Text -- 2 John 1:11-13 (NET)

1:11 because the person who gives him a greeting shares in his evil deeds.

Conclusion

1:12 Though I have many other things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I hope to come visit you and speak face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 1:13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 2Jo 1:11

Partaketh in his evil works ( koinōnei tois ergois autou tois ponērois ).

Associative instrumental case with koinōnei as in 1Ti 5:22, common verb from koinōnos (partner). It is to be borne in mind that the churches often met in private homes (Rom 16:5; Col 4:15), and if these travelling deceivers were allowed to spread their doctrines in these homes and then sent on with endorsement as Apollos was from Ephesus to Corinth (Act 18:27), there was no way of escaping responsibility for the harm wrought by these propagandists of evil. It is not a case of mere hospitality to strangers.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

I would not ( ouk eboulēthēn ).

Epistolary aorist (first passive indicative).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

With paper and ink ( dia chartou kai melanos ).

The chartēs was a leaf of papyrus prepared for writing by cutting the pith into strips and pasting together, old word, here only in N.T. Melas is old adjective for black (Mat 5:36; Rev 6:5, Rev 6:12), and for black ink here, 3Jo 1:13; 2Co 3:3. Apparently John wrote this little letter with his own hand.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

To come ( genesthai ).

Second aorist middle infinitive of ginomai after elpizō , I hope.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

Face to face ( stoma pros stoma ).

"Mouth to mouth."So in 3Jo 1:14; Num 12:8. "Face to face"(prosōpon pros prosōpon ) we have in 1Co 13:12.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

Your ( humōn ).

Or "our"(hēmōn ). Both true.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:12

That may be fulfilled ( hina peplērōmenē ēi ).

Purpose clause with hina and the periphrastic perfect passive subjunctive of plēroō , as in 1Jo 1:4, which see.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:13

Of thine elect sister ( tēs adelphēs sou tēs eklektēs ).

Same word eklektē as in 2Jo 1:1; Rev 17:4. Apparently children of a deceased sister of the lady of 2Jo 1:1 who lived in Ephesus and whom John knew as members of his church there.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:11

Is partaker ( κοινωνεῖ )

The verb occurs nowhere else in John's writings. The kindred noun κοινωνία fellowship , is peculiar to the First Epistle. See on 1Jo 1:3; also on partners (Luk 5:10); fellowship (Act 2:42); partaker (1Pe 5:1).

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

I would not ( οὐκ ἐβουλήθην )

See on Mat 1:19.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

Paper ( χάρτου )

Only here in the New Testament. The Egyptian papyrus or byblus, Cyperus papyrus , anciently very common, but not now found within the limits of the country. It is a tall, smooth flag or reed, with a large triangular stalk, containing the pith which furnished the paper. The paper was manufactured by cutting the pith into strips, arranging them horizontally, and then placing across them another layer of strips, uniting the two layers by a paste, and subjecting the whole to a heavy pressure. The upper and middle portions of the reed were used for this purpose. The fact that the plant is no longer found is significant in connection with Isaiah's prophecy that " the flags (Hebrews suph , papyrus ) shall waste away" (Isa 19:6). The plant grew in shallow water or in marshes, and is accordingly represented on the monuments as at the side of a stream or in irrigated lands. The Jews wrote on various materials, such as the leaves of the olive and palm, the rind of the pomegranate, and the skins of animals. The tablet (πινακίδιον , Luk 1:63) was in very common use. It consisted of thin pieces of wood, strung together, and either plain, or covered with papyrus or with wax.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

Ink ( μέλανος )

Lit., that which is black . The word occurs only once outside of John's Epistles (2Co 3:3), and only three times in all (2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:13). Ink was prepared of soot or of vegetable or mineral substances. Gum and vitriol were also used. Colored inks, red and gold, were also employed.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

To come unto you ( γενέσθαι πρὸς ὑμὰς )

Or, to be present with you . For the phrase, see 1Co 2:3; 1Co 16:10.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

Face to face ( στόμα πρὸς στόμα )

Lit, mouth to mouth . Compare πρόσωπον προς πρόσωπον , face to face , 1Co 8:12.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:12

Full ( πεπληρωμένη )

Rev., rightly, fulfilled .

Wesley: 2Jo 1:11

That gives him any encouragement, is accessory to his evil deeds.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:12

Only of these, which were then peculiarly needful.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:13

Absent, if not dead, when the apostle wrote this.

JFB: 2Jo 1:11

By wishing a false brother or teacher "God (or 'good') speed," you imply that he is capable as such of good speed and joy (the literal meaning of the Greek), and that you wish him it while opposing Christ; so you identify yourself with "his evil deeds." The Greek of "partaker" is "having communion with." We cannot have communion with saints and with Antichrist at the same time. Here we see John's naturally fiery zeal directed to a right end. POLYCARP, the disciple of John, told contemporaries of IRENÆUS, who narrates the story on their authority, that on one occasion when John was about to bathe, and heard that Cerinthus, the heretic, was within, he retired with abhorrence, exclaiming, Surely the house will fall in ruins since the enemy of the truth is there.

JFB: 2Jo 1:12

A heart full of love pours itself out more freely face to face, than by letter.

JFB: 2Jo 1:12

Made of Egyptian papyrus. Pens were then reeds split.

JFB: 2Jo 1:12

Made of soot and water, thickened with gum. Parchment was used for the permanent manuscripts in which the Epistles were preserved. Writing tablets were used merely for temporary purposes, as our slates.

JFB: 2Jo 1:12

Literally, "mouth to mouth."

JFB: 2Jo 1:12

Greek, "filled full." Your joy will be complete in hearing from me in person the joyful Gospel truths which I now defer communicating till I see you. On other occasions his writing the glad truths was for the same purpose.

JFB: 2Jo 1:13

ALFORD confesses that the non-mention of the "lady" herself here seems rather to favor the hypothesis that a Church is meant.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:11

Is partaker of his evil deeds - He that acts towards him as if he considered him a Christian brother, and sound in the faith, puts it in his power to deceive others, by thus apparently accrediting his ministry. No sound Christian should countenance any man as a Gospel minister, who holds and preaches erroneous doctrines; especially concerning the Lord Jesus. Nor can any Christian attend the ministry of such teachers without being criminal in the sight of God. He who attends their ministry is, in effect, bidding them God speed; no matter whether such belong to an established Church, or to any congregation of dissenters from it. But what St. John says here does not mean that we should deny such the common offices of humanity, charity, and mercy. No. In these offices we are equally bound to all men; far less does it intimate that we should persecute such on account of their heretical or heterodox sentiments. No. This right has God given to no man, to no Church, to no state. They who persecute others, even for the worst heretical opinions, may expect the heaviest judgments of Almighty God

There is a remarkable addition here in several MSS. Of the Vulgate, and in some printed editions. Ecce praedixi vobis, ut in diem Domini nostri Jesu Christi non confundamini. "Behold, I have foretold this to you, that ye may not be confounded in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This addition is found in the edition of Pope Sixtus the Fifth, and in the Complutensian Polyglot; but it is not acknowledged by any of the versions, nor by any Greek MSS.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:12

Having many things to write - That is, I have many things that I might write to thee, but I think it best not to commit them to paper, because I hope to visit thee shortly, and speak fully of those matters, which will be a means of increasing the comfort both of thee and thy family, as well as my own. There is more comfort in mutual interviews among friends than in epistolaty correspondence,

Clarke: 2Jo 1:13

The children of thy elect sister - Probably her own sister, who lived at Ephesus; and, being acquainted with the apostle’ s writing, desired to be thus remembered to her. Elect, both in this and the first verse, signifies excellent, eminent, or honorable. See on 2Jo 1:1 (note)

Amen is wanting in the most ancient MSS., and in most of the versions; but ἡ χαρις μετα σου and μεθ ’ ὑμων, Grace be with thee, or with you, is found in several MSS. and versions

Subscriptions in the Versions: -

The end of the Second Epistle. - Syriac

The Second Epistle of John is ended. - Philox. Syriac

Praise be to God for ever, Amen! - Arabic

In the Manuscripts: -

The Second of John. - Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Vaticanus

The Second of John to the Parthians. - One of Colbert’ s MSS

The Second catholic Epistle of St. John the apostle and divine

There are other subscriptions, but, like the above, they are worthy of little regard

This epistle is more remarkable for the spirit of Christian love which it breathes than for any thing else. It contains scarcely any thing that is not found in the preceding; and out of the thirteen verses there are at least eight which are found, either in so many words or in sentiment, precisely the same with those of the first epistle. The most remarkable part of it is the tenth and eleventh verses, (2Jo 1:10, 2Jo 1:11) relative to the orders concerning the heretical teacher; and from them we see how such teachers were treated in the apostolic Church. They held no communion with them, afforded them no support, as teachers; but did not persecute them

On this model the conduct of all Christians should be formed, relative to the teachers of false doctrine in general. To go thus far, we have apostolical authority, to go farther, we have none. And let us still remember, in all cases it is our duty to love even our enemies, and consequently to do them any act of humanity and mercy

Defender: 2Jo 1:13

The "elect sister" probably was the church from which John was writing, the "sister-church" of the "elect lady" (2Jo 1:1)."

TSK: 2Jo 1:11

partaker : Psa 50:18; Eph 5:11; 1Ti 5:22; Rev 18:4

TSK: 2Jo 1:12

many : Joh 16:12

I would : 3Jo 1:13

I trust : Rom 15:24; 1Co 16:5-7; Phm 1:22; Heb 13:19, Heb 13:23

face to face : Gr. mouth to mouth, Num 12:8

that : Joh 15:11, Joh 16:24, Joh 17:13; 2Ti 1:4; 1Jo 1:4

our : or, your

TSK: 2Jo 1:13

2Jo 1:1; 1Pe 5:13

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Jo 1:11

For he that biddeth him God speed, is partaker of his evil deeds - Shows that he countenances and approves of the doctrine which is taught. Compare the notes at 1Ti 5:22.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:12

Having many things to write unto you - That I would wish to say. This language is such as would be used by one who was hurried, or who was in feeble health, or who hoped soon to see the person written to. In such a case only the points would be selected which were of most immediate and pressing importance, and the remainder would be reserved for a more free personal interview.

I would not write with paper - The word "paper"here conveys an idea which is not strictly correct. "Paper,"as that term is now understood, was not invented until long after this period. The material designated by the word used by John ( χάρτης chartēs ) was the Egyptian papyrus, and the particular thing denoted was a leaf made out of that plant. The sheets were made from membranes of the plant closely pressed together. This plant was found also in Syria and Babylon, but it was produced in greater abundance in Egypt, and that was the plant which was commonly used. It was so comparatively cheap, that it in a great measure superseded the earlier materials for writing - plates of lead, or stone, or the skins of animals. It is probable that the books of the New Testament were written on this species of paper. Compare Hug, Introduction , chapter iii., Section 11.

And ink - The ink which was commonly employed in writing was made of soot and water, with a mixture of some species of gum to give it consistency and durability - Lucke. The instrument (pen) was made of a reed.

But I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face - Margin, as in Greek, "mouth to mouth."The phrase is a common one, to denote conversation with any one, especially free and confidential conversation. Compare Num 12:8; Jer 32:4.

That our joy may be full - Margin, "your."The marginal reading has arisen from a variation in the Greek copies. The word "our"is best sustained, and accords best with the connection. John would be likely to express the hope that he would find pleasure from such an interview. See the notes at 1Jo 1:4. Compare Rom 1:11-12.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:13

The children of thy elect sister greet thee - Of this "elect sister"nothing more is known. It would seem probable, from the fact that she is not mentioned as sending her salutations, that she was either dead, or that she was absent. John mentions her, however, as a Christian - as one of the elect or chosen of God.

Remarks On 2 John

In view of the exposition of this Epistle we may make the following remarks:

(1) It is desirable for a family to have a character for piety so consistent and well understood that all who know it shall perceive it and love it, 2Jo 1:1. In the case of this lady and her household, it would seem that, as far as they were known, they were known as a well-ordered Christian household. John said he loved such a family; and he said that it was loved by all who had any knowledge of them. What is more lovely to the view than such a household? What is better fitted to make an impression on the world favorable to religion?

\caps1 (2) i\caps0 t is a matter of great rejoicing when any part of a family becomes truly religious, 2Jo 1:4. We should rejoice with our friends, and should render unfeigned thanks to God, if any of their children are converted, and walk in the truth. No greater blessing can descend on a family than the early conversion of children; and, just as angels rejoice over one sinner that is converted, we should rejoice when the children of our friends are brought to a knowledge of the truth, and devote themselves to God in early life.

\caps1 (3) i\caps0 t is our duty to be on our guard against the arts of the teachers of error, 2Jo 1:7. They abound in every age. They are often learned, eloquent, and profound. They study and understand the arts of persuasion. They adapt their instructions to the capacity of those whom they would lead astray. They flatter their vanity; accommodate themselves to their peculiar views and tastes; court their society, and seek to share their friendship. They often appear to be eminently meek, and serious, and devout, and prayerful, for they know that no others can succeed who profess to inculcate the principles of religion. There are few arts more profound than that of leading people into error; few that are studied more, or with greater success. Every Christian, therefore, should be on his or her guard against such arts; and while he should (upon all subjects) be open to conviction, and be ready to yield his own opinions when convinced that they are wrong, yet he should yield to truth, not to people; to argument, not to the influence of the personal character of the professed religious teacher.

\caps1 (4) w\caps0 e may see that it is possible for us to lose a portion of the reward which we might enjoy in heaven, 2Jo 1:8. The rewards of heaven will be apportioned to our character, and for our services in the cause of religion in this life, and those who "sow sparingly shall reap also sparingly."Christians often begin their course with great zeal, and as if they were determined to reap the highest rewards of the heavenly world. If they should persevere in the course which they have commenced, they would indeed shine as the stars in the firmament. But, alas, their zeal soon dies away. They relax their efforts, and lose their watchfulness. They engage in some pursuit that absorbs their time, and interferes with their habits of devotion. They connive at error and sin; begin to love the comforts of this life; seek the honors or the riches of this world; and though they may be saved at last, yet they lose half their reward. It should be a fixed purpose with all Christians, and especially with such as are just entering upon the Christian life, to wear in heaven a crown as bright and studded with as many jewels as "can possibly be obtained."

\caps1 (5) w\caps0 e may learn from this Epistle how to regard and treat the teachers of error, 2Jo 1:10. We "are not to do anything that can be fairly construed as contenancing their doctrines."This simple rule would guide us to a course that is right. We are to have minds open to conviction. We are to love the truth, and always be ready to follow it. We are not to be prejudiced against anything. We are to treat all people with kindness; to be true, and just, and faithful in our contact with everyone; to be hospitable, and always ready to do good to any who are needy, whatever their name, color, rank, or opinions. We are not to cut the ties which bind us to our friends and kindred, though they embrace opinions which we deem erroneous or dangerous; but we are in no way to become the patrons of error, or to leave the impression that we are indifferent as to what is believed. The friends of truth and piety we should receive cordially to our dwellings, and should account ourselves honored by their presence, Psa 101:6-7; strangers we should not forget to entertain, for thereby we may entertain angels unawares, Heb 13:2; but the open advocate of what we regard as dangerous error, we are not to receive in any such sense or way as to have our treatment of him fairly construed as patronising his errors, or commending him as a teacher to the favorable regards of our fellowmen.

Neither by our influence, our names, our money, our personal friendship, are we to give him increased facilities for spreading pernicious error through the world. As people, as fellow-sufferers, as citizens, as neighbors, as the friends of temperance, of the prisoner, of the widow, the orphan, and the slave, and as the patrons of learning, we may be united in promoting objects dear to our hearts, but as "religious teachers"we are to show them no countenance, not so much as would be implied in the common form of salutation wishing them success. In all this there is no breach of charity, and no want of true love, for we are to love the truth more than we are the persons of men. To the person himself we should be ever ready to do good. We should never injure that individual in any way - in his person, property, or feelings. We should never attempt to deprive him of the right of cherishing his own opinions, and of spreading them in his own way, answerable, not to us, but to God. We should impose no pains or penalties upon him for the opinions which he holds. But we should do nothing to give him increased power to propagate them, and should never place ourselves by any alliance of friendship, family, or business, in such a position that we shall not be perfectly free to maintain our own sentiments, and to oppose what we deem to be error, whoever may advocate it.

Poole: 2Jo 1:10-11

Ver. 10,11. Such as bring any contrary doctrine, (as Gal 1:8 ), ought not to be harboured or countenanced by any encouraging salutation, lest we involve ourselves in the participation of their guilt, 1Ti 5:22 .

Poole: 2Jo 1:12

The latter write is not in the Greek text; but the words bear this sense, that having many things to write, I would not by

paper and ink impart them to you, (the expression being elliptical), but hope to come, &c.

Poole: 2Jo 1:13

They were, it is probable, with him at Ephesus, and took the occasion by him now writing, to transmit their salutations.

Amen this concluding Amen imports his sincerity in what he had written.

Gill: 2Jo 1:11

For he that biddeth him God speed,.... Wishes him well, and success in his ministry, or in a friendly and familiar way converses with him:

is partaker of his evil deeds; he has fellowship with him, instead of reproving or shunning him, as he ought; he is an abettor of him in his principles, and so far joins in the propagation of them, and helps to spread them, and gives too much reason to think he is one with him in them.

Gill: 2Jo 1:12

Having many things to write unto you,.... Either on a civil, or on a religious account, concerning the state of the churches of Asia, and particularly Ephesus, and of private families and persons, and concerning the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; not that he had any new one, or any other than what they had heard from the beginning, to communicate to them, by word of mouth, for this he denies, 2Jo 1:5; wherefore this makes nothing for the unwritten traditions of the Papists, and as if the Scriptures did not contain the whole of doctrine and of the will of God.

I would not write with paper and ink; any more than what was written:

but I trust to come unto you; where they were, but where that was is not known; very likely in some parts of Asia, and it may be not far from Ephesus, since any long journey would not have been fit for the apostle to have taken in this his old age:

and speak face to face; that is, freely and familiarly converse together about things omitted in this epistle:

that our joy may be full; in seeing one another's faces, and through hearing the things that may be talked of; and since the conversation would doubtless turn on divine and evangelic things, so fulness, or a large measure of spiritual joy, may be here intended. Instead of "our joy", the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and the Ethiopic versions, read, "your joy".

Gill: 2Jo 1:13

The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. Not the members of a sister church, as some think; but the children of one who was the sister of this lady, according to the flesh; and who, as she was either a very famous and excellent person, or rather one chosen of God likewise unto eternal life and salvation; and whose children also were walking in the truth, and here send their Christian salutation to their aunt; very likely those sister's children lived at Ephesus, where John resided.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:11

¹ sn Shares in his evil deeds. Giving a public greeting could be understood by an onlooker to suggest agreement with the (false) teaching of the opponents and is thus prohibited by John.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:12

¹ tn “Other” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity in English.

² tn Grk “by means of.”

³ sn Presumably the author means he would rather say the additional things he wants to say to the recipients in person rather than by letter (with paper and ink).

⁴ tn Grk “speak mouth to mouth,” an idiom for which the English equivalent is “speak face to face.”

⁵ tn Grk “be fulfilled.”

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:13

¹ tc The Byzantine text has ἀμήν (amhn, “amen”) at the conclusion of this letter. Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, the particle is lacking in excellent, early, and diffuse witnesses (א A B P Ψ 33 81 323 1739 1881 al co), rendering its omission the strongly preferred reading.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2 John

1 He exhorts a certain honourable matron, with her children, to persevere in Christian love and belief,

8 lest they lose the reward of their former profession;

10 and to have nothing to do with those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of Christ Jesus.

MHCC: 2Jo 1:7-11

The deceiver and his deceit are described: he brings some error concerning the person or office of the Lord Jesus. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist; he deludes souls, and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. Let us not think it strange, that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ's name and dignity now, for there were such, even in the apostles' times. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. Let us equally disregard such as abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and those who transgress his commands. Any who did not profess and preach the doctrine of Christ, respecting him as the Son of God, and salvation by him from guilt and sin, were not to be noticed and countenanced. Yet in obeying this command, we must show kindness and a good spirit to those who differ from us in lesser matters, but hold firmly the all-important doctrines of Christ's person, atonement, and holy salvation.

MHCC: 2Jo 1:12-13

The apostle refers many things to a personal meeting. Pen and ink were means of strengthening and comforting others; but to see each other is more so. The communion of saints should be maintained by all methods; and should tend to mutual joy. In communion with them we find much of our present joy, and look forward to happiness for ever.

Matthew Henry: 2Jo 1:10-11

Here, I. Upon due warning given concerning seducers, the apostle gives direction concerning the treatment of such. They are not to be entertained as the ministers of Christ. The Lord Christ will distinguish them from such, and so would he have his disciples. The direction is negative. 1. "Support them not: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (concerning Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah and anointed of God for our redemption and salvation), receive him not into your house. "Possibly this lady was like Gaius, of whom we read in the next epistle, a generous housekeeper, and hospitable entertainer of travelling ministers and Christians. These deceivers might possibly expect the same reception with others, or with the best who came there (as the blind are often bold enough), but the apostle allows it not: "Do not welcome them into your family."Doubtless such may be relieved in their pressing necessities, but not encouraged for ill service. Deniers of the faith are destroyers of souls; and it is supposed that even ladies themselves should have good understanding in the affairs of religion. 2. "Bless not their enterprises: Neither bid him God speed. Attend not their service with your prayers and good wishes."Bad work should not be consecrated or recommended to the divine benediction. God will be no patron of falsehood, seduction, and sin. We ought to bid God speed to evangelical ministration; but the propagation of fatal error, if we cannot prevent, we must not dare to countenance. Then,

II. Here is the reason of such direction, forbidding the support and patronage of the deceiver: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Favour and affection partake of the sin. We may be sharers in the iniquities of others. How judicious and how cautious should the Christian be! There are many ways of sharing the guilt of other people's transgressions; it may be done by culpable silence, indolence, unconcernedness, private contribution, public countenance and assistance, inward approbation, open apology and defence. The Lord pardon our guilt of other persons' sins!

Matthew Henry: 2Jo 1:12-13

The apostle concludes this letter, 1. With an adjournment of many things to personal conference: Having many things to write unto you I would not write with paper and ink; but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. Here it is supposed that some things are better spoken than written. The use of pen and ink may be a mercy and a pleasure; but a personal interview may be more so. The apostle was not yet too old for travel, nor consequently for travelling service. The communion of saints should be by all methods maintained; and their communion should tend to their mutual joy. Excellent ministers may have their joy advanced by their Christian friends. That I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me, Rom 1:12. 2. With the presentation of service and salutation from some near relations to the lady: The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Grace was abundant towards this family; here are two elect sisters, and probably their elect children. How will they admire this grace in heaven! The apostle condescends to insert the nieces' duty (as we should call it), or dutiful salutation, to their aunt. The duty of inferior relations is to be cherished. Doubtless the apostle was easy of access, and would admit all friendly and pious communication, and was ready to enhance the good lady's joy in her nieces as well as in her children. May there by many such gracious ladies rejoicing in their gracious descendants and other relations! Amen.

Barclay: 2Jo 1:10-13

Here we see very clearly the danger which John saw in these false teachers. They are to be no hospitality; and the refusal of hospitality would be the most effective way of stopping their work. John goes further; they are not even to be given a greeting on the street. This would be to indicate that to some extent you had sympathy with them. It must be made quite clear to the world that the church has no tolerance for those whose teaching destroys the faith. This passage may seem on the face of it to run counter to Christian love; but C. H. Dodd has certain very wise things to say about it.

It is by no means without parallel. When the saintly Polycarp met the heretic Marcion, Marcion said: "Do you recognize me?" "I recognize Satan's first-born," answered Polycarp. It was John himself who fled from the public baths when Cerinthus, the heretic, entered them. "Let us hurry away lest the building collapse on us," he said, "because Cerinthus, the enemy of truth, is here."

We have to remember the situation. There was a time when it was touch and go whether the Christian faith would be destroyed by the speculations of pseudo-philosophic heretics. Its very existence was in peril. The church dared not even seem to compromise with this destructive corrosion of the faith.

This, as C. H. Dodd points out, is an emergency regulation and "emergency regulations make bad law." We may recognize the necessity of this way of action in the situation in which John and his people found themselves, without in the least holding that we must treat mistaken thinkers in the same way. And yet, to return to C. H. Dodd, a good-humoured tolerance can never be enough. "The problem is to find a way of living with those whose convictions differ from our own upon the most fundamental matters, without either breaking charity or being disloyal to the truth." It is there that love must find a way. The best way to destroy our enemies, as Abraham Lincoln said, is to make them our friends. We can never compromise with mistaken teachers but we are never free from the obligation of seeking to lead them into the truth.

So John comes to an end. He will not write any more for he hopes to come to see his friends and to speak to them face to face. Both Greek and Hebrew say, not face to face, but mouth to mouth. In the Old Testament God says of Moses: "With him I speak mouth to mouth" (Num 12:8). John was wise and he knew that letters can often only bedevil a situation and that five minutes heart to heart talk can do what a whole file of letters is powerless to achieve. In many a church and in many a personal relationship, letters have merely succeeded in exacerbating a situation; for the most carefully written letter can be misinterpreted, when a little speech together might have mended matters. Cromwell never understood John Fox, the Quaker, and much disliked him. Then he met him, and after he had spoken to him, he said, "If you and I had but an hour together, we would be better friends than we are." Church courts and Christian people would do well to make a resolution never to write when they could speak.

The letter closes with greetings from John's church to the friends to whom he writes, greetings, as it were, from one sister's children to another's, for all Christians are members of one family in the faith.

Constable: 2Jo 1:4-11

II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRUTH vv. 4-11

"In the central section of 2 John [vv. 4-11] . . . we have a brief summary of the great contrasts between truth and error, love and hatred, the Church and the world, which are dealt with at greater length in 1 John."⁸

Constable: 2Jo 1:4--3Jo 1:5

A. Practicing the Truth vv. 4-6

John wrote this epistle to urge his readers to continue to be obedient to God by responding positively to the truth of His revelation. He also wanted them to resist the inroads of false teachers who sought to distort this truth. He dealt with the first purpose in verses 4-6.

v. 4 John began by commending the church. He had met some of its members who were walking in obedience to God's truth (i.e., walking in the light, 1 John 1:7).

v. 5 John's message for this church was not some new revelation. It was a reminder to keep on walking in obedience to God's truth by continuing to love one another (cf. 1 John 2:3-9; 3:14-18, 23; 4:7, 11, 20-21). This was important since false teachers were encouraging the readers to depart from the truth they were hearing (v. 6).

"It is not that love precedes truth or belief but that love offers the clearest test of the truthfulness of the confession and the sincerity of the obedience given to God's commands. Belief may be feigned and confession only of the lips, but love is harder to counterfeit."⁹

v. 6 If anyone had a question about what loving one another meant, John explained that it is essentially obeying God (cf. 1 John 5:2-3a). That is, we love each other best when we obey God's will that His Word reveals.

"Love strives to realise [sic] in detail every separate expression of the will of God."¹⁰

The antecedent of the last word in this verse is not clear in the English text or the Greek text. "It" could refer to "love" or "commandment." The latter alternative seems somewhat more likely in view of John's argument. In this case John's point was that his readers should obey God's commands as they had heard these from the beginning of the apostles' preaching (cf. 1 John 1:1). They should not obey the gospel that the false teachers were proclaiming.

All the specific "commandments" of God are really one "commandment" or obligation for the Christian (cf. 1 John 3:22-23).

Constable: 2Jo 1:7--3Jo 1:10

B. Protecting the Truth vv. 7-11

Next John moved on to his second purpose. He wrote to encourage his readers to resist the false teachers who were distorting the truth and deceiving some of the believers.

"The presbyter's attention now moves from the existence of true belief inside the Johannine community, which gives him great joy (v 4), to the dangers presented to it through the espousal of false belief by deceivers who have defected into the world.' Earlier, the writer has spoken of Christian truth and love; in the remainder of 2 John the emphasis inevitably falls on the need for truth in contrast to error. But the two sections interlock. Departure from the truth results in a failure of love. Thus the dark description of heretical secession and its consequences (vv 7-11) forms the basis of John's warm appeal for love and unity (vv 4-6)."¹¹

v. 7 This verse gives the reason for the exhortation in verse 6 and links what follows with verses 4-6. Erroneous teaching had already begun to proliferate in the early church (e.g., Gnosticism, Docetism, Cerinthianism, etc.; cf. 1 John 2:18, 22-23, 27; 4:1-3). The common error was Christological. The false teachers regarded Jesus as something other than God's Anointed One who had come in the flesh (cf. 1 John 5:1). "Coming" in the flesh means having come and continuing in flesh. This is the true view of the Incarnation. Jesus was and continues to be fully God and fully man.

"The incarnation was more than a mere incident, and more than a temporary and partial connection between the Logos and human nature. It was the permanent guarantee of the possibility of fellowship, and the chief means by which it is brought about."¹²

This type of false teacher is a deceiver as well as opposed to Christ. John did not mean that such a person was the end-time Antichrist. The use of the definite article in Greek, translated "the," used with an unnamed individual as here, sometimes translates better with the English indefinite article "a" or "an." That understanding of this statement is preferable here in view of other Scriptures that indicate the end-time Antichrist has yet to appear (e.g., Dan. 11; 2 Thess. 2).

"The elder says that anybody who denies the truth is a very antichrist, just as we might speak of a supremely evil person as the very devil.'"¹³

v. 8 Compromise with the false teachers could lead to a loss of reward (cf. the warning passages in Hebrews).¹⁴ Moreover loss for John's readers would involve loss for him as well since he had a share in their lives. This loss would only be partial, however. They would still receive some reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-15).¹⁵ Loss of salvation is not in view at all.

v. 9 The picture in John's mind seems to have been that of a Christian who, the false teachers said, did not have the whole truth. It is common even today for false teachers to claim that those who do not agree with them are still in an infantile intellectual condition. However, John regarded that "infantile" position as proper for the Christian. If his readers advanced beyond it, they would really step out of the truth into error. John warned his readers of the danger of apostasy, namely, forsaking truth to embrace error (cf. 1 John 2:23-24).

John's use of "abide" indicates that he spoke of a vital personal relationship with God that comes with adherence to the truth, not just dead doctrinal orthodoxy (cf. John 8:31; 14:21-23; 15:1-7).

vv. 10-11 In the culture of John's day philosophers and teachers relied on the people to whom they spoke for lodging and financial assistance (e.g., Acts 18:2-3; 21:7). John instructed his readers to refuse to help the false teachers in these ways. Beyond this they were not even to give verbal encouragement to these apostates (cf. Acts 15:23; 23:26; 1 Cor. 10:20; 1 Tim. 5:22; James 1:1; 1 Pet. 4:13).¹⁶ John did not advocate the persecution of heretics here, but he strongly counselled his readers to give them no aid or encouragement in their destructive ministry. I believe he would have approved his readers' efforts to correct the false teachers in private and to lead them into a true appreciation of the person and work of Christ. In dealing with such persons ourselves we must also relate to their ministry in one way and to themselves in another. We must not approve or encourage their work but must show concern for their personal relationship with Christ.¹⁷

"Admittedly great care should be exercised before applying such a radical withholding of hospitality from anyone. For the elder it was applied only to antichristians who were committed to destroying the faith of the community. The issue involved more than disagreements in interpretation or personal misunderstandings among members of the body of Christ. It was radical and clearly defined unbelief, and it involved active and aggressive promotion of perversions of truth and practice that struck at the heart of Christianity.

"The responsibility of parents may furnish an analogy. Parents must discriminate as to whom even among their relatives they entertain in their home. Some relatives might be of such questionable character as to menace the moral, spiritual, and physical welfare of the children. Such relatives must be excluded. Parents must balance their concern for their relatives with their responsibility for their children. Notice that John does not suggest that the elect lady and her children deal with the false teachers in hatred or retaliate against them. Instead, he counsels that the false teachers be kept at a distance lest their heresy destroy the young church."¹⁸

Constable: 2Jo 1:12-13

III. CONCLUSION vv. 12-13

John expressed his desire to visit his readers personally to explain the reason for the brevity of this epistle.

v. 12 John had more to say on this subject that God did not lead him to record in this letter. John could have written this epistle on one standard size sheet of papyrus.¹⁹ We do not know if John was able to follow through with his desire to visit his readers soon.

His readers' joy would be full when they understood the issue presented here more fully as well as when John visited them (cf. 1 John 1:4).

v. 13 John evidently meant that the Christians in the sister church of which he was a member sent their greetings along with his own to his readers.

College: 2 John

2 JOHN

¹ The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth - and not I only, but also all who know the truth - ² because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

³ Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love. ⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

⁷ Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. ⁹ Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. ¹¹ Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

¹² I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

¹³ The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

I. GREETING (1-3)

As was mentioned earlier, 2 and 3 John are closer examples of first century letters than 1 John. We have author, recipient, greeting, transitional statement of thanks or praise, main body, and closing. John continues to answer the same villains in his second epistle as he had in the first. This is not to say that there were Gnostics under every rock opposing the church in the first century, but rather that John specifically answers their false teaching with his epistles.

Aside from inspiration and God's canonization of the works, their preservation indicates the respect given to John's writings by the church. The readers needed to hear that they were wanted by God, that they were chosen by him, that they were protected by him from various enemy threats.

v. 1The elder,

The letter writer is presbuvtero" ( presbyteros ). Taken literally, this word means "older one." It was used for:

1) Those of an older or advanced age

2) Those in church leadership (usually used in plurality in the NT; see 1 Pet 5:1)

3) Predecessors, people of ancient times. One possibility is that John is using apocalyptic language to disguise himself and to protect the readers from government persecution. In any case, John is known by the readers of this letter and simply uses the designation of The Elder .

To the chosen lady and her children,

The recipients of the letter is another matter for discussion. Commentators through the centuries have disagreed about their identification. Who are the chosen lady and her children ? There are at least four views to consider for the identification of the lady:

1) Some have argued that the lady is an "unknown sister" in one of the local congregations. This is probably the best position for those who insist on the one-recipient view.

2) Others have held that there was a lady by the name of Eklecte or Eclecta (literally taking the Greek to indicate an actual name of a specific woman, =Eklekth/', (transliterated as Eklecte ). E.g., Clement of Alexandria held this view. It is also less likely because we find it again as an adjective in verse 13.

3) Perhaps it was another lady named Kuria or Cyria by transliterating the word for lady (kuriva in Greek, the equivalent of "Martha" in Hebrew). But there is little evidence in early Christian literature to support such a view.

4) If John were using the device of cryptic language in this epistle, the chosen lady and her children would be the local church.

It is my opinion that this last view is the correct one. Both the Greek pronouns and verb forms used here are plural. The children , therefore, would be members of a local congregation (see 1 Tim 1:2; Gal 4:25). Like mother, like daughter - the church and her members are chosen!

whom I love in the truth - and not I only, but also all who know the truth -

John and the recipients share a common passion for the truth. He is referring to the gospel of truth (John 1:7; 14:7; 17:19; Gal 2:5, 14; Col 1:6). John identifies himself as being a part of their company. All who have obeyed the gospel know the truth and are known by the truth they live. Paul bragged about congregations whose reputation in the faith preceded them (Rom 1:8; 2 Cor 8:7; Ph 1:15; Col 1:4; 1 Thess 1:8; and 2 Thess 1:3).

v. 2 because of the truth,

Truth (ajlhvqeia, alçtheia) is a key word in the second epistle appearing five times in the first four verses. Notice the antithesis of truth in the word "deceivers" in verse 7 and the intimated opposition to truth in verse 11, "wicked work." For the sake of the truth John is writing to these Christians to remind them of a common cause and bloodline.

which lives in us and will be with us forever:

How does this truth live in the Christian? Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). When we clothe ourselves with Christ, we clothe ourselves with him, the truth (Gal 3:26-29). Jesus' promise in Matthew 28:20 is fulfilled by the indwelling of Christ's Spirit (John 14:16; Acts 2:38, 39) and our continued faithfulness to his revealed truth in the Word.

v. 3 Grace, mercy and peace

These three words also appear in 1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2. You have the common Greek greeting in grace (cavri", charis ) and the common Hebrew greeting in peace (eijrhvnh, eirçnç - often explained as the Christian form of shalom ). Mercy (e[leo", eleos ) serves as the bridge connecting the two (Westcott, "the manifestation of the divine 'grace.'").

from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.

John presents evidence that Jesus Christ and God the Father are one in that they are the source (paraÉ, para or from) of the grace, mercy and peace. Literally these blessings come from both equally. Jesus had told Philip, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). John is also answering some of the false teaching that denied Jesus' physical birth and life on earth (v. 7). Grace, mercy and peace will cohabit with the Christian through truth and love . Interestingly, here the verb tense is future e[stai (2 Pet 1:2 and Jude 2 use present tense, "be. . .in abundance" - plhquvnw, plçthynô).

II. WALKING IN OBEDIENCE (4-6)

A. SOURCE OF JOY (4)

v. 4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

Following the customary first century letter form, John expresses a note of thanksgiving to the recipients. As for any parent, the knowledge that your children are actually obedient to what you have asked them to do is a source of great joy , not to mention relief! God the Father has commanded that we continue to walk in the truth . Logically if some (not in the original) of the children were walking in the truth , others were no longer and had fallen away. It is to be a lifestyle for the faithful that is obvious to everyone, friend and enemy alike.

B. LOVE AS OBEDIENCE (5-6)

v. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.

The apostle of love again politely pleads with his readers (singular, yet addressed to all, including John) to obey the command to love one another . The NIV uses the words I ask . It is not new because they have heard it before. John had seen, touched and heard it before. The command goes back to Leviticus 19:18. More specifically, from the beginning would be from the time of their rebirth and being clothed with truth and love (John 13:34; see comments on 1 John 2:7-15). In contrast, the Gnostics were constantly adding new teachings. The old teaching of love was sufficient to answer the new threat to the church. It is not optional because it is a command from the head of the church. Jesus in Matthew 22 and Paul in Romans 13 summed up a list of commands in the one to love.

v. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

John defines love for the readers again. We have the benefit of knowing what John has written in his extant writings. They did not and needed another explanation of love fleshed out. The same phrase is repeated, from the beginning . John reinforces the thought that they knew better and should renew their first love.

But what happens when we do not obey all of his commands ? We have "one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). Intent to obey his commands and living a life before and toward God proves our love for him and our neighbor. Maybe the RSV has a closer meaning to the original by using "follow" in love. Jesus best demonstrated how to love and we must follow his example! Walking in love puts our confession of faith into action.

III. CONTINUING IN THE TEACHING (7-11)

A. IDENTIFICATION OF DECEIVERS (7)

v. 7 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

This is the real reason for John to write about the truth - the rise of false teachers. The NIV does not translate o}ti ( hoti - "because" or "for") at the beginning of the verse, which would evidence John's purpose in warning. We generally know what deceivers are. They are liars! And we know that the devil "is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). They had been commissioned by their master to go out into the world . John clarifies that the deceivers attempting to teach among his readers would be those who deny Jesus' incarnation (see 1 John 2:22; 4:2, 15; 5:6). They do not acknowledge or confess (oJmologevw, homologeô) that Jesus came in the flesh in contrast to the Christian confession. Their unity is in a common conspiracy of deceit. They are calling God a liar (1 John 5:10). One of the best safeguards against error or false teaching is for brothers and sisters to genuinely love one another.

The definite article appears in the original to label false teachers as the deceiver and the antichrist . Some have taken this to mean that the false teachers were the devil himself. There is no worse enemy for Christians than one who is anti-Christ. In this wording we hear the strongest warning from John. That is why any association with the deceivers would be anti-Christian and walking in the opposite direction of their confession of faith and walk in love. Is there one Antichrist? John is the only New Testament writer to use the terminology, here and in 1 John 2:18, 22 and 4:3. Context indicates that there are many antichrists or deceivers.

B. BEING FULLY REWARDED (8)

v. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

Watch out (blevpete, blepete ) means caution! When one holds the belief that Jesus did not come in the flesh, as Knofel Staton responds, "it is just a logical jump to conclude that He is not presently coming into the flesh of men via the Holy Spirit. If that is denied, ethics is reduced to humanism. That is precisely what Gnosticism did to ethics in the first century. If there is no Divine that comes into the human, the human becomes his own god." If a person becomes "his own god," he is lost.

John's warning here runs counter to the position of some Calvinists who hold the doctrine of "the perseverance of the saints" (the "P" in TULIP). The possibility of losing, drifting away or falling away is taught in such passages as Hebrews 2:1 (drifting), Matthew 11:6; 26:31, 33; Mark 4:17; 14:27, 29; Luke 7:23; 8:13; and Hebrews 6:6 (falling). The NIV translates the clause, a} hjrgasavmeqa ( ha çrgasametha) as what you have worked for . This is better rendered, "what we have worked for." The objection to works salvation would be answered to some degree with this interpretation. We would see John's concern that his own efforts and those of other evangelists could be in vain should the readers "fall away." Paul writes, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil 2:12, 13).

There is always a need for self-examination in the Christian life (e.g., 1 Cor 11:28). The end result of our watching out is to be rewarded fully . "Reward" is used 24 times in the New Testament, among which only one other passage is in John's writings, Revelation 22:12. The ultimate reward for the Christian to hear from his Lord is, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt 25:21).

C. HAVING BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON (9)

v.9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God;

What does John mean by the clause anyone who runs ahead, as the NIV translates Pa'" oJ proavgwn (pas ho proagôn)? It can also mean "to go too far" or as Smith uses the alternate reading of parabaivnwn, parabainôn - "progresses," which can also mean "turn away" or "leave." There is a caution for John's readers, as well as for us, to build on the past without completely abandoning it. John describes a person who is not satisfied with the way things are and usurps a teacher's authority in order to present a contradictory new teaching. He or she has a revelation that is better than what God has revealed. When that happens, he stops following the teaching of Christ and does not have God ! To be without Christ is to be lost (1 John 5:12).

What then is the teaching of Christ? Two options would be either " what Jesus taught" or "what has been taught about him." The context of John's epistles would have us adopt the latter view due to the false teaching about the Christ of which John warns his readers.

whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

The positive outcome for the faithful follower is the assurance of having both the Father and the Son and their having him. Persevering of the saints requires discipline!

D. WARNING ABOUT MISDIRECTED HOSPITALITY (10-11)

v. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.

If begins a conditional sentence and means in essence that it is likely that the recipients of this letter will encounter false teachers. Marshall comments, "we should not give any kind of practical encouragement to the false teachers." We have heard that some cults practice scare tactics in warning their would-be proselytes to ignore any other teaching as from the devil. That would be one way for false teachers to protect their catch. John warns the Christians to identify the deceivers immediately by their speech. If what they teach is not in line with what John has described as the teaching of Christ (or the teaching about Christ), they are to be avoided entirely. Romans 12:13 is not to be applied to false teachers and deceivers. Christians are under no obligation to "practice hospitality" to them. Do not take him into your house or welcome him clearly protects family devotion to one another and to Christ.

Ross cautions about overreacting and becoming too judgmental, "We should, however, be absolutely certain that men are as far astray from Christian Truth as John's heretics were before we think of meeting [sic] out to them such treatment as John here recommends." We would all do well to apply 1 John 4:1-6 in testing the spirits of such alleged teachers in order to protect ourselves and the fellowship of the church.

v. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

If the readers had not learned the lesson by now, John adds to the warning by explaining that to be hospitable to deceivers is the same as being a deceiver. They would have fellowship (koinwniva, koinônia) in wickedness! Alexander Campbell used the phrase "listening distance" or "hearing distance." Ross comments that inviting deceivers in, "would increase their opportunities for working mischief." Paul warned, "I urge you brothers . . . . Keep away from them." (Rom 16:17). If we do not invite false teachers into our homes (churches - Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 16:19; Phlm 1:2), we will not come within the listening distance to be led astray!

IV. HOPING FOR A VISIT (12)

v. 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink.

A close parallel with 3 John indicates that both books may have been written at the same time. We do not know how much more John wished to write to the readers of this letter. The brevity of the letter demonstrates John's urgency in warning the church. Many have speculated concerning what John might have written. It is reminiscent of John 21:25 where John ends his portrait of Jesus and claims that many more volumes would still not contain all of his life. If John has been using a disguise throughout the letter through cryptic language, he may have been protecting his readers from detection by not saying too much in writing.

Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

He would wait to speak with them face to face . Some things you cannot write in a letter, speak over the phone or by electronic mail. He may have planned to equip them more completely to handle the onslaught of the false teachers and to rejoice with them in their common faith. Again, John includes himself by using the word our and remains consistent with the rest of the letter. John wanted to rejoice with them and in person.

V. CLOSING (13)

v. 13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

John closes his letter as he began it. If John has been addressing a local congregation, he then signs his letter by sending reciprocal greetings from his own congregation. They needed to know that they were not alone in the world. If John is writing from Ephesus, it is the church at Ephesus that sends greetings. The Textus Receptus has ajmhvn (amçn) added to the closing words of the verse, your chosen sister (literally: your sister, the chosen one).

QUESTIONS ON SECOND JOHN

Consider These as You Read 2 John

1. Who is "the elder"?

2. Who is "the elect lady"?

3. Is there more to verse 3 than the mere formality of greeting?

4. Who are the children of verse 4?

5. What is the purpose of John's writing in 2 John?

6. Why is 2 John so short?

Questions for Review of 2 John

1. What are some of the different views of the identity of "the elect lady?"

2. What is the probable meaning of the term "elder" as used here by John?

3. Against what does 2 John constitute a warning (v. 8)?

4. How does John's position against Gnosticism answer the present day philosophy that "all truth is relative?"

5. Describe the grace of God.

6. Sin, in its deepest sense, is a crime against what or whom?

7. A crime against law can be punished by ________________ .

8. A crime against love can only be atoned for by _________ .

9. How would you answer the claim that the peace of God in the heart of Christians is "the opiate of the people" to lull them into the grasp of those who would enslave and exploit?

10. Why is John pleasantly surprised to find the wandering children of the elect lady walking according to truth?

11. The only admissible evidence that we know truth is that we __________________ (v. 4).

12. The fundamental command of God to his children is that we __________________ .

13. How does love express itself (v. 6)?

14. Love will not allow __________________ with falsehood.

15. Who does John identify as the antichrist in 2 John? How does this compare with what John says about the antichrist in 1 John, chapter 2?

16. The essential truth upon which both the personal salvation of Christians and the fellowship of the church rests is ______________ .

17. What is meant by "the teaching of Christ" in 2 John 9?

18. What is the danger of "progress" as set forth in 2 John 9?

19. Why are we forbidden to be hospitable to false teachers?

20. How would a Christian share in wickedness (v. 11)?

21. Who might be chosen sister be?

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

Lapide: 2 John

PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND THIRD

EPISTLE OF S. JOHN.

——o——

SEVERAL ancient writers have entertained doubts respecting the Second and Third Epistles of S. John, supposing them to have been written by John the Presbyter, not John the Apostle. They have been led to think this because the writer begins by calling himself the Elder, or the Presbyter, in Greek πζεσβύτεζος. This doubt is mentioned by Eusebius ( H. E. lib. 3 cap ult. ) and S. Jerome ( de Scrip. Eccles.). But that both these Epistles are canonical is now de fide, and also that they were written by S. John the Apostle. This appears, 1st From the definition of the Council of Trent ( sess. 4), and the Third Council of Carthage ( cap. 47), and the Council of Laodicæa ( cap. 59), and the 84 of the Canons of the Apostles.

2d. From the Fathers, viz. Irenæeus ( lib. 3 c. 13), S. Augustine ( lib. 2 de Doct. Christ. c. 8). Hear also S. Jerome ( Epis. ad Paul ): "James, Peter, John, and Jude the Apostles published seven epistles, both mystical, succinct, and brief, all about the same length: short in words, long in sentences, so that there are few readers who are unacquainted with them."¹ He says elsewhere ( Epis. ad Evagr.): "The son of thunder, whom Jesus loved most dearly, sounds with his trumpet; he, I mean, who from the Saviour's breast drank rivers of doctrine, 'the Presbyter to the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the truth.'"

3d. Similarity of style and matter is an argument for these two Epistles having the same author as the first. This is what Baronius says ( An. 99 , cap. 9): "Certainly, if ever it be allowable to judge by their likeness to one another that children are born of the same parents, any one can easily perceive, from the words, the sentences, the style, the tone, bearing as they do on the surface the same character, that these Epistles have proceeded from the same author. First, with regard to the words and sentences, there are many indications of this, as when he says in the First Epistle 'I write not a new commandment unto you, but an old.' So in the Second, 'Not as writing a new commandment unto you, but that which we have had from the beginning.' Again in the First, 'Every one who denieth the Son, neither hath he the Father: he who confesseth the Son hath the Father also.' And in the Second he utters the same sentiment in the words, 'Every one who draws back, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: he who abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son.' So too in the First, 'Whosoever is born of God sinneth not. In the Third the same idea is thus expressed, 'He that doeth good is of God; and he that is born of God sinneth not.' And as in the First Epistle it is frequently inculcated that we should love in deed and in truth, in the Second and Third there are injunctions to love in truth. In the First Epistle we find, 'Many false prophets are gone out into the world; in this is known the spirit of God,' &c. So in the Second we find the same idea in almost identical words, 'There are many seducers gone out into the world: he who confesseth not that Jesus is come in the flesh, this is a seducer and an antichrist.' Again, we have in the First Epistle, 'This is love, that we keep His commandments;' and in the Second, 'This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.' This continual inculcation of charity, love, and truth in these two Epistles clearly indicates that we have in them a genuine transcript of the mind of S. John, just as we have in the First."

To the objection that John writes of himself as the Elder, or Presbyter, I reply that in that age Presbyter and Bishop had the same meaning, as I have shown on 1Ti 4:14. Moreover, S. John, worn out at this time with the fulness of years and the weight of the apostolic dignity, was the oldest of all living Christians. The last of the Apostles, he lived until the age of Trajan, and died about A.D. 101.

 THE SECOND EPISTLE OF

S. JOHN.

——o——

The Elder : S. John, as the last survivor of the Apostles, surpassed all the three Bishops both in age and dignity. As S. Ambrose says, "an Elder, who was furnished with a sort of swan-like grace of age." And Œcumenius says, "John speaks of himself as a Bishop under the name of a Presbyter."

Elect : Serarius endeavours to prove by eight conjectural reasons that by the name Electa is signified not a person, or matron, but an Asiatic Church. For the Church is the elect Spouse of God, according to the words in Song vi. 9, "Fair as the moon, elect as the sun" ( Vulg.); and S. Peter's 1st Epist. (1Pet 513, "The Church in Babylon co-elect with you." Serarius thinks that this Church was one of the seven Churches of Asia, which S. John warns and teaches in the Apocalypse: or else that it was the Church of Corinth, because Gaius the host of S. Paul was a member of it, as we gather from Rom 16:23; and 1Co 1:14. For it would seem that this Second Epistle was sent with the Third to the Church in which Gaius, to whom the Third Epistle is inscribed, lived. Moreover, this Church is called κυζία, i.e. lady, either on account of the dignity of the place, or because it excelled in virtue.

But, omitting other things, it is against this opinion that S. John says in his Third Epistle, speaking to Gaius, "I might perchance have written to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the primacy among them, receiveth not us." He shows by these words that he did not write an Epistle to the Church where Gaius was. Wherefore it is the general opinion that the Epistle was written to a particular matron. And that this is the meaning of elect Lady, or the Lady Electa. What then is the meaning of Electa? 1st Some say it means a faithful Christian woman. For Christians generally were called the elect. Thus S. Peter (1 Ep. c. 1) writes "to the elect strangers of Pontus," &c.

But others, with more probability, think that Electa is a proper name. For epistles are wont to be inscribed to particular persons, who are addressed by their proper names. This too is why the word ε̉κλακτη̃ is without the article. For if it were an appellative noun it would have the article as in the last ver. τη̃ ε̉κλακτη̃.

Again, the word Electa is usually written with a capital letter. In a similar manner many Christians had appellatives conferred upon them instead of proper names, such as Justus, Justa, Christianus, Christiana. It may be that the faithful called her by this name because of her eminent virtue, especially because she brought up her daughters in the love of virginity, and had a religious household, as I shall show presently. Thus Elect, as meaning of excellent virtue and nobility, may answer to the Heb. bechira, chosen, illustrious.

Again, it may have been that this matron, on account of her nobility, influence, and virtue, may have been chosen to preside over other Christian women, especially those who were poor, that she might give them instruction in the faith and Christian principles, and supply their wants by procuring alms for them. Lyra adds that she supported the ministers of the Church. She was then a mother, and refuge of the faithful, such as was S. Potentiana, the sister of S. Praxedes, in the persecution of the Emperor Antoninus. For as the Apostles chose S. Stephen and the six other deacons for such an office, so did the Bishops subsequently choose deaconesses to minister to women.

The Latin translation does not call her Eclecla, following the Greek, but in the Latin form Electa. This is in favour of its being an appellative converted into a proper name by reason of her dignity and office. Lucitis Dexter, in his "Chronicle," says that this lady's original proper name was Drusia. This is what he says, "In the year of Christ 105, S. John wrote his Second Epistle to Drusia the elect female, who as a mother of the Church of that city at the time abounded in charity and alms-giving." Lastly, Clement of Alexandria says, "The Second Epistle of John is most simply written to virgins. It is inscribed to a certain lady Electa of Babylon."

Lady : from this it is plain that this Electa was a noble and influential matron, to whom, though not in accordance with his usual practice, S. John writes to confirm her, and through her others in the faith, that they might not be led astray by Ebion, Cerinthus, and the Gnostics. Such heretics would seem to have crept into this lady's house, and were endeavouring to infect her with their false doctrine. S. John seems to intimate this in the 10th ver., where he strictly forbids her to wish them God speed, or to receive them into her house.

There is an allusion to a very pretty Hebrew pun, libeclura gebira, meaning the same as chosen, or elect Lady. Similarly, S. Jerome instructed several noble Roman matrons by his words and his writings, and drew many of them to Bethlehem to the monastery of S. Paula and S. Eustochium under his direction. This is how he answers the charge brought against him for associating with these women ( Epist. 140 ad Princip.), "If men would search the Scriptures, I should not speak to women. If Barach had been willing to go out to battle there would have been no triumph for Debora. Jeremiah is shut up in prison, and, in order that Israel should not perish for lack of a prophet amongst them, Huldah the prophetess is raised up. The priests and Pharisees crucify the Son of God, but Mary Magdalen is weeping at the Cross, is preparing ointments, is seeking Him in the tomb. She interrogates the gardener, she recognises the Lord, she runs to the disciples, she tells them He is found. While they are doubting, she is full of confidence. She is a true tower (πυζγίτις ),² yea a very tower of ivory and cedar looking toward Damascus, that is to the Blood of the Saviour, which calls to deeds of penitence. It ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women, and Abraham was made subject unto her, and it was said to him, 'Whatsoever Sara saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice.'" But this particular conduct of S. Jerome is certainly not for every one to imitate; indeed, with young women it should be wholly avoided.

And her children : Clement of Alexandria testifies that these children were virgins, and thus are affectionately saluted by the virgin John. It seems then that Electa brought up her daughters for virginity and holiness, so that her home might be called a very Parthenon, or convent of virgins.

Whom I love in the truth, i.e. truly, sincerely. In the truth, i.e. in Christian charity. Or, in the truth, i.e. in the Lord, who is Truth.

And not I only, &c. "This common love removes all suspicion of private affection, and makes it of greater force," says the Inter. Gloss.

Ver. 2.— For the Truth's sake. He means, I love them in the Truth, because they themselves constantly adhere to the Truth, i.e. to the true faith. And Electa and her daughters showed that they had this true faith, because they showed it in works of love to the brethren. Therefore did S. John love them. "I love them," he means to say, "for the Truth's sake, because they live a life agreeable to the truth of the Gospel."

Ver. 3.— Grace, mercy, and peace be with you. Concerning this salutation I have spoken in the beginning of St. Paul's Epistles to Titus, the Romans, and Corinthians. He adds mercy (or, as the Syriac translation, compassions ) to grace, that by the mercies which they had received, and were daily receiving from God through Christ, he might stir up Electa and her children to show like mercy to their neighbours. For all, however holy they may be, still are poor and weak, and need the mercy of God, either because they fall, or are in danger of falling.

In truth and love, understand, that ye may persevere and increase in them. Catharinus takes it differently, thus: "The grace, mercy, and peace which I ask for you consist in the truth, i.e. true doctrine, in faith, and the charity in which ye sincerely love one another for God's sake. For in those two things the perfection of Christ consists." This is a very apposite meaning, easy and obvious, and requires nothing to be understood, or supplied.

I was exceeding glad because I found of thy children. Of thy children. This is a Hebraism. There is a similar grammatical form in Ps. lxxii. 16, "To Him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, and they shall worship of Him" ( de ipso ), i.e. " shall worship Him. "

Electa seems to have had many sons or grandsons, for they too are called children.

Walking in the Truth : ordering their lives according to the rule of the Gospel. Observe, he does not say standing, or sitting, to signify that they made daily progress in the Christian life, and went on from virtue to virtue, in which he proposes them as a model for imitation.

As we have received commandment from the Father. For the Father has commanded through the Son, even as Christ saith ( John xv. 15), "All things whatsoever I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you."

Ver.5.—And now, I beseech thee, Lady, &c. This must be referred to the end of the verse, that we love one another. I beseech thee, lady, to exercise thyself, and those who belong to thee, in mutual love. For this commandment of love is not recent and new, but delivered by Christ to me and the rest of the Apostles at the very beginning of the Gospel. Observe the modesty of S. John as something which ought to be imitated by Prelates, in that he says, I beseech thee, Lady, when he might have said, I command thee, 0 my daughter.

Ver. 6. — For this is the commandment. . . that ye should walk, &c. Viz., that ye should make careful progress in evangelical truth and love, growing and making progress in the love of God and your neighbours, as I enjoined upon you in the very beginning of my preaching.

Ver. 7.— Because many seducers are going out into the world. He now passes to the second branch of his epistle, from charity to evangelical truth. For these two virtues are inseparable sisters and companions. Now the word because gives the reason for what he had said in the verse preceding. "I have said that ye should walk in charity, should make progress in the commandment of Gospel truth and charity, because many seducers are gone out into the world, who endeavour to overturn this truth, and as a consequence Christian charity, and to tear it from you. Of such therefore ye ought to beware as of wolves. For they strive to draw you away from union with Christ to their own conventicles of Satan."

This is a seducer and an antichrist. Whosoever thinks, or teaches, that Christ has not come in the flesh, has not been incarnate; this man is a deceiver.

Ver. 8.— Lest ye lose that which ye have wrought : the Greek reads in the first person, lest we lose, &c. Lest I should have preached to you in vain, and lest both I and you should lose all our former labour. As the old saying hath it, "There is no greater unhappiness than to remember that we once were happy."

But that ye may receive a full reward. That is, if ye take heed to yourselves, and persevere, your perseverance will bring you a full reward. Full, i.e. copious and abundant. For he who falls back, even though he afterwards repent, receives only a half reward, for he loses all the time and the works of the period of his apostasy. The Greek has α̉πολάβωμεν, that we may receive, for the reward of an Apostle and teacher is full when he sees the fruit of his works in his disciples, and when he is honoured and crowned, not only in himself, but in them. As S. Paul says, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? Ye are our glory and joy."

Ver. 9.— Whosoever goeth back, &c. The Greek is παζαβαινιν, i.e., who transgresses. The Syriac reads, he who passes by, and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, has not God for his friend.

Ver. 10 . — lf any one come to you, and bring not this doctrine, &c. S. John in this place not only advises, as some think, but also commands Electa and all the rest of the faithful not to receive to hospitality, nor say Hail, to any one who brings another doctrine, i.e. one which is contrary to the orthodox faith of Christ. For he who saith hail to such is partaker of their evil deeds. That is, he seems to favour and applaud the heretical teacher.

Observe, not only by human and canon laws, as since the time of S. John they have been enacted by Pontiffs and Councils, heretics are to be avoided in three cases. The first is, when there is danger lest you or yours should be perverted by them, which is a thing which ordinarily happens. For, as S. Paul saith, "Their word doth creep as doth a cancer." (2 Tim 2:17.)

2d. When, by receiving, you would seem to favour his heresy, and tacitly profess or encourage it. As, for example, if you were to receive to your house and table a recognised Calvinistic minister, who came for the purpose of propagating his heresy. In the same way it would be wrong to be present at his preaching, or eucharists, or to communicate with him in sacris.

3d. When you give scandal to others, so that they, thinking you to be a host and patron of heretics, should be by your example emboldened to do the same.

These cases being excepted, intercourse with heretics is not forbidden by the Divine and natural law, especially if necessity, or mercy, or grave benefit counsels it.

What S, John here teaches by way of precept he enforced by his example. For having entered into a bath, as soon as he saw Cerinthus there, he sprang out, crying, "Let us flee quickly lest the bath in which is Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, should fall upon us!"

S. John's disciple, S. Polycarp, followed his master, saying in his Epistle to the Philippians, in allusion to these words of S. John, "Abstain," he says, "from scandals, and from false brethren, who bear the name of the Lord in vain, who cause foolish men to go astray. For every one who confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, he is antichrist: and he who confesses not the mystery of the Cross is a devil." Thus wrote holy Polycarp, and he acted accordingly. For meeting the heretic Marcion, and being asked by him if he knew him, he answered, "I know thee to be the devil's first-born."

Thus S. Hermenegild was slain by command of his father, Levvigild, king of the Goths, because he would not receive the Eucharist at Easter from an Arian bishop. This is related by S. Gregory (3 Dial. 31), who calls him a martyr of the Church.

Eusebius of Vercelli, being taken by the Arians, preferred to die of hunger rather than take food from those heretics.

S. Paphnutius took Maximus Bishop of Jerusalem by the hand when he was through simplicity associating with heretics, and led him away from them, saying, "I cannot suffer so venerable a bishop to sit in the seat of pestilence, and to communicate with unclean heretics even by a word."

When S. Martin communicated with the Bishops of the Ithacian sect, in the hope of saving them, he was warned by an angel not to do so. And although he repeated, he experienced a diminution of grace, so that he did not work so many miracles as he had previously wrought. ( Sulp. Sever. lib. 3 Dial )

Still more are heretical books to be avoided. For these pestilent productions conceal their heresy like a plague under an appearance of elegance and wisdom, and instil it into the minds of the readers. In this present age the heresy of Luther and Calvin has been dispersed through so many kingdoms by means of their books. If you wish to take away their heresy, take away their books and their ministers. In truth you will have taken it away as soon as you have substituted pious and learned priests and preachers.

Neither say godspeed ( ave ) to him. The Syriac has, ye shall not say either hail to him or farewell. The ancient Romans said ave, or salve at coming in, vale at going out. Ave then here means the same as the Greek χαὶζειν, rejoice.

For he who saith to him Ave (Syriac rejoice ) is a partaker in his evil deeds. For he who salutes a heretical teacher seems to approve his heresy. Some Latin copies add here, Lo, I have told you beforehand, that ye may not be confounded in the day of the Lord.

Ver. 12.— Having many things, &c. Either because they were confidential, or because letters might perish, or fall into the hands of unbelievers, who would interpret them falsely.

For I hope to come unto you. This shows that this letter was not written and sent to a lady at Babylon, as Clement of Alexandria says, but to some one in Asia Minor, or Greece near to Ephesus. For S. John, who was now in extreme old age and infirm, was wont to make excursions to the neighbouring cities of Asia to instruct and confirm them, but not to go as far as Babylon.

That your joy may be full : For the living voice of a Doctor and Apostle, especially S. John, would bring far more joy, instruction, comfort, and devotion than any mere letters.

Ver. 13.— The children of thy sister Electa salute thee. From hence Œcumenius and our Serarius maintain that the name of Electa, to whom this Epistle is inscribed, is an appellative noun and the title of some particular church. They think the meaning is, "The children of thy sister, i.e. the faithful of the elect Church of Ephesus, salute thee, 0 elect Church of Corinth." Some think that these Electas were particular persons, but were called sisters, not as being so in the flesh, but because they were disciples of the same master, S. John.

It is probable that the sister of Electa was also called Electa on the principle that in many families two or more children bear the same name, so that there are two Johns, two Peters, two Marys, or Margarets. I add what I have intimated at the commencement of the Epistle, that Electa is not so strictly a proper as an appropriated name, a title, so to say, of dignity and office which is bestowed upon several persons discharging similar functions. Electa thus seems to have been the name of a chief matron, who like a mother supported the ministers of the Church, the widows, the orphans, and the poor, and who as a Deaconess presided over the instruction and government of other women in the Church. The meaning then is, "0 Electa, mother of the faithful in the Church, say of Corinth, the children of thy sister, who is also Electa, a mother of the faithful, in the Church of Ephesus, from whence I write, salute thee." It is in favour of this that the Greek article is prefixed to Electa, which is not usual in the use of proper names, but to names of dignity and office appropriated to certain persons.

It is an instance of the kindness and courtesy of S. John that he salutes Electa, not only in his own name, but in the name of his grandchildren.

Some Greek and Latin codices add, Grace be with them. Amen. This is a salutation worthy of S. John and common with S. Paul.

Commentary -- Other

Evidence: 2Jo 1:13

Evangelistic Survey

Where do people go to when they die?

What do you think God is like?

If you could ask God one thing, what would it be?

Should God punish murderers? If so, how should He punish them?

What do you think a person has to do to go to heaven?

Do you consider yourself to be a " good" person?

How many of the Ten Commandments can you name?

Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?

Where would you go if you died tonight?

Do you believe there is such a place as hell?

If there was a way to avoid death, would you be interested?

Do you think the Bible’s claim, that someone can know that they have everlasting life, is true?

Who do you think Jesus was?

What is stopping you from asking God for forgiveness and being converted right now?

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 2 John (Book Introduction)

SECOND JOHN

ABOUT a.d. 85 TO 90

By Way of Introduction

There is little to add to what was said about the First Epistle except that here the author terms himself " the elder" ( ho presbuteros ) and writes to " the elect lady" ( eklektēi kuriāi ). There is dispute about both of these titles. Some hold that it is the mythical " presbyter John" of whom Papias may speak, if so understood, but whose very existence is disproved by Dom Chapman in John the Presbyter and the Fourth Gospel (1911). Peter the apostle (1Pe_1:1) calls himself " fellow-elder" ( sunpresbuteros ) with the other elders (1Pe_5:1). The word referred originally to age (Luk_15:25), then to rank or office as in the Sanhedrin (Mat_16:21; Act_6:12) and in the Christian churches (Act_11:30; Act_20:17; 1Ti_5:17, 1Ti_5:19) as here also. A few even deny that the author is the same as in the First Epistle of John, but just an imitator. But the bulk of modern scholarly opinion agrees that the same man wrote all three Epistles and the Fourth Gospel (the Beloved Disciple, and many still say the Apostle John) whatever is true of the Apocalypse. There is no way of deciding whether " the elect lady" is a woman or a church. The obvious way of taking it is to a woman of distinction in one of the churches, as is true of " the co-elect lady in Babylon" (1Pe_5:13), Peter’s wife, who travelled with him (1Co_9:5). Some even take kuria to be the name of the lady (Cyria). Some also take it to be " Eklecta the lady." Dr. Findlay ( Fellowship in the Life Eternal , p. 31) holds that Pergamum is the church to which the letter was sent. The same commentaries treat 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John as a rule, though Poggel has a book on 2 John, 3 John (1896) and Bresky (1906) has Das Verhaltnis des Zweiten Johannesbriefes zum dritten . Dr. J. Rendel Harris has an interesting article in The Expositor of London for March, 1901, on " The Problem of the Address to the Second Epistle of John," in which he argues from papyri examples that kuria here means " my dear" or " my lady." But Findlay ( Fellowship in the Life Eternal , p. 26) argues that " the qualifying adjunct ‘elect’ lifts us into the region of Christian calling and dignity." It is not certain that 2 John was written after 1 John, though probable. Origen rejected it and the Peshitta Syriac does not have 2 John and 3 John.

JFB: 2 John (Book Introduction)

AUTHENTICITY.--That these two Epistles were written by the same author appears from their similarity of tone, style, and sentiments. That John, the beloved disciple, was the author of the Second and Third Epistles, as of the First Epistle, appears from IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 1.16.3], who quotes 2Jo 1:10-11; and in [3.16.8], he quotes 2Jo 1:7, mistaking it, however, as if occurring in First John. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (A.D. 192) [Miscellanies, 2.66], implies his knowledge of other Epistles of John besides the First Epistle; and in fragments of his Adumbrations [p. 1011], he says, "John's Second Epistle which was written to the virgins (Greek, "parthenous"; perhaps Parthos is what was meant) is the simplest; but it was written to a certain Babylonian named the Elect lady." DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 7.25]) observes that John never names himself in his Epistles, "not even in the Second and Third Epistles, although they are short Epistles, but simply calls himself the presbyter, a confutation of those who think John the apostle distinct from John the presbyter. ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA cites 2Jo 1:10-11, as John's [SOCRATES, Ecclesiastical History, 1.6]. CYPRIAN [Concerning the Baptism of Heretics], in referring to the bishops at the Council of Carthage, says, "John the apostle, in His Epistle, has said, if any come to you" (2Jo 1:10); so that this Epistle, and therefore its twin sister, Third John, was recognized as apostolic in the North African Church. The MURATORI fragment is ambiguous. The Second and Third Epistles were not in the Peschito or old Syriac version; and COSMAS INDICOPLEUSTES in the sixth century says that in his time the Syriac Church only acknowledged three of the Catholic Epistles, First Peter, First John, and James. But EPHREM THE SYRIAN quotes the Second Epistle of John. EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History,] reckons both Epistles among the Antilegomena or controverted Scriptures, as distinguished from the Homologoumena or universally acknowledged from the first. Still his own opinion was that the two minor Epistles were genuine, remarking, as he does in Demonstration of the Gospel [3.5], that in John's "Epistles" he does not mention his own name, nor call himself an apostle or evangelist, but an "elder" (2Jo 1:1; 3Jo 1:1). ORIGEN (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 6.25]) mentions the Second and Third Epistles, but adds, "not all admit (implying that most authorities do) their genuineness." JEROME [On Illustrious Men, 9] mentions the two latter Epistles as attributed to John the presbyter, whose sepulcher was shown among the Ephesians in his day. But the designation "elder" was used of the apostles by others (for example, PAPIAS, in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 3.39]), and is used by Peter, an apostle, of himself (1Pe 5:1). Why, then, should not John also use this designation of himself, in consonance with the humility which leads him not to name himself or his apostleship even in the First Epistle? The Antilegomena were generally recognized as canonical soon after the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325). Thus CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, A.D. 349, enumerates fourteen Epistles of Paul, and seven Catholic Epistles. So GREGORY NAZIANZEN, in A.D. 389. The Councils of Hippo, 393, and Carthage, 397, adopted a catalogue of New Testament books exactly agreeing with our canon. So our oldest extant Greek manuscripts. The Second and Third Epistles of John, from their brevity (which ORIGEN notices), and the private nature of their contents, were less generally read in the earliest Christian assemblies and were also less quoted by the Fathers; hence arose their non-universal recognition at the first. Their private nature makes them the less likely to be spurious, for there seems no purpose in their forgery. The style and coloring too accord with the style of the First Epistle.

TO WHOM ADDRESSED.--The Third Epistle is directed to Gaius or Caius; whether Gaius of Macedonia (Act 19:20), or Gaius of Corinth (Rom 16:23; 1Co 1:14), or Gaius of Derbe (Act 20:4), it is hard to decide. MILL believes Gaius, bishop of Pergamos [Apostolic Constitutions, 7.40], to be the person addressed in 3Jo 1:1.

The address of the Second Epistle is more disputed. It opens, "The elder unto the Elect lady" (2Jo 1:1). And it closes, "The children of thy elect sister greet thee" (2Jo 1:13). Now, 1Pe 1:1-2, addresses the elect in Asia, &c., and closes (1Pe 5:13), "The Church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you." Putting together these facts, with the quotations (above) from CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, and the fact that the word "Church" comes from a Greek word (kyriake) cognate to the Greek for "lady" (kyria; "belonging to the Lord," kyrios); WORDSWORTH'S view is probable. As Peter in Babylon had sent the salutations of the elect Church in the then Parthian (see above on CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA) Babylon to her elect sister in Asia, so John, the metropolitan president of the elect Church in Asia, writes to the elect lady, that is, Church, in Babylon. NEANDER, ALFORD, and others, think the Greek "kyria" not to mean "lady," but to be her proper name; and that she had a "sister, a Christian matron," then with John.

DATE AND PLACE OF WRITING.--EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 3.25] relates that John, after the death of Domitian, returned from his exile in Patmos to Ephesus, and went on missionary tours into the heathen regions around, and also made visitations of the churches around, and ordained bishops and clergy. Such journeys are mentioned, 2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:10, 3Jo 1:14. If EUSEBIUS be right, both Epistles must have been written after the Apocalypse, in his old age, which harmonizes with the tone of the Epistles, and in or near Ephesus. It was on one of his visitation tours that he designed to rebuke Diotrephes (3Jo 1:9-10).

TSK: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Jo 1:1, He exhorts a certain honourable matron, with her children, to persevere in Christian love and belief, 2Jo 1:8, lest they lose the reward of their former profession; 2Jo 1:10, and to have nothing to do with those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of Christ Jesus.

Poole: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

JOHN CHAPTER 1

MHCC: 2 John (Book Introduction)

This epistle is like an abridgement of the first; it touches, in few words, on the same points. The Lady Electa is commended for her virtuous and religious education of her children; is exhorted to abide in the doctrine of Christ, to persevere in the truth, and carefully to avoid the delusions of false teachers. But chiefly the apostle beseeches her to practise the great commandment of Christian love and charity.

The apostle salutes the elect lady and her children. (1Jo 1:1-3) Express his joy in their faith and love. (1Jo 1:4-6) Cautions them against deceivers. (7-11) And concludes. (12, 13)

Matthew Henry: 2 John (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Epistle of John

Here we find a canonical epistle inscribed, principally, not only to a single person, but to one also of the softer sex. And why not to one of that sex? In gospel redemption, privilege, and dignity, there is neither male nor female; they are both one in Christ Jesus. Our Lord himself neglected his own repast, to commune with the woman of Samaria, in order to show her the fountain of life; and, when almost expiring upon the cross, he would with his dying lips bequeath his blessed mother to the care of his beloved disciple, and thereby instruct him to respect female disciples for the future. It was to one of the same sex that our Lord chose to appear first after his return from the grave, and to send by her the news of his resurrection to this as well as to the other apostles; and we find afterwards a zealous Priscilla so well acquitting herself in her Christian race, and particularly in some hazardous service towards the apostle Paul, that she is not only often mentioned before her husband, but to her as well as to him, not only the apostle himself, but also all the Gentile churches, were ready to return their thankful acknowledgments. No wonder then that a heroine in the Christian religion, honoured by divine providence, and distinguished by divine grace, should be dignified also by an apostolical epistle.

Matthew Henry: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

The apostle here salutes an honourable matron and her children (2Jo 1:1-3). Recommends to them faith and love (2Jo 1:5, 2Jo 1:6). Warns them of deceivers (2Jo 1:7), and to take heed to themselves (2Jo 1:8). Teaches how to treat those who bring not the doctrine of Christ (2Jo 1:10, 2Jo 1:11). And, referring other things to personal discourse, concludes the epistle (2Jo 1:12, 2Jo 1:13).

Barclay: 2 John (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND AND THIRD LETTERS OF JOHN

The very shortness of these two letters is the best guarantee of their genuineness. They are so brief and so comparatively unimportant that no one would have gone to the trouble of inventing them and of attaching them to the name of John. A standard papyrus sheet measured ten by eight inches and the length of these letters is to be explained by the fact that they would each take up almost exactly one sheet.

The Elder

Each of them is said to come from "The elder." Second John begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children." Third John begins: "The elder to the beloved Gaius." It is in the last degree unlikely that The elder is an official or ecclesiastical title. Elders were officials attached to one congregation whose jurisdiction did not extend outside that congregation, whereas the writer of these letters certainly assumes that he has the right to speak and that his word will carry weight in congregations where he is not actually present. He speaks as one whose authority goes out to the Church at large. The word is presbuteros (G4245), which originally meant an elder, not in the official but in the natural sense of the term. We would be better to translate it "The ancient", or "The aged", for it is not from an ecclesiastical position but from his age and personal qualities that the writer of these letters draws his authority.

In fact we know that in Ephesus there was an aged John who held a very special position. In the days of the early church there was a churchman called Papias who lived from A.D. 70 to 146. He had a passion for collecting all the information he could lay hands on about the early days of the church. He was not a great scholar, Eusebius dismisses him as "a man of very limited intelligence"; but he does transmit to us some most interesting information. He became Bishop of Hierapolis but he had a close connection with Ephesus, and he tells us of his own methods of acquiring information. He frequently uses elder in the sense of one of the fathers of the Church, and he mentions a particularly distinguished elder whose name was John. "I shall not hesitate," he writes, "to put down for you, along with my own interpretations, whatsoever things I have at any time learned carefully from the elders, and carefully remembered, guaranteeing their truth. For I did not, like the multitude, take pleasure in those that speak much, but in those that teach the truth; not in those who relate strange commandments, but in those who deliver the commandments given by the Lord to faith, and springing from the truth itself. If, then, anyone came who had been a follower of the elders, I questioned him in regard to the words of the elders--what Andrew, or what Peter, had said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the disciples of the Lord; and what things Aristion, or the Elder John say. For I did not think that what was to be gotten from books would profit me as much as what came from the living and abiding voice." Clearly the Elder John, John the aged, was a notable figure in Ephesus, although he is clearly distinguished from John the apostle.

It must be this John who wrote these two little letters. By this time he was an old man, one of the last surviving links with Jesus and his disciples. He was a man who had the authority of a bishop in Ephesus and in the places around it; and when he saw that a church was threatened with trouble and heresy, he wrote with gracious and loving correction to his people. Here are the letters of an aged saint, one of the last of the first generation of Christians, a man whom all loved and respected.

Common Authorship

That the two letters are from the one hand there is no doubt. Short as they are, they have much in common. Second John begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth." Third John begins: "The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth." Second John goes on: "I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children following the truth" (2Jo_1:4 ); and Third John goes on: "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth." Second John comes to an end: "Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete" (2Jo_1:12 ). Third John comes to an end: "I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face" (3Jo_1:13-14 ). There is the closest possible similarity between the two letters.

There is further the closest possible connection between the situation of these letters and that in First John. In 1Jo_4:3 we read: "Every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of Antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already." In 2Jo_1:7 we read: "Many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is a deceiver and the Antichrist."

It is clear that Second and Third John are closely connected with each other; and that both are closely connected with First John. They are dealing with the same situation, the same dangers and the same people.

The Problem Of The Second Letter

These two little letters confront us with few serious problems. The only real one is to decide whether the Second Letter was sent to an individual or to a church. It begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children." The problem centres on this phrase the elect lady. The Greek is eklekte (G1588) kuria (G2959) and there are three possible ways of taking it.

(i) It is just barely possible, though not really likely, that Eklekte is a proper name and that kuria (G2959) is a quite usual affectionate address. Kurios (G2962) (the masculine form) has many meanings. It very commonly means sir; it means master of slaves and owner of possessions; on a much higher level it means lord and is the word so often used as a title for Jesus. In letters kurios (G2962) has a special use. It is practically the equivalent of the English phrase My Dear. So a soldier writes home saying, Kurie (G2962) mou (G3450) pater (G3962), My Dear Father. In letters kurios is an address combining affection and respect. So it is just possible that this letter is addressed to My Dear Eklekte. Rendel Harris, indeed, went the length of saying that Second John is nothing other than a Christian love letter. This is unlikely, as we shall see, for more than one reason. But one thing is decisive against it. Second John ends: "The children of your elect sister greet you." The Greek is again eklekte (G1588); and, if it is a proper name at the beginning of the letter, it must also be a proper name at the end. This would mean that there were two sisters both called by the very unusual name of Eklekte--which is simply unbelievable.

(ii) It is possible to take Kuria (G2959) as a proper name, for there are examples of this usage. We would then take eklekte (G1588) in its normal New Testament sense; and the letter would be written to the elect Kuria (G2959). The objections are threefold. (a) It seems unlikely that any single individual could be spoken of as loved by all those who have known the truth (2Jo_1:1 ). (b) 2Jo_1:4 says that John rejoiced when he found some of her children walking in the truth; the implication is that others did not so walk. This would seem to imply a number greater than one womanfamily could contain. (c) The decisive objection is that throughout the letter the eklekte (G1588) kuria (G2959) is addressed sometimes in the singular and sometimes in the plural. The singular occurs in verses 2Jo_1:4-5 and 2Jo_1:13 ; and the plural occurs in 2Jo_1:6 ,2Jo_1:8 ,2Jo_1:10 ,2Jo_1:12 . It would be almost impossible that an individual would be so addressed.

(iii) So, then, we must come to the conclusion that the elect lady means a church. There is, in fact, good evidence that the expression was so used. First Peter, in the King James Version, ends with greetings from "the church that is at Babylon elected together with you" (1Pe_5:13 ). In the King James Version the words church that is are in italics; that, of course, means that they are not in the Greek and have been supplied in translation to fill out the sense. The Greek literally reads: "The Elect One at Babylon" and The Elect One is feminine. Few have ever doubted that the phrase means The church which is at Babylon, and that is how we must take it in Johnletter also. No doubt The Elect Lady goes back to the idea of the church as the Bride of Christ. We can be certain that Second John is written, not to an individual but to a church.

The Problem In The Early Church

Second and Third John throw vivid light on a problem which sooner or later had to arise within the organization of the early church. Let us see if we can reconstruct the situation which lies behind them. It is clear that John the aged regards himself as having a right to act as guide and counsellor and to administer warning and rebuke in the churches whose members are his children. In Second John he writes of those who are doing well (2Jo_1:4 ), and by implication infers that there are others who are not so satisfactory. He further makes it clear that there are itinerant teachers in the district, some of whom are preaching false and dangerous doctrine, and he gives orders that such teachers are not to be accepted and not to be given hospitality (2Jo_1:7-11 ). Here, then, John is exercising what is to him an unquestioned right to issue orders to his churches and is seeking to guard against a situation in which itinerant teachers of falsehood may arrive at any moment.

The situation behind Third John is somewhat more complicated. The letter is written to one called Gaius, whose character and actions John most thoroughly approves (3Jo_1:3-5 ). Wandering missionaries have come to the church, men who are fellow-helpers of the truth, and Gaius has given them true Christian hospitality (3Jo_1:6-8 ). In the same church is another man called Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence (3Jo_1:9 ). Diotrephes is depicted as a dictatorial character who will brook no rival to his authority. Diotrephes has refused to receive the wandering teachers of the truth and has actually tried to drive out of the church those who did receive them. He will have nothing to do with wandering teachers even when they are true preachers of the word (3Jo_1:10 ).Then into the picture comes a man called Demetrius, to whom John gives a personal testimonial as a good man and one to be hospitably welcomed (3Jo_1:12 ). The simplest explanation of Demetrius is that he must be the leader of a wandering band of teachers who are on their way to the church to which John is writing. Diotrephes will certainly refuse to have anything to do with them and will try to eject those who do receive them; and John is writing to urge Gaius to receive the wandering teachers and not to be intimidated by the domineering Diotrephes, whom he (John) will deal with when he visits the church in question (3Jo_1:10 ). The whole situation turns on the reception of the wandering teachers. Gaius has received such teachers before, and John urges him to receive them and their leader Demetrius again. Diotrephes has shut the door on them and defied the authority of John the aged.

The Threefold Ministry

All this looks like a very unhappy situation, and indeed it was. None the less, it was one which was bound to arise. In the nature of things a problem of ministry was bound to emerge within the church. In its earliest days the church had three different kinds of ministries.

(i) Unique, and above all others, stood the apostles, those who had companied with Jesus and been witnesses of the resurrection. They were the undisputed leaders of the church. Their writ ran throughout the whole church; in any country and in any congregation their ministry was supreme.

(ii) There were the prophets. They were not attached to any one congregation. They were wandering preachers, going where the Spirit moved them and giving to men the message which the Spirit of God gave to them. They had given up home and occupation and the comfort and security of settled life to be the wandering messengers of God. They, too, had a very special place in the church. The Didache, or, to give it its English name, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is the earliest book of church order. In it the unique position of the prophets is made clear. The order of service for the Eucharist is laid down and the prayers are given; the service ends with the prayer of thanksgiving which is given in full; and then comes the sentence: "But suffer the prophets to give thanks as much as they will" (Didache 10:7). The prophets were not to be brought under the rules and regulations which governed ordinary people. So, then, the church had two sets of people whose authority was not confined to any one congregation and who had right of entry to every congregation.

(iii) There were the elders. During their first missionary journey part of the work of Paul and Barnabas was to ordain elders in all the local churches which they founded (Act_14:23 ). The elders were the officials of the settled community; their work was within their congregation and they did not move outside it. It is clear that they were the backbone of the organization of the early church; on them the routine work and the solidity of the individual congregations depended.

The Problem Of The Wandering Preachers

The position of the apostles presented no real problem; they were unique and their position could never really be disputed. But the wandering prophets did present a problem. Their position was one which was singularly liable to abuse. They had an enormous prestige; and it was possible for the most undesirable characters to enter into a way of life in which they moved from place to place, living in very considerable comfort at the expense of the local congregations. A clever rogue could make a very comfortable living as an itinerant prophet. Even the pagan satirists saw this. Lucian, the Greek writer, in his work called the Peregrinus, draws the picture of a man who had found the easiest possible way of making a living without working. He was an itinerant charlatan who lived on the fat of the land by travelling round the various communities of the Christians, settling down wherever he liked and living luxuriously at their expense. The Didache clearly saw this danger and laid down definite regulations to meet it. The regulations are long but so vivid a light do they throw on the life of the early church that they are worth quoting in full (Didache 11 and 12).

Whosoever, therefore, shall come and teach you all these things

aforesaid, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn and teach

another doctrine to pervert, hear him not. But unto the increase

of righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the

Lord. And as touching the apostles and prophets, according to the

decree of the gospel, so do ye. But let every apostle that cometh

unto you be received as the Lord. And he shall stay one day, and,

if need be, the next also, but, if he stay three, he is a false

prophet. And, when the apostle goeth forth, let him take nothing

save bread, till he reach his lodging, but, if he ask money, he is

a false prophet. And every prophet that speaketh in the Spirit ye

shall not try nor judge: for every sin shall be forgiven, but this

sin shall not be forgiven. But not everyone that speaketh in the

Spirit is a prophet, but if he has the manners of the Lord. By

their manners, therefore, shall the prophet and the false prophet

be known. And no prophet who ordereth a table in the Spirit shall

eat of it, else he is a false prophet. And every prophet that

teacheth the truth, if he doeth not what he teacheth, is a false

prophet.... Whosoever shall say in the Spirit: Give me money, or

any other thing, ye shall not hearken to him: but, if he bid you

give for others who are in need, let no man judge him.

Let everyone that cometh in the name of the Lord be received,

and then, when ye have proved him, ye shall know, for ye shall

have understanding to distinguish between the right hand and the

left. If he that cometh is a passer-by, succour him as far as ye

can; but he shall not stay with you longer than two or three days,

unless there be necessity. But, if he be minded to settle among

you, and be a craftsman, let him work and eat. But, if he hath no

trade, according to your understanding, provide that he shall not

live idle among you, being a Christian. But, if he will not do

this, he is a Christmonger: of such men beware.

The Didache even invents the word Christmonger, trafficker in Christ, Christemporos, to describe this kind of person.

John was entirely justified in warning his people that the wrong kind of wandering prophets might come claiming hospitality and in saying that they must on no account be received. There is no doubt that in the early church these wandering prophets became a problem. Some of them were heretical teachers, even if they were sincerely convinced of their own teaching. Some were nothing better than plausible rogues who had found an easy way to make a comfortable living. That is the picture which lies behind Second John.

The Clash Of Ministries

But the situation behind Third John is in some ways even more serious. The problem figure is Diotrephes. He is the man who will have nothing to do with wandering teachers and who seeks to eject anyone who dares to give them a welcome. He is the man who will not accept the authority of John and whom John brands as a domineering character. There is much more behind this than meets the eye. This was no storm in a tea-cup; it was a fundamental cleavage between the local and the itinerant ministry.

Obviously the whole structure of the church depended on a strong settled ministry. That is to say, its very existence depended on a strong and authoritative eldership. As time went on the settled ministry was bound to chafe under the remote control of even one so famous as John the aged; and to resent the possibly upsetting invasions of wandering prophets and evangelists. It was by no means impossible that, however well-intentioned they were, these itinerants could do far more harm than good.

Here is the situation behind Third John. John represents the old apostolic remote control; Demetrius and his band of missionaries represent the wandering prophets and preachers; Diotrephes represents the settled ministry of the local elders, who wish to run their own congregation and regard the wandering preachers as dangerous intruders; Gaius represents the good, well-meaning man who is torn in two and cannot make up his mind.

What happened in this case, we do not know. But the end of the matter in the church was that the wandering preachers faded from the scene and the apostles in the nature of things passed from this earth, and the settled ministry became the ministry of the church. In a sense even in the modern church the problem of the itinerant evangelist and the settled ministry is not fully solved; but these two little letters are of the most fascinating interest because they show the organization of the church in a transition stage, when the clash between the itinerant and the settled ministry was beginning to emerge and--who knows?--Diotrephes may not have been as bad as he is painted nor altogether wrong.

FURTHER READING

John

J. N. S. Alexander, The Epistles of John (Tch; E)

A. E. Brooke, The Johannine Epistles (ICC; G)

C. H. Dodd, The Johannine Epistles (MC; E)

Abbreviations

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

Tch: Torch Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

The Elect Lady (2Jo_1:1-3)

Love And Truth (2Jo_1:1-3 Continued)

Trouble And Cure (2Jo_1:4-6)

The Threatening Peril (2Jo_1:7-9)

No Compromise (2Jo_1:10-13)

Constable: 2 John (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical background

The writer identified himself as "the elder" (v. 1). The writings of the early church fathers attribute authorship of this epistle to the Apostle John. The early Christians commonly recognized him as "the elder" in view. We might have expected John to have described himself as "the apostle" as Paul usually did since this is an office of higher authority than elder. However, John's apostleship was not open to challenge as Paul's was. There is no evidence that the early Christians questioned it as they did Paul's apostleship. "Elder" was a more affectionate title, and it undoubtedly represented John's role among the churches at least unofficially if not officially. He was probably an older man at this time too.

"Unlike 1 John, 2 and 3 John fall into the category of personal letters."¹

The identity of the recipient or recipients of this epistle is in question. Some scholars have concluded that John wrote to a specific lady and her children (v. 1). Of these interpreters some believe her name was Eklekta (from the Greek word eklekte meaning "chosen", v. 1). This seems unlikely, however, because John also called this lady's sister eklekte in verse 13. Others who believe he wrote to a specific lady have suggested that her name was Kyria (the Greek word translated "lady," v. 1). However this too seems unlikely in view of the plural address John used in verse 8. A more probable explanation is that John personified a particular local church as a lady and the Christians in it as her children (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13). This view harmonizes with the personification of the church as Christ's bride (Eph. 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7). Since John's arena of ministry was Asia Minor the probability of this being a church in that Roman province is good.

The conditions existing in the church that John addressed are very similar to those he referred to in his first epistle. Therefore the time of composition seems to have been very close to that of 1 John: A.D. 90-95. Ephesus seems to be the most probable site from which John wrote both letters.

Message²

A summary statement of the message of this epistle could be as follows. Abiding in the truth is essential to maintain brotherly love. Let me try to clarify what John was saying in this epistle.

First, he wrote that revealed truth is foundational for the Christian.

John emphasized the importance of revealed truth in five ways.

1. He based his own love on it (v. 1).

2. He based the love of all Christians on it (v. 1).

3. He based his writing of this epistle on it (v. 2).

4. He based the three great Christian graces on it (v. 3).

5. He commended his readers for basing their lives on it (v. 4).

By the truth John meant the teachings of Christ (v. 9). This includes all that Jesus approved as God's revelation (the Old Testament) and all that He taught through His apostles following His ascension (the New Testament; Acts 1:1).

We must keep the importance of God's truth in balance.

On the one hand, it is the only foundation that will adequately support a proper relationship with God and other people. It is the source of our knowledge of God's commandments. As such it is the basis of our relationship with God and other people (v. 8).

On the other hand, it is only the foundation for a proper relationship with God and other people. We must "abide" in that truth. This is not intellectual assent to orthodoxy but a vital relationship in which God controls us. Our walking in the light of God's truth (1 John 1:7) makes this relationship possible.

Second, John wrote that love for others is the fruit of abiding in the truth.

John regarded love for other people as very important for the Christian. His perspective harmonizes with the teachings of the Mosaic Law and Jesus Christ (v. 5).

He also regarded it as essentially obedience to the will of God (v. 6). When we obey God, we do what is best for others. This is what it means to love others. When we abide in the truth, we will love.

Third, John warned against separating love from the truth.

In John's day some people were rejecting the truth but trying to hold on to love.

They claimed to have progressed from elementary truth to advanced truth, but they had really abandoned the truth (vv. 7-9).

John counseled his readers to give the false teachers no encouragement (vv. 10-11). He did not counsel them to withhold love from them.

In our day some people are making the same appeal.

Watch out for appeals to follow teaching that deviates from Scripture. Watch out for appeals that claim a more advanced knowledge of the truth.

We need to learn from this letter how to relate to false teachers. We should not encourage them in their work, but we should reach out to them in love. I once heard a speaker at a conference say, "It doesn't matter too much what we believe as long as we love each other."

John would have said, "It matters very much what we believe because that will determine if we really love each other." Abiding in the truth is essential to maintain brotherly love.

Constable: 2 John (Outline)

Outline

I. Introduction vv. 1-3

II. The importance of the truth vv. 4-11

A. Practicing the truth vv. 4-6

B. Protecting the truth vv. 7-11

III. Conclusion vv. 12-13

The following is a good expository outline of the book.³

The truth generates an exclusive Christian community (vv. 1-3).

The truth demands a distinctive Christian ethic (vv. 4-6).

The truth involves propositional Christian doctrine (v. 7).

The truth requires unceasing Christian vigilance (vv. 8-11).

Constable: 2 John

2 John

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A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. By C. G. Wilke. Revised by C. L. Wilibald Grimm. Translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer, 1889.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. 3 vols. 2nd ed. London: Tyndale Press, 1966.

Harris, W. Hall. "A Theology of John's Writings." In A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, pp. 167-242. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Hodges, Zane C. "2 John." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, pp. 905-9. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1983.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. Edited by James Orr. 1957 ed. S.v. "John, The Epistles of," by R. Law.

Irenaeus. Against Heresies. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 1: The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American reprint of the Edinburgh edition. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899.

Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scripture. 12 vols. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol 12: James-Revelation, by J. P. Lange, J. J. Van Osterzee, G. T. C. Fronmuller, and Karl Braune. Enlarged and edited by E. R. Craven. Translated by J. Isidor Mombert and Evelina Moore.

Lenski, Richard C. H. The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude. Reprint ed. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.

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Mitchell, John G. Fellowship. Portland: Multnomah Press, 1974.

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 John (Book Introduction)

THE

SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN,

THE APOSTLE.

INTRODUCTION.

The Second and Third Epistles of St. John were not at first received as canonical by all Churches. See Eusebuis and St. Jerome, in Catalogo, and Tillemont, art. 9, on St. John, p. 349. The style sufficiently shew they were written by St. John the evangelist. The time and place whence they were written is uncertain. The design in both is to exhort those he writes to, to stand firm in the faith of Christ against all seducing heretics, to love one another, &c. (Witham) --- But though these last two Epistles of the beloved apostle were frequently contested till the fourth or fifth century, from that period they have been regularly received; and even during the first ages [centuries], they were frequently cited by many of the holy Fathers as Catholic Scripture. This short Epistle may still be divided into two parts. The first, a congratulation to the lady he styles Elect, in which he felicitates her on account of the faith and virtue he had discovered in some of her children. He exhorts both them and their mother to be more and more confirmed in charity, as the essential and fundamental precept of Christianity, and of which the unequivocal mark is the observance of the other commandments. This part is from the beginning to ver. 6, inclusive. The second, which begins with ver. 7, and continues to the end, is to put them on their guard against the errors of Simon, of Cerinthus, of the Gnostics, and of Basilides, and prescribes the manner how they are to behave themselves towards these seducers. Though the time and place be uncertain, there is some appearance that it was written from Ephesus, when the apostle governed this Church and all the others of Asia [Asia Minor].

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Gill: 2 John (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 JOHN

Though this epistle was called in question and gainsaid by some as authentic, as Eusebius says ^a, yet there is no room to doubt of the authority of it; it was very early received into the canon of the Scripture, and is cited as such, and also as the Apostle John's, by Irenaeus ^b, who was a disciple of Polycarp, and an hearer of Papias, who were both disciples of the Apostle John; nor need there be any question as to his being the author of it. Eusebius indeed does say ^c, it was a doubt whether it was the Apostle John's or another of the same name; and some have since asserted, that it was written not by John the Evangelist, but by John the Presbyter of Ephesus, after the apostle; and this is thought to have some confirmation from the author of it being called an elder, or presbyter, which is judged not so agreeable to the Apostle John; though it should be observed, that Peter an apostle styles himself an elder, as John here does, 1Pe 5:1, moreover, the above ancient writer, Irenaeus, expressly ascribes this epistle to John, the disciple of the Lord; and whoever compares some passages in this epistle with the former, particularly 2Jo 1:5, with 1Jo 2:7, will easily conclude, from the likeness of style and matter, that it is a genuine epistle of the Apostle John: the design of which is to exhort and encourage the lady he writes to, to continue in the truth and faith of the Gospel, and in love to God and his people, and to avoid false teachers and their doctrines.

Gill: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 JOHN 1

The writer of this epistle describes himself by his office, an "elder", and inscribes it to a certain matron, whom he styles, on account of her honour and riches, a "lady"; and by reason of her grace, "elect"; and to her children, who, as well as herself, were the objects of the apostle's love, and of all that knew the truth, and that for the sake of it, which was common to them all, 2Jo 1:1, the salutation follows, 2Jo 1:3, and then a congratulation of the lady, that some of her children walked in the same path of truth with herself, 2Jo 1:4, and next an exhortation to brotherly love, which is the commandment from the beginning; the evidence of which love is walking according to that, and every other command of God, 2Jo 1:5, and the rather this should be closely attended to, since many deceivers, who were no other than antichrist, had got into the world, who did not own that Christ was come in the flesh; wherefore it became those that were concerned for his name and glory, as well as their own interest, to take heed lest what was wrought should be lost, and so a full reward be not received, 2Jo 1:7, and then a description of these deceivers and false teachers is given; that they are transgressors of the rule of God's word, abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and so have not God, any interest in him; whereas he that abides in the doctrine of Christ has an interest both in the Father and in the Son, 2Jo 1:9, wherefore the apostle gives advice to the lady how to behave towards such; not to receive them into her house, nor wish them success, since so to do would be to join with them in their evil deeds, 2Jo 1:10, and then he excuses the shortness of his letter, though he had many things to write unto her, yet would not, because he hoped shortly to visit her, and then would personally relate what he had to communicate to their mutual joy, 2Jo 1:12, and closes the epistle with the salutation of her sister's children to her, 2Jo 1:13.

College: 2 John (Outline)

OUTLINE

I. GREETING - 1-3

II. WALKING IN OBEDIENCE - 4-6

A. Source of Joy - 4

B. Love as Obedience - 5-6

III. CONTINUING IN THE TEACHING - 7-11

A. Identification of Deceivers - 7

B. Being Fully Rewarded - 8

C. Having Both the Father and the Son - 9

D. Warning about Misdirected Hospitality - 10-11

IV. HOPING FOR A VISIT - 12

V. CLOSING - 13

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV