Bible Groups

Second Letter of John

Short letter, just filling one sheet of papyrus. Sections standard for the time: introduction; happiness and thanksgiving; body text; and conclusion. 2 and 3 Jn appear to be written by same author at same time (about 100 AD), and apparently because of the same crisis. But although both use the normal conventions of letter-writing, 2 Jn does not name the addressee but is clearly intended as an open letter to be heard by the whole community. (Whereas 3 Jn is private correspondence addressed to a named individual). Believed to be written in Ephesus about 100 AD..
‘Presbyter’ means more than 'elder' or ‘older man’ since by this time many Churches had several 'elders', and the author styles himself as ‘the Presbyter’, and assumes some authority. His identity must therefore be well known to local Christians. Probably a second generation Christian who has known eyewitnesses of Jesus or of the early church and so can testify to what was seen and taught from the beginning. Clearly accepted as an authority in this community, and no name needed.
By tradition all 3 letters and the Gospel are attributed to the same author, although there are differences in their theology. It is also possible that 2 Jn was written first, and 1 Jn is an expansion of it.
1 The chosen - or ‘elect’ - lady and her children is the unnamed local church and its members. (Cf the female Britannia on coins as referring to the nation UK). 'Elect' or ‘chosen’ is normal adjective for all Christians in other NT letters (eg 1 Pet 1:1). Visitors from this Church to the author have shown themselves faithful to the truth, (v 4) and so he writes with joy to the (sister ?) Church.
2 I love your Church because of this truth in you.
3 Customary greeting for a Christian letter, but transformed into a statement of Christian hope by replacing the normal 'greetings' with 'grace, and with Johannine addition asserting 'grace, mercy and peace' will be with us. A unique mention in John of ‘mercy’. ‘The Father’s Son’: similar terms used in John but not elsewhere in NT. Right in the opening greeting John asserts that Jesus - the man - is God's Son, one of the key truths denied by some in or who have left his community.
4 Compliments the church that at least some of its members are 'walking in the truth' - ie living in a way in which Christian faith is visibly expressed. Similar meaning to 'walking in the light' - both expressions appear often in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
5 Then to his main concern, that walking in the truth should be made visible by our love for each other. Insists on this love, not as a new commandment, but one which we have received and taught from the beginning.
6 As in his 1^st letter, Love defined as living according to the commandments.
7 Warns of deceivers who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as truly human, and who are going about preaching this. Strong word - 'antichrist' - used to describe these deceivers.
8 A real fear that following this belief will cause the members of this sister church to lose the eternal life we have worked for.
9 True belief in Jesus is essential to real worship of the Father. The ultimate criterion for Christians is to remain in the teaching of (by or about?) Christ. It is wrong to go ahead of the truth by believing that belief in Jesus’ humanity can be dropped by more advanced believers. 'Progressive' may be a claim by the deceivers. Perhaps an anxiety to preserve the teachings intact - but Christ's teachings must always be translated and applied to the 'here and now' situation, as they were by the Apostles after Jesus' death. We may guess that the heretics were claiming that the expected Messiah or Saviour figure was too heavenly to live and die as a normal human being - still an idea difficult for some to accept..
10 The only new idea compared with 1 Jn: Contrary to the normal traditions of hospitality, especially in John's community, anyone not teaching this (ie that Jesus was human and God's Son) is to be rejected, and not received (as Diotrephes does in 3 Jn). It is not John's teaching, even if the deceivers claim that it is. The teaching is seen as what we now call heresy - so false that it broke the fellowship or koinonia.
11 Even greeting such a person shares in his evil work. IE shun such heretical teachers. Later this attitude, derived from Jn 13:20, was to lead to refusal to allow heretics to appeal to the Scriptures (Tertullian), and later to execute heretics to ensure they harmed no-one. “Does truth prevail more if we are not on speaking terms with those whose view of truth differs from ours?” (C H Dodd). But at this period in the early Church, preachers of heresy were seen as evil, a potential danger to faith, to be shunned rather than reasoned with. All this, of course begs the question of who is right - and how do we know? All these arguments could be used equally by the deceivers. It comes back to 'by their fruits shall you know them' - but by then it could be too late!
12 Does not apologise for letter’s brevity, as speaking face to face is better. Probably here a conventional remark not to be taken as foreshadowing a disciplinary visit. May have for shadowed 1Jn. Emphasises the joy that comes from koinonia with fellow Christians and with God and Jesus.
13 The members of your sister church send greetings - probably the Presbyter’s own church - to you (singular, presumably the other community), thus emphasising that he speaks on behalf of his whole local Church. Repeating the terms ‘chosen’ and ‘children’ of v 1.

Gospel and Letters of John

Second Letter of John