A Tour Through John, Lesson 44

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.2 John has been called "1 John in miniature." As with 1 John, Gnosticism is the central theological issue in this epistle.Matter is evil (or irrelevant). Thus the body is treated in licentiousness or asceticism.The biblical God is an inferior deity, levels beneath the true deity.Enlightenment is intellectual and mystical more than moral or practical.Gnostics use a similar vocabulary to Christians, but the terms have vastly different meanings. (See 2 Corinthians 11:3-4.)This heresy addressed in several other NT books: Colossians, 1 Timothy, 1 John, and the Gospel of John.Gnosticism is resurgent in modern New Age Movement.About ancient lettersAlthough to us 2 John, like the next epistle in the N.T., seems very short. And yet in the ancient world, private letters were usually around 90 words. Figures in literature typically penned letters twice that length. Papyrus sheets normally accommodated around 200 words.Compare with Paul's shortest epistle, Philemon is 335 words. Romans is 7114 words!For these longer epistles, sheets of papyrus were joined and rolled -- the scroll.1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and fromJesus Christ, the Father’s Son, in truth and love. 4 I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. The elder (the aged John) is writing to "the lady," warning about the bad influence of Gnostic (Docetist) teachers who are spreading their erroneous ideas from house to house.Who are the lady and her children?She is either a church (the preferred interpretation) or an individual woman (minority interpretation). See 1 Pet 5:13 for a parallel.Accordingly, the "children" are members of the church, or else literal children.It is quite possible that John is writing to an individual house church. (Remember, larger Christian meetings come in the 4th century, not the 1st.)The truth (vv.2-4) is objective, not subjective; practical, not theoretical. Walking in the truth means living in love.This is integral to the Christian walk, since it is relational.It is also evidently lacking among the heretics, further evidence that they have left the way of Jesus.5 But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it.The issues affecting this house church issue from a lack of love. Resolving them will require love -- love for others and love for God.True love for God means obeying him (see John 14). Although it may not feel natural in our church culture, in biblical culture, obedience and love are inseparable.Keeping Jesus' commandments makes us more loving, particularly because so many of them have to do with relationships:Loving our enemiesBeing generousForgiveness, even when we cannot trust or continue the relationship with the offenderPraying with awareness of our own need for forgivenessStriving for humilityDealing with conflict directly -- privately at first, and then publicly if necessaryReaching out to the lostSharing with the needy in the church (especially)Crossing boundaries and flouting the conventions of a prejudiced society7 Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 8 Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what wehave worked for, but may receive a full reward. 9 Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. The false teachers denied the incarnation (v.7). See also John 1:14; Col 2:9.This is the spirit of the antichrist.They "run ahead" of the teachings of Christ.Early heretics tended to accept Jesus' divinity, but rejected his humanity. Modern heretics have reversed this.Are there degrees of reward at the judgment (v.8)? Yes. This is a common N.T. teaching (e.g. Matt 6:20; 19:21), as we have discussed previously. 10 Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone who comes to you and does not bring this teaching; 11 for to welcome is to participate in the evil deeds of such a person.We mustn't condone or endorse the false teachers (vv.10-11).Our ministry has no part in their ministry.Notice that these are not only false teachers, but false Christians.We all make errors, and no one has "arrived."But when central Christian doctrines are discarded or distorted, salvation is in jeopardy.Verse 10 says we are not to accept him (as a teacher) in our house [church].12 Although I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink; instead I hope to come to you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete. 13 The children of your elect sister send you their greetings.John has more to say, but he wisely comments that the best communication is done face to face (v.12).His wish is for their joy. (See a similar thought in Phil 1:25.)In verse 13 the elder conveys greetings from his church to his recipients."Elect sister" has no connotation of Calvinism.ConclusionThough 2 John is a short letter, it yields many lessons for us today:Worldly philosophy may masquerade as Christianity. Watch out!The incarnation is a central doctrine of Christianity. To deny it is to deny Christ.The antichrist is not necessarily one individual.Despite temptations to run ahead, we must remain with the gospel message of Christ.There is a clear dividing line between genuine Christianity and pseudo-christianity.Communication is best done in person. Written communication is okay, telephone is better, but in person is best.Thought questions:Do I draw the line where God draws the line vis-à-vis core Christian teachings? How do I feel about those who reject one or more of these teachings? Am I indignant, or do I fail to see the seriousness of the situation?For example, do I accept the implications of verses 7-9, that those who deny the incarnation (Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarians, Muslims, and others) do not have God?Do I tend to deal with problems in letters and emails, when phone calls and face-to-face communication would be more helpful? Are I more comfortable with the more indirect modes of communication? (If so, why?)