2 John
Book Outhne
Key theme: Loving and living the truth
Key verse:
I. Introduction (vv. )
II. Practicing the Truth (vv. )
III. Protecting the Truth (vv. )
IV. Conclusion (vv. , )
Book Overview
The rapid spread of the church in the first century often created local situations in which those with wrong spiritual agendas moved in and tried to take over. The apostate teachers not only invaded the churches, but they also tried to influence Christian homes. Titus faced this problem in Crete (, ), and Timothy faced it in Ephesus (). As goes the home, so goes the church and the nation; thus the family is an important target in Satan’s war against truth.
John’s brief second letter was written to a godly mother and her children. Some Bible students have concluded that “the chosen lady” () refers to a local church and that “her children” are the believers fellowshipping in the church. “Your sister” (v. ) would then refer to a sister church that was sending Christian greetings.
While John does address a group in this letter (note the plural in vv. , , ), he also addresses an individual (vv. , , ). Perhaps the solution is that a Christian assembly was meeting in this home, along with the family of the “chosen lady,” so that John had both the family and the congregation in mind (see ; ; ; ). He was concerned that this godly woman not permit anything false to come into her house () or into the assembly.
The dominant feelings in this little epistle are those of friendship and joy, even though these are mixed with concern and warning.
“Be Transformed”
If our homes and churches are to be true to Christ and oppose the false teachers, we must know the truth. How do we learn the truth? By carefully studying God’s Word and allowing the Spirit to teach us; by listening to others who are true to the faith; and then by practicing what we learn. We must not only learn the truth with our minds, but we must also love the truth in our hearts and live the truth by our wills. Our total persons must be yielded to the truth.
Parents must teach their children to love the truth! While we thank God for Sunday schools and Christian day schools, in the final analysis, the home must instill in children a love for truth and the knowledge of God’s truth. Our children ought to grow up experiencing the truth found in —“How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” The longing to be clean and pure is planted by God deep in the heart. In many ways it is what we call the God-shaped vacuum that exists in us alongside the awareness of our sinfulness. In God’s Word our children discover the grace that transforms them and the instructions that will guide them into holy living. The environment designed by God to accomplish this great task is the Christ-centered home.
Greeting the Elect Lady
The Elder,
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,
2because of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Walk in Christ’s Commandments
I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.
And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
Beware of Antichrist Deceivers
For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
9Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
10If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
11for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
John’s Farewell Greeting
Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.
Annotations for 2 John
John opened his letter with this note of “truth” because false teachers were spreading error. He called them deceivers and antichrists (v. ). John was not one to say that all religious teachings are true in one way or another, and that we should not be critical just as long as people are sincere. John saw a great difference—in fact, a deadly difference—between truth and error, and he would not tolerate error.
The Christian faith stands or falls on the doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ. If He is only man, then He cannot save us, no matter how gifted or unique He might be. If He is not God come in human flesh, then the Christian faith is lies—not truth—and John opened this letter with the wrong emphasis.
Truth, love, and obedience seem to appear together in John’s writing as often as faith, hope, and love appear in Paul’s. By believing the truth—in Christ and in the Word—we are saved. The evidence of that salvation is love and obedience, but love and obedience are strengthened as we grow in our knowledge of truth. We speak the truth in love () and we obey God’s commandments because we love Him. Obedience enables us to learn more truth (), and the more truth we learn, the more we love Jesus Christ who is truth.
, The commandment to “love one another” is certainly not new in time because even Old Testament Jews were instructed to love their neighbors (, ) and the foreigners within their cities (). But with the coming of God’s Son to earth, this commandment is new in emphasis and in example. Jesus Christ gave new emphasis to brotherly love, and He exemplified it in His own life. It is also new in experience, for we have the Holy Spirit of God living within, enabling us to obey.
John went on to explain that love and obedience must go together. To divorce our relationship with God from our relationship with people is impossible. If we say that we love God, but we hate our brother or sister in Christ, then we can be sure that we do not really love God (). If we obey God, then His love is perfected in us, and we have no problem loving our brothers and sisters ().
From encouraging truth, John turned to opposing error. He joined his voice with Peter’s to warn that deceivers are in the world. The word “deceiver” implies much more than teaching false doctrine. It also includes leading people into wrong living. John has already made clear that truth and life go together. What we believe determines how we behave. Wrong doctrine and wrong living always go together.
, John’s closing words are almost identical to the farewell in 3 John, and they require no explanation. They do, however, express the importance of Christian fellowship and the joy that it should bring to our hearts (see ). Receiving letters is wonderful, but receiving God’s people into our homes and hearts is even more wonderful.
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