Free Bible Commentary
“Introduction To Second John”
Categories: Second JohnThis very short, urgent letter was written by the hand of the Apostle John to “the chosen lady and her children” (verse 1). While the recipients could possibly have been a literal, unnamed woman and her physical offspring, the context of the letter suggests that John was addressing a local congregation (likely in Asia Minor). Quoting Daniel H. King, Sr. in his Truth Commentary on “The Three Epistles of John” about the favorability of the congregational view:
“(1) This lady is said to be beloved by all who know the truth. This is more intelligible if it pertains to a congregation than to an individual. (2) Neither the lady herself nor any of her children are named specifically. This suggests a community rather than an individual. (3) The subject matter is not personal or specific, but general in nature, befitting a general letter to a group instead of a private person. (4) The predominance of the second person plural rather than the singular suggests a group rather than an individual (cf. vv. 8, 10, 12, ‘look to yourselves, that ye…’, etc.)… (6) Personification of the church in a feminine form is entirely in harmony with other New Testament usage (cf. Eph. 5:29f; 2 Cor. 11:2ff; 1 Pet. 5:13).”
The apostle had “many things to write to” this local church, but he desired to communicate these issues to them in person (verse 12). Yet two of these concerns were of such great significance, he felt compelled to write in advance of his arrival as a form of warning and encouragement to his brethren. John’s first priority was to emphasize the importance of “truth” and “love”. Five times in the first four verses we find the word “truth” as John stressed the critical nature of “walking according to His commandments” (verse 6), and abiding in the “doctrine of Christ” (verse 9). As we learned from John’s first letter, deviation from the Truth was already well underway in the Lord’s church, and it was progressing even as he penned this epistle. He was going to do everything within his power to stem the flow of heretical teaching, and the havoc that it wreaks on the Lord’s body, and we should take his actions no less seriously in this world of full-blown apostasy in which we live.
The doctrine of Christ is far too pure and holy to sit idly by as people overtly pervert and besmirch God’s Sacred Writ in the name of “progress” and “inclusiveness”. But friends, we must strive to avoid hatefulness in our rejection of “politically correctness”. As the second aspect of John's emphasis implies, we must ever focus on “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). The word “love” also leaps off the page at us with almost equal force as “truth” does, occurring four separate times in the first five verses. “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:3-6)
Please read 2 John 1:1-3 for tomorrow.
-Louie Taylor
