Abstract
Eschatology, the study of “end times” or the last things, is a significant component of Johannine theology as presented in both the Gospel and the Epistles of John. However, in the study of Johannine eschatology, the focus is usually on the Gospel, and the Epistles are often viewed as complementary material and of secondary importance. Some scholars argue that eschatology does not play a prominent role in the theology presented in the Epistles because they argue that there are only a few passages in these letters that have eschatological connotations. There is also a lack of agreement among scholars about the eschatology of the Epistles, with some researchers maintaining that futuristic eschatology is the dominant feature while others suggest that realised or present eschatology is more prevalent.
This thesis aims to argue that the eschatology of the Johannine Epistles is more prominent than commonly acknowledged and has particular features. First, the dominant eschatology of the Epistles is realised eschatology, just as in the Gospel of John, rather than futuristic eschatology. Second, as in other aspects of Johannine theology, the eschatology of the Epistles is characterised by dualistic features, as indicated by the use of antithetical expressions such as light and darkness. Third, the significance of certain eschatological concepts in the Epistles has been underestimated. For example, the image of the Antichrist, which has a profound impact on the development of Christian theology in later centuries, has not received adequate attention in academic studies of the eschatology of the Epistles.
To support this argument, this thesis is structured into nine chapters. Following the Introduction, which provides an overview of eschatology and its presentation in the Old Testament, intertestamental literature, and in the New Testament including the Johannine literature, there is a chapter on the background of the Johannine Epistles, including their authorship, structure, theology, and relationship with the Gospel of John. The topic of dualism, which is significant in the study of eschatology, is also discussed in this chapter. These introductory chapters provide the foundation for this thesis.
The main body of research comprises four chapters of study of the key eschatological passages of the Epistles. In Chapter Four, the motifs of light and darkness in 1 John 1:5-7 and 2:7-11 are discussed. Also used in the Gospel, light and darkness symbolise righteousness and evil respectively, and the present victory of light over darkness represents the realisation of God’s eschatological promise in this age. In Chapter Five, the motif of “the last hour” and the appearance of “the Antichrist” in 1 John 2:18-23 and 2 John 7 are examined. These passages suggest the approach of the eschatological age in the present era. “The last hour” is the eschatological time expected since the Old Testament era. Its arrival, as announced in 1 John, marks the realisation of the eschatological time. The appearance of the Antichrist, an unprecedented image, also marks a characteristic of the eschatological age. In Chapter Six, the motifs of “passing” and “remaining” in conjunction with various subjects in 1 John 2:8-11, 2:15-17, and 3:14-15 are discussed. The expressions such as “remaining in light,” “darkness is passing,” and “passing from death to life” suggest that eschatological blessings have been given to believers in the present age. In Chapter Seven, the images of laying down and picking up life in 1 John 3:16 are discussed. These images also appear in the Gospel of John. Through the language of laying down and picking up life and the alternative use of physical life and eternal life, the author affirms to his readers that they have received the blessing of eternal life and exhorts them to follow Jesus’ sacrificial example. Chapter Eight discusses futuristic eschatology in the Epistles. Though futuristic eschatology is also a significant part of the eschatology in the Epistles, the author does not emphasise it because what will happen in the future is determined by what people possess in the present.
Chapter Nine is the conclusion of the thesis. It reviews the contribution of all the chapters, and confirms that the eschatology presented in the Johannine Epistles is primarily realised rather than futuristic and also has dualistic features. Additionally, the possibilities for further studies and the application of this thesis for the Church today are explored.