Thursday 12 January 2017

Psalm: Psalm 10:1-12

Background

This short section of the letter begins with a rhythmicalpassage, which looks good on the page, but which raises somequestions of interpretation. To whom are the words addressed? Ifthe writer addresses all Christians as 'little children' (1 John2:1) then why are fathers and young people (or 'young men' insome translations), singled out for a special message? Or if theyare addressing different age groups within the church, thenchildren being the only ones whose sins are forgiven seems ratherinappropriate.

If we make the assumption that "children" refers to allChristians, then possibly the distinction made between "fathers"and "young people" refers to those who are mature in faith andthose whose faith is new. Certainly the words addressed to fathersin verses 13 and 14 are identical, and imply that they are firm infaith. But the young are described as having "conquered the evilone" (v.13) and being strong, with the word of God abiding in them(verse 14). Is the writer congratulating them for not succumbing tothe new teaching which had divided the church? Maybe that teachingcame into the fellowship through those who were new converts andthe ones praised in the letter, though new to faith, have remainedfaithful to the traditional gospel.

But if the initial greeting "little children" refers to allChristians, then perhaps this passage means that for everyone thelife of faith begins with the forgiveness of sins, and continuesinto an experience of God the Father through Christ, that it is acontinuing battle against the powers of evil, but there is victorythrough Christ.

This passage ends with warnings about getting priorities wrong.Verse 15 seems to go against the ringing words of John's Gospel"God so loved the world …" (John3:16), but it does not refer to the whole inhabited world.Rather it refers to those aspects of the world which go against thewill and purposes of God. The letter spells them out - "the desireof the flesh, the desires of the eyes, the pride in riches" (v.16).These are the things which can corrupt human life, and must becontrolled. We need to remember that this letter was written in theexpectation that all things would soon end, and this is worked outin the remainder of chapter 2.

To Ponder

• How would you translate the three aspects of worldlinessmentioned in verse 16 in 21st-century terms?

• How would you encourage someone in their life of faith?