John begins this epistle by saying we were eye witnesses of Jesus Christ. John had probably left Jerusalem before its destruction in 70 A.D. and was ministering around Ephesus. This epistle was written around 95 A.D. By the time 1 John was written, gnosticism had arisen and was questioning the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Gnosticism is the mixture of mysticism and Greek dualism (a belief that spirit is totally good and all matter is completely evil). These beliefs were beginning to threaten the early church with the introduction of some gnostic gospels and epistles. The gnostics believed that a good God could not have created the material universe. They believed the Old Testament God was a “lesser god” since he created material things. They also contended the Jesus could not have had a physical body, because if He did he would have been evil.
John is telling us that God’s Son has come to earth.
God loves and cares for us and has proven it in the most supreme way possible by sending His Own Son into the world.
This is John’s testimony that God has sent His Son into the world.
1 John 1:1 NIV That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched — this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.
John is talking about his eyewitness account of Jesus Christ. These words are a parallel to the introduction of the Gospel of John.
John 1:1-5 NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John is giving an eyewitness account of Jesus Christ. John and the Apostles saw Jesus with their own eyes. He said, “We have looked upon Jesus and touched Him with our own hands.” They saw and touched the One Who was existent before all. The One Who possessed life, energy, and the force and power of life walked among them. Jesus Christ proved Who He is.
Psalm 90:2 NKJV Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
John 1:1 NKJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John offered these four proofs.
- We heard the Son of God.
- We saw the Son of God with our eyes.
- We looked upon and studied the Son of God.
- We handled Jesus Christ the Son of God.
First, we heard the Son of God.
Jesus the Son of God, the living Word actually became a man and spoke to them. He who was self-existent before all things came down and proclaimed words of life.
John said, “We heard the Son of God.”
The Son of God actually became a man and spoke to men. Thousands of people actually heard the voice of Jesus proclaim the words of life. They heard Him deal with individuals and teach wonderful words of life. They had conversations with the Son of God. For three years, the disciples had constant contact with Him.
John said, “We heard the Son of God.”
One of our great needs is to hear God. We need a clear word from God. There are many confusing words. This was a problem in the early second century. There were many confusing and false words being spoken.
John said, “We heard the Son of God.”
Second, John said, “We have seen the Son of God with our own eyes.”
John said: “We saw Him.”
Jesus Christ was not just a spirit being that wondered through the world, He was real. He became a man with flesh and blood. John said, “We saw Him with our own eyes.”
From His baptism by John the Baptist until His ascension into heaven, Jesus had witnesses.
They saw His wonderful works, His miracles, healings and good deeds. They saw His resurrection and were living witnesses that He conquered death. They were eyewitnesses of His majesty and glory. They saw Him on the mount where He was transfigured before them, and they witnessed the glory of the Father come down.
John said, “We have seen the Son of God.”
Third, they looked upon the Son of God and studied the Son of God.
The word for “looked upon” means to view attentively, to observe with detailed attention; to learn by looking, to perceive. This means more than just seeing Jesus as a man walking among them. They learned by looking upon Him for a long time. They studied Him in order to understand. They earnestly looked on Him.
To understand who Jesus is, we must do more than glance at Him. They intently and seriously looked on the Son of God. They saw things in Him that no one else possessed. He walked on water. He spoke to the wind and the waves and they obeyed Him. He spoke to the dead and new life came.
They witnessed the power of His words. He cast out demons by the word of His mouth.They were amazed that He could curse a fig tree and it wither and die overnight.
They were amazed when they “looked upon” Jesus. His words were the oracles and doctrines of God. His authority and power was from the Father. He said and did things no other man did. He walked and worked in the fullness of the Holy Spirit’s power.
Fourth, John said our hands have handled or touched Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
In the Old Testament, no one was able to approach the Holy Presence of God. When God would come down, they beheld God’s glory from a distance. He was high and lifted up and His glory filled the temple.
John says: “Our hands have touched.” The word “touched” or “handled” means to reach out and touch, to feel and grasp, to examine closely. Many people reached out and touched Him. They wanted to touch His clothes and many who touched Him were healed, (Mark 3:10; 5:27; 6:56; Luke 6:19).
After His resurrection, Jesus stood among them and encouraged them to touch Him.
Luke 24:39 NKJV Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
John 20:27 NIV Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Jesus did everything to show that the Son of God had come to earth. He became a man just like all other men. He was heard, seen, thoroughly looked upon, and touched.
Jesus gave definite proof that the Son of God had come to earth.
He came to save and deliver the sinner, the bruised, wounded, and captive. He did many miracles and healings. “The blind saw, the lame walked, the lepers were cleansed, the deaf heard, the dead were raised, the poor had the gospel preached to them.” (Luke 7:22) He came to give life eternal and hope of heaven. He came to reveal the Father.
Colossians 1:15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God…”
Colossians 2:9 NKJV For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
1 John 1:1–2 NIV84 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us.
Jesus Christ came to earth to reveal that He was the living Word of Life.
First, He is the Word Himself.
He was the expression, thought, and image of the Father. Anyone who hears His word is hearing the mind and heart of the Father. Jesus was the picture, expression, pattern, and image of what God the Father wanted to say and do to man.
Second, Jesus Christ is the very embodiment of life.
He is not only the expression, thought, and image of life, He is the energy, force, and power of life. In Him is the life.
Jesus Christ revealed the life to us.
He came to earth to show us what life really is. After Adam and Eve sinned, death reigned in this world. Jesus came so that in Him we may have life.
Life is in God alone.
If you want to really live, you must put your life into God’s hands. The Good News is that the life that is in Jesus Christ is available to us.
Why did Jesus Christ come to earth?
1 John 1:2-4 HCSB That life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us — 3what we have seen and heard we also declare to you, so that you may have fellowship along with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 4We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.
Jesus is a personal Savior.
He came to show us the care and love of God our Father. He made personal fellowship with God available to all who will respond to Him. You can share your intimate life and needs with Him. You can walk with Him every day and trust Him with your problems and burdens. He will meet your needs and give you strength to live an overcoming life. He is constantly giving His love, joy, and peace.
Jesus is able to deliver you from sin and its consequences.
That is what this new life is all about. He will rescue you from a lifestyle of sin and failure and give new life, victory, joy, and peace. He will give you His righteousness, peace, and joy and remove the burden of guilt and sin. When you walk in this fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, you will have this full joy and lasting peace. His joy and peace gets down into the depth of your soul. His joy and peace is full of assurance and confidence that only comes from God. Its roots are not in earthly or material things.
