Discovering 2nd John
Background Information
The Apostle John wrote this letter from an undisclosed location, possibly Ephesus (though some suggest Patmos).
As with John’s first letter, 1 John, he never names himself as the author of this letter, either. But the vocabulary, themes, writing style of this letter resemble John’s Gospel and first letter so closely that his authorship is apparent. In this letter and also the next, he refers to himself anonymously as “the elder” (1:1; 3 John 1:1). This new self-description has caused some Bible students to wonder whether a different, new man wrote these two letters. But early witnesses in church history, including Iraneaus, resoundingly accept the apostle John as the author. Furthermore, the apostle Peter also described himself as an “elder,” making this description by John even more plausible (1 Pet 5:1).
He wrote this letter to “the elect lady” and her children.
John identifies this lady and her children no more specifically that this, however. As you might guess, there is some intriguing discussion about the identity of this “elect lady.” Some suggest that this may be a figurative reference to a particular local church, or perhaps even the church at large. In this view, John speaks to a church (or “the church”) in an honorific, personal way, not to a particular person.
Reasons for this view include the broad, universal respect expressed for the recipient (1:1), the plural pronouns used to refer to the recipient (1:6, 8, 10), and the distinct contrast of this ambiguous recipient with the specific, named recipients of 3 John. Furthermore, we know that Paul used feminine terminology to describe the church on at least two occasions (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-27, 31, 32).
A more likely option, though, seems to be that John wrote to an actual respected woman who was known to John from his prior extensive ministry in Asia Minor, for the natural, plain sense of the words John used in his address change or harm nothing in reading and understanding this letter. In other words, if a normal reading makes sense, then a figurative or secondary interpretation is not required and should be considered inferior. The same can be said of those John calls her children.
Such a normal reading also makes the best sense of John’s reference to the recipient’s “elect sister,” (1:13). And, if either the elect lady or her sister are local congregations, who, then, are the children? Are they not also the church? How does it make sense for both the woman/sister and the children to refer to the same thing? This seems self-contradictory. Is it possible that John wrote this letter to the widow Mary, Christ’s mother? This is nothing we could know for sure but is an interesting possibility.
The theme of this book is “Walking in Truth.”
He wrote this letter to prevent naivety towards false teaching, warning this lady, her children, and the church of which they were a part to guard against false teachers who were trying to infiltrate and influence them.
In early New Testament times, teachers (religious, philosophical, and otherwise) travelled itinerantly from town to town, and local believers provided Christian teachers with food and lodging, much like we do and should provide housing for traveling missionaries today. In particular, John warned this good-natured lady not to aid or give hospitality to teachers who propagated false ideas about Christ.
So, John wrote this letter to a woman – an older, widely respected woman – who either housed traveling teachers in her house, admitted them into her home for church gatherings, or both. He wanted to emphasize to her and others like her that though we must always maintain a lifestyle of love and compassion for others, we must not do so at the expense of the truth. We must not be gullible and naïve, providing hospitality, support, and a listening ear to anyone who calls themselves a Christian or Christian teacher. If a person does not exemplify and teach true, biblical doctrine, we should not accept or support them as a Christian person or worker.
Said another way, while we must be committed to a lifestyle of compassion and love as Christ himself taught, this love is not open-ended or undefined. It aligns with the clear teachings of Christ and excludes and prohibits tolerance of any teaching or living which is contrary to those things which Christ taught. To disobey Christ is never love.
Outline of the Book
1. The Need to Abide in Christ (1:1-7)
This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. (1:6)
2. The Warning Not to Abide with False Teachers (1:8-13)
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (1:10-11).
The Apostle John wrote this letter from an undisclosed location, possibly Ephesus (though some suggest Patmos).
As with John’s first letter, 1 John, he never names himself as the author of this letter, either. But the vocabulary, themes, writing style of this letter resemble John’s Gospel and first letter so closely that his authorship is apparent. In this letter and also the next, he refers to himself anonymously as “the elder” (1:1; 3 John 1:1). This new self-description has caused some Bible students to wonder whether a different, new man wrote these two letters. But early witnesses in church history, including Iraneaus, resoundingly accept the apostle John as the author. Furthermore, the apostle Peter also described himself as an “elder,” making this description by John even more plausible (1 Pet 5:1).
He wrote this letter to “the elect lady” and her children.
John identifies this lady and her children no more specifically that this, however. As you might guess, there is some intriguing discussion about the identity of this “elect lady.” Some suggest that this may be a figurative reference to a particular local church, or perhaps even the church at large. In this view, John speaks to a church (or “the church”) in an honorific, personal way, not to a particular person.
Reasons for this view include the broad, universal respect expressed for the recipient (1:1), the plural pronouns used to refer to the recipient (1:6, 8, 10), and the distinct contrast of this ambiguous recipient with the specific, named recipients of 3 John. Furthermore, we know that Paul used feminine terminology to describe the church on at least two occasions (2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-27, 31, 32).
A more likely option, though, seems to be that John wrote to an actual respected woman who was known to John from his prior extensive ministry in Asia Minor, for the natural, plain sense of the words John used in his address change or harm nothing in reading and understanding this letter. In other words, if a normal reading makes sense, then a figurative or secondary interpretation is not required and should be considered inferior. The same can be said of those John calls her children.
Such a normal reading also makes the best sense of John’s reference to the recipient’s “elect sister,” (1:13). And, if either the elect lady or her sister are local congregations, who, then, are the children? Are they not also the church? How does it make sense for both the woman/sister and the children to refer to the same thing? This seems self-contradictory. Is it possible that John wrote this letter to the widow Mary, Christ’s mother? This is nothing we could know for sure but is an interesting possibility.
The theme of this book is “Walking in Truth.”
He wrote this letter to prevent naivety towards false teaching, warning this lady, her children, and the church of which they were a part to guard against false teachers who were trying to infiltrate and influence them.
In early New Testament times, teachers (religious, philosophical, and otherwise) travelled itinerantly from town to town, and local believers provided Christian teachers with food and lodging, much like we do and should provide housing for traveling missionaries today. In particular, John warned this good-natured lady not to aid or give hospitality to teachers who propagated false ideas about Christ.
So, John wrote this letter to a woman – an older, widely respected woman – who either housed traveling teachers in her house, admitted them into her home for church gatherings, or both. He wanted to emphasize to her and others like her that though we must always maintain a lifestyle of love and compassion for others, we must not do so at the expense of the truth. We must not be gullible and naïve, providing hospitality, support, and a listening ear to anyone who calls themselves a Christian or Christian teacher. If a person does not exemplify and teach true, biblical doctrine, we should not accept or support them as a Christian person or worker.
Said another way, while we must be committed to a lifestyle of compassion and love as Christ himself taught, this love is not open-ended or undefined. It aligns with the clear teachings of Christ and excludes and prohibits tolerance of any teaching or living which is contrary to those things which Christ taught. To disobey Christ is never love.
Outline of the Book
1. The Need to Abide in Christ (1:1-7)
This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. (1:6)
2. The Warning Not to Abide with False Teachers (1:8-13)
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds. (1:10-11).
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