The epistles of John 1,2 and 3. John did not number these epistles, not were they written in this order. That was done many years later by a Church Council.
If the end or the last days were shortly after the writing of revelation (approx. AD 70), then how can John say in 1 John 2:18 “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour.” Things were getting bad in Jerusalem and John probably thought the Tribulation was coming.
Here there is little to go on, but some conclusions can be made. John writes as an “elder” to his spiritual “children”.
(1 John 2:1, 2:12, 2:18, 2 John 1; 3 John 1, 4).
Since John was apparently a youthful disciple, the younger brother of James, this implies that a good deal of time has passed since Jesus’ earthly ministry. Many of the themes in 1-3 John are also present in the Gospel of John. The subject of truth and the idea of a commandment of love is prominent in both books, along with the idea that God is light.
Also, John’s warns against a gnostic influence (1 John 1:1 says he “handled the Word of life (Jesus), in the flesh”). One of the gnostic teachings was that Jesus was a spirit-man rather than a real human. 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. A date around of 65 A.D. would seem appropriate as the date for this epistle..
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