The writings of John are books of mysteries.

[jidong xiao]

约翰的著作乃是说到奥秘的书。在这书信里，生命，就是神圣的生命，永远的生命，那分赐到在基督里的信徒、并住在他们里面神的生命，是第一个奥秘。（约壹一2，二25，三15，五11,13，20。）由这个奥秘产生另一个奥秘，就是神圣生命交通的奥秘。（约壹一3～7。）然后是三一神膏油涂抹的奥秘。（约壹二20～27。）接着是住在主里面的奥秘。（约壹二27～28，三6，24。）第五是神圣出生的奥秘。（约壹二29，三9，四7，五l，4，18。）第六是神圣种子的奥秘。（约壹三9。）最后是水、血与那灵的奥秘。（约壹五6～12。）

The writings of John are books of mysteries. In this Epistle, life, that is, the divine life, the eternal life, the life of God imparted into the believers in Christ and abiding in them, is the first mystery (1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20). Issuing out of this mystery is another mystery, the mystery of the fellowship of the divine life (1:3-7). Following this is the mystery of the anointing of the Triune God (2:20-27). Then we have the mystery of abiding in the Lord (2:27-28; 3:6, 24). The fifth is the mystery of the divine birth (2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). The sixth is the divine seed (3:9). And the last is the water, the blood, and the Spirit (5:6-12).