What does "the message you have heard from the beginning" refer to? Setting the Phrase in Context - 1 John 3:11: “For this is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” - John ties “message” (ἀγγελία) to a specific command rather than a general gospel summary. - He has already used the same wording: 1 John 2:7–8; 2:24. What “the Beginning” Points To - The earthly ministry of Jesus, when He first spoke this command (cf. John 13:34; 15:12). - The moment these believers first received the gospel (cf. 1 John 2:24). Both ideas merge: the command came from Christ at the start and was passed unchanged to every new believer. The Core of the Message: Love One Another - 1 John 3:23: “And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” - 2 John 5–6 echoes the same wording. - Love is defined by Christ’s own example (“as I have loved you,” John 13:34). Scripture’s Consistent Witness • Old Testament foundation: Leviticus 19:18—“love your neighbor as yourself.” • Jesus’ summary of the Law: Mark 12:29–31. • Apostolic reinforcement: – Romans 13:8–10: love fulfills the Law. – Galatians 5:13–14: the whole Law summed up in one command. – 1 Peter 1:22: “Love one another deeply, from a pure heart.” Why John Repeats It Here - To contrast true believers with Cain’s hatred (1 John 3:12). - To provide an objective test of authentic faith (1 John 3:14). - To remind that love is evidence of abiding in the truth first delivered, not a later innovation. Conclusion “The message you have heard from the beginning” refers specifically to Christ’s original command that His followers “love one another.” John calls believers to remain loyal to that unchanged, foundational word. |
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