Who is the elect lady in 2 John?
There are actually two elect ladies mentioned in 2 John. The apostle concludes his letter by relaying a message: “The children of your elect sister greet you” ( 2 John 1:13, ESV ). So, we have an “elect lady” who receives the letter, and she has an “elect sister” whose children (her nieces and nephews) also know John.
What does 2 John Chapter 1 mean?
What does 2 John chapter 1 mean? Second John is the shortest book in the Bible and has one chapter. This letter features only 13 verses. The book begins with a brief introduction in 2 John 1:1–3 to "the elect lady and her children." The meaning of this phrase is debated, though it likely refers to the particular local church receiving the letter.
What's the Book of 2 John all about?
The book of 2nd John is a General Epistle (Apostolic Letter). It is written by the Disciple/Apostle John around 85-95 A.D. Key personality is John. It was written to encourage all Christians not to lose focus of Jesus Christ and to warn against persistent heresy.
What is the meaning of 2 John?
The Book of 2 John is largely concerned with an urgent warning concerning deceivers who were not teaching the exact doctrine of Christ and who maintained that Jesus did not actually rise in the flesh but only spiritually. John is very anxious that true believers should be aware of these false teachers and have nothing to do with them.
What is the main message of 2 John?
2 John 1 John reminds the Church of the commandment to love one another. He warns of false teachers and deceivers within the Church and counsels Church members to not allow them to remain in their congregations.
Who is 2 John addressed to?
the elect lady and her childrenThe text is addressed to "the elect lady and her children" (some interpretations translate this phrase as "elder lady and her children"), and closes with the words, "The children of thy elect sister greet thee." The person addressed is commended for her piety, and is warned against false teachers.
What is the key theme of 2 John quizlet?
What is the key theme of 2 John? Believers should walk in truth and love.
What is an elect lady?
He also read 2 John 1, which references the “elect lady,” and explained that she was “called an Elect lady” because she was “elected to preside.” 21 Joseph stated that “the revelation was then fulfilled by Sister Emma's Election to the Presidency of the Society.”
SUMMARY
John the Elder writes to a local church leader and her “children” (that is, the local house church), encouraging them to continue to walk in the truth and love of God.
SO WHAT?
This letter reminds readers that theology matters to our “walk in the truth,” our daily lives in faith. Especially important to any Christian’s life is one’s view of Jesus Christ.
WHERE DO I FIND IT?
The Second Letter of John is the twenty-fourth book in the New Testament. It is the second of the three “Johannine Letters,” a collection of writings that share much in common with each other and with the Gospel of John.
WHO WROTE IT?
The “elder” who wrote this letter is often identified as John, the same person who probably wrote the Gospel of John (maybe in cooperation with other writers). This elder may or may not be the Apostle Derived from a Greek word meaning “one who is sent,” an apostle is a person who embraces and advocates another person’s idea or beliefs.
WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN?
The Second Letter of John comes from around 90 C.E. It was probably written before 1 John, but after the Gospel of John.
HOW DO I READ IT?
Read this letter in its context, written to a local house church In the early days of Christianity, the social and political climate was not always favorable to followers of Jesus and they could not meet publicly.
What is the book of 2 John about?
The Book of 2 John is largely concerned with an urgent warning concerning deceivers who were not teaching the exact doctrine of Christ and who maintained that Jesus did not actually rise in the flesh but only spiritually.
What is the purpose of the Book of 2 John?
Purpose of Writing: The Book of 2 John is an urgent plea that the readers of John’s letter should show their love for God and His son Jesus by obeying the commandment to love each other and live their lives in obedience to the Scriptures. The Book of 2 John is also a strong warning to be on the lookout for deceivers who were going about saying ...
What does John mean by love?
Connections: John describes love not as an emotion or feeling, but as obedience to the commandments of God. Jesus reiterated the importance of the commandments, especially the “first and greatest commandment,” love for God ( Deuteronomy 6:5 ), and the second, love for one another ( Matthew 22:37-40; Leviticus 19:18 ).
Who wrote the Gospel of John?
However, all the evidence points to the author as John the beloved disciple who also wrote the Gospel of John.
What does 2 John remind us of?
Second John reminds us not only of the dangers of falling away from the truth but also of the importance of making obedience a priority in our lives —for ourselves and for those most important to us.
Why is Second John so important?
Second John makes clear what our position should be regarding the enemies of the truth. Whereas 1 John focuses on our fellowship with God, 2 John focuses on protecting our fellowship from those who teach falsehood. The apostle went so far as to warn his readers against inviting false teachers into the house or even offering them a greeting ( 2 John 1:10 ). Such practices align the believer with the evildoer, and John was keen on keeping the believers pure from the stain of falsehood and heresy.
Who wrote the book?
There has been some debate about whether an author named John the Elder wrote this letter (as well as 3 John, which is addressed the same way) or if John the apostle was using a different title for himself. However, the earliest church tradition from the second century on testified in unison that this letter and its companion, 3 John, were written by the apostle, not by a mysterious and unknown elder. In fact, an apostle using the term “elder” for himself was not at all unprecedented—Peter did that very thing in his first epistle ( 1 Peter 5:1 ).
What was the apostle John's encouragement to the true believers?
John’s encouragement, then, was not simply to love but to love others within the limits that truth allows.
What does John say about love?
John’s strong encouragement to the believers in 2 John involved loving one another. However, John did not leave love undefined but described it as walking “according to His commandments” ( 2 John 1:6 ). This echoes the teaching of Jesus in John’s gospel, where the Lord told His followers, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” ( John 14:15 ).
What did John say in his second epistle?
John began his second epistle proclaiming his love for “the chosen lady and her children,” a love he shared with those who know the truth ( 2 John 1:1 ). From the reports he had received, he understood that these believers were following the teachings of Christ.
What was the early heresy called?
This early heresy, called Docetism, required the strongest possible response from John.
What does John write about in 2 John 1?
In Second John, the elder ( 2 Jn 1) briefly explains the relationship between the three: Love and truth. John loves those who know the truth, because the truth “abides” in them ( 2 Jn 1–2 ). When two parties know the truth, love comes naturally.
What is the second John?
Second John is the fourth of the General Epistles (or Catholic Letters), the writings of apostles to the church at large. While Paul wrote to specific congregations and individuals, Peter, James, John, and Jude wrote to broader audiences scattered across the Roman empire. Second and Third John, however, are written to specific audiences.
Why does John love those who know the truth?
John loves those who know the truth, because the truth “abides” in them ( 2 Jn 1–2 ). When two parties know the truth, love comes naturally. Truth and obedience. God the Father commanded that His children walk in truth ( 2 Jn 4 ). When you know the truth, obedience comes naturally. Obedience and love. The commandment that God gave isn’t anything ...
How many verses are in the second John?
Second John is the second shortest book of the Bible— Third John is the shortest (by word count). It’s only one chapter long, and has only thirteen verses. This letter repeats many themes from John’s first letter, and Third John reflects these themes as well.
What does "sister" mean in 2 John 13?
John refers to this lady’s “chosen sister” at the end of this letter ( 2 Jn 13 ), which may be code for a greeting from the children of another woman, or members of another church or group of churches. Second John is the fourth of the General Epistles (or Catholic Letters), the writings of apostles to the church at large.
What does John say about walking in truth?
2 John: walking in truth, love, and obedience. The auhtor of 1 John set several things straight in his first epistle. He’d told the churches how to know if they were of the faith, he’d dressed down the false teachings that were making their rounds, and he’d strongly urged the Christians to love one another. He’d told them about truth, love, and ...
Who wrote the second letter to the chosen lady?
He was a leader in the early church, and he probably wrote his documents after most of the other New Testament books were already written. John writes this second letter to “the chosen lady and her children”—which may refer to a particular church leader, or perhaps metaphorically to a local church or group of churches.
What is the letter of 2 John about?
The letter of 2 John is a short letter that is written to a female church elder. "Her children" would be a reference to the Christians she serves over, just as Paul and John make reference to their "beloved children," making statements indicating that they are spiritual fathers in Christ.
How does John define love?
He then defines love by saying that love is obeying God's commandments.
What is the benefit of John writing such short letters?
However, the benefit of John writing such short letters is that they are quick and easy to read, and they get right to the point: obey God's commandments, love others, avoid antichrists who teach wrongly about Jesus, do not welcome deniers of Christ, etc. ← Back to Summary of New Testament Letters from Summary of 2 John. Go to Messiah of God Home.
What does John say about deceiving others?
He says to not welcome anyone who is deceiving others by teaching lies about Jesus Christ. Welcoming such a person would be the same as partaking in their deception. John ends his letter by explaining that he plans on speaking to her in person.
Why is John's letter so short?
The fact that John was able to see this person is a major reason why his letter is so short. If John had been prevented from seeing her for awhile, then he may have written a longer letter, which would have been more beneficial to us.
Was Paul's misfortune fortunate?
Ironically, his misfortune (such as in the case of Paul being prevented from seeing his audiences for awhile), would have been fortunate for us. Paul's letters might have been very short like John's, if Paul had been able to see his audience in person.
When was the letter of John written?
He was a first Cousin of Jesus. The letter is difficult to date with certainty but is likely written around 85-95 AD.
What does 1:6 mean?
1:6: This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
What is the immediate problem in 2 John?
i. “The immediate problem in [2 John] is that of traveling teachers or missionaries. According to Christian ethics all who thus traveled about were to be shown hospitality by Christians in the town to which they came.” (Boice)
What does John say about walking according to His commandments?
b. Walk according to His commandments: Real love will walk this way. Perhaps John warned against those who thought the only important thing in the Christian life was a vague love that had no heart for obedience.
What did John plead with you lady?
I plead with you, lady: John was not too proud to beg on such an important matter – not when it came to something as vital in the Christian life as the commandment that we must love one another.
What is the salutation of John?
(3) John’s salutation to his readers. Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. a. Grace, mercy, and peace: John presents a slightly expanded version of the standard greeting in New Testament letters.
How many times did John use the word "truth" in his New Testament?
i. We see John quite focused on the idea of truth, as he was in all of his writings. He used the word truth some thirty-seven times in his New Testament writings.
What does John say about hospitality?
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine: If someone comes to us, denying the true doctrine of Jesus, and promoting a false doctrine of Jesus, John says we should give no hospitality, no aid, to the ones who promote their own false version of Jesus.
What does it mean to deny the biblical Jesus?
To deny the Biblical Jesus is always to reject the Father and the Son both. John here draws a critical line of truth, over which it is heresy to transgress. i. In our own day, we must deal with modern denials of the Biblical Jesus with the same passion John did in his day.
Why did John write the book of John?
1 John in a nutshell: John wrote this book with the intention of stopping the influence of false teachers, and in particular the teachers of Gnosticism that were hounding the new believers. John proclaims from the beginning that ‘God is light,’ as a way of highlighting the dark, immoral teachings of the Gnostics and encouraging ...
What is John concerned about in the letter of John?
In this short letter of only one chapter, John is again most concerned about the false Gnostic teachers who are pestering the church. He advises that the easiest way to catch them out is to ask them if Christ came in the flesh; if they deny that this was so, then they are deceivers and the antichrist. (v7)
What does John teach us?
John teaches us here that by keeping our eyes on Jesus and by following his commandments to love one another, then we can indeed ‘overcome the world’ and walk in the light of the true Gospel of Christ.
What are the significant people and places in the Bible?
Significant People & Places: Gaius; Demetrius; Diotrephes. Sound-Bites: Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. (v.11) The Messianic Link: He is The Name in verse 7.
What does the Bible say about confessing sins?
Sound-Bites: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Ch.1:9)
Who is John writing to?
John is writing to his friend, Gaius, to wish him and the fellow believers well. However he is concerned about the leader, Diotrephes, who will not allow John’s messengers access to the church.
Was Jesus' resurrection a ghost?
There was a campaign ‘doing the rounds’ at this time, seeking to undermine the eye witness accounts of Jesus’ physical resurrection. These accounts basically claimed that it was not Jesus at all, but his ghost or spirit. John and the other Apostles —who were there at the time—refute this vehemently.
Who Wrote The Book?
Where Are We?
- John offered little in the way of detail in the short letter we call 2 John. Nothing in the circumstances John discussed in the letter would lead a reader of the time to think that it did not go to the same churches that received 1 John. The apostle addressed the letter “to the chosen lady and her children,” a mysterious phrase that has been much debated (2 John 1:1). It either re…
Why Is Second John So Important?
- Second John makes clear what our position should be regarding the enemies of the truth. Whereas 1 John focuses on our fellowship with God, 2 John focuses on protecting our fellowship from those who teach falsehood. The apostle went so far as to warn his readers against inviting false teachers into the house or even offering them a greeting (2 John ...
What's The Big Idea?
- John began his second epistle proclaiming his love for “the chosen lady and her children,” a love he shared with those who know the truth (2 John 1:1). From the reports he had received, he understood that these believers were following the teachings of Christ. He summed up this kind of lifestyle in the exhortation to “love one another” (1:5), a clear reference to the great command…
How Do I Apply this?
- John’s strong encouragement to the believers in 2 John involved loving one another. However, John did not leave love undefined but described it as walking “according to His commandments” (2 John 1:6). This echoes the teaching of Jesus in John’s gospel, where the Lord told His followers, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Our love is dependen…