Daily Bible Study—1 John 2:13

I am writing to you, fathers, because you have come to know Him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I am writing to you, little children, because you have come to know the Father. (1 John 2:13, EMTV)




A1 Outline

B1 Fathers

B2 Young men

B3 Children

A2 Notes

B1 Fathers are those who have been Christians longer.

B2 Young men are those who have been Christians for a short time.

B3 Children are those who have just believed.

C1 The Greek word in verse 13 is παιδίον paidion.

D1 "A little child," a diminutive of No. 1, is used only figuratively in the NT, and always in the plural. It is found frequently in 1 John, see 1Jo 2:1, 12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21; elsewhere, once in John's Gospel, John 13:33, once in Paul's Epistles, Gal 4:19. It is a term of affection by a teacher to his disciples under circumstances requiring a tender appeal, e.g., of Christ to the Twelve just before His death; the Apostle John used it in warning believers against spiritual dangers; Paul, because of the deadly errors of Judaism assailing the Galatian churches." Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by Vine

C2 It is different from the Greek word for children in is τεκνίον teknion in some of the other 1 John verses.

D1 Vine writes "It is used...by the Apostle John to the youngest believers in the family of God, 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:18; there it is to be distinguished from teknia, which term he uses in addressing all his readers (1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:12, 1 John 2:28"

B4 These terms may also be used for believers who are that chronological age as in Titus 2:1-8.

B5 The verb know as it is used here signifies came to know and still know. It is the growth process for the Christian.

B6 The verb overcome (subdued) also signifies have overcome and still are overcoming (subduing).

B7 The beginning usually refers to creation but here it could also refer to the start of Jesus's ministry or even the start of these believer's faith. John 1:1-4, Psalms 90:2, Genesis 1:1, Isaiah 41:4, Matthew 19:4

B8 How do we overcome the evil one?

C1 Knowing he wants to overcome us.

C2 Knowing that he can overcome us.

C3 Being alert at all times. This would include not taking substances that cloud our mind (overdoing alcohol, using mind alerting drugs, etc.) and religious practices that silence our mind. Colossians 4:2, 1 Peter 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:6, 1 Peter 1:13, 1 Peter 4:7

C4 Wearing the armor of faith. These are word pictures that describe methods of protection that God gives us. Ephesians 6:10-18

C5 Know verses as "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy," (Jude 1:24, NKJV)

B9 The children have come to know.

C1 Salvation is initiated by God and brought to completion by God. Humans do not seek God or even want to, since we are dead in sins and trespasses and desire to do what our flesh (body, mind, and spirit) wishes. Matthew 11:27, John 1:18, Luke 19:10

A3 Questions

B1 Is the Christian life one of growth through many circumstances or sudden and complete?

B2 What is the importance of belief?

B3 What is faith? (Faith is believing God, so when Jesus states that He is coming again, He will).

B4 Have we overcome the devil? How do we do this? Is it in our own strength or with the strength of God?

B5 What is the importance of being alert at all times?