Series: New Testament Overview
Category: Core Seminars, Church Life
Detail:
The Truth of the Kingdom: 2nd and 3rd John
Introduction
Your truth, my truth, our truth. Our society is in a post-truth age. That is, what I believe, and you believe are fine if what you believe does not interfere with my life. Moreover, your truth must certainly not exclude, contradict, demean, marginalize, or refute my truth.
And not only must you not exclude me, but your truth must also accommodate mine.
Do the two shortest books in the Bible have anything to say to our current cultural moment? Do they have anything to say to us, a Christians, as members of a local church?
The answer is yes. Second and Third John are not throw-away books to be treated as optional reads; rather, these “postcard epistles”[1]
Authorship of and Background to 2nd & 3rd John
Authorship
Last week we heard of the internal and external evidence for the authorship of 1 John by the apostle John, the author of John’s Gospel. But is the author of first John also the author of second and third John?
I think we can quickly demonstrate that the person who wrote "to the elect lady” (2 John 1) and “to the beloved Gaius” (3 John 1) are the same person based on continuity with 1 John. Two points will demonstrate this:
First, there is substantial thematic unity on several doctrinal points between all three letters, like truth, the incarnation, Father-Son relations, and the necessity to abide in the truth.[2]
Notice also how John addresses the recipients of the letter: In 1 John, he addresses the audience as “little children” several times (2:1, 2:12, 2:18, 2:28, 3:1-2, 3:7, 3:18, 4:4, 5:21). John also uses the term, “beloved” or loved ones throughout the letter (2:7, 4:1, 4:7). Similarly, in 2 John the audience (indirectly) is described as “her children” (v. 1) and “your children” (v. 4). In third John, he also refers to Christians as children (v. 4). In address Gaius, John calls him “beloved” (v. 1, v. 5). While this similar terminology is not case closed, it seems to indicate
Given that continuity, it makes sense that John uses the same term of identification, “the elder” in 2 & 3 John, which connects these two letters together. There is uncertainty as to why John called himself “elder” and not “apostle”, but it seems reasonable that given his likely status as the only living apostle, as well as his deep love for his people that he adopted this title.[3]
Background
Let’s begin with some background to these two short letters.
●
● We don’t know exactly when John wrote these letters, but they were probably written toward the end of his life, about the same time he wrote his Gospel, which would place it around A.D. 90. These two letters are both written in anticipation of a personal visit, 2 John addressed to a church, “The elect lady and her children” and 3 John addressed to an individual named Gaius. They are both largely concerned with warnings about supporting false teachers (2 John 10) and encouragements to show genuine hospitality to Christian preachers. (3 John 5, 7).
Understanding the warning about showing hospitality to false teachers makes much more sense when we consider the historical context of the letters. The Roman Empire was not hospitable toward the hospitality industry. The Roman Empire looked down upon innkeepers as unbecoming and filthy places.[4]
They were to be welcomed and hosted by resident Christians in that city. So, what is the big deal about letting a false teacher stay in your house for a couple of nights?
It's common today for people to host unbelieving friends and family all the time, right?
The hosting of false teachers would be akin to financial supporting (e.g. through recurring donations) a false teacher, one that preaches a different gospel. Like financially supporting Jehovah’s Witnesses or Roman Catholics.[5]
So, you can see the high stakes cost of discerning the right teachers and right doctrines.
Purpose of 2 John
That said there seems to be three main purposes to the letter of 2 John: first, to encourage the church in their “walking in the truth” as seen in obedience to “love one another” (2 John 4-5); second, to warn the church about those who are teaching doctrine contrary to apostolic doctrine, namely teaching that contradicts that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (v. 7-11); and finally, to indicate to the church John’s desire to visit them and see and “talk face to face” (12-13).
Outline of 2 John
The purposes just mentioned provide a rough sketch of an outline:[6]
Introduction (v. 1-3)
The Message (v. 4-11)
Apostolic Joy in the Obedience of Others (v. 4)
Apostolic encouragement to continue to love (v. 5-6)
Description of False Teachers (v. 7)
How to respond to False Teacher & Teaching:
Watch yourself (v. 8)
Abide in the Truth (v. 9)
Do not receive them or support them (v. 10-11)
The conclusion (12-13)
John’s desire for fellowship (v. 12)
Final greeting (v. 13)
The Message of Second John
If I were to summarize 2 John I would say: “2 John is a reminder to love the truth by living truthfully.”
Undergirding the entire letter is the assumption that doctrine matters. John is deeply concerned that the church not only lives the right way through obedience, but that they should also believe the right things. As is frequently said, right belief lives to right living and right living confirms right belief.
In 2 John, not unlike the first letter, John is concerned about truth, namely the truth about Jesus and how this impacts our lives. You can see John’s emphasis on truth and love, throughout the letter.
In his greeting he says to the church, “whom I love in truth” (v.1). And this truth must be known, believed, and obeyed. John bases his love for the church in the truth that “abides in us and will be with us forever” (v.2). For the apostle John, as well as the rest of the bible, truth precedes love.[7]
Our culture has lost its way of true love because our culture has abandoned truth, namely that we are creatures who are not sovereign over ourselves. We are creatures who have a duty to obey and submit to God, the creator who defines what true love is.[8]
2 John is a corrective to our current moment because Christian love is defined by truth and the truth comes from God.
Application for you: What are ways we can hold fast to the truth of the Bible, when the broad culture has abandoned it?
Key Teachings in 2 John
So what truth is John concerned about? There are three key teachings:
First, God commands his children to love each other. Second, Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Third, Christians should not support those who are false teachers.
The first key teaching in 2 John is this: Christians are to love one another
When John commends these Christians for walking in love, he states that they are doing as they “were commanded by the Father” (v. 4) and that this is not a new commandment, but rather one that they have had since the beginning (v. 5). Love expresses itself in obedience to God’s commands. This obedience rightly reflects the authority of God the Father over his adopted children.
And God’s commands have a possessive effect, that is when we obey God, we get more of him. We grow in our understanding of the knowledge of God as we consider his word and obey it. The more we obey God the more we know God. Obedience leads to knowledge and knowledge produces obedience.
But we need help in this don’t we?
Our church covenant is one way we seek to help each other keep the “love one another” commandment in 2 John. This document outlines what we intend to do for one another.
The second key teaching in 2 John is this: Jesus Christ came in the flesh.
But we don’t only have a church covenant we also have a statement of faith, which leads to the next teaching that John highlights: the doctrine of the incarnation. The incarnation is the theological term for the historical reality that the second person of the Trinity, the Son, assumed a human nature (i.e. flesh), including a rational soul and a material body to save his people from their sins. This is how the New Hampshire Confession of Faith (1853) puts it:
“We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace; through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God; who by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by his personal obedience, and by his death made a full atonement for our sins; that having risen from the dead he is now enthroned in heaven; and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, he is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.”[9]
This incarnation was a unique historical phenomenon wherein God’s Eternally begotten Son “became what he was not, while not ceasing to be what he was.”[10]
So, the false teachers were teaching the opposite.
“Those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” (v. 7b). This false teaching was not only wrong or unbiblical, but heretical. Heresy is a denial of a core doctrine that so distorts Christianity that it results in God’s wrath. There is no salvation for heretics, save a full-throated repentance and renunciation of the false teaching and living associated with it.
Now to be clear, exactly what they believed we do not know, but we do know they were actively deceiving others with their teaching, thus leading someone astray from the truth that John is extolling.
2 John provides a sober warning that Christians must be on guard against false teaching, even basic teaching such as the incarnation of the eternal Son of God. We can never assume the gospel or core doctrines that support the gospel.
Application for you: What are ways that we can guard against false teaching in this local church?
John doesn’t just warn, but he also equips the church with practical instruction for the church regarding the false teachers.
The next key teaching in 2 John is this: Christians should not support those who are false teachers.
Look at vv. 10-11: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
Now, this call that John makes to not take the false teacher into your house is one that we must understand correctly. In that culture, having someone in your home was not only a significant source of support to them, but a sign to the surrounding community that you endorsed what they were doing. For our purposes today, I think we should think of this pattern in those terms. As you think of false teachers, we shouldn’t do anything that would even hint that we affirm or endorse their teaching. And do nothing that would directly support such false teaching. Does that mean you cannot eat with your Muslim co-worker or invite your atheist brother for Christmas? Of course not. But it does mean that we should not give financial and practical support to those who claim the name of Christ but preach a false gospel – Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, those who teach Roman Catholic doctrine. That is the warning that 2 John gives us.
That means there is a significant difference between what is appropriate in relating to false teachers who claim to be Christians, compared with non-Christians who simply recognize themselves to be non-Christians. To non-Christians who know they are non-Christians we are to show great generosity and hospitality. But we are not to help the person who claims to teach the truth about Jesus, but in fact tells lies about Jesus. Look at v. 7: “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
In our increasingly pluralistic religious culture, many consider it charitable to assume that anyone who calls themselves a Christian in fact is one; but this is a dangerous assumption. Just as 1 John called us to examine ourselves to see if we have right doctrine, obedience, and love which characterize genuine salvation, so 2 John says that, to the best of our ability, we have a responsibility to ensure that those we support in ministry are faithful in that ministry and are teaching the truth about Jesus.
One brief comment on the conclusion: did you notice John’s desire for face-to-face fellowship? That’s why its so important that you gather regularly with a local church. There is something life giving and joy producing about seeing believers face to face. As Matthew Henry puts it, “In communion with [fellow Christians] we find much of our present joy and look forward to happiness forever.”[11]
Before we move on 3 John, what are practical ways that you have used hospitality to further the gospel?
Though there are similarities between second and third John, one difference that we notice right away is the audience.
In the second letter, John writes to the church; in the third letter, John addresses “Gaius, whom I love in truth” (v. 1). This is a personal letter, indicating intimate knowledge of the church by John. 3 John is the shortest letter in the Bible, it has only 219 words.[12]
Now who was Gaius? It’s unclear. The name Gaius was like the John Smith of the Roman Empire. It was very common, perhaps the “most common” name.[13] [14]
The purpose of 3 John
If 2 John focuses on why not to extend hospitality to false teachers, 3 John is about why to extend hospitality to faithful teachers. The character of two individuals in this short letter, Gaius and Diotrephes, shape the theme of this book: how you welcome or not welcome someone is reflective of your theology and your love.
Outline of 3 John
Third John can easily be divided into four sections, following John Stott and Danny Akin here:[15]
Message to Gaius (v. 1-8)
John’s prayer/wish for Gaius (v.2)
John’s delight in Gaius’ obedience (v. 3-4)
John’s commendation of Gaius Hospitality (v.5-8)
Message to Diotrephes (v. 9-10)
John’s Condemnation of Diotrephes (v. 9-10)
Message to Demetries (v. 11-12)
John’s encouragement of Demetrius (v. 12)
Conclusion & Greeting (v. 13-14)
The Message
Like 2 John, the elder is anticipating an in-person visit soon to this church. However, in the meantime he has encouragement and concerns regarding three individuals. The character of two individuals in this short letter, Gaius and Diotrephes, shape the theme of this book.
Look at verses 9-11: John says, “9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So, if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved [that is, Gaius], do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. ”
First, Diotrephes. What do we know about him? Is he sympathetic with false teachers? Has he personally fallen out with John the elder? There is much this little letter does not tell us. But it does say Diotrephes “likes to put himself first” (v. 9). Diotrephes makes trouble for the Gospel by loving himself first.
After commenting on the character of Diotrephes, John says, “Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.” While John does not go as far as calling Diotrephes a false teacher in the same mold as those in I John, he certainly seems to be pointing to him as an example of what church leaders should not be. Self-exaltation is not the only sin of Diotrephes: He rejects apostolic authority (v. 9), he deprives others of good teaching (v. 9), he slanders the apostle (“wicked nonsense”) (v. 10), he does not welcome those who are working for the gospel and prevents others from doing good (v. 11). He And then there is Gaius. Look at verse 5: “Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are.” Gaius was showing hospitality to true Christian preachers. Gaius loves the brothers; Diotrephes loves himself. Gaius gives out of his own for the brethren; Diotrephes wants to make sure things go his way. So, if ever there was one who understood the right doctrine, obeyed God’s commands, and loved other Christians like 1 John calls us to do, Gaius seems to be the one. And so, we read in verses 6-8 what Gaius should continue to do. “You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing form the Gentiles. Therefore, we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
There are a few questions we need to answer from this passage. First, what does it mean in a manner worthy of God? Second, what is the “sake of the name”? Third, who are the gentiles?
To send these men out in “manner worthy of God” means to support them in a way that is fitting for those who are spreading the gospel to the nations. That is, we should give sacrificially and generously to them because of the importance of the mission. Despite the fact these men are sacrificing their lives, John appeals to the worthiness of God. And it’s this worthiness that John describes. Because they are going out not for their own gain and glory but for the sake of the Name.[16]
The next question is who are the Gentiles? I think its best to understand this as an unbelievers and not ethnic gentiles. First, because it’s like that Gaius, Demetrius, and Diotrephes were like Gentiles. It would be odd for John to commend Gaius and his hospitality and then contradict himself by saying they “took nothing from the Gentiles” Second, the nature of Christian giving is that of generosity. These workers were not to be begging, no they were to be supported freely by other Christians.[17]
Application question: how do you grow in desiring to give for gospel work, when you are tempted to be stingy?
How does 3 John 7 impact how we do missionary work here?
We are to be hospitable. And hospitality toward them is commanded. A pattern we should also follow. I don’t know if you’ve thought of it before, but when we host a visiting missionary family, or we send money to support them overseas, or we show hospitality in countless other ways, we aren’t just “supporting” them. No, verse 8 says we are working together with them for the truth. We are in fact part of their ministry. So, all the more reason for us to look for the most strategic Gospel ministry going on in the world and support it, that we may find one day we participated together with them in that work.
Conclusion
So . . . as we look at these two short letters, how do we distinguish between real and counterfeit Christianity? How do we know what true love is? In 2 John, we have instruction on what true love is not – it is not supporting and endorsing false teachers who deny Christ. And in 3 John, we have a real-life example of what true love is: a man who walked in the light by opening up his home in love to those who preached the truth about Jesus. I pray that we would be instructed by the stark, black and white commands of John in his first letter; I pray that we would heed the warning of his second letter; and I pray that we would follow the example of Gaius in his third letter, because, as Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn. 13:35).
[1] 1,2,3 John , The New American Commentary: New International Version vol. 38 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 217.
[2] The Letters of John. ed. Leon Morris. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, vol. 19 (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988/2009), 28-29.
[3] Letters of John, 43.
[4] The Letters of John, 200.
[5] 1,2,3 John , The New American Commentary: New International Version vol. 38 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2001), 271.
[6] The Letters of John, 201, with the sub points adapted from Akin, 1, 2,3 John but also modified.
[7] Spiritual Depression, pg. 63.
[8] The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020) makes this point. See also Jonathan Leeman, Rule of Love (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), XXXX
[9]
[10] Christologia, XXXX.
[11] Concise Commentary on the Bible
[12] 1,2,3 John, 235.
[13] The Letters of John, 226.
[14] The Letters of John, 226.
[15] The Letters of John, 224 & sub-headers are from Akin, 1,2,3 John, 235.
[16]
[17] The Letters of John, 230-231.
