John has perhaps the most distinctive style of writing in the Bible. Just reading or hearing a short passage from his writing is usually enough to identify him as the author.
He is a writer of contradictions. He does not explain truth in an orderly, didactic way, but puts down what he has to write and lets us wrestle with the meaning to be drawn from it.
John’s Gospel
For example, in his gospel, Jesus says: ‘The Father and I are one.’ (10:30) A little later he says: ‘The Father is greater than I.’ (14:28) He begins his gospel by writing: ‘The Word was with God, and the Word was God.’
Of course the Church owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to him. These words have helped us to arrive at our beliefs in the Trinity and the Incarnation, the most profound truths of our faith.
John’s First Letter
In John’s first letter the seeming contradictions continue, this time about our status. First there are statements like: ‘If we say that we have no sin in us, we are deceiving ourselves and refusing to admit the truth’ (1:8) and ‘[t]o say that we have never sinned is to call God a liar and to show that his word is not in us.’ (1:10)
Then it is written: ‘Anyone who lives in God does not sin, and anyone who sins has never seen or known him.’ (3:6)
I think the resolution to this is to be found toward the end of his letter:
‘If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that is not a deadly sin, he has only to pray, and God will give life to the sinner; not those who commit a deadly sin, for there is a sin that is death, and I will not say that you must pray about that. Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, but not all sin is deadly.’ (5:16)
In reflecting on this letter the Church finds teaching on the distinction between mortal and venial sin.
A Wide Audience
It is always challenging to write or speak to a broad group of people, because people are so different. In John’s first letter I think he knows that some people think they just do not do anything bad, while others are convinced that almost everything they do is bad.
I have had people take the Lord’s name in vain in the very process of explaining to me how they never sin. On the other hand, there are people who think they sin almost all the time. Someone once told me that she sins a thousand times a day. Granted that she was giving a symbolic figure, but does she really think she sins every minute-and-a-half, including in her sleep?
We who have seriously embarked on this great enterprise of following Jesus can take comfort from today’s words. May we go where the Lord takes us. Even if it seems that it is not what most people are called to do.
Thank you, Father Mike.
Thank you for this illuminating and nuanced reflection, Fr Mike! I have often wondered about the contradiction you mentioned. It makes sense that he was writing to a wide audience. Reflecting on these different counsels helps us to walk on the right path. God bless.