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tlcharg le 9 October 2014 06:54"The Consciousness of Sin in I
John"THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHNEugeneJ.CooperA.INTRODUCTIONAGAINSTthebackgroundofthewell-knownantitheses1
oftheJohannine Writings forexample,darknessandlight
whichformthebasisforsuch
Johanninethemesastheworld,theconceptsofsin,suchashamartia,cmomia
andadikia2will beconsidered inthecontext of
thosepassageswhichtheexegetes
emphasizeasbeingthemostimportantforunderstandingtheJohannineconcept
ofsin.3OnemaybetemptedtoconsidertheJohannineantithesesasprimitiveand
over-simplifiedmannersofexpressionwhichareespeciallysuitedtothementality
oftheearly
Christians,asthevocabularyofthetimes,4butwhichhavenoactual
relevancetoday.ButwithhisantithesesandvocabularytheauthoroftheFourth
GospelandtheJohannineEpistleswasemphasizingtwoimportantfactsabout
thestateof
theChristianintheworld:a)theradicaldifferencebetweenthestate1
W.Nauck,DieTraditionundderCharakterdeserstenJohannesbriefes,inWUNT,vol.III(Tbingen,1957),pp.15-27.3ForthevocabularyforsinandthefrequencyofusageofthetermsintheJohannine
Writingsv.W.Grundmann,,DieSndeimNeuenTestament,inThW,vol.I,pp.305-
320;W.Gutbrod,anomia,anomos,inThW,vol.IV,pp.1077-1080;N.Lazure,
Lesvaleursmoralesdelatheologiejohannique(Paris,1965),p.287;K.
H.Rengstorf[ hamartolos,anamartetos,inThW,vol.I,pp.320-339
;G.Schrenk,adikosadikia
adikeo,adikema,inThW,vol.I,pp.150-163;G.StXhun,SprachgebrauchundSprachgeschichtevonhamartano,hamartemaundhamartiavorundimNeuenTestament,in
ThW,vol.I,pp.295-299.*W.Grundmannindicatestwokeypassagestobeconsideredinordertounderstandwhat
theJohannineWritingsmeanwhentheyspeakofsin :thepassages1
John3,4and1
John5,17.Cf.ibid.,p.309.Cf.E.Cooper,UnderstandingSinintheNewTestament,
inLouvainStudies,1
(1967),pp.298-311.*ForliteratureontheinfluencesofmilieuandsystemsofthoughtonJohanninetheology
andvocabularyv.R.Schnackenburg,NeutestamentlicheTheologie(2nded.,Mnchen,
1965),pp.107-109.237EUGENEJ.COOPERofmanbeforeandafterthecomingofChristandb)thestateoftheredeemed
Christianin
theworld,wheretheradicaloppositionbetweendeathandlife,darknessandlight,sinand
Christ isstillafactofeverydaylife.Theworld,deathand
sinhavebeendefinitivelyovercomebyChrist,yetstillhavepowertoleadman,
eventheChristian,awayfromChrist.B.SOMEBASICCONCEPTSNECESSARYFORUNDERSTANDING
SININJOHANNINETHEOLOGY.1.Theworld.5John8usesthetermworldin
manysenses,someofthem
positive,suchastheworldoflight.Whenthetermworldisspokenofhere,
however,itisnotinthesenseofeverybodyorofmaterialcreationorofthe
humanraceallJohannineusagesofthetermbutinthemorallynegative and
pejorativesenseof:thatensembleofmen whorejectGodand whose leader
isSatan. 1For John,the worldisastateof being,a condition,and is
used pejoratively in twosenses whichare closely relatedtoPauls
useof thetermsarx.sFirstofall,
worldreferstothestateofdarkness,sinandconfusionwhichreignedfromthe
firstsinuntilthecomingof
Christ.Theworldofdarknessrepresentstheepoch of human history in
whichsinand the Evil Onereigned,a timeof waiting in
darkness,atimeofunfulfillment,untiltheSavioroftheworldshouldcome.Withthe
comingofChristandhisvictoryonthecross,thepoweroftheEvilOneandsin
isdefinitivelybroken:Thedarknesshaspassedawayandthetruelightisnow
shining.(1John2,8).9 Secondly,worldisemployedbyJohninthesenseof
theconquered,yeteveractivedomainofsinandtheEvilOne.Theworldis the
milieu in which the Christian is to work out his
salvation.Thismilieu,although
overcomebyChristsvictory,stillexerciseshostilitytoGodandattemptstoso6N.Lazure,op.cit.,p.306
ann.No.52 and pp.320ff.;C.Lesquivit,P.Grelot,monde,
inX.Lon-Dufour,J.Duplacy,etal.,Vocabulairedethologiebiblique(Paris,1962),
cols.643-650 ;HugoRahner,Symboleder
Kirche(Salzburg,1964),pp.287ff.;R.Schnac-
kenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes(2nded.,Mnchen,1962),p.250
andpp.266-273.ThenameJohnwillbeemployedfromnowonforthesakeofconveniencetoindicate
boththeauthorofthefourthgospelandtheauthoroftheJohannineletters.Forthe
questionofauthorshipofthesewritingsandthediscussiononthisquestionv.P.Feine,
J.Behm,W.G.Kmmel,EinleitungindasNeueTestament(14thed.,Heidelberg,1965),
pp.161-172and323-324
;R.Schnackenburg,NeutestamentlicheTheologie,p.107.7.
lensembledeshommesquiserefusentDieuetdontSatanestlechef. . . :St.
Lyonnet,dmon,inDSAM,vol.III(Paris,1957),cols.141-151(149).*FortheparallelismsbetweenJohnsworldandPaulsfleshv.W.Nauck,op.cit.,
pp.98-127.Cf.K.G.Kuhn,PeirasmoshamartiasarximNeuenTestamentund
diedamitzusammenhngendenVorstellungen,inZeitschriftfrTheologieundKirche,49(1952),pp.200-222.AllbiblicalpassagesareaccordingtothenewtranslationoftheConfraternityofChristian
Doctrine:TheHolyBible(NewYork,1961).238THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHNinfluenceman,thatherejectsGod.Toliveonlyintheworldandnottoabidein
Christistorejectanddeny Christandtoremain
willinglyinthedomaininwhich
Evilstillinfluences.WorldmeansheretheunbelievingcosmoswhichdeniesChristandishis
enemyandtheantithesistothebelievingcommunity.10 Worldalsomeansall
thosewhofreelychoosetorejectandrefuseChristandtoliveintheworldof
darkness.WorldthereforemeansthedomainoftheAnti-Christ,11 whichhas
atemptingandseducing influenceon
theindividual(John2,15ff.).TheChristian isof God,theentireworld
iswithin thearea of Evilsinfluence(John5,19).The
worldhatestheChristian,forheisnotoftheworld(John15,18ff.).u2.Choicebetweentwoworlds
:The situation sinceChrisfs coming.Christ has come and is the
Savior of the world.He who recognizes Christasthe promised
Redeemerand believes in himand is baptized in his name,isborn of
God(1John
3,9;4,7;etc.).Thepassage1John5,1statesitveryclearly:Everyonewho
believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.Those who
believeand lovehave
passedfromdeathtolife(1John3,14).TheChristianhaschosenbetweentwoworldswhenhehaschosentoleave
theworldofdarknessandbebornintotheworldoflightthroughfaithandbaptism.13Yet
hisabiding in Christ is continually threatened bytheworldof
darkness,
whichstillhasaninfluencingpower,andintowhichtheChristiancanreturnby
renouncinghisbeliefinChrist,bythesinofunbelief.TheconversiontoChrist
in faithand baptism should bedefinitive, buttheexperience of
everydaylifeshows thattheChristianstillrejectsChristin
manysmallandgreatways.Therefore,the
lifeoftheChristianmustbeaconstant,continuouschoicefortheworldoflight.10.
. .derunglubige,ChristusverleugnendeundGottfeindlicheKosmos . . .
:R.Schnac-k e n b u r g
,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,p.270.11J.B.Bauer,Snde,inBThWB,vol.H,pp.1294-1309(1297-1301);G.Frei,DerTeufelinBibelundGlaubenslehre,inA.Rosenberg(ed.),MachtundWirklichkeitdes
Bsen(Mnchen-Planegg,1958),pp.9-22(19) ;St.Lyonnet,Satan,in
X.Lon-Dufour,
J.Duplacy,etal.,Vocabulairedethologiebiblique(Paris,1962),cols.997-1000;G.von
Rad,W.Foerster,diaballo,diabolos, in ThW,vol.n,pp.69-80
;B.Rigaux,P.Grelot,
Antichrist,inVocabulairedethologiebiblique,"cols.51-54.13N.Lazure,op.cit.,p.306andpp.320-326;R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaft
desNeuenTestamentes,pp.272-273.13
W.GrundmannseesthischoicebestexpressedbytheGreekwordkrisis:DurchdieSendungdesChristusentstehteinevlligneueLage,die
ambestendurchdasWortkrisis =
ScheidungundEntscheidungbezeichnetwird. . .J15,22-24.DasKommendes
ChristusbedeutetdasOffenbarwerdenderSndealsGotteshass.VorihmflltdieEntscheidungberdieMenschenundvollziehtsichdieScheidungunterdenMenschen.
. .I 9,41;vglauch8,2 4 . .
.WerdemChristusdieAbsageerteiltundjenemegoeimikeinen
Glaubenschenkt,derbleibtinseinerSndeundstirbtinseinerSnde,deristausgeschlossenvonderSendungdesChristus.AlleSndederMenschheitistdieserSndegegenber
Blindheit,istadikia. .
.kaiestinhamartiaouprosthanaton1J5,17.DieseSndeaber,
dievordemChristusentsteht,isthamartiaprosthanaton1J5,16.Dasistdiekrisis,die
mitdemChristusindieWeltgekommenist:Art.cit.,pp.309-310.239EUGENEJ.COOPERHemustwalkinthelight(1John1,5-7;etc.)HeshouldabideinChrist
(1John 2,24 ; 2,28;3,6 ; 4,16 ;etc.),bywalking in thetruth(2John1,4
;3John1,3-4),bywalkinginhiscommandments(2John1,6)andabiding in his
doctrine (2John1,9), bywalkingas hewalked(1John2,6),butmore
explicitly:bya lifeof faithandlove.For John,anything
whichisopposedtothe true Christian life of faithand love issin.All
sin, from the smallest to thegreatest, is insome way opposed to the
proper Christianattitude of believingand loving
:14Notinword,neitherwiththetongue,butindeedandintruth(1John3,18),
thatis,inoneseverydaylife.C.TERMSFORSINANDVARIOUSTYPESOFSININTHE
JOHANNINEWRITINGS.1.Theusageofthetermhamartia.15
IngeneralforthewholeoftheNew
TestamentandinparticularfortheJohannineWritings,thetermhamartiacan
beusedinthreeprincipal ways:a)tomeanasinglesinfulaction(1John1,
9;2,2.12;3,4.8;4,10 ;5,16f.); 18 b)tomeananantigodlydeterminationof
humannature(John9,41;15,22.24 ;19,11;1 John1,8); 17 c)tomeana
personalpower,apersonificationofsin.1*Inotherwords,thetermhamartiaintheJohannineWritingscanreferto
singlesinfulactions,toasituationinwhichtheworldandmankindfindsitself,
byanalogy,toa
lastinginnerdispositionofthesinner,andtoadiabolicalpower residing
in the world.In thiscontext,Johnstermworldshould beremembered.
Whenheusesthetermworldheisreferringtoacondition,toastateofbeing
whichisopposedtoChrist,tothelight.Theterm worldandthetermsinare
closely connected for John. To be in the worldand to be in sin can
beequated.
Sinischaracteristicoftheworld.WhereasforPaulsinisconsideredmoreasa
cosmicpowerwhichcan dominatethe worldand man,for Johnsin
isacondition,
astateofbeingintheworldandinman.1*14N.Lazure,op.cit.,pp.285-328;R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,pp.247-280.16
W.Grundmann,art.cit.,pp.308-311;N.Lazure,ibid.,p.287;G.StXhu
n,art.cit., pp.295-299.14a.AlsEinzeltat. .
.JohanneshathamartiaindieserBedeutungimEvnur8,24(2mal); 34a;9,34(
=AnspielungaufPs51,7),dagegenmehrfachim1Brief,dersichauch
darinalsdergemeinchristlichenVorstellungs-undBegriffsweltnherstehendzeigtalsdas
Evangelium.
:G.StXhlin,ibid.,p.297.17EsisteinevlligeBegriffsverwandlung,wennhamartiaimNTzurBezeichnungdes
widergttlichenBestimmtheitdesmenschlichenWesenswird,besondersbeiJohannesin
densynonymenFormelnecheinhamartian(9,41;15,22.24;19,11;1J1,8)und
hamartiaentiniestin(1J3,5vglJ7,18).:Ibid.,pp.297-298.
Ibid.,p.298;puissancesatanique:N.Lazure,op.cit.,pp.304ff.uP.Benoit,PaulineandJohannineTheology,inCrossCurrents,16(1965),pp.339-353
(346-347).240THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHN2.SinasafactofeverydaylifeintheChristiancommunity.30
Onthebasis of certain passages of the First Epistle of Johnand in
thetotalcontext ofthisfirst
letter,thatofthesituationoftheChristianintheworld,*1onecanspeakhereof
dailysins. ThetermisusedtodescribethatfactandaspectoftheChristian
situationintheworldwhichisindicatedinthefollowingpassages,thefactofsin
asaneverydayfactofChristianlife:23 TheChristianhimselfsins(1John1,
8-10) ;hisownheartcondemnshimofsin(1John3,20) ;heseeshisbrother
sinning(1John5,16).34Ifthesesinsareunavoidable,28theyarealsoforgivable
(1John1,9),becausetheChristians haveanAdvocatewiththeFather,whois
apropitiationforoursins(1John2,1-2).Christianscanprayforforgiveness
(1John5,16)andbeforgiventheirsins,becauseChristhasovercomesin,has
takenawaythesinoftheworld(John1,29),andbecausetheyliveinthe
Christiancondition,intheSpiritofChrist,becauseoftheirbeliefthatChristis
theSonofGod(1John5,4-5).TheChristiancanthereforebeoptimistic,even
inthefaceofhissins,fortheconqueroroftheworldhasbroughtforgivenessof
sins into the world.Yet the Christian has to take his
sinsseriously,for these daily
sinsareconsideredtobeexpressionsofsinasananti-godlydeterminationof
humannature.Theyaremanifestationsofandaparticipationinthepowerofsin
intheworld.Assuchtheyarerelatedtoandareanexpressionofthegreatersin
ofunbelief.2*20R.Schnacken b u r g
,DieJohannesbriefe,inHThK,vol.XIII,fasc.3(3rded.,Freiburg
i.Br.,1963),p.277
;id.,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,pp.273-280.21Cf.thesectionentitledLeChrtienimpeccableetpcheur,inC.Spicq,Thologiemorale
duNouveauTestament,vol.I(Paris,1965),pp.175-199.22TheexpressiondailysinsgoesbacktoAugustineandisused,forexample,todescribe
thosesinswhicharementionedin1 John1,8-
2,2:EsgibtTexte,indenenoffenbar
dietglichen,vonkeinemChristenvermeidbarenSndenvorausgesetztwerden
;inihnen
drftesichdievorangeschritteneErfahrungeinesinderWeltstehendenChristentums
widerspiegeln.DazugehrtschonderAbschnitt1,8-
2,2,dervoneinemgesunden
christlichenRealismuszeugt.:R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuen
Testamentes,p.278.Cf.id.,DieJohannesbriefe,p.277.Thetermdailysinshasrecentlyagaincomeintowidespreadusetoreplacetheterm
venialsins,especiallyinDutch-speakingcountries,asdagelijksezonden".Cf.L.Monden,Laconsciencedupch(Paris,1965),p.47
;P.Schoonenberg,Zondetendode,
doodzondeendagelijksezonde,inTijdschriftvoorTheologie,1(1961),pp.181-193;
E.Cooper,ANewerLookattheTheologyofSin,inLouvainStudies,3(1971),
pp.259-307.23
Laralitquotidiennedupch:I.delaPotterie,Lepchcestliniquit,inNouvelleRevueThologique,78(1956),pp.785-797(795).Cf.I.delaPotterie,Lepch
cestliniquit,inI.delaPotterie,St.Lyonnet(eds.),LavieselonlEsprit(Paris,1965),
pp.6583.Althoughthisarticlebythesameauthorappearsunderthesametitleasthe
articlepublishedin1956,the1965editionisarevisedandextendedform.Sinceboth
articles,althoughdifferentincontent,appearunderthesametitle,andsincebothwillbe
usedforthisstudy,theywillbecitedas:I.delaPotterie(1956)andI.delaPotterie
(1965).14R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,p.274.25vonkeinemChristenvermeidbar:Ibid.,p.278.24Ibid.,p.254
;I.delaPotterie(1956),art.cit.,p.795.241EUGENEJ.COOPER3.SomeprincipaltextsofusagesofthetermsforsinintheJohannine
Writings.*a)hehamartiaestinheanomia(1John3,4):58
Inthepassage1John3,4thetwomostfrequentlyusedtermsforsinintheSeptuagintappear:hamartia
andanomia.*Thetermanomiahasbeentranslatedinmostcommentariesonthe
JohannineWritingsaslawlessness.30TakingthecommentaryofRudolfSchnac-
kenburgashispointofdeparture,31
IgnacedelaPotterieattemptstoarriveata
translationofthetermanomiawhichbettercorrespondstothevocabularyofthe
NewTestamentepoch.Heincludesaconsiderationoftherecentlydiscovered
writingsatQumran,theDeadSeaScrolls,inhissearchforatranslationwhich
bettercorrespondstothecontextof
theFirstEpistleofJohnandtothewholeof
theJohannineliterature.32DelaPotterieindicatesthreestagesinthesemanticevolutionoftheterm
anomia:a)Themeaningtransgressionofthelaworillegality,foundinthe
classictextsofEuripidesandDemosthenes,whichwouldbestcorrespondtothe
above-mentionedtranslationsof most commentaries; 33 b)Thestageof
theGreek
Bible,inwhichthetermanomia,usedtotranslateabouttwentyvariousHebrew
termsforsin,becomesasynonymforhamartia.Atthisstage,theoriginaletymologicalconnectionofanomiawiththetermnomos(law)seemstohavedisappeared,except
for the retenance of this usage of anomia in the meaning of the
term
hamartiabysomelateHellenisticJewishandearlyChristianauthors;c)the
stageoftheNewTestamentwhich,althoughknowingofthefirsttwousages,and
exceptfortheusagesofthetermanomiainquotationsofpassagesfromtheOld
Testament,usesanomiainanewsenseandwithanewnuanceandemphasis:as
aneschatologicaltermtomeanacollectivestateofhostilityandrevoltofthe37V.s.ann.No.3.28W.Gutbrod,art.cit.
;N.Lazure,op.cit.,pp.307-309;W.Nauck,op.cit.,p.16ann. No.1
andpp.98-127;I.delaPotterie(1956),art.cit.;R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,pp.184-187
;id.,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,p.254.29I.delaPotterie(1956),art.cit.,p.787.30ThetranslationsoftheDutchauthorsare
:schennisderwet,wetsverloochening, onwettigheid,wetsovertreding
;oftheFrenchauthors:violationdelaloi,mpris delaloi,illgalit
;inGerman:Gesetzlosigkeit,Gesetzwidrigkeit:Ibid.,p.786.
Inaddition,onefindsthefollowingtranslationsforanomia
:Widerspruchgegenden
gttlichenWillen:W.Grundmann,art.cit.,p.308;Emprung,Auflehnunggegen
Gott:W.Gutbrod,art.cit.,p.1079
;Bosheit:R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,p.184.31DieJohannesbriefe(V.s.ann.No.20).32Art.cit.(1956and1965).ForasummaryofdelaPotteriesargumentationv.R.Bl
o m m e ,
WiderspruchinFreiheit:EineAnalysedesheutigenSndenbewutseinsundderSnde
(Limburg,1965),pp.136-144.ForacritiqueofdelaPotteriesargumentationv.N.
L
azure,op.cit.,pp.307-309.33V.s.ann.No.30.242THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHNforcesofevilagainsttheKingdomofGodatthelasttimes
. . . characterizedby
asatanicalaspect.34ThisconclusionisbasedaboveallonthewholecontextoftheFirstEpistle,
whosemainthemeisacontrastbetweenthechildrenofGodandthechildren of
thedevil(1John3,1-10).TheChristiansarebomofGod(1John2,29;3,9;4,7;5,1.4),havefellowshipwiththeFatherandwithhisSon,Jesus
Christ(1John1,3)andfellowship withoneanother(1John1,7).Theyshould
thereforeliveaccordingly,walkjustashewalked(1John2,6),whichmeans
toabideinChrist(1John2,6.24.27.28;3,6;4,15-16),topractisethe
truth(1John1,5-10)andtokeephiscommandments,especiallyof brotherly
love(1John2,3-11;3,16-18),ofbelievinginthenameofJesusChristand
lovingoneanother(1John3,23-24)andinavoidingsin(1John3,4-10).Those
whoare of the devil (1John3,8),childrenof the devil(1John3,
10)walkindarkness(1John1,10 ;2,11),areliars,andthetruthisnotin them
(1John2,4), do not keep Christscommandments(1John2,4),hate their
brothers(1John2,9-11),seetheirbrothersinneedandclosetheirhearttohim
(1John3,17), commit sin (1John3,4-10)andareinalliancewith the
Antichrist andthefalseteacherswhodenythatJesusistheChrist. . .
deniestheFather andtheSon(1John 2,22).Thecriterionfordistinguishing
betweenthechildrenofGodand thechildren
ofthedevilissin:Everyonewhocommitssin(tenhamartian)commitsiniquity(tenanomian)
also ;andsinisiniquity(kaihehamartiaestinheanomia).Andyouknow
thatheappearstotakeoursinsaway,andsinisnotinhim.Noonewho abidesin
him commitssin ;and noone whosinshasseen him,or hasknown
him.Dearchildren,letnooneleadyouastray.Hewhodoeswhatisjustis
just,evenasheisjust.He who commitssinisofthe devil,becausethedevil
sinsfrom the beginning.To this end the SonofGodappeared,that
hemight destroy theworksof the devil.Whoeveris born of God doesnot
commitsin, because hisseedabides in himandhe cannot sin,because he
is born of God.
InthisthechildrenofGodandthechildrenofthedevilaremadeknown.
(1John3,4-10)Theeschatologicalcontextisgiveninthepassageagainstfalseteachers:Dearchildren,itisthelasthour;andasyouhaveheardthatAntichristis
coming,sonowmanyantichristshavearisen ;whenceweknowthatitis
thelasthour . . . WhoistheliarbuthewhodeniesthatJesusistheChrist ?
HeistheAntichristwhodeniestheFatherandtheSon.(1John2,18.22)**Cestessentiellementuntermeeschatologique,quidsignelhostilitetlarvoltedes
forcesdumalcontreleroyaumedeDieuauxdernierstemps
;cettehostilitsecaractrise
parsonaspectsatanique,parlempirequexerceledmon.
:I.delaPotterie(1956),
art.cit.,p.788.243EUGENEJ.COOPERThosewhoremainindarknessandwalkindarkness,whodonotkeepthecommandments,whoareliarswithoutthetruth,whoseetheirbrotherinneedand
closetheirheartstohim,whocommitsin,areofthedevilandmanifesttheir
allegiancetotheAntichristandtheirenmitytoGod.Sinsassinglesinfulactionsareconnected
withsinaseviloriniquityinthese
passages.Theexterioractionsoffaithandloveaskeepinghiscommandments,
ontheonehand,andofsinontheotherhand,aremanifestationsofthedeep,
interiorattitudeofeitherconscioussonshipofGodandlivingaccordinglyby
abidinginhimandwalkingashewalked,orofallegiancetothedeviland the
power of sin and iniquity and the forces of Evil and the Antichrist
which oppose
God,theforcesoftheworldwhichishostiletoGodandthechildrenofGod.
Anomiaisthereforethatiniquitywhichmeansaninnerattitudeofthesinner
whichis basedona lifein darknessasa childof
thedevil,asmanifestednotonly insinful actions but also in the
omission of the true characteristicsof theChristian
attitudeofabiding in
Christthroughbrotherlyloveandfaith,intruthandjustice.
AsalliancewiththepowersoftheAntichrist,anomiaisthatwickedattitudeof
heartwhichdeniesandrejectsChristastheSonofGodinunbeliefwhich,for
John,isthesinparexcellence.Asa
resultoftheconsiderationandstudyofthecontextoftheFirstEpistle
ofJohn,thewritingsofQumran35 andtheonlyfourusagesofthetermanomia
intheSynopticGospels(Matt.7,23;13,41;24,12;23,28),38 delaPotterie
concludesthat:Inthemajorityofthewritingsofthisepochanomiaisusedto
describethestateof hostilitytoGodinthelasttimes,37
andthatinthisusageof
thetermtheideaoftransgressionofthelawisabsent.Anomiaasiniquity
ishereopposedtotheplanofGodandhiswill,usuallydescribedastruth
(aletheia)and notasthelaw(nomos).Secondly,thisusageofthetermanomia
emphasizestheeschatologicalandsatanicalaspects.38
Itisthisusage,thethird stagein
theabove-mentionedsemanticdevelopmentoftheterm,whichdelaPotterie
applies to the text1John 3,4.In doing so,hefindsthesupportof
W.Nauck andR.Schnackenburg.39
N.LazurecanalsoacceptdelaPotteriesinterpretation
oftheusageofanomiain1 John3,4,butaskswhetherthismustnecessarily35
Cf.R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,p.187.38Cf.SinandtheConsciousnessofSinintheSynopticGospels,inE.Cooper,Sin,the
ConsciousnessofSinandtheConscience(Diss.,Regensburg,1970),pp.27-42.37
Ilestdoncabsolumentcertainquedansleplusgrandnombredetextesdecettepoque,
anomiasertdcrireltatdhostilitDieuauxdernierstemps.I.delaPotterie(1956),
art.cit.,p.791.34Ibid.34BeimPrdikatin3,4 . .
.wobeianomiainseinerAffinittzumsatanisch-widergttlichen
WesenderEndzeitzufasseni st . . . :W.N
auck,op.cit.,p.16.VerstehtmandieAntithesein3,4imZusammenhangmitdenanderenAntithesendes
Abschnitts,. .
.istderHinweisaufdasapokalyptisch-eschatologischeVerstndnisvon
anomiazutreffend.:Ibid.,p.16ann.No.1.NauckrefershereexplicitlytoR.Schnackenburg,whoalsoappliesthisunderstandingof
anomiatothepassage1John3,4.:DieJohannesbriefe,p.186.244THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHNexcludemaintaininginadditiontheunderstandingofanomiaastransgressionof
thedivinewill.Lazureseesthetwousagesasreconcilableforthispassage.40In
a later,revised edition of thissamearticle 41de la Potterie
identifiesanomia of1John3,4 withthesinof
unbelief.42Therefore,inbringing tothemindofhis
readerstheeschatologicalaspectofiniquityasrejectionofthetruthofChrist,
Johnisattemptingtomakethemrealizetheimportanceoftheirsins.Thedaily
sinsofthebelieversareto beclearly
distinguishedfromthesinofunbelief,43 but all sinsare connected to
the one great sin:the rejection of Christ, theSon of God,
andhisworkofsalvation.TheFirstEpistleofJohnemphasizes:a)Thatthesin
forJohnisrefusaltobelieve,initssatanical,eschatologicalaspects; 44
b)That40Ilestpermistoutefoisdesedemandersicetteexplication(thatofdelaPotterie)estla
seulequisimposeenloccurrence.Ilnoussemblequelasignificationeschatologiqueest
conciliableaveclemaintienpouranomiadusensdetransgressiondelavolontdivineen
usagedansleNouveauTestament. . .
CestprcismentenaccomplissantuneactioncontrairecettevolontquelepcheurprendpartlhostilitcontreDieuetsemetsous
lemprisedudiableainsiquelexpliciteI,3,8.Lepchestliniquitpeutdonclafoissignifierquilestunetransgressiondela
volontdivineetquilconstitueparlmmeunactedervoltecontreDieu,unemanifestationdelhostiliteschatologiquecontresonplandesalutrvlensonFils,une
actionfaitesouslimpulsiondunepuissancediabolique.:Op.cit.,pp.308-309.41V.s.ann.No.23.42Ilnepeutguretrequestionquedupch-typedesantichrists,quirejettentleChrist,
leFilsdeDieu:cestlepchquelequatrimevangileavaitdjdcritcommelepch du
monde:celui de ne pas croire en Jsus-Christ.:I.delaPottewe(1965),
art.cit.,p.78.43Ilimportedoncdedistinguercepchfondamental,cerejetdelavrit,desdiffrents
pchsquecommettentleschrtiens,dontJeanparleen1 Jn1,5- 2,2:cestlepch
fondamentalquilappelleen1
Jn3,4:finiquit":Ibid.Necroyonspourtantpasquelespchsdescroyantseux-mmesnaientrienvoiravec
cepchfondamentaldeshrtiques.Jean,eneffet,aprsavoirparldupch(v.1:
tenhamartian),passeimmdiatementlamultiplicitdespchs(v.5:tashamartias),
maiscestpourrevenirdenouveauunpeuplusloinlagranderalitdupch(v.8a :
tenhamatian)
;dautrepart,nousavonsvuquecestlepluriellespchs(v.5),quiest
misenparallleaveclesuvresdudiable(v.8).Ondiraitdoncque,poursaintJean,
touslespchsparticipentplusoumoinsaupchpar
excellence,quiestdenepascroire auChrist
;chaquepch,desdegrsdivers,sembleprovenirdunaffaiblissementdela
foi.Parl-mme,dansunecertainemesure,toutpchconstitueunrejetdesgrandes
ralitsdusalut,unelibreacceptationdeladominationdeSatan,unenfoncementdans
lestnbres
;celuiquilecommet,vitdjsouslinfluenceperversedeSatan(1Jn5,
18-19),ildevientfilsdudiable.:Ibid.,p.80.Cf.I.delaPotterie(1956),art.cit.,
p.795
;R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,p.254.44DeshalbnenntJohannesdieSiindeschlechthinanomia:Gesetzlosigkeit,Gottlosigkeit
(1Joh3,4 ) . . .
:J.B.Bauer,art.cit.,p.1301.DerUnglaube(ist)dieSndeschlechthin.":R.Schnackenburg,ibid.,p.253..
. .Unglaube(ist)dieSndeschlechthin. . .
:A.Vgtle,SndeimNeuenTestament,"
inLThK,vol.IX,cols.1174-1177(1177).N.LazuredistinguishesbetweenthegospelandtheepistlesofJohn.Forthegospel,the
greatestsinisthatofunbelief:PourlvangiledeJean,lepchparexcellenceestle
manquedefoilgardde Jsus(8,21,24
;16,8).:Op.cit.,p.301.Forthefirstepistle,
thegreatestsinisthatofhatred,initsextremeformofhomicide:Enplusdesebaser
surlptrequiinsistesurlelienessentielentrelamortetlahaineetquitientcelle-ci
pourlepchparexcellence,notreexplicationreoitconfirmationduntexteextra-biblique
parallle . . . :Ibid.,p.312.245EUGENEJ.COOPERall other sins are to
be distinguished from but areall connected withand participate
inthegreatsinofanomiaof1John3,4.45Johnsletteristhereforeawarningtothebelieversnotonlytobewareof
falseteachersandprophetsoftheAntichristbutawarningtoavoidallsin.For
everysinassinfulaction(hamartia)isopposedtotheChristianmannerofliving,
tothestateof beinga childofGod,andeverysinisa
manifestationofeitherthe factthat the Christianis
notyetfullyperfect in living asChrist wantshimtolive, in truth,
according to his commandments, or isa manifestation of
thesinfulattitude of heart of the children of the devil.Everysin
isalsoamanifestation of thepower
ofsinwhichcharacterizestheworld,thedomainoftheAntichristandofthe
sinfulpowerswhichopposeGodandwhichwillriseupagainsthiminthelast
hour,which,forJohn,isalreadypresentintheappearanceofthefalseteachers
andchildrenofthedevil.Assuch,Johnsletterisawarningtothebelieversto
takeeverysinseriously,eventhoseforwhichtheycanprayforforgiveness,for
everysin(hamartia)participatesinthegreatsinofiniquity(anomia)ofthe
powersofthedevil,whichisinitsessencetotaloppositiontoGodandtothe
childrenofGodinunbelief.b)hehamartia
prosthanaton:thesinuntodeath(1John5,16):46 The exact natureof
thissin remainsadisputedquestionamong theexegetes.W.Nauck
andR.Schnackenburgseethedistinctionbetweenthesinuntodeathandthe
sinnotuntodeathinthispassageasbeingthedistinctionbetweenintentional,
willedsin47 andtheunknowingtransgression.48
Thisdistinctionisderivedfrom certain textsof theOldTestament.49
Thesetwoexegetesunderstandthesinunto
deathof1John5,16asasinwhoseconsequenceisexclusionfromthecommunity
of believers 60and separation from God,51but not asa sin which is
punished45V.s.ann.No.43.Thesinofunbeliefisnotonlyattherootofallothersins,whichparticipatetosomedegreeinthisgreatsinofrejectionofChrist,butalsoleadstothe
sinofhatred:Ausihm(unbelief)entwickeltsicheinblinderHassgegendenGottgesandten,underruhtnicht,bisdieseramKreuz
verblutet.:R.Schnackenburg,ibid.,pp.253- 254.. .
.cetteincrdulitestaussilaracinedautrespchs:ledsirdetuerleChrist(8,37),
lahainequonluiporte(15,24-25),laquelletrouvesonaboutissementdanslepchplus
grand(19,11)deladmarchepourobtenirsamort.:N.Lazure,ibid.,p.301.48N.Lazure,ibid.,pp.310-314;W.Nauck,op.cit.,pp.141-146;R.Schnackenburg,
DieJohannesbriefe,pp.275-278.41DiesistdasEntscheidende:Die'SndezumTodegeschiehtvorstzlich,willentlich.
. . : W.Nauck,ibid.,p.144.48. . .beiderSndenichtzumTodehandelt
essichumeinennicht-vorstzlichen,unwissentlichenFehltritt.
:Ibid.48SchondasATkenntgeringere(nichtvorstzliche)undschwerere(vorstzliche)Snden
(vgl.Lv4,2ff ;5,Iff
;Nm15,22ffimGegensatzzuNm15,30f).:R.Schnackenburg,
DieJohannesbriefe,p.276.ThisdistinctionisalsoknowninthewritingsofQumran:
Cf.W.Nauck,ibid.50"DerTodsnderhatkeineGemeinschaftmitdenGlubigennichteinmalFrbittesollfrihneingelegtwerden.:W.Nauck,ibid.,p.145.61
SndezumTod . .
.isteineTat,dieGottmitdemAusschlussvonseinemLebensbereich
strafenmuss. . .
:R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,p.277.246THECONSCIOUSNESSOFSININIJOHNwiththedeathpenalty,asindicatedinsomeOldTestamenttexts.52
N.Lazure interpretsthesin unto deathin its
mostliteralsense:asthemostextremeform
ofthesinofhatred,homicide.53R.SchnackenburgandA.Vogtlerepresenttheopinionthatthesinunto
deathisnottobeidentified withthesin
calledanomia,norwiththesinagainst theHolySpiritofMark3,29par.,54
norwithapostasy,norwiththesinsthat
wereconsideredtobeseriousaccording tothementalityofthetimes.55
Butthe
exactnatureofthissin,whichappearsintheBibleonlyinthistextoftheFirst
EpistleofJohn,remainsunknown.64c)adikia:57 Thesinofinjustice 58
isunderstoodastheoppositeofthe
practiceofjustice,thatis,tofollowtheholinessoflifedemandedbyGod.Concretely,
this means that manner of living which consists in walkingas Christ
walked
(1John2,6),inmakingoneselfpureasheispure(1John3,3),indoingthe will
of God (1John 2,17).5Adikia isalsoseen as the opposite of
aletheia(truth)
andinconnectionwiththesinofasebeia(impiousness,profanity).80
Adikiacan thereforebetranslatedastransgressionofthedivinewill 61
andmeans:"die53
TodsndeistursprnglicheineSchuld,dieleiblicheTodesstrafenachsichzieht(vgl.Nm
18,22 ;Is22,14) . . . :Ibid.,p.276.53
Lepchlamortestceluiquiconsistetuer,quiaboutitcommettrelhomicide.
Lidentificationdecepchesttoutindiquepuisquepourlptreceluiquihaitsonfrre
estunhomicide(I,3,15:anthropoktonos,hapaxjohanniquedansleNouveauTestament).
Parlesmotshamartiaprosthanaton,lauteuradoncenvuelahaine,cepchquipousse
tuer,quiaboutitlamort.:Op.cit.,p.312.54R.Schnackenburg,DiesittlicheBotschaftdesNeuenTestamentes,p.279.65DasschwerzuidentifizierendeSndigenzumTodevon1
Jo5,16istnichtohneweiteres
mitderApostasiegleichzusetzen,auchnichtsichermitderverstocktenundinsofern
unvergebbarenZurckweisungderGnade.:A.Vgtle,SndewiderdenHeiligen
Geist,inLThK,vol.IX,cols.1187-1188(1188).58Soknnenwirnichtmehrsicherfeststellen,woranderVerf.beiSndezumTode
konkretdenkt.AllesHerumraten,oberanGlaubensabfall,MordundGtzendienst(so
Windisch)oderetwaandieSndendesTodeswegesDid1-5(soR.Seeberg)oderan
Glaubensabfallbzw.grundstzlicheVerachtungderGeboteGottes(soPoschmann)denke,
istzwecklos,daderVerf.dieKenntnisseinerAdressaten(seiesdurchBelehrungoder
eigenesUrteilsvermgen)voraussetzt.Da/3speziellderGlaubensabfallzurbekmpften
Irrlehregemeintsei,istnichtsosicher,wieneuereExegeten(Bonsirven,Chane,Charue
u.a.)meinen. :R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,p.278.57
N.Lazure,op.cit.,pp.309-310
;G.Schrenk,art.cit.,pp.150-163.54linjustice:N.Lazure,ibid.;gottwidrigeUngerechtigkeit:G.Schrenk,ibid.,p.156.59N.Lazure,ibid.80impiousness,profanity
:H.G.Liddeix,R.Scott,Greek-EnglishLexicon(abridged,
Oxford,1958).NachJ7,18. .
.istdieadikiada,womannichtGottesEhre,sondernseineneigenen
Ruhmsucht. . . Besondersausdrcklichwird1
J1,9adikiamithamartiaalsgottwidrige
Ungerechtigkeitzusammengestellt.1
J5,17bekommenwirsogareinedementsprechende
Definition:pasaadikiahamartiaestin.:G.Schrenk,art.cit.,pp.156-157.81
N.Lazure,op.cit.,p.310.Alsadikiaistsie(sin)WiderspruchgegendasRechtunddarinzugleichWiderspruch
gegendengttlichenWillen:anomia.:W.Grundmann,art.cit.,p.309.247EUGENEJ.COOPERmenschlicheUnheiligkeitdergttlichenHeiligkeitundBarmherzigkeit(dikaios)
gegenberS3D.SUMMARYTheChristianasbelieverhaschosenbetweentheworldofdarknessandthe
world of light and is called upon to live according to his choice
by abiding in Christ asa childof God.Thedailysinsof theChristian
canfind forgivenessin praying toGod but mustbetaken
seriouslyasparticipationsinthesin ofthe worldand
iniquity.Butsinglesinfulactionscanalsobemanifestationsofanattitudeof
heartwhichisopposedtothetruthofGodandwhichopposesandrejectsthe
Sonof GodandtheFatherinthehostileunbelief of
theAntichristandthepower of sin.The great sin for John is the sin
of unbelief which manifestsand participates
inthediabolicaloppositionoftheforcesofEvilagainstGodattheendoftime.
Allothersins manifest to some degreea participation in
thissatanic,eschatological
oppositiontoandrejectionofChristandhisworkofsalvation.For John, the
coming of Christ and his message presents man with an either-or
decisiontowhichthereisnothirdpossibility:eitherthecompleteacceptanceof
ChristastheSonofGodandtheconsequentwalkingashewalked,walking
inthelight,thatis,livingaccordingtohiscommandmentsoffaithandlove;or
damnation.EithermanacceptsChrist,hiscommandmentsandworkofsalvation
andthereforeabidesinhimduringhiswholelife,orherefusestobelievethat
ChrististheMessias,theSonofGod,andrejectshisperson,messageandworks.
Lackof faith,unbeliefmeanstherejection of
Christ,oppositiontoGodswilland
planofsalvationandalliancewiththesatanicalpower,manifestedinanomia,
which had kept the world in darkness before the light had comeand
which opposes thewill ofGodand
continuestoopposeChristuntileschatologicaltimes.Allsin,
everysinalreadyparticipatesinthesinoffinalandabsoluterejectioninlackof
faith.All sin is theresult of free,personaldecision,forman
mustdecideeitherto
remaininthedarknessortowalkinthelight(John3,19-21),toacceptChrist
or to reject him
(John15,22).Everysinistobetakenseriously,forallsinisan
expressionofthesinofunbeliefwhichhasalreadybeenjudged(John3,18)and
willbepunishedinthelasttimes(John3,36)which,forJohn,havealready
arrived.Whoeverisofthisworld,frombelow,willdieinhissins(John8,
23-24).R.Schnackenburg,DieJohannesbriefe,p.88.248
