Bible Commentaries
2 John 1

Verse 4

THE SALUTATION

2 John 1:1. The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

2 John 1:2. for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever:

2 John 1:3. 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.

2 John 1:4. I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Fa­ther.

The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Colossians 2:3 tells us that, in Christ Jesus, God has hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. We are not searching for the truth. Jesus Christ is the truth. We may not understand all about it. We may not have experienced much of it. This does not al­ter the fact that Jesus Christ is the truth.

This is the very foundation of Christianity.

Notice that the apostle mentions the truth in each of the first four verses: “Whom I love in truth,” “all who know the truth,” “for the sake of the truth,” “in truth and love,” “walking in truth.”

Walking in the truth is the activity of one who loves the truth. In other words, what we believe will be manifest in how we live. If we believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, and if we love Him, this will affect our entire life. It will espe­cially affect our attitude to those who are related to Him, those who are fellow members in the family of God. We will love the people of God because we love the truth. Christ is the truth.

I cannot repeat it too often. The great foun­dation for fellowship is the person of Christ. When Christ ceases to be the center of fellowship, then divisions and heresies come in.

Those who do not love the truth, who are not re­lated to the Saviour, will enter the fellowship and cause trouble. The end result will be a worldly church.

Such a church will include those who detract from the person of Christ.

Such people become the instruments of Satan for the destruction of the fellowship.

We are dealing with very practical matters. Where there is no love for the truth, there will be little love for God’s people.

John here is appealing for a genuine love for the Saviour, a genuine love for the truth, a genuine love for the Word of God.

This was the very heart of the doctrine of the early church. It is also the very heart of fellowship. If only we would follow this truth today! Then the Lord Je­sus Christ would be the center of our worship, and we would include all those who believe the truth.

Verses 5-6

EXHORTATION TO LOVE AND OBEDIENCE

2 John 1:5. And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new com­mandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another.

2 John 1:6. 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.

We are admonished to love one another in the truth. This theme runs through all the Epistles of John.

God sees our faith, but men experience our love. The manifestation of our love is obedience to His commandments.

Jesus said the same thing.

He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me (John 14:21)

If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (John 14:23).

The whole New Testament declares that the manifestation before the world that we love the Saviour is our obedience to His Word. Love is the motive for that obedience.

But that the world may know that I love the Fa­ther, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do (John 14:31).

Verses 7-11

WARNING AGAINST ERROR

2 John 1:7. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.

2 John 1:8. Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

2 John 1:9. 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.

2 John 1:10. 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;

2 John 1:11. for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

John here speaks very emphatically concern­ing those who deny that Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. He calls them deceivers and declares that they are to be excluded from our fellowship. The danger is that we may become lax in our relationships and permit those who deny the Incarnate Word of God to enter into our fel­lowship. If we do this, we are in danger of losing our reward. So there is a necessity to be separated from such deceivers.

Does John mean that if someone who denies the Incarnate Word of God comes into the church, he should not be received?

That is exactly what he is saying.

We who believe in Him cannot have fellowship with one who denies the Son of God, denies His Word, His work on the cross, His resurrection.

John says clearly that if we receive him or bid him God speed, we are partakers of his evil deeds. There must be separation of believers from those who deny the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verses 12-13

PERSONAL REMARKS

2 John 1:12. Having 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, that your joy may be made full.

2 John 1:13. The children of your chosen sister greet you.

There is great joy in fellowship with those who love the Saviour.

This enjoyment of fellowship is something that is outside the understanding and experience of the man of the world. There is a very special bond be­tween those who really know and love the One who came into the world and gave Himself for us.

I have traveled in many parts of the world and have been in homes in many countries. Always there is a feeling of oneness with those who know my Lord. There is a fullness of joy in speaking face to face with fellow believers.

Several times in his Gospel and also in his Epis­tles, John speaks of fullness of joy. This is one of them.

2 John 1:12 b. I hope to come to you and speak face to face, that your joy may be made full.

• Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one an­other, and the Lord gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name (Malachi 3:16).

I trust that you and I may know this joy.