Notes on

2 John
2 0 0 3 E d i t i o n
Dr. Thomas L. Constable

Introduction
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The writer identified himself as "the elder" (v. 1). The writings of the early church fathers
attribute authorship of this epistle to the Apostle John. The early Christians commonly
recognized him as "the elder" in view. We might have expected John to have described
himself as "the apostle" as Paul usually did since this is an office of higher authority than
elder. However, John's apostleship was not open to challenge as Paul's was. There is no
evidence that the early Christians questioned it as they did Paul's apostleship. "Elder" was
a more affectionate title, and it undoubtedly represented John's role among the churches
at least unofficially if not officially. He was probably an older man at this time too.
"Unlike 1 John, 2 and 3 John fall into the category of personal letters."1
The identity of the recipient or recipients of this epistle is in question. Some scholars
have concluded that John wrote to a specific lady and her children (v. 1). Of these
interpreters some believe her name was Eklekta (from the Greek word eklekte meaning
"chosen", v. 1). This seems unlikely, however, because John also called this lady's sister
eklekte in verse 13. Others who believe he wrote to a specific lady have suggested that
her name was Kyria (the Greek word translated "lady," v. 1). However this too seems
unlikely in view of the plural address John used in verse 8. A more probable explanation
is that John personified a particular local church as a lady and the Christians in it as her
children (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13). This view harmonizes with the personification of the church as
Christ's bride (Eph. 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7). Since John's arena of ministry was
Asia Minor the probability of this being a church in that Roman province is good.
The conditions existing in the church that John addressed are very similar to those he
referred to in his first epistle. Therefore the time of composition seems to have been very
close to that of 1 John: A.D. 90-95. Ephesus seems to be the most probable site from
which John wrote both letters.

1I.

Howard Marshall, The Epistles of John, p. 9.

Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Published by Sonic Light, http://www.soniclight.com/

Dr. Constable's Notes on 2 John

OUTLINE
I.
II.

Introduction vv. 1-3

The importance of the truth vv. 4-11
A.
B.

III.

Practicing the truth vv. 4-6

Protecting the truth vv. 7-11

Conclusion vv. 12-13

The following is a good expository outline of the book.2

The truth generates an exclusive Christian community (vv. 1-3).
The truth demands a distinctive Christian ethic (vv. 4-6).
The truth involves propositional Christian doctrine (v. 7).
The truth requires unceasing Christian vigilance (vv. 8-11).

2Roy

Clements, Eden Baptist Church, Cambridge, England, July 19, 1992.

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Dr. Constable's Notes on 2 John

Exposition
I. INTRODUCTION VV. 1-3
John introduced himself, identified the recipients of this letter, greeted them, and
mentioned the major subjects of his concern to prepare his readers for what follows.
vv. 1-2

As I explained in the introduction section of these notes, the "elder" was

evidently the Apostle John, the "chosen lady" a local church, and her
"children" the believers in that church. The church was "chosen" in that it
consisted of elect individuals, Christians.
"We are hardly to think here of an elder in the sense which
the word presbyteros usually bears in Christian contexts in
the New Testament, that is, one who discharges the
ministry of eldership in a local church. . . . The word
appears in another specialized sense in second-century
Christian literature, of church leaders in the generation after
the apostles, particularly those who were disciples of
apostles or of 'apostolic men,' and were therefore
guarantors of the 'tradition' which they received from the
apostles and delivered in turn to their own followers."3
John loved this church and so did other Christians who knew about it. The
basis of this love was the truth the Christians there believed in common
with one another. This "truth" refers to God's revelation in Scripture. The
importance of this truth is clear from the fact that John referred to it three
times in these two verses.
"The Truth makes true love possible."4

v. 3

John wanted his readers to appreciate the importance of guarding God's

truth and practicing love for one another. These two things are the basis
for grace, mercy, and peace. "Grace" is God's unmerited favor, "mercy" is
compassion, and "peace" is harmony and inner tranquillity.
"The succession 'grace, mercy, peace' marks the order from
the first notion of God to the final satisfaction of man."5
These qualities flourish where truth and love prevail.

3F.

F. Bruce, The Epistles of John, p. 135. See Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 130-202), Against Heresies, 5.5.1;
5.36.2; The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, 3.39.
4B. F. Westcott, The Epistles of St. John, p. 225.
5Ibid.

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"Where 'truth and love' coexist harmoniously, we have a

well-balanced Christian character (cf. Eph. 4.15)."6
John's description of Jesus Christ as the Son of God the Father is
reminiscent of his emphasis on Jesus' full deity both in his first epistle and
in his Gospel.
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRUTH VV. 4-11
"In the central section of 2 John [vv. 4-11] . . . we have a brief summary of
the great contrasts between truth and error, love and hatred, the Church
and the world, which are dealt with at greater length in 1 John."7
A. PRACTICING THE TRUTH VV. 4-6
John wrote this epistle to urge his readers to continue to be obedient to God by
responding positively to the truth of His revelation. He also wanted them to resist the
inroads of false teachers who sought to distort this truth. He dealt with the first purpose in
verses 4-6.
v. 4

John began by commending the church. He had met some of its members
who were walking in obedience to God's truth (i.e., walking in the light, 1
John 1:7).

v. 5

John's message for this church was not some new revelation. It was a
reminder to keep on walking in obedience to God's truth by continuing to
love one another (cf. 1 John 2:3-9; 3:14-18, 23; 4:7, 11, 20-21). This was
important since false teachers were encouraging the readers to depart from
the truth they were hearing (v. 6).
"It is not that love precedes truth or belief but that love
offers the clearest test of the truthfulness of the confession
and the sincerity of the obedience given to God's
commands. Belief may be feigned and confession only of
the lips, but love is harder to counterfeit."8

v. 6

If anyone had a question about what loving one another meant, John
explained that it is essentially obeying God (cf. 1 John 5:2-3a). That is, we
love each other best when we obey God's will that His Word reveals.
"Love strives to realise [sic] in detail every separate
expression of the will of God."9

6Bruce,

p. 139.
S. Smalley, 1, 2, 3 John, p. 322. Cf. John R. W. Stott, The Epistles of John, p. 205.
8Glenn W. Barker, "2 John," in Hebrews-Revelation, vol. 12 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary, p. 363.
9Westcott, p. 228.
7Stephen

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Dr. Constable's Notes on 2 John

The antecedent of the last word in this verse is not clear in the English text
or the Greek text. "It" could refer to "love" or "commandment." The latter
alternative seems somewhat more likely in view of John's argument. In
this case John's point was that his readers should obey God's commands as
they had heard these from the beginning of the apostles' preaching (cf. 1
John 1:1). They should not obey the gospel that the false teachers were
proclaiming.
All the specific "commandments" of God are really one "commandment" or obligation
for the Christian (cf. 1 John 3:22-23).
B. PROTECTING THE TRUTH VV. 7-11
Next John moved on to his second purpose. He wrote to encourage his readers to resist
the false teachers who were distorting the truth and deceiving some of the believers.
"The presbyter's attention now moves from the existence of true belief
inside the Johannine community, which gives him great joy (v 4), to the
dangers presented to it through the espousal of false belief by deceivers
who have 'defected into the world.' Earlier, the writer has spoken of
Christian truth and love; in the remainder of 2 John the emphasis
inevitably falls on the need for truth in contrast to error. But the two
sections interlock. Departure from the truth results in a failure of love.
Thus the dark description of heretical secession and its consequences (vv
7-11) forms the basis of John's warm appeal for love and unity (vv 4-6)."10
v. 7

This verse gives the reason for the exhortation in verse 6 and links what
follows with verses 4-6. Erroneous teaching had already begun to
proliferate in the early church (e.g., Gnosticism, Docetism, Cerinthianism,
etc.; cf. 1 John 2:18, 22-23, 27; 4:1-3). The common error was
Christological. The false teachers regarded Jesus as something other than
God's Anointed One who had come in the flesh (cf. 1 John 5:1). "Coming"
in the flesh means having come and continuing in flesh. This is the true
view of the Incarnation. Jesus was and continues to be fully God and fully
man.
"The incarnation was more than a mere incident, and more
than a temporary and partial connection between the Logos
and human nature. It was the permanent guarantee of the
possibility of fellowship, and the chief means by which it is
brought about."11

10Smalley,
11A.

p. 327.
E. Brooke, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 175.

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This type of false teacher is a deceiver as well as opposed to Christ. John

did not mean that such a person was the end-time Antichrist. The use of
the definite article in Greek, translated "the," used with an unnamed
individual as here, sometimes translates better with the English indefinite
article "a" or "an." That understanding of this statement is preferable here
in view of other Scriptures that indicate the end-time Antichrist has yet to
appear (e.g., Dan. 11; 2 Thess. 2).
"The elder says that anybody who denies the truth is a very
antichrist, just as we might speak of a supremely evil
person as 'the very devil.'"12
v. 8

Compromise with the false teachers could lead to a loss of reward (cf. the
warning passages in Hebrews).13 Moreover loss for John's readers would
involve loss for him as well since he had a share in their lives. This loss
would only be partial, however. They would still receive some reward (cf.
1 Cor. 3:11-15).14 Loss of salvation is not in view at all.

v. 9

The picture in John's mind seems to have been that of a Christian who, the
false teachers said, did not have the whole truth. It is common even today
for false teachers to claim that those who do not agree with them are still
in an infantile intellectual condition. However, John regarded that
"infantile" position as proper for the Christian. If his readers advanced
beyond it, they would really step out of the truth into error. John warned
his readers of the danger of apostasy, namely, forsaking truth to embrace
error (cf. 1 John 2:23-24).
John's use of "abide" indicates that he spoke of a vital personal
relationship with God that comes with adherence to the truth, not just dead
doctrinal orthodoxy (cf. John 8:31; 14:21-23; 15:1-7).

vv. 10-11

12Marshall,

In the culture of John's day philosophers and teachers relied on the people
to whom they spoke for lodging and financial assistance (e.g., Acts 18:2-3;
21:7). John instructed his readers to refuse to help the false teachers in
these ways. Beyond this they were not even to give verbal encouragement
to these apostates (cf. Acts 15:23; 23:26; 1 Cor. 10:20; 1 Tim. 5:22; James
1:1; 1 Pet. 4:13).15 John did not advocate the persecution of heretics here,
but he strongly counselled his readers to give them no aid or
encouragement in their destructive ministry. I believe he would have
approved his readers' efforts to correct the false teachers in private and to
lead them into a true appreciation of the person and work of Christ. In
dealing with such persons ourselves we must also relate to their ministry

p. 71.
pp. 364-65; Marshall, p. 72.
14See Zane C. Hodges, "2 John," in The Bible Knowledge Commentery: New Testament, p. 907.
15Cf. Brooke, p. 179.
13Barker,

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Dr. Constable's Notes on 2 John

in one way and to themselves in another. We must not approve or
encourage their work but must show concern for their personal
relationship with Christ.16
"Admittedly great care should be exercised before applying
such a radical withholding of hospitality from anyone. For
the elder it was applied only to antichristians who were
committed to destroying the faith of the community. The
issue involved more than disagreements in interpretation or
personal misunderstandings among members of the body of
Christ. It was radical and clearly defined unbelief, and it
involved active and aggressive promotion of perversions of
truth and practice that struck at the heart of Christianity.
"The responsibility of parents may furnish an analogy.
Parents must discriminate as to whom even among their
relatives they entertain in their home. Some relatives might
be of such questionable character as to menace the moral,
spiritual, and physical welfare of the children. Such
relatives must be excluded. Parents must balance their
concern for their relatives with their responsibility for their
children. Notice that John does not suggest that the elect
lady and her children deal with the false teachers in hatred
or retaliate against them. Instead, he counsels that the false
teachers be kept at a distance lest their heresy destroy the
young church."17

III. CONCLUSION VV. 12-13

John expressed his desire to visit his readers personally to explain the reason for the
brevity of this epistle.
v. 12

John had more to say on this subject that God did not lead him to record in
this letter. John could have written this epistle on one standard size sheet
of papyrus.18 We do not know if John was able to follow through with his
desire to visit his readers soon.
His readers' joy would be full when they understood the issue presented
here more fully as well as when John visited them (cf. 1 John 1:4).

v. 13

16See

John evidently meant that the Christians in the sister church of which he
was a member sent their greetings along with his own to his readers.

Hodges, pp. 908-9.

pp. 365-66. Cf. Marshall, p. 75.
18Smalley, p. 314.
17Barker,

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