What is the Book of 2 John about?
The Book of 2 John is a letter in the Bible’s New Testament, traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. The letter is believed to have been written to a specific Christian community, possibly a church or a group of believers, in the late first century AD, and is a follow-up to the first epistle of John.
The letter serves as a reminder of the teachings of Jesus and a warning against false teachings that have infiltrated the Christian communities. John encourages his readers to abide in Christ and to love one another as Jesus loved them. He also addresses various issues such as the importance of walking in truth, the importance of hospitality, and the importance of keeping oneself pure.
One of the main themes in the Book of 2 John is the importance of walking in the truth. John encourages his readers to abide in Christ and to walk in truth and love, so that they may have the fullness of joy. He also emphasizes the importance of supporting and welcoming teachers of the truth, and not providing support to false teachers.
Another theme is the importance of hospitality and love for the believers. John encourages his readers to show hospitality to the believers and to love one another as Jesus loved them.
Another theme is the importance of keeping oneself pure. John encourages his readers to keep themselves pure, so that they may have the fullness of joy and not stumble. He emphasizes that one should not welcome false teachers into their home or support them, as this would make them a participant in their evil deeds.
What lessons should we take away from the Book of 2 John?
- The importance of walking in truth: John encourages his readers to abide in Christ and to walk in truth and love, so that they may have the fullness of joy. He also emphasizes the importance of supporting and welcoming teachers of the truth, and not providing support to false teachers.
- The importance of hospitality and love for the believers: John encourages his readers to show hospitality to the believers, and to love one another as Jesus loved them.
- The importance of keeping oneself pure: John encourages his readers to keep themselves pure, so that they may have the fullness of joy and not stumble. He emphasizes that one should not welcome false teachers into their home or support them, as this would make them a participant in their evil deeds.
- The importance of obedience: John encourages his readers to obey God’s commandments, which is a demonstration of love, this highlights the importance of obedience in our faith and how it is connected to love.
- The importance of adhering to the teachings of Jesus: Throughout the letter, John emphasizes the importance of adhering to the teachings of Jesus, this highlights the importance of understanding and adhering to the teachings of Jesus in order to have fullness of joy and avoid being deceived by false teachings.
- The importance of discernment: John encourages his readers to be discerning and to be aware of false teachings to protect their faith, this highlights the importance of being able to recognize false teachings and avoid them.
What are some notable verses from the Book of 2 John?
- 2 John 1:6:
“And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”
- 2 John 1:8:
“Look to yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”
- 2 John 1:9:
“Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”
- 2 John 1:10:
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting.”
- 2 John 1:11:
“For whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
In summary, the Book of 2 John is a letter that serves as a reminder of the teachings of Jesus and a warning against false teachings that have infiltrated the Christian communities. The main themes of the book include the importance of walking in truth, the importance of hospitality, and the importance of keeping oneself pure. John encourages his readers to abide in Christ, walk in truth and love, show hospitality to the believers, love one another as Jesus loved them, keep themselves pure and avoid supporting false teachers.