1 John 5:21

Context

1 John has traditionally been attributed to the apostle John, although scholars hold a range of views on its authorship. "Little children" is an affectionate form of address that the author uses repeatedly throughout the letter (1 John 2:1, 2:28, and elsewhere).

In the immediately preceding verses (18–20), the author offers a series of statements of assurance introduced by "we know." He concludes with the confession that the one who is in Jesus Christ "is the true God, and eternal life" (5:20). Verse 21 then closes the letter with a warning against idols, set in contrast to this "true God." The letter has none of the closing greetings or benedictions commonly found in other epistles.

Interpretation

• Literal reading: In Asia Minor, often proposed as the setting of the letter, pagan temples and food offered to idols were a familiar part of everyday life. This reading takes the verse as an exhortation to avoid actual idol worship and the practices associated with it.
• Contextual or figurative reading: Many commentators note that the verse forms a pair with the "true God" of the preceding verse. On this reading, the idols are the false teaching that denies that Jesus came in the flesh (1 John 4:2–3), that is, a false conception of God rather than the true God. Some connect this teaching with early Docetism (the view that Christ did not truly take on a physical body but only appeared to do so).
• Broad applicational reading: This reading regards anything that takes the place of God, such as money, success, or power, as an idol. It is often used in preaching and does not necessarily conflict with the literal or contextual readings.

The Greek verb rendered "keep" means to guard or protect, in the sense of standing watch. The verse is therefore read as emphasizing the believer's own vigilance.

Debates and Issues

The differences among the readings above reflect differences of emphasis among commentators rather than disputes that divide denominations.

Textually, translations that follow the Textus Receptus, such as the King James Version, add "Amen" at the end of the verse: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." Translations based on the modern critical text omit it.

This verse, together with the prohibition of idols in the Ten Commandments, is sometimes cited in criticism of ancestral rites or of the use of sacred images. In response, some point out that the original context is a warning against false teaching. Moreover, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church distinguish the veneration of images from worship and hold that such veneration is not idolatry.

Related Passages

• 1 John 5:20
• 1 John 4:2–3
• 1 Corinthians 10:14
• 1 Corinthians 8:4–6
• 1 Thessalonians 1:9