Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 1 John 1:3

"that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:" — 1 John 1:3 (ASV)

This verse introduces the purpose of the letter: “that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” The Greek word rendered “fellowship” (koinonia; GK 3126) occurs here and in v.6. It is not easy to translate. Suggestions are “fellowship,” “communion,” “participation,” “share a common life,” and “partnership.” Its root word means “common” or “shared” as opposed to “one’s own” (koinos; GK 3123). The Greeks used this word group to describe partners in business, joint owners of a piece of property, or shareholders in a common enterprise. In the NT it refers to Christians who share a common faith (Phm 6), who share possessions (Acts 2:44; Acts 4:32), or who are partners in the Gospel . Koinonia and other words in that word group occur over sixty times in the NT in reference to the supernatural life that Christians share. This supernatural life is disclosed in the incarnate Christ. It is the eternal life that comes from the Father and becomes the life shared individually and corporately by the company of believers. Oneness with God is what causes the oneness of faith. That the words “fellowship with us” precede in the text the words “fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ” may be significant. There can be no fellowship with the Father or with the Son that is not based on apostolic witness. So John stresses “fellowship with us” as having priority in time.