<\/p>
Malcolm Coombes (http:\/\/www.bct.edu.au\/Arche\/Coombes.pdf) notes that John clusters words together, often in threes, throughout his first epistle. \u201cTeach,\u201d for instance, occurs only three times in the letter, all in 1 John 2:26-27. John uses \u201cdevil\u201d \u201conly four times: three times in the subunit 3:7\u20138 and once in the adjacent subunit 3:9\u201310. Similarly the adjective [ alethinos <\/em> ] (\u2018true\u2019) is used only four times in 1 John, three of which are used repetitively in subunit 5:20\u201321. The use of three forms of [ gennao <\/em> ] (\u2018bear\u2019) in the subunit 5:1 illustrates a deliberate play on words, especially as the author could have written such a sentence differently.\u201d Grammatical structures are also repeated, often in threes as well. 1:6-7 uses en to <\/em> with darkness, then light, then darkness again. And \u201cif we say\u201d is used three times in 1:6-10, interspersed with other conditional clauses. <\/p>\n Coombes also notes John\u2019s use of \u201chook\u201d words that conclude a unit and anticipate the next: \u201cIn almost every subunit there is a word which connects with the next subunit i.e. it is repeated in the next subunit. Sometimes this link word (or words) is used as the key of the next unit.\u201d 2:7\u20138 ends with \u201clight,\u201d which becomes the theme of the following verses. <\/p>\n Coombes uses these features to tease out a structure from the epistle. For instance, he sees 1 John 4:1-18 divided into several small unites: 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-16, 17-18. Each uses a key word or phrase three times (\u201cspirit from God,\u201d \u201cfrom God,\u201d love, God, abide, perfect) and each unit ends with a key word taken up in the subsequent section (world, \u201cfrom God,\u201d love, God, remain, etc.). <\/p>\n Keywords play several functions. They give the main idea of the unit, and help hold the unit together thematically. The significance of the keywords is not static. Themes develop within the unit (he cites the contrast of dikaios <\/em> and diabolos <\/em> , neatly alliterative, in 3:7-8). Repetition of keywords might also emphasize the point of the passage. The repetition of \u201ctrue\u201d in 5:20-21 \u201chighlights the message of the true God and the Son \u2013 a message which the author wishes to emphasise in the whole book against the falsehood of the deceivers. The repetition of \u201ctrue\u201d also works to contrast with \u2018idols\u2019 in v21, the latter being associated with falsehood. Thus, using the keyword and idea, the highlighted sense of the \u2018true God\u2019 contrasts well with \u2018idols\u2019 and combines the two verses together to form an appropriate and emphatic conclusion to the book.\u201d These keywords thus help create a \u201cflow\u201d throughout the book; the small units are not disconnected but knitted together. <\/p>\n Subunits don\u2019t always flow easily into the next, and these breaks indicate the seams for the larger units of the text: \u201cFor example 2:9\u201311 has no link with the next subunit 2:12\u201314. The breaks between subunits where there is no link, or only a weak link, indicate a break between units at a higher level. Thus, using the above example, it is proposed that there is a section break between 2:11 and 2:12. Similarly there is a section break between 2:17 and 2:18 (\u2018live forever\u2019 in 2:17 links only weakly with \u2018last hour\u2019 in 2:18). There is only a weak link between 3:24 and 4:1 suggesting a new unit beginning in Chapter 4.\u201d <\/p>\n These larger units are also linked by keywords: \u201cone becomes aware of dominant words (often the keywords or link words of the subunits) which run a train of thought throughout the unit. For example, while some form of [ phanero <\/em> ] (\u201creveal\u201d) is a common key word and link word in 2:28\u20133:10, it is not used as such in all subunits (i.e. not in 3:9\u201310). Nevertheless some similar form of the word does appear in every subunit (the adjective [ phaneros <\/em> ] occurs in 3:9\u201310) and so some form of [ phaner <\/em> -] becomes a key word for the entire unit. Indeed this threading of some form of faner- throughout illustrates the advantage of such a analysis for understanding the development of meaning. In every subunit in 2:28\u20133:10 the word is highlighted in some way in the rhetorical structure.\u201d <\/p>\n In this section, the theme of appearance brings together the more disparate material: \u201cIn Christ\u2019s appearing we may have confidence and not be ashamed, as, when we are God\u2019s children, we are like him. Our being like him means that we are righteous and so the world doesn\u2019t know us because it didn\u2019t know him. There is sinning and unrighteousness, yet Christ appeared to take away sins and to undo the work of the devil. Thus one is born of God, and not of the devil, and through the appearing Christ, the children are like him in his appearance \u2013 it is then apparent they act righteously (i.e. in love).\u201d <\/p>\n Working from these premises, Coombes arrives at the following overall scheme: <\/p>\n 1) 1:1\u20134(5) Witness and Proclamation of the Word of Life Ultimately, he groups these 14 unites into four sections: <\/p>\n Prologue, 1:1-4 (5) <\/p>\n Word of Truth, 1:5-2:27 <\/p>\n Knowing Love and Divine Origins, 2:28-5:5 <\/p>\n Believing in the Son for Eternal Life, 5:6-21 <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Malcolm Coombes (http:\/\/www.bct.edu.au\/Arche\/Coombes.pdf) notes that John clusters words together, often in threes, throughout his first epistle. \u201cTeach,\u201d for instance, occurs only three times in the letter, all in 1 John 2:26-27. John uses \u201cdevil\u201d \u201conly four times: three times in the subunit 3:7\u20138 and once in the adjacent subunit 3:9\u201310. Similarly the adjective [ alethinos […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[68],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-nt-1-john"],"yoast_head":"\n
2) 1:5(6)\u20132:2 Sin, Truth and the Work of the Son
3) 2:3\u20132:11 The Word of Truth and Light from the Beginning
4) 2:12\u20132:17 The Reasons for Writing
5) 2:18\u20132:27 The Deception from the Truth
6) 2:28\u20133:10 Sin and Origins (Children of God)
7) 3:11\u20133:18 Message of Love from the Beginning, Loving Brother\/Sister
8) 3:19\u20133:24 Knowing We Are Children of Truth, Keeping the Commands, Believing
9) 4:1\u20134:6 Origins From God or the World, Truth or Deception
10) 4:7\u201312 Knowing God and Love
11) 4:13\u201321 The Command to Love Because of God\u2019s Love
12) 5:1\u20135:5 Qualities of Being a Child of God
13) 5:6\u20135:12 The True Witness of the Son and Believing
14) 5:13(14)-21 Knowing the Truth and Life <\/p>\n