One Chapter Wonders: Rediscovering 2 John
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One Chapter Wonders! Rediscovering 2 John
One Chapter Wonders! Rediscovering 2 John
Grace Church at Willow Valley - April 22, 2018
Intro:
Read ---- Pray!
Context: No one ever sits downt to write a note, email, text message, etc in a vacuum. There is always a context in which the message is written. And so it is with the very brief NT letter before us (along with 3 John the shortest of all the 21 NT letters).
Context: No one ever sits downt to write a note, email, text message, etc in a vacuum. There is always a context in which the message is written. And so it is with the very brief NT letter before us (along with 3 John the shortest of all the 21 NT letters).
Let’s begin with who wrote this letter and to whom it was written:
The elder:
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth—
Author: Traditionally, the Apostle John, also the author of the Gospel of John, 1 John, 3 John and the book of Revelation. Now I am not going to offer up the strong evidence for this view for sake of time .... just suffice to say the attempts to disprove the author to be John the Apostle have fallen short!
Author: Traditionally, the Apostle John, also the author of the Gospel of John, 1 John, 3 John and the book of Revelation. Now I am not going to offer up the strong evidence for this view for sake of time .... just suffice to say the attempts to disprove the author to be John the Apostle have fallen short!
Author’s use of the term “The Elder” --- the fact the writer does not refer to his name (true of the gospel of John and the three letters ascribed to him) would be consistent with John the Apostle being the writer of this letter.
Why “the Elder” and not the Apostle? --- well, most likely because he had pastoral oversight of the group of people to whom he was writing. Some also suggest that since John was the last living from among the orignial apostles … and he was writing this toward the end of his long life … that he was using it in the sense of “the old man” or “the aged one.” Now we might wince at that since we live in a culture that celebrates youth and degrades old age … yet in the ancient near eastern culture of the Bible … older people were highly respected … and often the older the more the respect. (we in the church could learn something from this!)
Receipients: “the chosen lady and her children”
Now here is where it gets a bit sticky .... Is John writing to a literal woman who had a number of children? OR is he using a metaphor here … and speaking of a church and its members?
ESV Study Bible - The elect lady and her children probably refers to a local congregation and its members.
MacArthur Study Bible - the elect lady and her children. Some think that this phrase refers metaphorically to a particular local church, while “her children” would refer to members of the congregation. The more natural understanding in context, however, is that it refers to a particular woman and her children (i.e., offspring) who were well known to John.
I read numerous commentaries on this issue … and I believe it is best … though not certain … that the ESV study Bible’s view is to be preferred.
In the words of a former pastor of mine:
“While the matter is probably incapable of a final solution within the limits of our present knowledge, the balance of probability seems to be on the side of the corporate (church congregation) interpretation.” (James Montgomery Boice)
So most likely John is writing to a church he shepherded … refer to the church as a chosen (elect) lady … appropriate given the NT meaphor of the church being the bride of Christ
Now … what compelled him to write this very short and pointed letter? After all .... remember what he said at the end of this letter ...
Though I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete.
2 John
So something was so heavy on his heart that he did not want to wait until he was able to see them face to face … John decided to fire off this short letter to this group of Christians whom he cared for deeply!
Two catalysts which sparked John’s need to write ...
I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father.
Apparently John had encountered some from this church and was thrilled to see them walking in truth … and so he wanted to write and commend the church for their faithful obedience to the truth!
2 John
The second catalyst arises from a common occurence in John’s day. Since Christians could not go onto Amazon to order the latest and newest translation of the New Testament … nor could they make a quick stop at Lifeway Christian store to buy a copy … (all because the NT was still in process of being written and compiled) … traveling missionaries (Bible teachers, evangelists) … would go from town to town and teach the fundamentals of Christianity. Since there was no travelocity or expedia in those days to use to book hotel rooms (as there were none - and what few inns that did exist ....
“Inns were notoriously dirty and flea-infested’, while ‘innkeepers were notoriously rapacious”(Willia Barclay).
Therefore, Christians would open their homes to provide for these teachers while they were teaching in their own local church. But as one writer pointed out .... “Not all these roving reverends were worthy of the warm hospitality of hot meal and a warm bed.”
Even ancient secular writers noted this abuse:
“Lucian, the Greek writer drew the picture of a man who had found the easiest possible way to make a living without working … traveling round the various communities of Christians and living luxuriously at their expense.” (Willam Barclay)
This absuse became such a problem that the ancient Didache (“The Teaching”)… the earliest book of church order, dating from the early 2nd century (so not very long after the writing of 2 John) … addressed this problem:
“Let everyone that comes in the name of the Lord be received… If he is minded to settle among you, and be a craftsman, let him work and eat. But, if he has no trade, according to your understanding, provide that he shall not the idol among you, being a Christian. But if you will not do this, he is a Christmonger: of such men beware beware.” (The Didache)
A Christmonger is someone who sells Christ.
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Now perhaps this group of people from this church whom John had encountered had spoken to him about how the church was providing hospitality for some supsect traveling missionaries .... and so John writes …
2 John
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don’t greet him; for the one who greets him shares in his evil works.
So what we have in the STRUCTURE of this brief letter:
John’s Greeting (vv 1-3)
John’s Warm Commendation (vv. 4-6)
John’s Stern Caution: (vv. 7-11)
John’s Good-bye (12-13)
John’s Greeting
The elder:
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever.
2 john 1-3
The elder:
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever.
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.
The elder:
To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth—and not only I, but also all who know the truth—because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever.
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.
What word does John use 4 times in this greeting? TRUTH! (he also uses it once more in v. 4)
Truth was an important concept to John, and this can be seen with how often he uses the word in his writings!
For example: Matthew, Mark, and Luke each use the word ONCE in their gospels. John in his gospel uses the word 23 times! And in his three letters (and remeber his second and third letters are the shortest letters in the NT) … he uses the word another 17 times! In fact, across the course of the entire NT … 43% of the uses of the word “truth” occurs in the books written by John!
Now how relevant is this for us today??? In our culture .... absolute truth is considered by many to be non-existent!
ILL — 57% of American adults believe knowing right or wrong is a matter of personal experience; 74% of Millenials agree strongly or somewhat with the statment, “Whateveris right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know.”
Well … John would certainly disagree with this as he quoted Jesus in his trial before the Roman Governor Ponitous Pilate:
Now with this background in hand … let’s look at what God through John is communicating to us today … and it is something that we need to hear and heed just as much as his readers in his day needed to hear and heed!
“You are a king then?” Pilate asked.
“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”
“What is truth?” said Pilate.
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no grounds for charging him.
a recent Barna survey reveals that according to 57 percent of adults in America, knowing what is right or wrong is a matter of personal experience .... and among Millenials 74 percent agree strongly or somewhat with the statement, ‘Whatever is right for your life or works best for you is the only truth you can know.
John 18:
Jesus came to bear witness to THE TRUTH! The objective body of truth which exists apart from whether I choose to believe it or not!
ILL —> Abraham Lincoln wanted to make a point about the nature of truth and so he asked a friend this question: “If you have a goat and call one of its leg a tail, how many legs does the goat have?” The friend answered, “Three!” “Wrong!” Lincoln quickly replied. “Just becuase you call a leg a tail does not make is so!”
Listen my friends, if there is no such thing as aboslute truth, we might as well close our Bibles, turn off the lights, and go home. But … this book, the Bible is, because it is the word of the Creator himself, it is absolute truth. And we have a responsiblity to it which we will see in a moment.
But notice also v. 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.
Where would we be without God’s grace and mercy .... grace giving us what we in no way deserve and mercy witholding what we most certainly do deserve .... only because God is gracious and merciful beyond belief .. can we experience peace (peace with God … peace with one another .... peace with our lot in life!
John’s Warm Commendation
I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, in keeping with a command we have received from the Father. So now I ask you, dear lady—not as if I were writing you a new command, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. This is love: that we walk according to his commands. This is the command as you have heard it from the beginning: that you walk in love.
Just as “truth” is predominate in this letter … so is the word “love” which has already occured in vv. 1 and 3 and now occurs three more times in vv. 4-6
Just as “truth” is a theme of John’s writing … so is love!
Matthew - 11 times; times; times; John 39 times
And in his three letters - 33 times
AND IN ADDITION … note that in this commendation … the concept of walking is predominate!
So … John is commending this group of believers walking in the truth as they kept a command received from the Father … and the command John had in mind was that we are to love one another!
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.
And note what John states is LOVE --- that we walk according to the commands! And the command most central … most foundational … is the command to walk in love!
This linking of love and obedience is something John wrote about in his first letter ....
This is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God and obey his commands. For this is what love for God is: to keep his commands. And his commands are not a burden,
APP —> John here is pointing out that love is not merely an emotion … but as obedience to the commands of God! And just what are the two great commandments that all the other commandments hang upon?
He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
John is commending this church for walking in the truth and walking in love … loving God … loving others. Would he be able to commend us as warmly in this regard?
John’s Stern Caution
Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves so you don’t lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world; they do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves so you don’t lose what we have worked for, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don’t greet him; for the one who greets him shares in his evil works.
2 John
Here John refers to deceivers who were denying that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh .... ie they were denying that Jesus was fully man .... denying his humanity .... which, in effect is to deny the gospel! For if Jesus was not truly one of us … be could have never died as our substitute in paying the penalty for our sin and rebellion against the God who made us! John tells his readers (and us) that we must WATCH YOURSELVES so we don’t lose not our savlation … but our reward for standing steadfast for the truth!
And note the promise of v. 9b
Anyone who does not remain in Christ’s teaching but goes beyond it does not have God. The one who remains in that teaching, this one has both the Father and the Son.
As we commit ourselves to getting, living, and giving away the gospel (Christ’s teachings) … we have fellowship (which is a strong theme of John’s first letter) with both the Father and the Son. A fellowship that these deceivers and deniers do not have! ‘
John wraps us his stern caution with these words:
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don’t greet him; for the one who greets him shares in his evil works.
Remember those traveling missionaries we talked about earlier … not all of them were doing what they were doing for the gospel’s sake … but for their own selfish greed! These decievers and deniers we are not to support in any way (in John’s day it meant not to offer them a hot meal and a warm bed!)
ILL —> Are you familiar with the legal term … “aid and abet?”
Definition: Aiding and abetting is a legal doctrine related to the guilt of someone who aids or abets in the commission of a crime. It exists in a number of different countries and generally allows a court to pronounce someone guilty for aiding and abetting in a crime even if they are not the principal offender.
APP ---> So … in John’s day --- he sternly cautioned his readers to not aid and abet these deniers of the gospel by opening their home in support of these Christmongers. For us … in our day and age … he is sternly cautioning us against aiding and abbetting deniers or distorters of the gospel by not opening our wallets in support. SOOO .... before you support any so called Christian ministry … you had better make sure they have the gospel right!
John’s Closing
Though I have many things to write to you, I don’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to come to you and talk face to face so that our joy may be complete.
The children of your elect sister send you greetings.
12-13
Childre of your elect sister .... a sister church (most likely!) :)
Today’s Takeaway! (in the form of questions)
How well do you KNOW the truth, and how are you doing at WALKING in the truth?
How is your love life (first toward God .... and then toward others)?
(Gospel invite)
3. Are you investing in the support of ministries and missionaries which are true to the true gospel?