Albert Barnes Commentary 1 John 2:13

"I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father." — 1 John 2:13 (ASV)

I write to you, fathers. As there were special reasons for writing to children, so there were also for writing to those who were more mature in life. The class addressed here would include all those who were older than the neaniskoi, or young men, and would properly include those who were heads of families.

Because you have known Him who is from the beginning. This refers to the Lord Jesus Christ (see Barnes on 1 John 1:1).

The argument is that they had long been acquainted with the principles of His religion and understood its doctrines and duties well. It cannot be certainly inferred from this that they had a personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus. Yet, it is not impossible that this might have been the case, for John himself had personally known Him, and there may have been some among those to whom he wrote who had also seen and known Him.

If this were so, it would give additional significance to the reason assigned here for writing to them and for reminding them of the principles of that religion which they had learned from His own lips and example.

However, perhaps all that is necessarily implied in this passage is that they had long had the opportunity to become acquainted with the religion of the Son of God. Having understood that thoroughly, it was proper to address them as aged and established Christians and to call on them to maintain the true doctrines of the gospel against the specious but dangerous errors which then prevailed.

I write to you, young men. Neaniskoi. This word would properly include those who were in the rigour of life, midway between children and old men. It is uniformly rendered "young men" in the New Testament: Matthew 19:20, 22; Mark 14:61; 16:6; Luke 7:14; Acts 2:17; 5:10; and in the passages before us. It does not occur elsewhere. It is commonly understood as including those in the prime and rigour of manhood up to the age of about forty years—Robinson.

Because you have overcome the wicked one. That is, because you have rigour (see the next verse), and you have shown that rigour by overcoming the assaults of the wicked one—the devil. You have triumphed over the passions that prevail in early life; you have combated the allurements of vice, ambition, covetousness, and sensuality; and you have shown that there is a strength of character and of piety on which reliance can be placed in promoting religion.

It is proper, therefore, to exhort you not to disgrace the victory which you have already gained, but to employ your vigour of character in maintaining the cause of the Saviour. The characteristic to which John appeals here is the energy of those at this period of life, and it is proper at all times to make this the ground of appeal in addressing a church. It is right to call on those who are in the prime of life, and who are endowed with energy of character, to employ their talents in the service of the Lord Jesus and to stand up as the open advocates of truth.

Thus the apostle calls on the three great classes into which a community or a church may be considered as divided: youth, because their sins were already forgiven, and, though young, they had actually entered on a career of virtue and religion—a career which by all means they ought to be exhorted to pursue; fathers, or aged men, because they had long experience in religion and a thorough acquaintance with the doctrines and duties of the gospel, and they might be expected to stand steadfastly as examples to others; and young men, those who were in the rigour and prime of life, because they had shown that they had power to resist evil, were endowed with strength, and it was proper to call on them to exert their rigour in the sacred cause of religion.

I write to you, little children. Many manuscripts read here, I have written—egraqa—instead of I write—grafw. This reading is found in both the ancient Syriac versions and in the Coptic. It was followed by Origen, Cyril, Photius, and OEcumenius, and it is adopted by Grotius, Mill, and Hahn, and is probably the true reading.

The connection seems to demand this. In 1 John 2:12–13, the apostle uses the word grafw—I write—in relation to children, fathers, and young men. In the passage before us and in the next verse, he again addresses children, fathers, and young men, and in relation to the latter two, he says egraqa—I have written. The connection, therefore, seems to demand that the same word should be used here also.

Some people have supposed that the whole passage is spurious, but there is no evidence of that. As we have seen elsewhere, it is not uncommon for John to repeat a sentiment and present it in various ways to ensure he was not misunderstood.

Others have also supposed that the expression "I have written" refers to some former epistle which is now lost, or to the Gospel by the same author which had been sent to them (Hug.). They suggest he means here to remind them that he had written to them on a former occasion, inculcating the same sentiments he now expressed. However, there is no evidence of this, and this supposition is not necessary for a correct understanding of the passage.

In the former expression, "I write," the state of mind would be that of one who focused his attention on what he was then doing and the particular reason why he did it—and the apostle states these reasons in 1 John 2:12–13. Yet it would not be unnatural for him to immediately shift his thoughts to the past and state the reasons why he had resolved to write to them at all. He might then look at what he had purposed to say as already done and state the reasons why that was done.

Thus, someone who sat down to write a letter to a friend might appropriately state in any part of the letter the reasons that had induced him to write to him on the subject at all. If he focused his attention on the fact that he was actually writing and on the reasons why he wrote, he would express himself in the present tense—I write. If he focused on the previous purpose, or the reasons that induced him to write at all, he would use the past tense—I have written for such and such reasons.

So John seems here, to make what he says emphatic, to refer to two states of his own mind: one when he resolved to write, and the reasons that occurred to him then; and the other when he was actually writing, and the reasons that occurred to him then. The reasons are indeed substantially the same, but they are viewed from different perspectives, and this fact shows that what he did was done with deliberation and from a deep sense of duty.

Because you have known the Father. In 1 John 2:12, the reason assigned for writing to this class is that their sins were forgiven. The reason assigned here is that in early life they had become acquainted with God as a Father. He desires that they would show themselves dutiful and faithful children in this relationship which they sustained to Him. Even children may learn to regard God as their Father and may have toward Him all the affectionate interest that grows out of this relationship.