How does 1 John 5:20 affirm the divinity of Jesus Christ? Canonical Text “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true— in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (1 John 5:20) Literary Context John’s closing assurance (5:13–21) centers on certainty: eternal life (v. 13), answered prayer (vv. 14–17), protection from sin (vv. 18–19), and knowing “the true God” (v. 20). The verse forms the climax, summarizing the epistle’s purpose: to expose false Christologies (2:22–23; 4:2–3) and ground believers in the Son’s full deity. Core Affirmations of Deity Embedded in the Verse 1. “The Son of God has come” – The incarnational aorist (ἥκει) mirrors John 1:14; 3:17; Galatians 4:4. Only a pre-existent divine person can “come” into the world. 2. “Given us understanding” – A prerogative of God alone (Luke 24:45; 2 Corinthians 4:6), here exercised by the Son. 3. “We are in Him who is true— in His Son” – Co-inhabitation language (John 14:20; 17:21) equates union with the Father to union with the Son, presupposing co-equality. 4. “He is the true God and eternal life” – The climactic predicate nominatives ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεός καὶ ζωὴ αἰώνιος unapologetically ascribe the titles Isaiah exclusively reserves for Yahweh (Isaiah 45:5; 46:9) to Jesus. Johannine Corpus Coherence John’s Gospel begins (1:1) and ends (20:28) with explicit deity claims (“the Word was God,” “My Lord and my God!”). 1 John mirrors that arc: prologue, “eternal life … with the Father” (1:2); epilogue, “He is the true God.” This symmetry underlines that the same inspired author maintains a consistent, high Christology. Cross-Canonical Harmony • Colossians 2:9 – “In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells bodily.” • Philippians 2:6 – “Existing in the form of God.” • Hebrews 1:3 – “The exact expression of His nature.” These verses mutually reinforce 1 John 5:20, showing that the NT uniformly attributes absolute divinity to Jesus. Patristic Commentary Ignatius (c. A.D. 110) cites the verse to argue that “our God, Jesus the Christ, was conceived by Mary” (Ephesians 19). Irenaeus (Against Heresies 3.16.5) quotes 1 John 5:20 against Gnostics, affirming that “the same is the only true God.” Athanasius wields the passage in Contra Arianos I.63: “John says of the Son, ‘This is the true God and life eternal.’” The Fathers uniformly interpret the verse as a direct attribution of deity to Christ. Pastoral and Missional Applications • Assurance: If Jesus is “the true God,” His promise of eternal life is utterly trustworthy. • Worship: Believers rightly render Him the adoration due only to Yahweh (Revelation 5:12–14). • Evangelism: Presenting Jesus as both “God” and “life” cuts through relativism; only He imparts the knowledge of the true God (John 17:3). Summary By its immediate grammar, its harmony with the wider Johannine and biblical witness, its uncontested manuscript tradition, and its early church interpretation, 1 John 5:20 unmistakably affirms the full deity of Jesus Christ, proclaiming Him “the true God and eternal life.” |
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