2 John was written to combat the infiltration of Gnostic teaching into the church. John's main theme is the correct doctrine of the humanity of Jesus Christ. The sub-theme is the assurance of salvation for genuine believers.
2 John 1:1 - The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
He says the elder. He's introducing himself as the elder. He is elder in two different ways. He's in his 90's now. He's in Ephesus as the oldest apostle still living. All the others have died a martyr's death. He is the elder in position, and age. He says unto the elect lady and her children.
There are two views as to who the elect lady is. Some believe that it is a church, and that her children are the members of the church. In Verse 13 itself, in signing off, he says the children of your elect sister greet you. There's no greeting from the sister. Apparently, she's not there. Or if it's a person, she's passed away, and only the children send their greetings.
You may or may not agree, but it is my position that he's actually writing to a woman and her children. It is interesting, as you carry that out, as archaeologists have found that the city of Ephesus is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived and died in her later years. And of course, Matthew 13:55 tells us that after the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph and Mary had other children.
Some groups don't believe that. They want to keep Mary pure and a virgin for her whole life. But that's not what the bible teaches. She was a virgin up to the birth of Christ. But there are other brothers and sisters to Him. And He actually had interaction with them during His public ministry.
2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
For many deceivers have entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This person is, and these have Definite Articles, this person is (the) deceiver, and (the) antichrist. We have a false confession going on. So, he is encouraging them to walk in love and keep the commandments as the evidence in the believer's life. Now you might think that's a pretty simple thing, but he's actually setting her up for something here.
2 John 1:8 - Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Look to yourselves, and that's the first commandment in the letter, look. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have worked, but that we receive a full reward.
A believer cannot lose their salvation. I am saved because Christ is in me. Jesus Christ would have to leave me in order for me not to be saved. And He says He won't do that. That's the basis of salvation. Once I'm saved, the work that Christ performs in my life, the changes and the transformation that takes place in me, the renewing of the mind, it lasts forever. But it's a growth process.
We see in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, and in 2 Peter Chapter 1 that a believer is going to suffer loss, not their salvation, but we're going to pass through the fire. This is not Hell. It's sort of a "test range." But we're going to pass through the fire and that which is not of Christ is going to burn. And whatever we have left, that's who we will be throughout eternity.
So, he's saying to those people, be watching, so that first of all, we don't lose the work, the ministry that we've done among you. And secondly, you don't miss receiving your full reward by being distracted away from love and truth.
2 John 1:2 - For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
Verse 2 in the Greek text says, On account of the truth. That's the literal translation. It's the premise, the basis. On account of the truth, which is dwelling in us, and shall be with us forever. Of course, he's personifying truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you have Christ, you have life. If you have Christ, you have the truth. We have the truth that dwells in us, and the truth will be with us forever!
2 John 1:4 - I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
He says, I rejoiced greatly that I have found of your children walking in truth. He keeps repeating it over, and over again. But he's doing it for a purpose. He says I have greatly rejoiced that I have found of your children walking in truth.
Walking is a Participle, showing a way of life, a habit of life. It is very rare to find these days. That's why John says I greatly rejoiced when I found out that your children are walking in the truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
2 John 1:5 - And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And now I beseech thee, lady, and the word beseech which usually means appeal, in this instance, it means request. He's not commanding them. He's not appealing to them. He says now I make a request of thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we should be loving one another.
Again, notice that it's not a command. We who know Christ, if indeed we are saved, then we should be loving one another. That's the evidence of being saved. It's not something that we have to practice doing.
And Christians helped other Christians so they wouldn't have to stay at the Inns. Not only did it cost them money at the Inns, but the Inns were corrupt. They were mainly dens of prostitution. And for the believers who were traveling, they would come into town and find out who the Christians were and then stay at someone's home. It didn't cost them anything, and it kept them away from the corruption that took place at the Inn.
So, this woman, and in fact, some people go as far as to take the Greek word for the word lady, in elect lady. The word lady is KURIA. Some believe that's her name, the elect KURIA. But it is some woman who obviously is important in the church. Some believe it is Mary, that she would be the elect lady, and her children. So, it's from the elder John, to this elect lady and her children.
Then he says whom, that's plural for all of them, for the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; That's a strange statement. Aren't we supposed to love everybody? Interesting that God's love is not separated from the truth. The bible says love not the world, neither the things in the world. That includes the people.
How did God show His love for the world? It was by sending His Son to die for their sins. But it was His own people that He blessed! Others who had not repented, who did not belong to Christ, they were still in their sins. God worked with them, but He didn't share with them the humanitarian kind of love that we think love is.
These people whom I love in the truth. What if they're not in the truth? Well, that's exactly the point!
And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; Notice "have known." That's a Perfect Tense. He's talking about those with him, his friends, people he fellowships with. They also love those who are walking in the truth. That is, those who have known the truth.
So it is to a woman, and her children. And many believe that because John, and you'll remember at the cross in John Chapter 19, John was given Mary to take care of her. Jesus said son behold thy mother, and mother behold thy son. And He's talking to John, that after the death of Christ, John was to take care of Mary.
It's interesting, because again John who is in his 90's now, he is in the city of Ephesus, and many believe that he's writing to her and the church that is in her home, and that she does have children. Now keep in mind that the early church was not in a building. It didn't have names on it. It was not an organization.
The early believers, for almost three hundred years, they either met in the home, or as the persecution increased over the years, they met in secret. And so, you get this idea when you hear about the church, that there's this grandioso building, with stained glass windows, and the whole deal, you know?
But the word church in the bible (EKKLESIA) means called out ones. It's the name of the people. People are the church, the called-out ones. What John is dealing with here is this wonderful elect lady and her children, and the fact that she has some of the church people in her home at times.
But he indicates for sure that she gives lodging to traveling Christians, especially traveling preachers. And that's what they did in those days. The preacher would come into town, and he would seek out what families in town were being hospitable to the itinerate preachers, and they would go and stay there with them.
(2 John Part 1a):
2 John was written to combat the infiltration of Gnostic teaching into the church. John's main theme is the correct doctrine of the humanity of Jesus Christ. The sub-theme is the assurance of salvation for genuine believers.
2 John 1:1 - The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
He says the elder. He's introducing himself as the elder. He is elder in two different ways. He's in his 90's now. He's in Ephesus as the oldest apostle still living. All the others have died a martyr's death. He is the elder in position, and age. He says unto the elect lady and her children.
There are two views as to who the elect lady is. Some believe that it is a church, and that her children are the members of the church. In Verse 13 itself, in signing off, he says the children of your elect sister greet you. There's no greeting from the sister. Apparently, she's not there. Or if it's a person, she's passed away, and only the children send their greetings.
You may or may not agree, but it is my position that he's actually writing to a woman and her children. It is interesting, as you carry that out, as archaeologists have found that the city of Ephesus is where Mary, the mother of Jesus, lived and died in her later years. And of course, Matthew 13:55 tells us that after the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph and Mary had other children.
Some groups don't believe that. They want to keep Mary pure and a virgin for her whole life. But that's not what the bible teaches. She was a virgin up to the birth of Christ. But there are other brothers and sisters to Him. And He actually had interaction with them during His public ministry.
2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
For many deceivers have entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This person is, and these have Definite Articles, this person is (the) deceiver, and (the) antichrist. We have a false confession going on. So, he is encouraging them to walk in love and keep the commandments as the evidence in the believer's life. Now you might think that's a pretty simple thing, but he's actually setting her up for something here.
2 John 1:8 - Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
Look to yourselves, and that's the first commandment in the letter, look. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have worked, but that we receive a full reward.
A believer cannot lose their salvation. I am saved because Christ is in me. Jesus Christ would have to leave me in order for me not to be saved. And He says He won't do that. That's the basis of salvation. Once I'm saved, the work that Christ performs in my life, the changes and the transformation that takes place in me, the renewing of the mind, it lasts forever. But it's a growth process.
We see in 1 Corinthians Chapter 3, and in 2 Peter Chapter 1 that a believer is going to suffer loss, not their salvation, but we're going to pass through the fire. This is not Hell. It's sort of a "test range." But we're going to pass through the fire and that which is not of Christ is going to burn. And whatever we have left, that's who we will be throughout eternity.
So, he's saying to those people, be watching, so that first of all, we don't lose the work, the ministry that we've done among you. And secondly, you don't miss receiving your full reward by being distracted away from love and truth.
2 John 1:2 - For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
Verse 2 in the Greek text says, On account of the truth. That's the literal translation. It's the premise, the basis. On account of the truth, which is dwelling in us, and shall be with us forever. Of course, he's personifying truth. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you have Christ, you have life. If you have Christ, you have the truth. We have the truth that dwells in us, and the truth will be with us forever!
2 John 1:4 - I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
He says, I rejoiced greatly that I have found of your children walking in truth. He keeps repeating it over, and over again. But he's doing it for a purpose. He says I have greatly rejoiced that I have found of your children walking in truth.
Walking is a Participle, showing a way of life, a habit of life. It is very rare to find these days. That's why John says I greatly rejoiced when I found out that your children are walking in the truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
2 John 1:5 - And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And now I beseech thee, lady, and the word beseech which usually means appeal, in this instance, it means request. He's not commanding them. He's not appealing to them. He says now I make a request of thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we should be loving one another.
Again, notice that it's not a command. We who know Christ, if indeed we are saved, then we should be loving one another. That's the evidence of being saved. It's not something that we have to practice doing.
2 John 1:1 Continued
And Christians helped other Christians so they wouldn't have to stay at the Inns. Not only did it cost them money at the Inns, but the Inns were corrupt. They were mainly dens of prostitution. And for the believers who were traveling, they would come into town and find out who the Christians were and then stay at someone's home. It didn't cost them anything, and it kept them away from the corruption that took place at the Inn.
So, this woman, and in fact, some people go as far as to take the Greek word for the word lady, in elect lady. The word lady is KURIA. Some believe that's her name, the elect KURIA. But it is some woman who obviously is important in the church. Some believe it is Mary, that she would be the elect lady, and her children. So, it's from the elder John, to this elect lady and her children.
Then he says whom, that's plural for all of them, for the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; That's a strange statement. Aren't we supposed to love everybody? Interesting that God's love is not separated from the truth. The bible says love not the world, neither the things in the world. That includes the people.
How did God show His love for the world? It was by sending His Son to die for their sins. But it was His own people that He blessed! Others who had not repented, who did not belong to Christ, they were still in their sins. God worked with them, but He didn't share with them the humanitarian kind of love that we think love is.
These people whom I love in the truth. What if they're not in the truth? Well, that's exactly the point!
And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; Notice "have known." That's a Perfect Tense. He's talking about those with him, his friends, people he fellowships with. They also love those who are walking in the truth. That is, those who have known the truth.
2 John 1:1 Continued
So it is to a woman, and her children. And many believe that because John, and you'll remember at the cross in John Chapter 19, John was given Mary to take care of her. Jesus said son behold thy mother, and mother behold thy son. And He's talking to John, that after the death of Christ, John was to take care of Mary.
It's interesting, because again John who is in his 90's now, he is in the city of Ephesus, and many believe that he's writing to her and the church that is in her home, and that she does have children. Now keep in mind that the early church was not in a building. It didn't have names on it. It was not an organization.
The early believers, for almost three hundred years, they either met in the home, or as the persecution increased over the years, they met in secret. And so, you get this idea when you hear about the church, that there's this grandioso building, with stained glass windows, and the whole deal, you know?
But the word church in the bible (EKKLESIA) means called out ones. It's the name of the people. People are the church, the called-out ones. What John is dealing with here is this wonderful elect lady and her children, and the fact that she has some of the church people in her home at times.
But he indicates for sure that she gives lodging to traveling Christians, especially traveling preachers. And that's what they did in those days. The preacher would come into town, and he would seek out what families in town were being hospitable to the itinerate preachers, and they would go and stay there with them.
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