het, wat ons gesien het ... waarna ons gekyk het. John is establishing his bona fides as a witness of what he is about to discuss, namely the good news of Jesus Christ. John heard and saw the Lord’s ministry. He witnessed his death, resurrection, and glorious ascension. Unlike the many false prophets who have gone out preaching a false message (1 John 4:1), John is a credible witness. He was there.

(c) Wat ons aangeraak het. John was part of a small group of people who physically touched the Risen Lord (Luke 24:39). John is refuting the Gnostic view that the material world was evil and a spiritual God would have nothing to do with it. Jesus was fully human. He had a physical body. Anyone who said Jesus was not from God or had not come in the flesh was a deceiver and an antichrist (1 John 4:3, 2 John 1:7).

(d) Die Woord van die Lewe is the Word of God and the Word made flesh (John 1:1, 14). Jesus is the Word or the Message or the Revelation of God (Rev. 19:13). Just as we reveal ourselves by what we say, God reveals himself in Jesus (Heb. 1:3).


1 Johannes 1:2

en die lewe is geopenbaar, en ons het gesien en getuig en verkondig aan julle die ewige lewe wat by die Vader was en aan ons geopenbaar is—

(a) Was gemanifesteer. Jesus, wat voorheen by God in die hemel was, “is aan ons geopenbaar” op aarde. Met ander woorde, "Jesus, die Woord van die Lewe het verskyn, en ons (apostels) het Hom gehoor en Hom met ons eie ore en oë gesien."

(b) Ewige lewe is not merely endless life; eternal life is divine life. It is Christ’s glorious life as opposed to the broken short-lived disease-ridden life we inherited from Adam. Eternal life is not something we receive in the future, but something we can have now (1 John 5:13). And where do we find this life? “This life is in the Son” (1 John 5:11). He who has the Son has life (1 John 5:12). Throughout John’s writings, Jesus is synonymous with eternal life (1 John 5:20). You can’t have one without the other.

Sien inskrywing vir Nuwe Lewe.

(c) Die pa. God is not just the Maker of heaven and earth; he is the Father of the Son and all who believe (1 John 2:1). “God is our Father.” This was a stunning revelation when Jesus first said it, but John bought into it completely. More than a dozen times in this short epistle he reminds us that the Almighty is our Father.


1 Johannes 1:3

wat ons gesien en gehoor het, verkondig ons ook aan julle, sodat julle ook met ons gemeenskap kan hê; en waarlik, ons gemeenskap is met die Vader en met sy Seun Jesus Christus.

(a) Wat ons gesien en gehoor het, verkondig ons aan julle. Jy het nie 'n graad of jare se studie nodig om 'n getuie vir Jesus te wees nie. Al wat jy nodig het is om ander te vertel wat jy gesien en gehoor het. Vertel hulle wat die Here vir jou gedoen het.

(b) Sodat julle ook gemeenskap kan hê. In these opening verses, John is addressing a general audience that includes unbelievers who are walking in darkness (1 John 1:6) and who do not have the truth in them (1 John 1:8). He writes so that they may come to the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. He is saying, “Get plugged into Jesus because that’s where the life is” (1 John 4:9).

(c) Gemeenskap (koinonia) beteken letterlik vennootskap of deelname. Dit is 'n woord wat die lewe beskryf wat in geestelike eenheid met die Here en mekaar geleef word. Jy is nie gemaak om alleen te wees nie. Jy is ontwerp om uit jou verbintenis met die Outeur van die Lewe te leef. Deur mense soos Johannes nooi God ons almal uit om na hom te kom om heel gemaak te word en deel te hê aan sy geseënde lewe.

When Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches,” he was giving us the secret for abundant life (John 15:5). Real life is found in living out of our connection with the Author of Life. In union with the Lord we experience the freedom to know and be known, to give and receive, to love and be loved.

(d) Gemeenskap met ons beteken meer as om kerk toe te gaan. Koinonia-fellowship is about living fully out of our connection with Christ and his body. It’s the authentic sense of community that comes from having our hearts knitted together in love (Col. 2:2).

(e) Gemeenskap met die Vader en Seun bring aanvaarding, intimiteit, geregtigheid, heiligheid die ewige lewe, en al die seëninge en voorregte van die hemel. Diegene wat een met die Here is, kort geen goeie ding nie.

Verdere leeswerk: "Die vele voordele van unie.


1 Johannes 1:4

Hierdie dinge skryf ons, sodat ons blydskap volkome kan word.

(a) Hierdie dinge skryf ons. Johannes het ten minste drie briewe, een Evangelie en die Boek Openbaring geskryf.

(b) Ons vreugde. Eens op 'n tyd was John 'n visserman. Toe ontmoet hy Jesus en word 'n visser van mense. Net soos 'n visserman se vreugde is om vis te vang, is Johannes se vreugde om siele vir Jesus te wen.

But John was not just a catcher of fish; he was also a mender of nets, and this is what he was doing when Jesus first met him (Matt. 4:21). John’s joy was to mend the church nets, so to speak, to ensure that those who heard the gospel would not be lured away by false prophets and deceivers (1 John 4:1). This is why he rejoiced to see his spiritual children walking in the truth (3 John 1:4).


1 Johannes 1:5

Dit is die boodskap wat ons van Hom gehoor het en aan julle verkondig dat God Lig is, en in Hom is daar hoegenaamd geen duisternis nie.

(a) Die boodskap ons het van hom gehoor. Johannes se boodskap het direk van Jesus af gekom. Dit was nie iets wat hy uitgedink of tweedehands gehoor het nie.

(b) Kondig aan jou. Die evangelie is nie 'n werksadvertensie nie maar 'n aankondiging.

(c) God is Lig. The shadowless God is good to you all the time. His face is always shining upon you in love. He loves you so much that he sent his Son to rescue you (1 John 4:10).

(d) In hom is daar glad nie duisternis nie. God does not bring darkness into your life for a season. He will never take your job or your kids or give you sickness. Everything he does and gives is good and perfect (Jas. 1:17).

(e) Duisternis is 'n metafoor vir boosheid en sonde en enigiets wat onaangeraak is deur die Lig van die Wêreld. Enige plek waar die goeie nuus van Jesus nie gehoor word nie, bly in duisternis.


1 Johannes 1:6

As ons sê dat ons gemeenskap met Hom het en tog in die duisternis wandel, lieg ons en beoefen nie die waarheid nie;

(a) As ons sê. We may tell ourselves all sorts of things, but the beliefs and intentions of our hearts are revealed by what we do (1 John 2:4, 9).

(b) Ons het gemeenskap; sien inskrywing for 1 John 1:3.

(c) Aan wandel in die duisternis is to reject the light and love of God. It’s refusing to trust in the Savior. It’s pretending we are fine and have no need of grace (1 John 1:8). It’s living for yourself and having no love for others (1 John 2:9).

(d) Ons lieg. Diegene wat in duisternis wandel terwyl hulle beweer dat hulle die Een ken wat lig is, mislei hulself. Hulle dink dalk hulle is goeie mense, maar as hulle nie die Vader se liefde ken nie, is hulle verlore.

(e) Moenie die waarheid beoefen nie. They do not abide in the grace of Jesus. John is not talking about believers who know the truth (1 John 2:21), but those who do not know Jesus.


1 Johannes 1:7

Maar as ons in die Lig wandel soos Hy self in die Lig is, het ons gemeenskap met mekaar, en die bloed van Jesus Sy Seun reinig ons van alle sonde.

(a) As ons in die lig wandel. Only those who know the Light of the world can walk in the light. “Whoever follows me will have the light of life and will never walk in darkness” (John 8:12). Just as the sun does not shine at night, the believer cannot walk in darkness.

Johannes sê nie ons kan lig vervaardig nie. Hy sê daar is twee soorte mense; die wat in die lig wandel (omdat hulle die lig van die lewe het) en die wat dit nie doen nie (omdat hulle geen gemeenskap het met die God wat lig is nie; sien vers 5).

(b) Ons het gemeenskap met mekaar. Sommige sê ons moet reg loop om gemeenskap met die Here te handhaaf, maar Johannes praat oor ons gemeenskap of verhoudings saam met mekaar. Ware verbintenis is slegs moontlik wanneer ons mekaar liefhet met die onvoorwaardelike liefde wat Christus ons gewys het.

(c) Die bloed van Jesus. Jy word nie vergewe of gereinig omdat jy reg loop of jou sondes en tekortkominge hersien nie. Jy is rein omdat die bloed van Jesus jou reinig en aanhou reinig.

(d) Reinig ons van alle sonde. Dit is ongelowig om te dink dat Jesus se bloed ons van slegs een of ander sonde reinig. “Jesus het my gered, maar nou is dit aan my om my verlossing te handhaaf.” Alle sonde beteken alle sonde, past, present, and future. There is no sin Jesus did not carry.

When you sin, don’t heed the voice of condemnation; listen to Jesus who speaks for you (1 John 2:1). When you are reminded of something you did, remember what Jesus did. When the accuser points to your faults, point to Jesus by whose blood you have been washed whiter than snow (Rev. 12:11). His blood has secured your eternal redemption (Heb. 9:12).


1 Johannes 1:8

As ons sê dat ons geen sonde het nie, bedrieg ons onsself en is die waarheid nie in ons nie.

(a) As ons sê dat ons geen sonde het nie. Self-righteous people have convinced themselves they have no sin. “I’m basically a good person.” They are deceiving themselves, for the truth is we all fall short and none of us is righteous (Rom. 3:10, 23). We all need God’s grace.

Alhoewel die leerstellings van die eerste-eeuse Gnostisisme 'n kwessie van spekulasie is, is dit waarskynlik dat die Gnostici onder diegene was wat beweer het dat hulle geen sonde het nie.

(b) Die waarheid is another name for Jesus (John 14:6). It’s also a name for God the Father (1 John 5:20) and God the Holy Spirit (1 John 5:6) Truth is not a manmade construct but is defined by the One who is truth personified. Both grace and truth are fully realized in Jesus (John 1:17).

(c) Die waarheid is nie in ons nie. Unbelievers are living in a false reality for their lives are disconnected from the One called Truth. John is not talking about Christians going through a bad patch, for the truth abides in us forever (2 John 1:2).

Wanneer jy die Bybel lees, is dit belangrik om die gehoor te identifiseer. Johannes se brief sou wyd versprei gewees het. Dit sou deur alle soorte mense gehoor gewees het. Hier in die eerste hoofstuk praat Johannes met diegene wat van Christus ontkoppel is (vers 3), wat in duisternis wandel (vers 6) en nie die waarheid in hulle het nie (vers 8). Al gebruik hy woorde soos ons en ons, nooi hy ongelowiges uit om hul geloof in God te stel. Aan die begin van die volgende hoofstuk sal hy sy aandag verskuif na gelowiges of die kinders van God.


1 Johannes 1:9

As ons ons sondes bely, is Hy getrou en regverdig om ons ons sondes te vergewe en ons van alle ongeregtigheid te reinig.

(a) As ons ons sondes bely does not mean going to confession or reviewing our sins one by one in the hope of meriting forgiveness, for that would be tantamount to preaching salvation by works, and dead works at that. We are not saved by confessing sins but by confessing Jesus is Lord (Rom. 10:9).

Die woord bely beteken om saam te stem met of dieselfde ding as 'n ander te sê. In konteks is dit om toe te gee dat "Ek is 'n sondaar," wat die kontrapunt is vir die "Ek het geen sonde nie" van die voorafgaande vers. Die enigste voorwaarde om God se vergifnis en genade te ontvang, is om te erken dat jy dit nodig het. Vra en jy sal ontvang.

Remember, John is speaking about people who are disconnected from God. They have no fellowship with the Father or the Son (1 John 1:3). They have not received the free gift of forgiveness because they don’t believe they need it (1 John 1:8). Having told them the bad news—“you are deceiving yourselves”—he now tells them the good news: “Admit your need for forgiveness and you shall have it!” And how many times do we need to do this? Once is enough. The moment we confess our need for Jesus we are cleansed from all unrighteousness.

Vergifnis is nie iets wat ons verdien deur ons dade van belydenis nie; dit is 'n gawe wat ons deur geloof ontvang (sien inskrywing for Acts 13:38). In Christ, we have the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14). In him, you are completely and eternally forgiven according to the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:7).

Ongelukkig kaap sommige hierdie vers om diegene te veroordeel wat Christus verlos het. Hulle sê dinge soos "Jy moet jou sondes bely om vergewe te bly of om gemeenskap met die Here te handhaaf." Dit is hoekom ons alles wat Johannes sê moet lees. Jy is gereinig van alle sonde by the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). You have been 100% forgiven on “account of his name” (1 John 2:12). Jesus has done it all!

Sien inskrywing for Confession.

(b) Hy is getrou en regverdig om ons ons sondes te vergewe. God does not forgive us because we are good, but because he is good. He is the faithful and righteous One who loves us in our sin (1 John 2:2) and sends his Son to save us (1 John 4:14). Forgiveness is a done deal—Jesus will never return to the cross—but you will never experience God’s forgiveness unless you receive it by faith.

(c) En om ons van alle ongeregtigheid te reinig. Alles beteken alles. Johannes se boodskap is een van totale en volkome vergifnis.

Some use the words of 1 John 1:9 to preach dead works, as in we must confess to make ourselves righteous. That is not what John is saying. Jesus is the Righteous One (1 John 2:1) and it is his righteousness that God freely offers us by grace (Rom. 1:17). The good news of 1 John 1:9 is that God’s grace is greater than your worst sin. The blood of Jesus cleanses you from almal ongeregtigheid.

Some also say that we must confess our sins and keep short accounts to maintain fellowship with the Lord. John says nothing of the kind here (or anywhere). While being open and honest about our mistakes is healthy in any relationship, God’s love is not for sale, and his fellowship is not purchased through confession. God has promised to never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5). His Spirit or truth abides with you forever (John 14:16, 2 John 1:2).

Verdere leeswerk: "Gesonde vs ongesonde belydenis


1 Johannes 1:10

As ons sê dat ons nie gesondig het nie, maak ons ​​Hom 'n leuenaar en is sy woord nie in ons nie.

(a) As ons sê. Johannes praat nie van Christene nie maar van eiegeregtige ongelowiges wat dink hulle is sonder sonde. “Ek is basies ’n goeie mens.” Hy herhaal wat hy in vers 8 gesê het, maar met een belangrike toevoeging...

(b) Ons maak hom 'n leuenaar. Someone who says, “I have no need of grace” is essentially calling God a liar (1 John 5:10). They are blaspheming or slandering the Holy Spirit who seeks to convince them of their need for Jesus (Matt. 12:32). They put themselves beyond help because they don’t want help.

(c) Sy woord is nie in ons nie. Jesus is the Word of God and the Word of Life who gives meaning to life (1 John 1:1, 2:14). Jesus is the word (verse 10), the truth (verse 8), the light (verse 5) and the life (verse 1) that unbelievers lack.

Verdere leeswerk: "Wat is die onvergeeflike sonde?


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9 comments

  1. Finally… a real “grace” commentary that is clear, simple to read and understand, and credible. Looking forward to sharing this with others!!!

  2. Finally a commentary that actually brings understanding to the abundant grace of God’s love for us. So many other commentaries written by grace confused individuals fail to bring the truth of the real Gospel. Thank you Paul for following God’s gifts in you.

  3. What a profound statement that can easily be brushed over; “Just as we reveal ourselves by what we say, God reveals himself in Jesus (Heb. 1:3).” What are belivers saying? Lack, fear, sickness, unaccepted before God? The Words of Life or the thinking of the world that is disconnected from God? We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).

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