Bible Commentaries
2 John 1

Verses 1-3

2 John 1:1-3 . The Salutation.— The writer greets “ the elect lady and her children” (see Introduction) on the ground of their fellowship with him in the truth, i.e. the faith held by the Church as opposed to that taught by the false teachers. Such “ truth” became a bond between the various members of the Church.

2 John 1:3 . from God the Father . . . the Son of the Father.— By this form of statement the doctrines of the false teachers are challenged in anticipation.— in truth and love: i.e. truth of belief and lovingness of disposition— the two marks of a valid Christianity as laid down in 1 Jn.

Verses 4-11

2 John 1:4-11 . Exhortation and Warning.— The commandment of love given by Christ to His Church “ from the beginning” must be faithfully observed. Loyalty to Christ meant that His followers must beware of the false teachers, the embodiment of Antichrist, who denied the reality of His Incarnation. Ground already won for the faith might be lost. Those who, under the lure of “ advanced” thought, sought to beguile others from Christ’ s teaching, were not Christians, and must receive neither countenance nor hospitality.

2 John 1:4 . In some way, possibly through a visit from some travelling evangelists belonging to the church addressed, John had ascertained the fidelity to the truth which many of its members exhibited.

2 John 1:5 f. 1 John 2:7 f.*, 1 John 5:3 *.

2 John 1:7 . gone forth: i.e. from the Church ( 1 John 4:1 *).— world: 1 John 2:15 *.— confess . . . flesh: the double name, Jesus Christ, is significant. It expresses the two sides of our Lord’ s personality. The heresy assailed distinguished Jesus from Christ, and dissolved the unity of Christ’ s Person. See 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:2 f., where, too, those who taught the heretical doctrine are styled “ antichrists.”

2 John 1:8 . Past gains, secured by the faithful ministry of the writer and others like him, were imperilled.

2 John 1:9 . The idea (as in 1 John 2:22-24) is that a true doctrine of Jesus as the Son is necessary to our conception of God as Father.— goeth onward: probably one of the catchwords of the false teachers is here alluded to, their claim being that their teaching represented “ advanced doctrine” into which all ought to move who made any pretence to be “ progressive” thinkers. That “ progress,” however, is delusive which cuts itself loose from the historic facts of the Christian faith.

2 John 1:10 . John himself is said to have fled when on one occasion he found himself under the same roof as the false teacher Cerinthus. Here, in the interests of truth, he forbids hospitality to be offered to the false teachers when they came.

2 John 1:12 f. Conclusion.— The writer refrains from further messages because he hopes shortly to visit the church and see its members.

2 John 1:13 . The members of the writer’ s own church send greeting (see Introduction).