Bible Study Notes - 2 John

Having completed our study of 1 John, it seems appropriate to study the second epistle of the beloved disciple who leads the “beloved community” in his old age by reaffirming the foundational teachings of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  John addresses this letter to a beloved lady chosen of God and metaphorically represents the Church.  In Revelation, John refers to the Church as the bride of Christ.  John states his heartfelt concern for her beloved children, new and young disciples and their posterity.  He uses this second epistle to reiterate the teachings of his Gospel and First Epistle.

He focuses upon three main Christian principles.  First, he reminds them sacrificial, selfless and redemptive love is the distinguishing characteristic of disciples.  Second, obedience to the commands of Christ is emblematic of a disciple’s lifestyle choices.  Third, adherence to the non-negotiable and orthodox doctrines of the Christian faith preserves the Church.  Chiefly for John, disciples must accept the doctrine of the Incarnation which states unequivocally that Jesus came in the flesh.

Consider the following ideas and questions as you study the passage.

• As the last surviving disciple of the original twelve men who followed the Lord Jesus Christ during the three and a half years of his earthly ministry, John rightly refers to himself as the “Elder.”
• The “lady chosen by God and her children” are the Church, the bride of Christ, and any future believers.  John says he loves her in the truth.  As difficult as it is to be a part of a church family at times, disciples remain in the Church because we are God’s chosen instrument to transform the world.
• The primary purpose of the Church contemporarily, as it has been historically, is developing a fellowship of believers who mature into genuine disciples, adhering unconditionally to The Great Commandment and achieving The Great Commission by evangelizing the entire world.  The Church meets these biblical mandates by prioritizing people.  More practically, the Church has a stewardship obligation to utilize her resources to assist each disciple in actualizing his God given talents to the fullest extent of his natural endowments and personal application.  More especially, the Church has the prophetic and social justice prerogative to demand a just and equitable society.  Whether the local homeless, the rising national prison population, or the instability in the global economy and international geopolitical relations, the Church must fulfill unflinchingly her divine charge to care for “least of these” through serving direct needs and prophetic advocacy. 
• I greatly lament the disappearing distinctions between the Church and the dominant culture.  Is there any longer a clear and discernible difference between the priorities, allocation of resources, principles and personal behavior of the average church attendee and that of someone who doe espouse any Christian beliefs?  The Church possesses a particular prerogative to transform society into the kingdom of God in which grand aims of the Hebrew prophets concerning truth, justice, mercy, and integrity become a reality.  The Church ought to resist the tendency to emulate the felicities of bourgeois culture and its concomitant bohemianism.
• In Matthew 25, the Lord Jesus declares that we best serve Him by caring for the most vulnerable citizens: single mothers, impoverished children, physically and mentally challenged, senior citizens on fixed income and facing major health challenges, and the economically disadvantaged who lack health insurance.  In accordance with the biblical mandate to advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves, I contend that the Church intervenes in governmental affairs, policy decision making and the distribution of resources to prevent the further dehumanization and marginalization of this segment of the population.  The Lord characterizes these citizens as “the least of these.” Very unfortunately, many Christian clergy and laity support policies that denigrate the very people that they serve.  In some sectors of the Church, the lines between a devout Christian and a social conservative have been so blurred that public discourse fails to make critical distinctions.  The values of privatized, consumerist capitalism emphasizing “rugged individualism” arguably are very different from a biblically based worldview that centers upon social advocacy and justice.
• The tendency of church attendees to assimilate popular culture and secular, humanistic society creates the greatest impediment to Christian spirituality.  Accommodations to cable television, Hollywood and Madison Avenue advertising greatly undermine the Church’s ability to transform society into the kingdom of God.  The removal of all political, economic and social systemic barriers is a prerequisite to the emergence of the kingdom.  Acknowledging the Lord’s words that the poor will remain always, the kingdom of God fulfills the grand visions of Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:18 and Matthew 25.  “The least of these” receive particular care to preserve their human dignity and sanctity as children of God, as others unrelentingly pursue their goals and dreams.  It is the Church’s particular prerogative to ensure society distributes its resources fairly and care for the poor in the process.  Nonetheless, when church attendees have greater clarity about their political affiliations than their biblical and theological beliefs, they remain ignorant of “The Great Commandment” (Matthew 22:34-40) and “The Great Commission” (Matthew 28:16-20).  Regrettably, many church attendees listen more attentively to the clarion calls of the lobbying firms of “Avenue K” in Washington DC than they do local pastors who offer the prophetic vision of the kingdom of God.
• The inability to distinguish clearly between the principles and actions of the Church and those of secular society depicts one of the Church’s greatest spiritual needs today.  Debatably, there is no discernible difference between the behavior of believers and the average citizen.  More regrettably, the Church mimics the world rather than being the “called out community” (ecclesia) whose existence is fundamentally grounded in the will and service of our Lord Jesus Christ.  To resolve this intractable dilemma, the Church must return to its basic purpose as a biblically based New Testament church operating according to the teachings of our Lord. 
• Reaffirming the Bible as the rule of faith and practice resolves a number of attendant problems for the local church.  The moral and ethical laxity in the pews arises from protracted biblical illiteracy.  Plainly speaking, most congregants do not know the Bible well enough to follow it.  They are not acquainted with the commands of Christ.  They cannot explain adequately the reasons why obeying our Lord supersedes the moral relativism and ethical aimlessness of the dominant culture. 
• Ignorance of the scriptures precludes the development of a vibrant relationship with the Lord.  Evangelism inevitably suffers when believers do not understand The Great Commission.  They fail to commit the resources of time, money and service to actualize this crucial purpose of the Church.  It stands to reason then that countless lives remain untouched by Christ’s love.  Additionally, disregard for disciplined study of the Word of God creates vulnerability for the average believer who may be exploited by the crass commercialism practiced in several sectors of the Church.  Theologically vapid and biblically ignorant sermons encourage spiritual versions of “rugged individualism” and the American dream to the detriment of serving God by sharing His love with others.  This gospel of wealth and health, in addition to spiritualized motivational speaking, tends to be apolitical and ahistorical.  Thereby, it detracts from the prophetic, biblical command to advocate for a more just and equitable society.  The Church can redress all of these dilemmas by reclaiming its uncompromising biblical roots.
• John intimates all disciples love the Church.  Many disciples share deeply touching stories of innumerable acts of love and kindness they receive from brothers and sisters in the Church.  In the gospels, the Lord says disciples will received countless mothers, brothers and sisters in the Church.  From financial assistance, to advocacy in the social structure, to admission to college, to marital and family counseling, to hospital visits, to bereavement meals, to words of encouragement, to caring enough to offer an appropriate rebuke, relationships among disciples emulate the heart, mind and character of our Lord.  The Church exists to share Christ’s love.
• The Church is the repository of Christ’s teachings and truth.  We encourage and empower each other with His doctrine and love because He gives us the truth which we share eternally.
• In the third verse, John offers a divine salutation in the name of the Father and the Son.  He further assures his audience that they are forever with us as we persevere in our faith.
• Moreover, the Father and Son stand beside us in truth and love.  Truth and love fit like a hand in a tailored glove.  Love insists upon honest, respect, justice, dignity and integrity.  Truth yields compassion, healing, and wholeness. 
• It is a fallacy to emphasize the love of Christ without equally valuing His truth.  Contemporarily, I question the stance of being “spiritual and not religious” without any reference to moral and ethical guidelines.  Love without truth is sentimental and open to any type of personal interpretation however illogical or immoral.
• John from the perspective of six years experience as an apostle and disciple finds tremendous joy in observing new believers “walk in the light.”  It is wonderful to see the miracle of salvation unfold in a believer’s life.  In addition, it is simply great to watch a person changes his or her personal choices; instead of fulfilling self-centered fears and self-seeking motives, he or she proactively chooses to honor and glorify the Lord with his or her life.  This joy is John’s and he exults in this second epistle.
• Living with Christian integrity is a divine command given expressly by Almighty God Himself.
• John says he writes the second letter to reiterate the supreme command of living in the love of Christ.  In fact, he insists this command is not new.  It originates with the creation of the universe.  From the very beginning, God intends to love unfailingly. 
• As a consequence, anyone who says he or she knows God in turn demonstrates His love.  This is the command God gives.
• John says “I ask that we love on another.”  What were the challenges in the “beloved community” that necessitate this letter and reiteration of this command?  How do members of a church express love concretely and practically to each other?  How do they share love in the midst of conflicts and disagreements? 
• Christ decrees the new law of love.  John specifies obedience as the means of fulfilling this law.  As we “walk in love,” we prove God’s Word genuinely rests in our hearts.
• In the seventh verse, John returns to the familiar theological theme of believing unconditionally in the doctrine of the Incarnation which he considers as a non-negotiable tenet of the Christian faith.
• John is not kind towards those persons he considers “deceivers” who teach against the Incarnation.  Again, he combats the heresies of Docetism and Gnosticism among other erroneous beliefs.  New believers need assurance of the actual, physical and historical revelation of Christ.  Otherwise, our faith depends on the shifting trends of teachers. 
• In very harsh language, John characterizes these teachers as “antichrists” because they undermine this critical tenet of the Christian faith.  Arguably, John personalizes this offense because he actually traveled with our Lord and directly experienced His revelation of love.  He knows the reality and reliability of God’s revelation in Jesus.  As he nears his own transition to eternal life, John zealously guards this foundational belief.  He desires disciples of whatever age or length of commitment to know the surety of their faith in Christ who is the Word of God who came to earth and dwelt amongst us.
• Then, John exhorts his followers to entertain any teaching with caution as they risk temptation of losing the riches of Christ’s teachings and truth if they combine them with wrong doctrine and false teachings.
• Consistent with the writer of Hebrews (Chapter 10), John speaks about perseverance.  Disciples need a steadfast spirit if they are to reap the rewards of Christ.  Practically speaking, they must develop in the teachings of Christ.  Literally, disciple means student.  Christians are lifelong students of the Lord’s teachings who also apply them with integrity within daily living.
• Progressing in the Lord’s teachings results in an unquestionable relationship with the Father and Son that certifies eternal life and eradicates fear during a disciple’s earthly journey.
• John passionately desires to stifle these false teachings to the point of encouraging his followers deny entrance to their homes of anyone who holds these views.   Most churches during this time began in the homes of disciples.  Buildings we designate as churches did not exist until the latter part of the third century.  As John writes, the church literally is the people who gather to worship the Lord and learn His teachings.  To allow false teachers to attend these sessions equated with sanctioning their false doctrines.  John issues this practical directive as a means of impeding their influence upon young and new disciples.
• He is more forceful and forthright in the next verse.  Admittance equals endorsement.
• John deems face-to-face fellowship as preferable to written correspondence which lends itself to misinterpretation as readers bring intrapersonal, psycho-emotional and psychosocial assumptions to their reading and comprehension of any text.  As a generation that thrives on emails and text messages, we can appreciate the potential dilemma excessive reliance upon these media creates as it relates to building better relationships.
• John finishes this second letter by extending greetings on behalf of the “children of your sister” who are disciples in another church.  Asia Minor, the region where Ephesus is, had several prominent churches at the end of the first century.  Given the oppression visited upon Christians by the Roman Empire, fellowship and encouragement were vital in regard to persevering in the faith.  Then as well as now, disciples need to know they are not alone.  John shares these greetings to strengthen the bond of believers who lived under the daily and constant threat of death.