2nd John
© Copyright 2001 Darroll Evans, all rights
reserved
2 John 1-3
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;
2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and
shall be with us for ever.
3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the
Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
Notice that John’s name does not appear in
the letter.
Only In Revelation does John identify himself.
The Elder (Gr. presbuteros-presbuteroV) is where the Presbyterian Church gets its name.
Members of certain Church leadership counsels
use the title, "Presyter."
That word may also indicate an old person.
At the writing of this letter, John would
have been elderly.
"Lady" (Gr. Kuria-Kuria) is a female form of the Greek word Kurios,
which is translated "Lord."
There has been some speculation that the
letter was written to a woman named Kyria.
"Her children" may indicate Church
members.
"Children" (Gr. teknois-teknoiV) speaks of school age children or pupils.
It is also a term of endearment.
"Love in the truth" is an
indication of loving Christ.
Jesus said, "I am the way, the
truth, and the life…" (John 14:6)
John was expressing his love (in Christ) for
the Church.
John’s love is not only for an individual
Church, but also all they that have known the truth.
All Christians "know" or are
intimate with the Truth, Christ Jesus.
In verse 3, John turns to a Pauline-style
greeting, "Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and
from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father."
It is the only time in 1st, 2nd,
or 3rd John that you will find the word “grace!”
All of Paul's letters begin with grace and
peace, and in the letters to Timothy and Titus he adds mercy.
Let's discuss Grace.
Grace (Gr. charis-cariV) is getting something you don’t deserve.
According to the standard definition grace is
God's unmerited favor.
The Bible says that it is by grace that we
are saved.
Ephesians 2:8 For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God.
Grace is an invaluable gift from God.
The English word "grace" appears
only 4 times in the gospels.
In the four Gospels it is never used in a
sentence spoken by Jesus Himself.
The English word "Grace" is used
once in Luke and 3 times in John all used to describe Jesus.
The Greek word that is often translated
"grace" is used 8 times in Luke and 4 times is the Gospel of John.
Grace is not found in Matthew or Mark.
Paul used "grace" approximately 100
times.
The only time the KJV translators use the
English word "grace," as spoken by Jesus, is in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Speaking to Paul, Christ said, "My
'grace' is sufficient for thee."
Grace means getting something
we don’t deserve.
Mercy (Gr. eleos-eleoV) means not getting what we do deserve.
God’s mercy is why we get grace and peace.
Mercy is compassionate goodwill toward one
who is miserable.
The Greek word translated "mercy"
appears over 25 times in the New Testament.
Paul used "grace" approximately 100
times, but he uses this word only 10 times.
In dealing with God, we do not want justice
based on "our" lives.
We need mercy based on Christ’s life.
Next in Paul's opening, we come to peace.
God's peace is not just an absence of open
conflict.
God's peace is true serenity.
Serenity is not the exclusive domain of some
guru sitting cross-legged on a mountaintop in
Peace is also far more than serenity.
God's peace is calm in the midst of conflict,
and calm in the eye of the life's hurricanes.
Grace and peace walk hand in hand throughout
Paul's writings.
They are alive in our day to day experiences.
Grace and Peace appear in tandem throughout
Paul's writings.
Without God's grace, true peace is
impossible.
True peace is not peace with your next door
neighbor.
True peace is peace with God.
That peace is available only through the Lord
Jesus Christ.
In a Nutshell, peace is gained through grace,
and grace is a result of God's mercy.
Our grace, peace and mercy are precipitated
by the Father's love for the Truth, His only begotten Son.
John refers to Christ as "the Son of the
Father."
Why would he do it in that manner?
First, that is a literal translation.
It is also factual.
Christ Jesus is THE Son of THE Father.
I am a son, and Jesus is THE Son.
The Father has many adopted children.
In the Greek, the definite article (tou) specifies a son, and it is not used to refer to any
one of God’s many adopted children.
Christ is also referred to as
"lord" (Gr. Kuriou-Kuriou).
That title carries the meaning of owner.
On the cross, Jesus paid the full and
complete price for all the sins of all humanity for all time.
In that, he purchased us.
We have become the purchased possession
(Ephesians 1:14).
2 John 4-6
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have
received a commandment from the Father.
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.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his
commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye
have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
"Rejoiced greatly" (Gr. echareen lian-ecarhn lian) does not denote hilarity.
It refers to being extremely glad. It is not
just emotion.
John was exceedingly glad when he found that
the children (Church members) were living in obedience to the commandments, or
instructions they had been given.
If he came to your Church, would John be
exceedingly glad?
This Church was walking in the truth.
They were living Spirit-led lives.
It is essential that Christians conduct
themselves according to the truth found in Christ!
John wrote that they had "received a
commandment from the Father."
Have you ever received a commandment from the
Father?
If your answer is no, you either are not a
follower of Christ, or you do not understand how Christianity works.
All Christians have received a commandment
from the Father to come to Christ Jesus!
Jesus was resurrected by the power of a
received commandment.
Speaking of His life, Jesus said, "No
man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down,
and I have power to take it again. This
commandment have I received of my Father" (John 10:18).
We can only acknowledge Christ as Lord by the
power of a received commandment to do so.
Commandments are delivered to us via the Holy
Spirit.
Our obedience is predicated on out hearing.
All things in Christianity operate on one
principle---we hear from God and respond appropriately.
In dealing with commandments, John said that
it was not as though he had written a new commandment,
instead this commandment had been in known from the beginning.
The commandment was simply to love one
another.
John said that he was writing concerning
new commandment that was from the beginning.
How can that be?
The commandment was from the beginning because
God is love (1 John 4:8).
New (Gr. kaineen-kainhn) indicates something that is fresh, and unworn.
Love is fresh every day.
It is always unworn in that it never shows
signs of wear.
God is Love, and Love never fails.
Love overcomes all obstacles.
Do you believe that God is really that
powerful?
Then, John explains that love is walking
after God’s commandments.
"To walk after" is an idiom meaning
"to conduct one’s life in a manner consistent with" God’s commandment
to love.
It is a matter of respect.
To love God we must have a deep abiding
respect for the Father, the Sons, and the Holy Spirit.
Why would John tell us to follow the
commandments if Christ nullified them?
Christians live by the law of the Spirit
based in faith.
We validate the law through the Law of Love,
the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus!
We conduct our lives by the commandment to
love.
2 John 7-11
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.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things
which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth
not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth
in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not
into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of
his evil deeds.
Deceivers (Gr. planoi-planoi) speaks of an impostor, seducer or wanderer.
There are many "deceivers" in the
world today.
The phrase, “and an antichrist” should have
been translated “and the
antichrist” (Gr. kai O antichristos-kai O anticristoV)!
That is a fact.
The Bible says that the Devil is like a
roaring lion.
He and his henchmen are going around looking
for those that he may devour through seduction. (1 Pet 5:8)
Even today, there are those that say that
Christ lived, died, and was resurrected spiritually.
They say that He did not do all that as a
living breathing human being!
No matter what their religious persuasion,
John calls them deceivers and antichrists.
John warns us to watch out to make sure we do
not lose our full reward.
Salvation is assured---rewards are not.
Anyone who does not abide in the Doctrine of
Christ does not have God.
If we abide in Christ’s Doctrine, through the
Holy Spirit, we have the Father and the Son.
Here, we find a reference to
the “Doctrine of Christ.”
What is that?
Many assume that the Doctrine
of Christ is a reference to the historical facts of His virgin birth, perfect
life, crucifixion and resurrection.
But, why not let the Bible
tell us about the Doctrine of Christ?
The Doctrine of Christ is not
a “do as I say, and not as I do doctrine.”
It is a doctrine of teaching
and demonstrated power.
Matt 7:28
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were
astonished at his doctrine:
Matt 22:33 And
when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
Mark 1:22
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had
authority, and not as the scribes.
Mark 4:2-3
2 And he taught them many
things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went
out a sower to sow:
Mark 11:18
And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy
him: for they feared him, because all the people was
astonished at his doctrine.
Luke 4:32
And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.
John 7:16-17
16 Jesus answered them, and
said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his
will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
God, or whether I speak of myself.
Acts 13:9-12
9 Then Saul, (who also is
called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,
10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou
enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of
the Lord?
11 And now, behold, the hand
of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind,
not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by
the hand.
12 Then the deputy, when he
saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.
I realize that all these
verses may be a bit much for many, but they will form the basis for good study.
The doctrine of Christ does
not include just teaching.
Teaching is needed, but
teaching without practice is not complete the Doctrine of Christ.
We must put into practice
that which Christ taught.
Do you drive a car?
Do you theoretically drive a
car, or do you really drive a car?
Silly question, no!
Far too many Christians teach
and/or practice theoretical Christianity.
What we need is the real
thing.
Jesus told His detractors that if they had
known him, they would have known the Father. (John 8:19)
"Father, Son, and Holy Spirit" is a
package deal.
We either have all of them or none of them!
If anybody comes to teach us a different
gospel, turn him/her away.
If we listen to a false gospel, we
participate in it.
This listening to a false gospel does not
mean acknowledging that it exists.
The Greek implies a favorable response to
falsehoods.
2 John 12-13
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would
not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to
face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
John had many things to say, and he wanted to
"say" them.
He did not want to write them.
Some things are easier to communicate when
the speaker can gage the immediate response.
The conclusion seems to be a greeting from
another Church.