Dear Fathers

"I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning." John repeats this statement twice, in 1 John 2 verse 13 and verse 14.
On the surface, it seems the same reason John gave for writing the children (same verses), which was that they had known God. The different word choices are interesting, though, and suggest different purposes. Writing to the children, he talked about forgiveness and knowing the Father; the context seems to be that relationship where the father forgives the wrongs of his children. Now, the emphasis seems to be on God's timelessness. Same God, different attribute.
The timelessness of God correlates well with reference to the old command in verse 7. John's point seems to be, "You fathers are primed for what I'm telling you because you're tuned in to the Old Testament God." Remember, the old men in his audience were born in a time before Jesus; they grew to be men before there was a Gospel to proclaim.
 What difference does that make? I think in addition to what the children know (the forgiveness of the Father), the fathers remember also those days of law and judgment. They know that the only reason there is Good News is because the God of old worked out an ages-long plan that brought Jesus to the cross, and brought us redemption.
His reason is the same, though: Love and gratitude. Fathers know the before as well as the after. So do I. That's the whole point of the Old Testament, so that I could know God in the same way He revealed Himself to His people. I know both the God of judgment and wrath, and the God of grace and mercy. How can I not be grateful for the cross?

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