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CHAPTER 63 – 2 John: Approx. 94 A.D.

The Second Epistle of John is the sixty-third book of the Bible. The title of the book in Greek is Ioannou B meaning “of John 2.” The title in English Bibles is “The Second Epistle of John.”

Authorship

John, a disciple of Jesus Christ, whom Christ chose as an apostle, is the author of the book, The Second Epistle of John. It was probably written about 94 A.D.

Summary and Analysis

The book of 2 John is actually a letter (epistle) that was written by the apostle John in his old age to a Christian woman and her children, and there is no clear evidence of the location from which it was written.

The book opens with John greeting the Christian woman as one whom God has chosen to receive eternal life, and so also her children. John says he loves them because they live in accordance with God’s truth, and that they are also loved by those who know God’s truth. John then urges the woman to continue to obey God’s commandment that we should love one another.

Next, John says that there are many deceivers and antichrists in the world who do not acknowledge that Christ came to the earth in human flesh. We should beware then, John says, that we do not lose things which we have worked for spiritually in cooperation with God, but that we receive the full reward of eternal life. For those who sin, do not live according to the teachings concerning Christ and do not have a spiritual connection with God. But those who live according to these teachings have a spiritual connection with both the Father and the Son, Christ.

John then warns the Christian woman that she should not receive the false teachers into her house, neither give them any encouragement, for those who do so, are partakers of their evil deeds. John then says that he has many things to write to her, but he doesn’t want to use paper and ink. Instead, John hopes to visit her and to speak to her face-to-face that both himself and she might have fullness of joy. John closes his letter by sending greetings from the children of her sister in the Christian faith, who has been chosen by God to receive eternal life.

Themes

• Christian love between a leader of the church and one of its members.
• A faithful, exemplary, Christian household.
• Deceivers and antichrists who go around spreading their false teachings.
• The need to have no friendship nor association with false teachers.

God as Revealed in the Book

• God who has given His truth to humanity.
• God who has a spiritual connection with those who live in accordance with His truth.
• God who rewards those who live in accordance with His truth with eternal life.

Connections with the Rest of the Bible

Just as apostle John warned against false teachers, so did the apostle Peter. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily [secretly] shall bring in damnable heresies [errors that lead to eternal death (annihilation)], even denying the Lord [Jesus Christ] that bought them [back from sin and Satan], and bring upon themselves swift destruction [from God].” 2 Peter 2:1.

“And many shall follow their pernicious [their spiritually ruinous] ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words [with fabricated lies] make merchandise of you [engage in the selling (betrayal) of the souls of their victims to Satan]: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not [shall not be delayed].” 2 Peter 2:2, 3.

Spiritual Applications

Pray to God sincerely and ask God to help you to do His will, believing that God will help you, and thus you will be enabled to make the spiritual applications noted below:

• Have Christian love between yourself and the leaders of the Christian church.
• Ensure that you have a faithful, exemplary, Christian household.
• Beware that you are not corrupted by deceivers and antichrists who go around spreading their false teachings.
• Have no friendship or association with false teachers, except that which is necessary in your seeking to win them from Satan to Christ.
• Know that God has given His truth to humanity through nature, His providence, the impressions of the Holy Spirit upon the mind, and through the Bible, which is the word of God.
• Live in accordance with God’s truth so that you may have a spiritual connection with God, for this is essential if you are to receive the reward of eternal life from God.

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