2 John 1

2 John 1:1

I. THE APOSTLE’S SALUTATION: GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE (Vv. 1-3) V. 1 In 2 John, the apostle introduces himself as the elder. This may refer to age or official position in the church. As to age, John was the last of the apostles who had companied with the Lord Jesus. As to official position, he surely was a bishop or overseer. Thus, we need not choose our explanation; both are correct. The expression To the elect lady is not so easy to explain. Three views are commonly held. (1) Some believe that the elect lady is the church, elsewhere referred to as the Bride of Christ, or a particular local church. (2) Others think that the Letter was addressed to the elect Kyriaher name being Kyria. This name could be the Greek equivalent to the Aramaic name Martha (both mean lady). (3) Others feel that John is writing to an unnamed Christian lady, who with all other believers is among the elect of Godchosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. We prefer the last view, and feel it is especially significant that this warning against anti-christian teachers should be found in a Letter addressed to a woman. Sin first entered the world through Eve’s being deceived by Satan. The woman being deceived, fell into transgression (1Ti_2:14). Paul speaks of false teachers who make a special appeal to women; they get into the house and capture gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, who will listen to anyone and yet are never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2Ti_3:6-7). Even today the false cults visit homes during the daytime, when the man of the house is usually at work. Children need to be warned against false teachers also. John states that he loves this elect lady and her children … in truth. Those who are saved find themselves in a wonderful fellowship, loving others whom they never would have loved, were it not for their common love for the truth of God. It is God’s truth that binds hearts togetherthe hearts of all those who have known the truth.V. 2 Because of the truth has two possible explanations. It may refer to the motive for loving all the saints, or it may give John’s reason for writing this Letter. Both are valid meanings. The truth which abides in us and will be with us forever.

Here the truth may refer to: (1) the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, I am … the truth (Joh_14:6); (2) the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is truth (1Jo_5:6; see Joh_14:16-17); or (3) the Bible. Your word is truth (Joh_17:17). Should we not pause to marvel at our being sustained by these Three, and their being with us forever! V. 3 John’s greeting is grace, mercy, and peace will be with you. Grace is undeserved favor to those who deserve the opposite. Mercy is pity shown to those who are guilty and wretched. Peace is the harmonious relationship that results from God’s grace and mercy. All three of these blessings are from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father is the Source and the Son is the Channel. In addition, they are in truth and love, and never at the expense of either of these virtues.

2 John 1:4

II. THE APOSTLE’S JOY: OBEDIENT CHILDREN (V. 4) Now John expresses his joy at hearing that some of the children of the elect lady were walking in truth. The truth is not just something to be believed with the mind, but something to be lived out in everyday behavior. Just as the Lord Jesus was the living embodiment of truth, so He expects our lives to be testimonies to the truth.

2 John 1:5

III. THE APOSTLE’S CHARGE: TO WALK IN LOVE (Vv. 5, 6) V. 5 In verses 5 through 9, the apostle seems to give a short summary of his First Epistle. There he listed the tests of life. Now in these verses, he repeats at least three of themthe test of love (v. 5), the test of obedience (v. 6), and the test of doctrine (vv. 7-9). V. 6 First, he reminds his readers of the commandment to love their fellow believers. Love here is essentially the unselfish giving of oneself for the benefit of others. It is not What can I get out of that person? but What can I do for that person? Then, love is shown to be a walking according to His commandments. We cannot truly love, in the divine sense, unless we are walking in obedience to the Lord and to the truth of God.

2 John 1:7

IV. THE APOSTLE’S CONCERN: ANTICHRIST DECEIVERS (Vv. 7-11) V. 7 This brings us to the test of doctrine. The great question is: Did God really become Man in the Person of Jesus Christ? The answer is a resounding Yes! The Gnostics believed that the divine Christ came upon Jesus of Nazareth for a period of time. But John insists that Jesus Christ was, is, and always will be God. V. 8 Therefore, he warns his readers, Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward. In other words, stand firm in the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ so that our labor among you will not have been in vain, and so that we (the apostles and their followers) will receive a full reward.V. 9 When John says, Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, he is speaking of false teachers. To transgress is to go beyond the allowed bounds. That is what the cults do; they claim to have new light and teach doctrines that God has not revealed in His word. They do not stay within the bounds of the Christian revelation, or abide in the doctrine of Christ, probably meaning the teachings which Christ Himself brought. It could also mean all that the Bible teaches about Christ.

The apostle emphasizes in verse 9 that a cultist may claim to know God, but if he does not believe in the absolute deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus, he does not have God at all. God can only be known through His Son. No one comes to the Father except through Me (Joh_14:6). 10, 11 This is the heart of the Epistle. It gives us valued advice on how to deal with false teachers who come to our doors. John does not refer to casual visitors but to anti-Christian propagandists. Should we invite them in? Give them a cup of coffee? Help them financially?

Buy their literature? The answer is that we should not receive them or greet them. These people are enemies of Christ. To show them hospitality is to take sides with those who are against our Savior. It is possible that sometime we might let such a person into our house without knowing that he denies the Lord. These verses would not apply in such a case.

But when we do know a man to be a false teacher, it would be disloyal to Christ to befriend him. These verses do not apply to visitors generally. We often have unbelievers as guests in an effort to win them to Christ. But here it is a question of religious teachers who deny the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. C. F.

Hogg explains: Nothing should be done to give the impression that the offense against Christ is a matter of no great moment, or to put the delinquent in the way of influencing others.

2 John 1:12

V. THE APOSTLE’S HOPE: A PERSONAL VISIT (Vv. 12, 13) V. 12 John would have liked to say more to the elect lady. But he stops writing at this point in the hope of an early personal visit when he can speak face to face. How much more satisfactory it is to talk in personal encounter than to write with paper and ink! And how much more wonderful it will be to see the Savior face to face than to see Him by the eyes of faith, as at present! Truly then our joy will be full! V. 13 So John closes: The children of your elect sister greet you. We do not know who they were, but we shall meet them some day and enjoy fellowship with them and with the beloved Apostle John who penned this Letter, and best of all with the Savior Himself. Amen.