2 John

    1-3.  In 1 Peter 5:1, the apostle Peter addresses the church elders modestly as “your fellow elder.”  The apostle John does the same here, though he was probably very old and an elder in both senses of the word by this time.  He writes to “the chosen (elect) lady and her children.”  Many authorities seem to assume that he addresses a particular woman and her family, but I am convinced this is his way of addressing some church and its members.  I think the context of the letter seems entirely church directed, and v. 13, “The children of your chosen sister greet you,” seems much more likely to be a sister congregation than otherwise (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13, most probably a reference to the church of Rome:  “She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, send you greetings….”)

     In content, 2 John seems to be a miniature version of 1 John.   Truth and love are bound together inseparably in God the Father and his son Jesus Christ (cf. Ps. 85:10), and through him grace, mercy, and peace come to us.  By sending the Son in the flesh (7), the Father speaks the truth to us in love, just as we should do with one another (cf. Eph. 4:15).

     4-6.  Obedience is love.  Walking according to God’s commandments is love.  Therefore, the new commandment “love one another” (5; John 13:34) is really not new.   In fact, it is the old word written on the heart (cf. 1 John 2:7-8; 3:23; 5:2).  “Love one another” is the equivalent of “walk according to His commandments” (6), or “walk in truth” (4).  “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15; cf. John 14:15-17, 21; 15:10, 12, 17).  John sums up all the commandments and all the Spirit gives us in these two words — truth and love — which are met together in Jesus Christ (cf. 1 John 5:3, 7, 11, 20).

     7-11.  The truth versus the lie; Christ and antichrist.  The deceiver denies the incarnation, God come in the flesh (7).  Antichrist denies that to have the Son is to have the Father (9).  These teachers teach contrary to the truth of who Jesus was, and the truth of what he taught.  Such a teacher does not abide in Jesus Christ, or in the love and truth found in him, but “goes on ahead” (9, margin).  How can we commune with someone who denies Christ as coming in the flesh, one who cannot honestly commemorate the body of Christ broken for us in the breaking of the bread?  (1 Cor. 11:24).  How can we help such deceivers spread their lies by giving them hospitality and aid?  (10-11; cf. 3 John 10).  Shall we join them in denying that Jesus is coming again to raise our bodies from the dead at the resurrection?  And shall we lose our reward by denying the bodily resurrection of Christ?  (8; cf. 1 Cor. 15:1-4, 15).  John warns the church to have nothing to do with such advanced thinkers.

     12-13.  John explains the brevity of his letter, and concludes with a simple greeting from the members of another congregation.