Johannine epistles

Part of a series of articles on
John in the Bible
Johannine literature
Gospel Epistles First Second Third Revelation Events
Authorship
Apostle Beloved Disciple Evangelist Patmos Presbyter
Related literature
Apocryphon Acts Signs Gospel
See also
Johannine Christianity Logos Holy Spirit in Johannine literature John's vision of the Son of Man New Testament people named John

A Hungarian rendition of St John the Evangelist

The Johannine epistles, the Epistles of John, or the Letters of John are three of the catholic epistles of the New Testament, thought to have been written AD 85–100. The author of these letters is alternatively believed to be John of Patmos, John the Evangelist, John the Apostle, or John the Presbyter.

First

Main article: First Epistle of John

This epistle unlike the other two is written more as a sermon, one to help strengthen people's faith in Jesus, to help them understand why a being as great as the Son of God would have a mortal life and a mortal's agonizing death.

Second

Main article: Second Epistle of John

This Epistle is written as a short letter from the Apostle to an unnamed "elect lady" whom he loves and her children. Within the letter John warns about opening home to false teachers and to always practice truth avoiding secrecy.

First Epistle

Third

Main article: Third Epistle of John

The third epistle, also a short letter, is addressed to a man named Gaius and mentioned as "a dear friend". It talks about a man named Diotrephes whom Gaius excommunicated from the church and had gone on to create an anti-missionary sentiment, trying to get the church to stop receiving missionaries. It is believed that the letter was delivered by a third person, Demetrius.