A Rhetorical Analysis 1 John 2

As we walk through this life, no one is truly ever alone. When confronted with challenges – perhaps the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or systemic oppression – we always have an answer. The answer to our trials has existed for countless years and survived floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, plague, and death. This resource is not exclusive to any religion, race, gender, political view, or socioeconomic status. In fact, the answer to every problem exists within every continent, belongs to every social group, and offers accessibility to everyone who seeks it out. Monotheists – such as Jews, Christians, and Muslims – often look up and pray to God for a solution to their problems. Although prayer offers a firm starting point to confront …show more content…
In this passage, Jesus tells his followers to love each other, just as Jesus had loved them. Thus, both the old and new commandment mentioned in 1 John 2:7-8 focus on this love for others. To place this commandment in its historical context, let us examine the likely audience of 1 John. The speaker of this passage was an elder in an early Johannine Christian community. This group of people came from the Jewish tradition and lived in a community focused on the teachings of Jesus Christ. As the Elder explains in 1 John 2:6, those who claim to follow Jesus must live as Jesus lived. Therefore, for the Johannine Christians in their communal setting, the concept of loving one’s community members was a top priority. Steven Fleming writes, “The ‘old’ commandment of Jesus is ever ‘new’ when it takes hold in the lives of individuals and faith communities.” For the Johannine community, living out this “new” commandment meant to always hold Jesus in their hearts, but more importantly, to outwardly act on the love of Jesus in their everyday relationships. Christians of today must also reflect on and examine this concept of love in their relationships and spiritual …show more content…
In 1 John 2:9, the Elder explains that Christians must keep their words consistent with their actions. The author writes that Christians who claim to live in the light of Jesus while they hate others are actually in the darkness. If they keep their words and actions consistent with their love for Jesus, then they will remain in the light of the Lord. In essence, to be a Christian is to love Jesus, and to love Jesus is to follow the new commandment – living a life of love for one another. As mentioned above, this mission to love is not easy, but anything is possible through the strength of the triune God and God’s greatest