We Have a Paraclete, and
We Intimately Know Him
by Experience
By Jonathan Mitchell
This essay will discuss the first three verses of 1 Jn. 2:
1. My little children (born ones), I am writing these things to you (or: for you) to the end that you would not fail to hit the target (deviate from the goal; sin). And if anyone should at some point fail (or: suddenly commit sin, make a mistake or deviate), we constantly have One called alongside to help, give relief, care, and guide, us toward the Father (or: we continuously possess a Paraclete, calling us to be face to face with the Father): Jesus Christ, a Just One (or: a Faithful and Loyal One, as well as One who is Upright, pointed in the Right Direction; a Fair One, Who is in accord with the Way pointed out; One Who is the essence of a Rightwised living and relationship),
2. And He Himself exists continually being a cleansing, sheltering Cover around our mistakes and errors (sins; deviations) sheltering us from their effects so that we can be in peaceful and rightwised relationships (or: being the act by which our sins and failures are cleansed and made ineffective, effecting conciliation [in us]), yet not only around those [mistakes and sins] pertaining to us (or: having their source in us), but further, even around the whole ordered System and aggregate of humanity (or: but even more, also, encompassing the entire secular realm, and the profane and dominating world of culture, economy, religion, society, and government, or, even the cosmos)!
3. And so within this [situation]- if we can be continuously watchful and would habitually keep and attend carefully, guard, observe, and maintain, His implanted purposes and internalized goals (or: the inner projections of destiny that pertain to Him; those internal directives from Him) - we are continuously and progressively coming to know, through experience, and continue to recognize with insight, that we have come to personally and insightfully know Him, and so we now experience Him intimately with insightful knowledge.(or: So in union with this [relationship] - should we constantly maintain His impartations from the finished product, and would observe His inward directives of destiny - we progressively know by experience, and recognize by insight, because we have intimately known Him, from a past experience, and continue in this experiential knowledge.)
One of the first things to notice is that John is writing to "little children (born ones)," and so he is reminding them of the basic aspects of the Good News, which is Jesus Christ (Mk. 1:1). He explains the purpose of this letter, in vs. 1: "would not fail to hit the target (deviate from the goal; sin)." But, lest this come across to them (or, to us) that this is an impossible goal for us to achieve, he quickly reminds them:
"And if anyone should at some point fail (or: suddenly commit sin, make a mistake or deviate), we constantly have One called alongside to help, give relief, care, and guide, us toward the Father (or: we continuously possess a Paraclete, calling us to be face to face with the Father): Jesus Christ, a Just One" (vs. 1).
What an affirmation! What a Reality that has come to us in this New Creation (2 Cor. 5:17). This makes all the difference, as compared to Second Temple Judaism or to pagan religions. Let this sink deeply into your consciousness:
"We continuously possess a Faithful and Loyal One, as well as One who is Upright, pointed in the Right Direction; a Fair One, Who is in accord with the Way pointed out; One Who is the essence of a Rightwised living and relationship."
And then, with this, he reminds them Who this Paraclete is: Jesus Christ. Next, in vs. 2, he reminds them that "should they at some point fail, or fall short of the Goal,
"He Himself exists continually being a cleansing, sheltering Cover around our mistakes and errors (sins; deviations) sheltering us from their effects so that we can be in peaceful and rightwised relationships."
And remember, this One lives within us, being
"One Spirit with us" (1 Cor. 6:17).
Paul made this clear to the pagan philosophers, in Athens:
"And, to be sure, [He] is continuously being an Originator (or: He is constantly subsisting, being inherently [the] Under-Beginner; = [the ground of Being]) not far away (or: a long distance) from each one of us!" (Acts 17:27b)
But take note of how John finished vs. 2, completing this wonderful insight with an almost unimaginably inclusive world view:
"yet not only around those [mistakes and sins] pertaining to us (or: having their source in us), but further, even around the whole ordered System and aggregate of humanity."
Now we could, as David Bentley Hart does and which is on offer in my parenthetical expansion, render the last phrase, "the whole cosmos." Now THAT is certainly a mind-expanding perception.
Yet, let us consider further the beginning affirmation in vs. 2, and that Christ continues being,
"the same yesterday and today and on into the ages" (Heb. 13:8),
and so is thus:
"a cleansing, sheltering Cover around our mistakes and errors (sins; deviations) sheltering us from their effects" (vs. 2a, above).
This being the case, we have no worries, and so John moves on with the logical conclusion that results from our situation:
"we are continuously and progressively coming to know, through experience, and continue to recognize with insight, that we have come to personally and insightfully know Him, and so we now experience Him intimately with insightful knowledge."
Now just prior to this, just as it is possible for us to miss our intended target in our daily living, John notices the possibility of our not,
"being continuously watchful and would habitually keep and attend carefully, guard, observe, and maintain, His implanted purposes and internalized goals."
Remember, he is writing to little children, and little children make mistakes and often miss the target. But keep in mind that,
"He Himself exists continually being a cleansing, sheltering Cover around our mistakes and errors..."
My rendering, "a cleansing, sheltering Cover," is a derived rendering of the Greek word, hilasmos, which has commonly been rendered "an atonement," which in turn means, "a cleansing, sheltering Cover" (note: see our study on the term, Atonement).
The noun used here is a cognate of hilasterion, which was the Mercy Seat, i.e., the lid which was the covering of the Ark, in the Holy of Holies, upon which the blood was sprinkled on the Day of Atonement. This Mercy Seat can also be understood as being God's throne, where He met with Moses - which was, in turn, a type of where we are now seated WITH Him (Eph. 2:6), within the midst of our being (we now being His temple).
That said, let us observe the parenthetical, alternate rendering of vs. 3:
"So in union with this [relationship] - should we constantly maintain His impartations from the finished product, and would observe His inward directives of destiny - we progressively know by experience, and recognize by insight, because we have intimately known Him, from a past experience, and continue in this experiential knowledge."
Just as the branch must remain in the Vine in order to produce the Fruit of the Vine (Jn. 15:1-6) in order to
"continuously and progressively coming to know, through experience, and continue to recognize with insight, that we have come to personally and insightfully know Him,"
it requires us to abide in Him, and in His Love
(Jn. 15:8-12, with vs. 12 presenting us with His "implanted purposes and internalized goals").
Jesus explained this, in Jn. 15:13,
"No one continues holding (or: having) greater Love (full self-giving; urge toward reunion) than this: that someone should place or deposit (lay; put) his soul (or: inner being; consciousness which is him) over [and cover the situation or circumstances of] (or: would set or place his self and person, on behalf of) his friends."
It is all by Grace, through His Faithfulness, but once He has birthed us into this new Realm, the little born ones are expected to continue walking in the Light, just as He is with this Light (1 Jn. 1:7), and this is why Jesus told His little children,
"Whenever (or: If) you folks can take note of, watch over, guard, preserve, keep in view, and maintain, My implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives; interior purposes and destinies), [by this] you will continue remaining (abiding; dwelling) within the midst of, in union with, and centered in, the Love which is Me (My love; the acceptance and urge toward union, from Me)" (Jn. 15:10).Jonathan
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