2 John

Author: The apostle John

Audience: The “lady chosen by God,” probably a local church in or around Ephesus

Date: Between ad 85 and 95

Theme: John writes to urge discernment in supporting traveling teachers, since false teachers were also traveling and teaching heresy.

Introduction

Author

The author is John the apostle. Obvious similarities to 1 John and the Gospel of John suggest that the same person wrote all three books. Compare the following:

2Jn 5

new command (yet old) to love one another

1Jn 2:7

Jn 13:34–35

2Jn 6

love equals obeying Christ’s commands

1Jn 5:3

Jn 14:23

2Jn 7

antichrists don’t acknowledge Christ come in flesh

1Jn 4:2–3

2Jn 12

writing you to make our joy complete

1Jn 1:4

Jn 15:11; 16:24

See Introductions to 1 John and the Gospel of John: Author.

Date

The letter was probably written about the same time as 1 John (ad 85–95), as the above comparisons suggest (see Introduction to 1 John: Date).

Occasion and Purpose

During the first two centuries the gospel was taken from place to place by traveling evangelists and teachers. Believers customarily took these missionaries into their homes and gave them provisions for their journey when they left. Since Gnostic teachers also relied on this practice (see note on 3Jn 5), 2Jn was written to urge discernment in supporting traveling teachers; otherwise, someone might unintentionally contribute to the propagation of heresy rather than truth.

Outline

I. Greetings (1–3)

II. Commendation (4)

III. Exhortation and Warning (5–11)

IV. Conclusion and Final Greetings (12–13)