The historical moment happens after the production of the Gospel. It is that the Johannine community was divided into two groups. Ehrman states that “the author of 1 John indicates that a faction from within the community has split off from the rest of the group and left in a huff. Johannine community seems to be the follower of Jesus. In the end, however, they were separated in groups; and that’s how whole controversy starts. Before getting into this topic, Ehrman mentions that there were also Jewish group that stood against what Johannine community; called “secessionist”. Secessionists are described as “Jews who failed to acknowledge that Jesus in the messiah, according to Ehrman. They did not believe that Jesus is the Christ. In the later time, whole Johannine community was divided into two groups with similar concept. The major crisis that affected the group is that whether Jesus is the Christ(or same position as God) or he was just regular human being. John’s group took the position that Jesus is the Christ, and believed that “Jesus was on a par with God”. The John’s opponents took the position that he is not the Christ. According to Ehrman, John’s group called the opponents as “antichrists” which means “those who are opposed to Christ”. Antichrists had refused to believe that Jesus “Christ has come in the flesh”; quite similar as what the secessionists had believed. In 2 John 7, author describes the antichrists as “deceivers who have gone out into the world”.

Ehrman states that “The Johannine epistles were written by an author who thought that Christ was indeed a flesh and blood human being; he was the savior ‘come in the flesh’”. Also points out that “Those who rejected this view, for him, had rejected the community’s confession that the man Jesus was the Christ in his view, they were antichrists.”

The scripture warns people to stay away from antichrists. In 1 John 4:1 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. Also in 2 John 8 says, “Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward”. The letters warns follower of Christ including believers and John’s group to stay away from what antichrists or secessionists.

The Author is the letters had reinterpreted the “to love one another” in new way. In Gospel of John, author mentions that it is new commandment to love one another. However, 1-3 John state how do we have to love others. 1 John Chapter 4 says that love one another as God loves this world. He loved people that he “sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins”. This is where the phrase “God is Love” came from. So it was not just something we “should” do as commandment, it is what God would do to the people.