If we use the sect theory from the sociology of religion to analyze the text of the Johannine Literature, we discover that the Johannine community formed a sect, or at least a group with sectarian characteristics. As a sect, the Johannine community set a boundary between the believers of Jesus and the non-believers. The believers as insiders were in tension with the "world" and with the Jews. During the course of their development, they also became estranged from other Christian communities, which was reflected in the self-elevation of the Beloved Disciple and the denigration of the other disciples in the text. This interpretation helps the reader to understand the text from different perspectives.