The Hope of Being Similar to God in 1 John 2:28–3:10

Abstract

Among the three Epistles of John, only the first one explicitly addresses the theme of hope (1 John 3:3), with a particular focus on believers’ likeness to God. The pronouns αὐτός and ἐκεῖνος, used by the author in 3:2–3, are sometimes interpreted by exegetes as referring exclusively to either the Father or Christ. This article offers a resolution that reconciles these interpretations, arguing that the author’s aim, as reflected in 1 John 2:28–3:10, is to present the history of salvation as a unified work of the one God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The hope of becoming like Him serves an evidently pragmatic function that can shape the believers’ life and potentially inspire even those outside faith to foster social relationships characterised by mutual respect for life, fraternity, fairness and the fulfilment of rights, devoted service, forgiveness and peace. This study employs a synchronic approach, which involves the delimitation of the text and the definition of its structure in 1 John 2:28–3:10, a rhetorical analysis of this excerpt and a discussion focused on the pragmatic function of the paraenesis of becoming like God.