Authorship, Date. See the introduction to 1 John and to the Gospel of John; there is little stylistic difference between 1 and 2 John. Although John himself might send a shorter personal letter resembling a longer one he had previously written, it is unlikely that a forger would try to produce such a short document that added so little to the case found in 1 John. Further, a later forgery of 2 John (or 3 John) would have drained it of its authority for the audience, since the contents of 2 and 3 John indicate that the hearers knew the writer personally.
Nature of the Letter. Second John may function as an official letter, the sort that *high priests could send to Jewish leaders outside Palestine. The length is the same as that of 3 John; both were probably limited to this length by the single sheet of papyrus on which they were written. In contrast to most *New Testament letters, most other ancient letters were of this length.
Situation. Second John addresses the problem of the same secessionists that 1 John addressed. The secessionists’ inadequate view of *Christ was probably either a compromise with *synagogue pressure (see the introduction to Gospel of John) or a relativization of Jesus to allow more compromise with paganism (see the introduction to Revelation)—probably the latter. For the secessionists, Jesus was a great prophet like John the Baptist and their own leaders, but he was not the supreme Lord in the flesh (cf. 1 Jn 4:1-6; Rev 2:14, 20). Some propose that they may have been affiliated with or forerunners of Cerinthus (who distinguished the divine Christ and the human Jesus, like some modern theologians) or the Docetists (who claimed that Jesus only seemed to be human). All these compromises helped the false teaching’s followers better adapt to their culture’s values what remained of Christianity after their adjustments, but led them away from the truth proclaimed by the eyewitnesses who had known Jesus firsthand.
Commentaries. See the introduction to 1 John.
1-3. “Elders” were given authority in local Jewish communities by virtue of their age, prominence and respectability; age was respected. John assumes this simple title (cf. 1 Pet 5:1) rather than emphasizing his apostleship here. The “chosen lady” (NASB, NIV) or spiritual mother could refer to a prophetess/elder (cf. 3 Jn 4; contrast Rev 2:23). But it more likely refers to a local congregation here (see v. 13); both Israel and the *church were portrayed as women.
4-6. The commandment John mentions here was an old one because it was in the *law (Lev 19:18), although Jesus’ example gave it new import (Jn 13:34-35). In the context of 1–2 John, “loving one another” includes cleaving to the Christian community (rather than leaving it, as the secessionists were doing).
7-9. See discussion in the introduction.
10. Guests were to be accorded hospitality and travelers to be put up in hosts’ homes (cf. 3 Jn 5-6; it is possible, though not certain, that the houses in question here may also be house churches); early Christian missionaries had depended on this hospitality from the beginning (Mt 10:9-14). Traveling philosophers called sophists charged fees for their teaching, as some of Paul’s opponents in Corinth probably did.
But just as Jewish people would not receive *Samaritans or those they considered impious, so Christians were to exercise selectivity concerning whom they would admit. Early Christian writings (particularly a text of mainly authoritative traditions known as the Didache) show that some prophets and *apostles traveled around, and that not all of them were true prophets and apostles. Greetings were an essential part of social protocol at that time, and the greeting (“Peace be with you”) was intended as a blessing or prayer to impart peace.
11. In the *Dead Sea Scrolls, one who provided for an apostate from the community was regarded as an apostate sympathizer and was expelled from the community, as the apostate was. Housing or blessing a false teacher was thus seen as collaborating with him.
12. “Paper” is papyrus, made from reeds and rolled up like a scroll. The pen was a reed pointed at the end, and the ink was a compound of charcoal, vegetable gum and water. Written letters were considered an inferior substitute for personal presence or for a speech, and writers sometimes concluded their letters with the promise to discuss matters further face-to-face.
13. It was common to send greetings from those near the sender. For the “sister,” see comment on the “chosen lady” of verse 1.