First John: 1 John 2:28b-The Benefits of the Believer Obeying the Command to Live in Fellowship with Jesus Christ Lesson # 92
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And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (ESV)
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday October 10, 2017
www.wenstrom.org
Lesson # 92
And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (ESV)
“So that when he appears we may have confidence” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction hina (ἵνα), “that” (2) conjunction ean (ἐάν), “when” (3) third person singular aorist passive subjunctive form of the verb phaneroō (φανερόω), “he appears” (4) first person plural aorist active subjunctive form of the verb echō (ἒχω), “we may have” (5) accusative feminine singular form of the noun parrēsia (παρρησία), “confidence.”
The conjunction hina is employed with the subjunctive form of the verbs echō, “we may have” and aischnomai, “shrink in shame” whose meaning is negated by the negative particle me, “not.”
Together, they form a purpose-result clause that indicates both the intention and accomplishment of the action of the verb menō.
Therefore, this indicates that the conjunction is introducing a clause which presents both the purpose and the result for John issuing the previous command.
Therefore, this purpose-result clause would emphasize that hina is introducing a clause which presents both the purpose and result of the recipients of this letter obeying the previous command.
The conditional particle ean is employed with the subjunctive mood of the verb phaneroō, “he appears” in order to form the protasis of a third class condition which presents the condition as uncertain of fulfillment, but still likely.
Here in , the third class condition is expressing certain fulfillment meaning that the recipients of this epistle would possess confidence at the rapture whenever Jesus Christ is revealed by the Father to them.
Now, in the Koine period ἐάν could mean “when” or “whenever” and was virtually the equivalent of ὅταν (hotan; see BDAG 268 s.v. ἐάν 2). It has this meaning in and 14:3.[1]
Here in , the conjunction ean means “whenever, when” since the word does not indicate uncertainty about whether or not Jesus Christ will return at the rapture or resurrection of the church but rather it indicates the uncertainty about the exact time when this event will take place in history.
The verb phaneroō is in the passive voice and means “to be revealed, to be manifested” and is used of the revelation of Jesus Christ at the rapture or resurrection of the church.
It is used this way in , , .
This word speaks of the Father causing His Son Jesus Christ to be revealed to the church by the power of the Spirit at the rapture or resurrection of the church.
This revelation coincides with the church age believer receiving their resurrection body.
The noun parrēsia means “confidence” since the word pertains to a state of boldness and confidence and the absence of fear the faithful believer will possess when Jesus Christ is revealed to them and every church believer at the rapture or resurrection of the church.
This word functions as an accusative direct object meaning that it is receiving the action of the verb echō which means “to possess” a particular characteristic which is identified by the accusative feminine singular form of the noun parrēsia, which means “confidence.”
Therefore, this indicates that this confidence receives the action of being possessed by the faithful believer when Jesus Christ appears at the rapture of the church.
“And not shrink from him in shame at his coming” is composed of the following: (1) conjunction kai (καί), “and” (2) negative particle me (μή), “not” (3) first person plural aorist passive subjunctive form of the verb aischunomai (αἰσχύνομαι), “shrink in shame” (4) preposition apo (ἀπό), “from” (5) genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “him” (6) preposition en (ἐν), “at” (7) articular dative feminine singular form of the noun parousia (παρουσία), “coming” (8) third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos (αὐτός), “his.”
The conjunction kai is a marker of result meaning it is introducing a clause which presents the result of the previous one.
The verb aischunomai means “to be ashamed” since the word pertains to being characterized by feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment or remorse.
The word’s meaning is negated by the negative particle me, which denies the idea of the recipients of this epistle being ashamed at the rapture of the church when Jesus Christ is revealed by the Father to them.
The genitive third person masculine singular form of the intensive personal pronoun autos means “Him” and is referring to Jesus Christ and is the object of the preposition apo, which means “because of” since the word is functioning as a marker of cause or reason.
This would indicate that the recipients of this epistle will not experience shame “because of” Jesus Christ’s personal presence when He appears to them at the rapture or resurrection of the church as a result of obeying the command to live in fellowship with Him.
The noun parousia means “coming, arrival” referring to Jesus Christ returning at the rapture or resurrection of the church to remove the church bodily from the earth prior to Daniel’s seventieth week (cf. ).
Correspondingly, each one of you dear children must now continue to make it your habit of living in fellowship with Him so that each one of us would possess confidence whenever He has been revealed. Consequently, each one of us would not experience shame because of Him at His arrival. (My translation)
The command in required that each of the recipients of this epistle continue making it their habit of living in fellowship with Jesus Christ.
The recipients of this epistle were already obeying this command since the apostle John affirms in that the recipients of this epistle were remaining faithful to his apostolic teaching and thus were already obeying this command which he more than likely had taught them many times in the past.
This command which John issues the recipients of this epistle in is followed by a purpose-result clause which presents both the purpose and the result for John issuing this command.
It emphasizes that the recipients of this epistle continuing to make it their habit of living in fellowship with Jesus Christ would accomplish the Spirit inspired purpose for which John issued the previous command to do so here in verse 28.
This purpose-result clause teaches that as a result of obeying this command, both John and the recipients of this epistle would possess confidence whenever Jesus Christ has been revealed.
John then presents the result of possessing this confidence, namely that each of them would not experience shame because of Jesus Christ at His arrival.
Notice in this purpose-result clause that John switches from the second person plural which means “all of you” or “each one of you” to the first personal plural, which is “we” or “each one of us.”
This is called an “inclusive we” which simply means that John wants to emphasize his unity or solidarity with the recipients of this epistle in order to stress with them that he too must continue to obey this command which he issues in .
When John speaks of Jesus Christ being revealed and refers to His coming or arrival in , he is referring to the rapture or resurrection of the church and subsequent Bema Seat Evaluation of the church.
John wants the recipients of this epistle to obey his command so that they would possess confidence at the rapture and subsequent Bema Seat Evaluation of the church.
At the rapture, the church age believer will receive their resurrection and immediately following this, their service will be evaluated by the Lord Jesus Christ to determine if they merit rewards for faithful service or do not merit rewards because of unfaithfulness.
If the recipients of this epistle continue making it their habit of living in fellowship with Jesus Christ by living in fellowship with the Spirit by obeying John’s Spirit inspired apostolic teaching, they will be servants of Jesus Christ and will receive rewards.
If they do not make it their habit of obeying this command, then they will lose rewards.
If they lose rewards because they were unfaithful, they will suffer temporary shame and embarrassment.
Therefore, this purpose-result clause in serves as motivation for the recipients of this epistle to remain faithful to John’s Spirit inspired apostolic teaching.
Specifically, it teaches that the rapture of the church and the subsequent Bema Seat Evaluation of the church should serve as motivation to remain faithful.
Knowing that they must stand before Jesus Christ and give an account for their service should serve as motivation to remain faithful.
The imminency of the rapture and subsequent Bema Seat Evaluation of their service should motivate the church age believer to make it their habit of living in fellowship with the Trinity.
Therefore, John wants to ensure the fact that the recipients of this epistle will receive rewards at the Bema Seat for faithfulness.
In fact, the apostle John taught in that the believer can lose rewards for unfaithfulness.
Therefore, John is teaching in that if the believer lives their life in expectation of the imminent return of Jesus Christ at the rapture, they will make it their habit of living in fellowship with Him.
BDAG A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d e.d.
s.v. under the word (from Latin sub verbo or sub voce)
[1] Biblical Studies Press. (2006). The NET Bible First Edition Notes (). Biblical Studies Press.