1 John 2:1
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
Original Language Analysis
Cross References
Historical Context
The concept of advocacy was familiar in Roman legal culture. Wealthy patrons served as advocates (patroni) for clients, defending them in court and using their influence to secure favorable outcomes. However, these relationships were transactional and often corrupt. John's readers would understand advocacy but marvel at its application—the perfectly righteous Christ advocating for guilty sinners before the holy Father.
The term paraklētos had legal connotations but also carried broader meaning: helper, counselor, comforter. Jewish tradition spoke of advocates before God—angels, patriarchs, or meritorious deeds interceding for sinners. Christianity transformed this: no angel or human merit advocates for us, but Christ Himself, whose own blood purchased our acquittal.
This verse addressed the Gnostic crisis directly. Some false teachers claimed enlightenment freed them from sin's consequences, leading to moral libertinism. Others taught harsh perfectionism, claiming true spirituals didn't sin. John refutes both: sin is serious (we should not sin), yet provision exists when we do (Christ advocates for us). This pastoral balance sustained believers who struggled with sin's ongoing reality while clinging to Christ's finished work.
Questions for Reflection
- How does understanding Christ as your advocate before the Father (not merely a judge to appease) change your response to sin?
- What's the difference between 'that ye sin not' (the goal) and claiming we have no sin (the delusion of 1:8)?
- How does Christ's advocacy based on His righteousness (not our excuses) provide both security and motivation for holiness?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. John addresses believers with tender affection—"little children" (teknia mou, τεκνία μου), emphasizing both their vulnerability and his pastoral care. The purpose statement is crucial: "that ye sin not" (hina mē hamartēte, ἵνα μὴ ἁμαρτήτε) uses the aorist subjunctive, indicating John's goal is that believers not commit acts of sin. This isn't claiming sinless perfection (which 1:8 denies) but expressing God's standard and the believer's aim—habitual righteousness, not habitual sin.
The provision for when believers do sin follows immediately: "we have an advocate" (paraklēton echomen, παράκλητον ἔχομεν). Paraklētos is the same term Jesus used for the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26)—one called alongside to help, a legal advocate or defense attorney. Christ serves as our advocate before the Father, not against an angry God but alongside us in the divine court. His advocacy rests not on excuses for our sin but on His own righteousness: "Jesus Christ the righteous" (Iēsoun Christon dikaion). He is both perfectly righteous and our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).
This verse balances high ethical standards with gracious provision. Believers should aim not to sin—the new nature inclines toward holiness. Yet when we do sin, we're not cast off but have an advocate whose righteousness secures our standing. This demolishes both antinomianism ("grace means sin doesn't matter") and perfectionism ("Christians must be sinless"). Instead, it presents realistic sanctification: pursuing holiness with assurance that Christ's advocacy covers our failures.