True Believers: Truth or Consequences
The early church historian Eusebius suggests that it and its twin sister, 3 John, were written after John was released from the Island of Patmos where he had been exiled and where he wrote the book of Revelation. If this is correct, 2 and 3 John are the last New Testament books to be written.
Followers of Jesus must walk in His commands as they love the truth of His teaching.
True Believers Love the Truth (1–3)
Do You Embrace the truth? (1–2)
It is a figurative reference to a local church and its members. Verse 13 would likewise refer to another local church.
If love would appeal to their hearts, then truth would appeal to their minds.
Do You Enjoy the truth? (3)
Grace is God doing for us what we do not deserve, mercy is his not doing to us what we do deserve, and peace is God giving us what we need based upon his grace and mercy. The word order is significant. God’s grace is always prior. Mercy and peace flow from it.
The Father and Son are equally and fully God, yet there is a true and genuine distinction in person. To make this clear, God is identified as Father twice.
True Believers Live the Truth (4–6)
Are You concerned with what you believe? (creed) (4)
There are basically four options when it comes to the source of the authority to which we will submit.
We will either submit to
reason (what we think),
tradition (what we’ve always done),
experience (what we feel), or
revelation (what God says).
For John, God had revealed Himself in Jesus Christ His Son and in His Word.
The matter was settled.
We don’t debate Him or the Word.
We proclaim both.
Are You concerned with how you behave? (conduct) (5–6)
False teachers may have a new, an additional, word for this elect lady and her children (v. 1), this dear lady (v. 5), but
John simply reminds them of an old word.
What they heard from the beginning
should stay with them to the end.
John does not have a new word for this congregation. This sets him apart from the “deceivers” of v. 9, who boast of something more, something new.
True Believers Look for the Truth (7–11)
Do You Recognize the deceptive? (7)
The elder was well aware of the fact that what one believes about Jesus will impact other areas of his theology. Indeed it will shape his entire worldview. The beliefs one holds about the Bible, God, humanity, creation, sin, and salvation will be shaped by what is believed about Jesus Christ.
Do You Resist the destructive? (8)
Do You Reprove the destitute? (9)
The phrase “runs ahead” translates “to go beyond,” “to go too far,” “to go or run on ahead,” “to be progressive.”
Used figuratively,
John may be borrowing from the vocabulary of the Docetists, who fancied themselves as advanced or enlightened thinkers.
Do You Reject the dangerous? (10–11)
The third command, “do not take him” (v. 10), demands a complete rejection and severance from the wicked actions (disobedience) of the false teachers. It serves as an external defense against those enemies who are outside the Christian community.
He is not saying you cannot invite them into your home for a visit where you confront them with the claims of Christ. What he is saying is that we are not to provide support and aid (e.g., a place to stay and money) to anyone who is spreading false teaching and disseminating error.
They must not open their homes to any such persons and give them a base of operation to spread their heresy.
A strong stand of opposition to these evangelists of error is essential for the health of the church.
True Believers Long for the Truth (12–13)
Do You Experience the fullness of joy? (12)
There is a beautiful Greek idiom in v. 12. “Face to face” is literally “mouth to mouth” (stoma pros stoma). The intimacy of the desired meeting is evident.
