May 11th 2 John
V I.. The elder. From the leader of the church
Perhaps the informal and more friendly use of elder instead of "apostle" lends support to the view that the letter is addressed to an individual rather than to a church.
Addressed to..
Elect lady. Who ever she is, we are not told her name, it just refers to a mother and her children.
Very well love In the truth. (in the Christian faith)
V 2. For the truth's sake. The Truth (or Christ) and the Spirit make love for the elect lady and her family possible. The Truth is the foundation of love for all believers. With us. For eternity
V 3. There shall be with us grace mercy and peace.... It is a confident assurance of blessing.
Grace. The favour of God toward sinners. The word occurs elsewhere in John only in Jn 1v 14,16,17, 3 John v 4; Rev 1 v 4; 22 v 21.
Mercy is the compassion of God for us in our misery.
Peace is the resultant state of wholeness when sin and misery are removed.
From God ... and from the Lord. The repetition of from the Lord emphasizes the distinctiveness of the persons of the Father and the Son. The Son of the Father. A unique expression apparently connecting the revelation of the Father closely with the Son.
John now give a Warning Concerning Heresy that is being taught
The walk of the lady's children in truth is commended, and loving one another is commanded.
Praise that the children are still following Jesus
V 4. I Rejoiced. I am very happy to find your children, obviously he knew them.
Found. what John found would encourage the Lady, and the assurance that they continued to be true.
Walking., including every activity of life
In truth. The whole character and conduct of their lives was in truth; i.e., in conforming to the whole of Christianity. Some people of course, did not walk in truth, and this was the heresy.
V 5. And now. This introduces a practical encouragement based on verse 4.
I beseech. a personal request, That we love one another in Jesus Christ.
V 6. This is love. The love that John refers to consists in this. In verse 5 the commandment is to love;
And in verse 6 love is obeying His commands. "
Love is not merely a matter of feeling, it is the action of doing the will of God.
Some were spreading heresy rather than walking in truth. The heresyconsisted in denying the truth of the commandments of the incarnate Christ, and it was due to a denial of the Incarnation.
if Christ was not truly human, then there is no basis for Christian morals
And certainly there is no example of self-denying love if he was merely a phantom or theophany.
V 7. Deceivers. Those who lead astray. Confess not. Not to affirm is the same as to deny.
Is come, They deny Jesus has come and the emphasis is not simply on the past fact of the coming of Christ in flesh, but also on the continuingof his humanity and even on the future appearance of the Lord.
Christ is never said to come into flesh, BUT IN FLESH; the former would leave room for saying that deity was united with Jesus sometime after his birth.
An antichrist. The one about whom they had already heard. I Jn 2 v 28.
The Consequences of Heresy would be devastating to the church. The presence of heretical teaching calls for examination.
V 8 Examination of Self. The danger was personal as well as external; therefore, self-examination is called for as well as examination of the heretics.
We lose not…... We have wrought; we have had to fight for our faith in Christ .
We receive. A reward awaits us in heaven
So the sentence reads: that ye lose not those things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward.
The readers are warned to take heed that the deceivers do not undo the work which the apostles and evangelists had done, so that they might receive a full reward.
V 9. Others should be examined on the basis of their abiding in the teaching of Christ.
Transgresseth. in the profession of Christianity without the reality of abiding in the doctrine of Christ.
Doctrine of Christ. That which he taught at his coming.
He hath both the Father and the Son. not to have God is also not to have Christ.
V 10. If there come any. The if assumes the case, not merely expresses the possibility. such people were coming into Christians' homes under a friendly guise
Unto you. To the elect lady and her children.
Receive him not ... neither bid (say)., Forbidding the continuance of what was customary. And refuse such ones Christian hospitality. This is a severe measure, particularly when one remembers that hospitality is generally given in the NT.
Neither bid him God speed. Do not say a greeting of sympathy.
V 11. Partaker, The one who bids God speed actually fellowships in the work of the antichrist.
Evil deeds., his deeds, his evil deeds. The emphasis on the evil character of his works.
V 12. Many things. Perhaps the same subjects discussed in the First Epistle.
It is often better to say things face to face then you can answer any questions that arise
V 13. Elect sister.. your children send their love to you.
The adjective elect is used by John only here, in verse 1, and in Rev 17 14
News from the Church New dates
21st May…. Knit and natter is a time to finish old projects or learn new skills
26th to 31st May….. History Week 9am to 6pm
June 4th…..Friendship Group, (this covers all ages and the lonely people)
ANSWERS TO 4th May QUESTIONS
1) Three days and three nights 2) Lion 3) Leprosy 4) Day and night 5) The rainbow 6) God parted the waters 7) Oak tree 8) A lion and bear 9) Raven 10) A coat of many colours 11) Thetree of knowledge of good and evil 12) Shepherd 13) Harp 14) A ladder 15) The Temple 16) Trumpets, pitchers with torches in
Bible Quiz this week’s Quiz is the OLD TESTAMENT
1 Which Feast is celebrated with sprinkling blood on the doorpost and eating unleavened bread?
2 What bird returned to Noah with a green olive leaf in its beak?
3 When God first spoke to Moses it was from where?
4 Where did Joseph’s brothers keep him until they sold him?
5 What did Solomon ask God for when he first became King?
6 What special gift did God promise to give Abraham and Sarah?
7 Who did Jacob wrestle all night with on his way back to Canaan?
8 What did the Philistines take from Israel when they won the battle?
9 What idol did Ahab cause his people to worship?
10 What did God use to create man?
11 Which tribe is known as the Priestly tribe?
12 Who spoke to Samuel in the middle of the night?
13 Who was promised a land flowing with milk and honey?
14 What were the 10 commandment written on?
15 What did Gideon use to check if it was God talking to him?
16 What did God provide as a sacrifice, when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac?
God Bless