Links between John's Writings

The first part, then, of the Epistles of John are the continuation, so to speak, of John's Gospel before the last two dispensational chapters. The Revelation, that of these last two chapters (John 20, 21), where Christ being risen and no ascension given, the dispensational dealings of God are largely intimated in the circumstances which occur. It is shown at the same time that He could not personally set up the kingdom then. He must ascend first.
The two short epistles show us that truth (truth as to His Person) was the test of true love, and to be held fast when what was anti-Christian came in. The free liberty of the ministration of the truth was to be held fast against assumed ecclesiastical or clerical authority, as contrasted with the assembly. The Apostle had written to the assembly. Diotrephes rejected free ministry.