BBB Bible Series: 1 John Trivia Quiz

Answer: The word of life

The apostle John is not talking here about a verbal or written word or words that will bring life, but he is actually talking about a person, Jesus himself. In the introduction to the gospel of John (almost certainly written by this same John - although some would disagree) the apostle gives Jesus the metaphorical title "The Word". He goes on to say in John 1:4 that "In him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light of men" (NIV).

Jesus states in John 10:10 that his mission was that he had "come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (NIV). He wasn't just talking about physical life: on several occasions John was one of the disciples who would literally have heard Jesus speaking the "word of life" as he raised the dead. One such instance was when John, James and Peter went with Jesus to the house of Jairus the synagogue ruler, where Jesus brought Jairus' young daughter back to life. See Mark 5:22-43 or Luke 8:40-56 for the full story.

Answer: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all

John here is not talking about physical light and darkness but is describing God as pure light in the sense that there is no evil, sin, wickedness or moral or spiritual impurity in him. John continues in the next couple of verses to encourage his readers to honestly live in God's light. As God is pure goodness and perfection, John says, living in his light will show up the impurities in his followers' lives. They can then come to God and receive purification from all sin through the blood of his son, Jesus.

This passage recalls what John wrote in the first chapter of his gospel where in verse 4 he describes Jesus as "the light of men". In John 8:12 Jesus also describes himself as "the light of the world".

Answer: Jesus Christ

In the context here John is talking to his dear children about what takes place if they should happen to sin. He is hoping that as a result of what he is writing in his letter they won't sin, but if they do there is help at hand. The NIV says that that help is "one who speaks to the Father in our defence - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One." The Greek word which John uses here for "one who speaks in our defence" is parakletos. This is a comforting word, which, put simply, means someone who comes alongside to help. Surely hearing this would bring a sense of relief to John's readers. They wouldn't want to mess up, but if they did then it wasn't the end of the world because Jesus himself was there to support them!

Maybe as John used the word parakletos in the passage here he remembered Jesus using the same word to describe the Holy Spirit in the last hours before Jesus was arrested and eventually put to death. Jesus was reassuring his disciples that they shouldn't worry about him going away as the Father was going to send the Holy Spirit to be with them in his place. See John 14:16, John 14:26, John 15:16, and John 16:7. These four verses and the verse in 1 John are the only occasions in the New Testament where the word parakletos is used.

Answer: Does the will of God

John wants to remind his readers of the most important commandment given by Moses (Deuteronomy 6:4-5) and repeated by Jesus (Mark 12:29-30). This is that one should love the Lord God with all one's heart, soul, mind and strength. Everything else in life, John says, doesn't last - in other words "you can't take it with you".

In encouraging his readers to love the eternal God and to do his will John is harking back to Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:19-21). Here Jesus talks about storing up treasures in heaven where they can't be destroyed or stolen rather than storing them on earth where they can be taken away. Following God and doing his will is the way to store up these treasures in heaven, Jesus says.

Answer: Children of God

Throughout the letter John has been addressing his readers as dear children and there is a fatherly feel to his writing. However when he gets to chapter 3 he becomes so overwhelmed by the great love that the Heavenly Father has for all of them that he remembers that he is also a child, a child of God! It almost seems that this fact hits John as if it were a new revelation and he is once again amazed that God the Father loves him so much.

He continues in 1 John 3:2 to expand on this topic. He is clearly excited as he says to his readers that now they are children of God, which is wonderful, but just imagine what it's going to be like when Christ returns! They have no idea how amazing it's going to be to see Jesus and to actually become like him.

Answer: To destroy the devil's work

John has been speaking in the preceding verses about the fact that Jesus, who was sinless, came to take away sin. Anyone who persists in doing right is following God, but John goes on to explain that anyone who persists in doing wrong is not following God but is following the devil.

He then states in verse 8 (NIV): "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work". This has echoes of what God said to the devil (who was in the form of a serpent at the time) in the Garden of Eden after he had tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God.

In Genesis 3:15 the devil was told, "...he (the woman's offspring) will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Christians believe that this was foretelling Jesus coming to earth and eventually submitting to death on a Roman cross.

In doing so he became the perfect sacrifice for sins that was required by God as set out in the laws given to Moses. In being that sacrifice and fulfilling God's law Jesus destroyed the devil's works and his power over humanity.

As the law has been fulfilled, in this view it no longer has any power and cannot be used to condemn.

Answer: Love one another

In this letter from John, love, especially God's love, is a major theme. Several times throughout the letter John states that his readers should love each other. As seen in the verse we are discussing, loving each other should be a result of the fact that the readers are loved by God who, according to 1 John 4:16, is love.

As a response to the immense love that God has shown them their reaction should be to love each other. This also is a reference back to Jesus in Mark 12:31 where he says that the second most important commandment (after loving God with all you are and have) is to love your neighbour as you love yourself.

Answer: Fear

John here is talking in the context of the day of judgement, which most Christians believe will come after Christ has returned to the earth. John explains to his readers that, if they are living in the way of love, they have learned from God they need not be afraid on the day of judgement.

They would only need to be afraid if they were expecting punishment from God. If they are living God's life of love then they will not be punished, as God will be pleased that they are following him. They have been "storing up their treasures in heaven" as per Matthew 6:19-21.

Answer: God hears them

John is explaining to his readers that because they have an active faith in God's son Jesus, they can have confidence to come and talk to God, i.e. to pray to him. God will not reject or ignore them but he will listen to them. In addition to this the ones who have prayed can have confidence that God will do what has been asked.

As John wrote this he may well have been remembering Jesus' teaching on prayer during the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:9-11). Here Jesus talks about children asking their parents for food. He says that if a child asks his parent for a piece of bread the parent isn't going to give him a stone or if he asks for some fish he's not going to be given a snake. Jesus says that if imperfect humans know how to give good things to their children how much more will the perfect heavenly father give good things to his children when they ask him! In other words - his readers can trust their heavenly father to answer their prayers.

Answer: Dear children, keep yourselves from idols

In the very last verse of his letter (1 John 5:21) after all John has said about life and love and light and being children of God, he has one last simple command: actively keep away from idols. We don't know to whom exactly John wrote this letter as, unlike the apostle Paul for example, he doesn't address it to anyone specifically. It is likely however that the readers, unless they actually lived in Israel, would have lived in a culture where idol worship was the order of the day. The Greco-Roman culture had many gods and many temples where these gods were worshipped. It is likely that many of John's readers could have come to the Christian faith after being worshippers of these other gods.

John recognises that the pull of culture and societal "norms" is very strong and wants to reiterate to his "dear children" that they must be on their guard not to allow this pull to entice them away from their loving heavenly father.