Bible Study 2 John 1: 1-13

 

Commentary of the Book of 2 John 

By Dr. Barry L. Jenkins

Text Used: Legacy Standard Bible

Bible Study 2 John 1: 1-13

Book Introduction from the Scofield Reference Bible

The Second Epistle of John

WRITER: The Apostle John.

DATE: Probably A.D. 90.

THEME: Second John gives the essentials of the personal walk of the believer in a day when "many deceivers are entered into the world" (2Jo 7). The key phrase is "the truth," by which John means the body of revealed truth, the Scriptures. The Bible as the only authority for doctrine and life, is the believer's resource in a time of declension and apostasy.

The Epistle in three divisions:

I. The pathway of truth and love, vs. 1-6 II. The peril of unscriptural ways, vs. 7-11 III. Superscription, vs. 12, 13

Text:

Walk in Truth and Love

1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we received commandment from the Father. 5 Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 8 See to yourselves, that you do not lose what we accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. 9 [a]Anyone who [b]goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting, 11 for the one who gives him a greeting [c]participates in his evil deeds.

12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that [d]your joy may be made complete.

13 The children of your elect sister greet you.

Verse by verse commentary:

Verse 1: “The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,”

John uses the word “elder” to emphasize his advanced age, his spiritual authority, and the power of his own personal eyewitness testimony to the life of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He did and taught. “Elect lady and her children” could mean a local church and its congregation or a specific woman and her real children. We can’t know for sure. In this letter, John will stress “truth”. There is no love without truth. Truth is the necessary condition of unity and, as a result, the basis of love for the brethren.

Verse 2: “for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:”

“For the sake of truth” means a defense of the truth. We need to recognize that the truth needs to be defended and not taken for granted. We need to stand for the truth of God and for the Word of God. There is some old preacher advice: “If you are too afraid to preach the truth, use a broomstick for your backbone.” The point is that men and women of God need to stand strong in their faith and refuse to compromise with the world.

Verse 3: “Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.”

Similar to the apostle Paul, John begins his greeting with mention of the bountiful Christian blessings of grace and peace, but he also adds “mercy.” The source of this blessed “grace, mercy, and peace” is none other than the Sovereign LORD God Himself, who is the Truth.

Verse 4: “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we received commandment from the Father.”

“Your children” are either the physical children of the woman referenced in verse 1 or the members of the local church. I think it could be either, and it may refer to both. “Walking in truth” refers to the manner of life, meaning walking in obedience to the commandments from the Father as a matter of habit.  The “commandment from the Father” (Note the word “commandment” is singular and does not mean the complete Torah (first five books of the Bible). The “commandment” is that we walk in the light as He is in the light as a matter of consistent daily practice.

Verse 5: “Now I ask you, lady, not as though I were writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.”

John connects the commandment of truth and the commandment of love. The word “love” has a reference to the habitual practice of love in one’s life. To walk in the truth and to walk in love is the behavior of hospitality.

Verse 6: “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it.”

John defines love, not as an emotion, but as obedience to God’s commands. Love is about action, i.e. doing acts of love for others. When the Bible tells us to love our neighbor, God is not asking us to work up emotional feelings for someone we may not actually like. God doesn’t want you to lie. However, no matter how you personally feel about someone, you can still do acts of love for them. John wants his readers to show acts of love in the area of hospitality. The Bible has excellent advice on the subject of interpersonal relationships. Show love regardless of your emotions.

Verse 7: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”

Anyone that denies that the Lord Jesus Christ had a physical body is a deceiver and under the influence of the antichrist. I have no problem stating that anyone who denies the Trinity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit is also a deceiver and under the influence of the antichrist. The specific group John was identifying were the docetists, who denied the reality of the human nature of Christ. The deceivers are in the world as well today. It is God’s Word that will guide us through these last days.

Verse 8: “See to yourselves, that you do not lose what we accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.”

Let me be clear, you do not lose your salvation when you have fellowship with the deceivers, but you do put yourself in a precarious position. It does mean that the minute you and I identify ourselves with a cult or go off into this type of thing which denies the deity of Christ, we are going to lose our reward. There will be no reward for a believer who fellowships with heretics.

Verse 9: “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. The one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.”

A failure to be obedient to the fundamental, sound doctrines of the faith (i.e. the Sovereignty of God, the depravity of man, Holy Spirit conviction and blood redemption, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and the Second Coming of Christ) is evidence that a  person has never been born again. “Abides” refers to a consistent habitual adherence to these Truths.

Verse 10: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting,”

This is a stern measure that contrasts sharply with the exhortation given in 3 John 5–8 to welcome believers who preach the truth. The recipient of this letter is a woman of hospitality, and she probably had this question about entertaining false teachers. John lays it on the line here: don’t let them into your home and give him no greeting of blessing. 

Verse 11: “for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

The word “participates” is literally “fellowships.” To ask God’s blessings for someone who is a deceiver and who does not follow the doctrine of Christ, is to join yourself to them. This is dangerous for the believer, not because they could lose their salvation, but there will be a loss of rewards for the Christian.

Verse 12: “Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made complete.”

A letter is no substitute for personal fellowship and communication. John wants to share with his readers the mutual encouragement that can only take place in person. We would do well to remember this, especially in an age of instant communication through email and text. When things are written, they can be misunderstood because the writing doesn’t generally convey tone. A personal touch is best. 

Verse 13: “The children of your elect sister greet you.”

John closes the letter by sending greetings from one Christian fellowship to another, a common practice in apostolic letters, and a reminder of the blessings of Christian unity.