The Countercultural Victory of 1 John in Greco-Roman Context: Conquering the World

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Ahreum Kim re-examines the conquering language in 1 John, and argues that when the letter is read with the cultural context of the Greco-Roman culture in mind, the conflict extends beyond in-fighting within the Johannine community. The writer presents a consistent countercultural narrative because he is concerned about the predominant world, which offers worship to many gods and hails the emperor as the divine son; Kim suggests that the writer exhorts the minority Johannine community to hold onto their pistis (belief/faith) in Jesus as the true Son of God and proclaims that they are triumphant conquerors against the prevailing Greco-Roman world. Kim begins by examining how conquering language toward a Johannine nike utilizes militaristic undertones already familiar in Greco-Roman culture, to underline the Johannine believers conquering their opponents. She argues that each of the opponents mentioned in the letter is affiliated with the world, and it is ultimately the conquering of the world itself which marks the Johannine victory. Kim demonstrates that the author references the negative fear of the divine in the polytheistic world which contrasts the Johannine love of God, and that his counter-cultural message continues to the very end, with a concluding warning against the many idols of the Greco-Roman world. Finally, she posits that the battle with the Greco-Roman world is ultimately a conflict of pistis, comparing Roman soldiers achieving military victories with a pistis to their emperor, and the repeated emphasis on Jesus as the true Son of God. Kim proves that analyzing the language of 1 John within its cultural context helps construct a better picture of what the Johannine writer is indeed trying to convey and how the audience may have responded.

Author Bio

Ahreum Kim has recently completed her PhD at the University of Cambridge, UK.