1 John 2:2 (NKJV)

1 John 2:2 (NKJV)

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Some of John’s readers might have thought his insistence on the sinfulness of Christians somehow would discourage holiness. The opposite was John’s intention as he affirmed: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. He addressed them affectionately as an apostle with a fatherly concern (The Gr. word for “children” [“dear” is not in the Gr.] is teknia [lit., “little born ones”], used seven times by John in this epistle [vv. 1, 12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21] and once in his Gospel [John 13:33]. A similar word tekna [“born ones”] occurs in John 1:12; 11:52; 1 John 3:2, 10 [twice]; 5:2; 2 John 1, 4, 13; and 3 John 4. On the other hand paidia [“children”] occurs only twice in 1 John [2:13, 18].)

The statements in 1:8, 10 about believers’ sinful tendencies do not encourage sin; they actually put perceptive Christians on guard against it. If a believer tries to make the claims denounced in 1:8 and 10, then he is most likely to fail to recognize and reject sin. But sin is nevertheless a reality, however much John wished his readers would not commit it. Accordingly he assured them, But if anybody does sin, we have One who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ the Righteous One. John did not want his readers to sin, but he knew that none of them was perfect and that all would need the help available from their Advocate.

The words “One who speaks … in our defense” translate a single term (paraklēton). Its essential meaning is captured by the KJV‘s familiar “Advocate.” John is the only New Testament writer to use it of the Holy Spirit (four times in his Gospel: John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). In these four verses the NIV renders it “Counselor” each time (cf. KJV‘s “Comforter”). The thought here in 1 John 2:1 is of a defense attorney who takes up the case of his client before a tribunal. The way in which the advocacy of the Lord Jesus works for His sinning people is admirably illustrated in His prayer for Peter (Luke 22:31–32). In anticipation of Peter’s approaching denial, Jesus asked the Father to prevent Peter’s faith from collapsing. He also had in mind Peter’s future helpfulness to his Christian brethren. There is no reason to suppose that Christ must ask God to keep a Christian from going to hell as a result of his sin. Eternal life is fully guaranteed to those who have trusted Jesus for it (John 3:16; 5:24; etc.). But the consequences of a believer’s failure, his restoration, and future usefulness are all urgent matters which Jesus takes up with God when sin occurs. His own personal righteousness (He is “the Righteous One”; cf. 1 John 1:9, God is “just”) is what uniquely suits Christ for His role as a Christian’s Advocate after he sins.