THE SECOND LETTER OF SAINT JOHN
Beloved Heavenly Father,
You gave us Mother Church to nurture us in our faith and to
provide the true path to holiness. We trust in Your Holy Spirit to give us the
spiritual strength to continue on that path and to help us discern between what
is true doctrine and the lies of heretics who seek to mislead us. Throughout
our struggles and our joys, help us Lord, to continue loving our brothers and
sisters in the covenant family, to reach out in love to those in the human
family who do not know You, and to remain obedient to Your commandments in all
circumstances. We pray in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit. Amen.
+ + +
The most convincing argument in favor of the belief that John wrote this and the following letter is that the themes found in the First Letter recur whenever the opportunity presents itself. Theophylact, Archbishop of Ohrid, Commentary on 2 John
John is writing
against the heretics who have departed from the truth. He rightly recalls that
there is a love in the Holy Spirit, which is common to all who know the truth. By
mentioning the unanimity and the large number of Catholic Christians, he
frightens those few who have separated themselves from their number. Look how
all Catholic Christians everywhere follow a single rule of truth, whereas
heretics and unbelievers do not all agree on what they reject and attack each
other just as much as they attack the truth.
St. Bede, On 2 John
INTRODUCTION
The Church traditionally attributes the First, Second, and Third Letters of John to St. John Zebedee, one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles and the brother of the Apostle James Zebedee. According to tradition, St. John became the Bishop of Ephesus in Asia Minor and the other churches in the Roman province of Asia mentioned in Revelation Chapters 2-3. It was at Ephesus that he wrote the Fourth Gospel and the three Letters. They share many distinctively Johannine phrases and vocabulary with frequent contrasts of opposites common to John's Gospel. It is noteworthy that, in the canon of New Testament Scripture, only the Letters of First and Second John mention the evil entity who is the enemy of Jesus and His Church, calling him the Antichrist and those influenced by him as "antichrists."
The Letters of First and Second John show a common vocabulary and themes; therefore, many Biblical scholars, ancient and modern, believe they were written at about the same time and by the same writer. Other commentators not only suggest the three letters were written at the same time but were all sent out to faith communities before a scheduled visit from St. John. Both the Letters of Second and Third John state that the writer has more to say, but he hopes to come and speak to them in person.
St. John addresses his second letter to the "elect Lady and her children." The Second Letter is probably not intended for an individual woman but to a specific faith community, a "Bride of Christ" and her "children" who are the members of her congregation. In the Letter, John identifies himself as "the Presbyter/Elder" (presbyteros), which has caused some to dispute that the Apostle John wrote the letter. However, the Apostle Peter also referred to himself as a presbyter/elder in 1 Peter 5:1, and Bible scholars, ancient and modern, accept the Apostle Peter as the writer of that letter.
All three Letters are closely linked, complimenting each other in promoting love for God and one another, walking in the truth, and warnings concerning the dangers of following false teachers who deny the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. All three Letters also testify to the earthly Jesus as the divine Son of God who came to offer God's gift of eternal salvation to humanity. The Letters also encourage faithful adherence to God's truths and obedience to His commandments. St. John's Second Letter is very much like the First. It has many thematic parallels with the First Letter, and it also shows similarities to the Third Letter in its format and expressions, serving as a bridge between the First and Third Letters.
One of the earliest references to John's Second Letter appears in the writings of St. Irenaeus of Lyons (late second century) who accepted it as part of the Apostolic Canon of Sacred Scripture (Against Heresies, 1.9.3; 3.17.8). It wasn't until the next century that doubts over the authenticity and apostolic composition of the Second Letter and also the Third Letter appeared. By the end of the fourth century, uncertainty concerning the authorship had been sufficiently addressed and settled mainly in favor of St. John Zebedee as the inspired writer. John's three Letters appear in the canonical lists of the New Testament in both the Western and Eastern Churches.
Unlike the First Letter, the Second Letter has neither a
Prologue nor an Epilogue, and divides into four parts:
I. Greeting (verses 1-3)
II. Walking in Truth and Love (verses 4-6)
III. Avoiding False Teachers and their Doctrines (verses 7-11)
IV. Benediction (verses 12-13)
The themes in Second John closely parallel First John
concerning obedience to the command to love as a demonstration of Christian
faith and the warning against false teachers.
| BIBLICAL PERIOD | # 12 The Kingdom of the Church | |||
| FOCUS | God's Commandments | False Teachers | ||
| COVENANT | New and Eternal Covenant | |||
| SCRIPTURE | 1------------------4----------------------------7-------------------------------12-----------------13 | |||
| DIVISION | Greeting | Walking in Truth and Love | Avoiding False Teachers and Their Doctrines | Benediction |
| TOPIC | Obedience to God's Commandments | Beware of Counterfeit Commandments | ||
| Practice the Truth | Protect the Truth | |||
| LOCATION | Ephesus (?) | |||
| TIME | It was probably written in the mid-first-century AD after John wrote his Gospel and his First Letter but before the great Roman persecution that began in AD 64, resulting in John's imprisonment on Patmos. It was also probably written before the Jewish Revolt in AD 66 that led to the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in AD 70. The letter mentions none of those terrible events predicted by Jesus. | |||
This lesson will use the New American Bible's version of St. John's Second Letter. The abbreviations IBHE and IBGE stand for the Interlinear Bible Hebrew-English and the Interlinear Bible Greek-English, while NJB signifies the New Jerusalem Bible translation. The designation CCC stands for the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
THE SECOND LETTER OF SAINT JOHN
The Truth of the Son of God Who Dwells Within Us
PART I: Greeting
1 The Presbyter [sumpresbuteros = chief elder] to
the chosen Lady [eklekte kyria] and to her children
whom I love in truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth
2 because of the truth that dwells in us and
will be with us forever. 3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with
us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son [Son of the
Father] in truth and love. [...] = IBGE, vol. IV, page 649.
1 The Presbyter [sumpresbuteros = chief elder] to the chosen [eklekte = elect] Lady [kyria
= lady] and to her children whom I love in truth
The identity of the sender and receiver of the letter
were matters of controversy in the early Church; for some, doubt continues over
these issues today. Even though the majority opinion eventually decided that
the "presbyter/elder' was St. John Zebedee, the Evangelist and "beloved
disciple"
(Jn 13:23; 19:26, 20:2; 21:7) and that the "chosen/elect Lady" was a church,
neither view can be regarded as settled then or now. However, St. Paul, a
Jewish-Christian, envisioned the universal Church as feminine and maternal that
was also a Jewish tradition
(Is 61:10-11; Jer 2:2; Ez 16:4-14; Eph 5:23;
CCC 2040).
In verse 1, the word "presbyter" is from the Greek term presbyteros, meaning "older man" but referring to one in charge of a clan or tribe and familiar to Greek speaking Gentile converts. Jewish-Christians would also have found the term "elder" a familiar designation for a leader in a Jewish community. In the first century of the Christian Church, the Greek word came to identify a leader of a local Christian congregation. St. Peter identified himself as a primary presbyter/elder in his Frist Letter, writing: So I exhort the presbyters [presbuteros] among you, as a fellow presbyter [sumpresbuteros] and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed (1 Pt 5:1). And Peter used the lesser designation again a few verses later in the letter: Likewise, you younger members, be subject to the presbyters [presbuteros] in 1 Peter 5:5 (IBGE, vol. VI, page 631). In the Church, it came to be the term for an ordained shepherd of a community (1 Pt 5:10 or a priest (Acts 14:23). John was both an Apostle and an elder of a community.
In Hebrew, the word is zaqen. Elders had a leadership role in ancient Israel along with prophets, priests, and kings (Ex 24:1, 9-11; Num 11:16-25; 1 Kng 12:6; Ezra 6:7-8; Ez 8:1). The Jewish-Christian leader, St. Paul, established "elders" or "presbyters" in the churches he founded (e.g., Acts 14:23; 20:17; 1 Tim 5:17, 19; Titus 1:5). Presbyters were serving the Church at the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15:2-23), and St. James used the same term in his letter to the Church (Jam 5:14). By identifying himself as a sumpresbuteros, John uses a leadership term Greek-Christians understood and at the same time linked himself with a tradition of leadership in Israel from the Old Covenant Church.
Some ancient scholars, like the Rhetor Oecumenius (sixth century), believed that there was another John at Ephesus, distinguished in Second John as "the presbyter/elder," and identified the same way in the Third Letter (3 Jn 1). However, defending St. John Zebedee as the inspired writer, St. Jerome wrote: "Originally presbyters and bishops were the same. When later on, one was chosen to preside over the rest, this was done to avoid schism. For apart from ordination, what function is there which belongs to a bishop which does not also belong to a presbyter?" (Jerome, Letters, 146). And Theophylact, Archbishop of Ohrid (1050-1108) wrote: "The most convincing argument in favor of the belief that John wrote this and the following letter is that the themes found in the First Letter recur whenever the opportunity presents itself" (Theophylact, Commentary on 2 John).
to the chosen [eklekte = elect] Lady [kyria]
and to her children whom I love in truth
Question: What is significant about the
designation "chosen/elect"? See Mt 24:31.
Answer: The designation "elect/chosen" defines the
Christian's identity as a person who, through rebirth and divine adoption
through the Sacrament of Baptism, is under the Holy Spirit's protection and destined
for eternal salvation.
In the Old
Testament, the term "elect/chosen" applied only to the Israelites as the people
called by Yahweh out of the nations of the earth to be His "own possession" and
faithful to their Divine call as His covenant people (Ex 19:5-6). The idea of
such an election was common in the Old Testament books; for example in
Deuteronomy (i.e., Dt 7:6; 14:2),
the Psalms (i.,e., 33:12; 89:3 for David, 106:5/105:5
in the Jewish Tanakh), the Book of Isaiah (i.e., 41:9; 43:10; 44:1), and the
Books of the Prophets like the Book of Ezekiel (20:5). In the Old Testament, the
chosen ones are the Israelites as the recipients of God's temporal and
spiritual blessings so long as they remained faithful to His commandments. If
they remained faithful to God, they were His true servants.
The New Testament transfers the meaning of the "elect/chosen"
from its connection with the people of Israel to the New Covenant Church of Jesus
Christ, either militant on earth or triumphant in heaven. St. Peter addressed
his First Letter to the "elect." He described them as those who have the
"foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification by the Spirit" and
"sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ," and dispersed throughout the
various parts of the Roman world (1 Pt 1:1-2). In 1 Peter 2:9, he represents
them as "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own,"
called from darkness into God's "wonderful light." St. Paul also refers to the
elect/chosen ones in Romans 8:29-33 and describes the five degrees of their
election: they are foreknown, predestined, called, justified, and glorified.
In his letters, Paul returns to the idea of election by a divine call again and
again (c.f., Col 3:12; 2 Thess 2:12; 2 Tim 2:10; Titus 1:1).
In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus promises God will shorten the last days of the judgment on Jerusalem and the Jews of His generation for the sake of the elect (Mt 24:22, 24, 31; Mk 13:20, 22, 27). St. Luke writes that God hears the cries of His elect for justice (Lk 18:7). And finally, in the Book of Revelation, St. John assigns the title "the elect" to those who fight on the side of the Lamb against the powers of darkness (Rev 17:14). The "chosen/elect Lady" [eklekte kyria] and "her children" are those who carry forth this divine New Covenant election with all its obligations and eternal blessings.
Scholars like St. Clement of Alexandria, head of the School of Catechesis in Alexandria, Egypt (150-215), and St. Hilary, Archbishop of Arles (401-449), believed the Lady and her children referred to a particular church. They wrote that the "elect/chosen Lady was a "Bride of Christ" and "Mother" of a faith community of baptized members, "chosen" or "elected" by the Holy Spirit as members of God's covenant family. St. Hilary wrote: "The elect lady is clearly a church to which the letter is written. It is elect in faith and mistress of all virtues" (Hilary, Introductory Commentary on 2 John). On the other hand, the monk Andreas (seventh century) and others believed the receiver of the letter was a pious woman who had a church in her house or a wealthy woman and her family who supported John's ministry. However, verse 13 appears to suggest the "lady" is a faith community like others within St. John's diocese when he wrote: 3 The children of your chosen [elect] sister send you greetings, referring to a "sister" congregation.
Also, in the Old Testament as well as in the New, the covenant people of the Church in their relationship with Yahweh are symbolically imaged as the Bride of the Divine Bridegroom and the Mother of children who are the faithful in the community (see Is 61:10-11; Jer 2:2; Ez 16:4-14; Mt 9:15; Jn 3:28-29; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:25-27; Rev 12:17; 19:7-9; 21:2, 9; 22:17). Therefore, it would be appropriate for John to refer to a first-century faith community as an "elect Lady and her children."
and not only I but also all who know the truth
2 ;because of the truth that dwells in us and will be with us forever.
Like the First Letter, John is concerned with "truth," a
term that appears five times in the first four verses of the Second Letter.(1)
The Greek word for "dwell" (meno) can also be translated as
"remain" or "abide." It is a keyword throughout the works of John, occurring
twenty-four times in the First Letter and forty times in the Gospel of John.
It is especially noteworthy in Jesus' Last Supper Discourse where He speaks of
His disciples abiding/remaining in Him and His love repeatedly, seven times in
15:4 (three times), 6, 7 (twice), and 10 (twice).
Question: What does John mean when he refers to
"the truth" in verses 1 and 2 that will be with us forever? See Jn 14:6.
Answer: In John 14:6, on the night of the Last
Supper, Jesus told John and the other disciples: "I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." For John,
"the truth" is Jesus Christ, and, in this letter, he is referring to the truth
about Jesus' Incarnation, death and Resurrection, the true way of life to which
Jesus calls His disciples in every generation, and the eternal life that is His
gift of salvation.
3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with
us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the
Father's Son [Son of the Father] in truth and love.
Like St. Paul's First and Second Letters to Timothy, John
appeals for mercy added to the frequently used greetings of grace and peace in
the salutation to describe his blessing to those receiving the letter. Notice
that he places the blessing in relation to truth and love, the typical
watchwords of St. John's teaching. This letter is the only time the threefold
blessing of grace, mercy, and peace appears in a work attributed to St. John.
and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son [Son of the
Father] in truth and love.
He uses the title "the Son of the Father" to stress the
close relationship of Christ to God the Father. Variations of this title occur
in the Gospel of John 1:14; 3:35, but this exact wording does not appear
elsewhere in the New Testament, providing more evidence that the writer is St.
John the Apostle who composed the Fourth Gospel. The Father and Son are
distinct; however, they stand together as One source of "grace, mercy, and
peace" for the Christian communities that receive their blessings "in truth and
love" (verse 3).
PART II: Walking in Truth and Love
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of
your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. 5 But
now, Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing a new commandment but the
one we have had from the beginning: let us love one another. 6 For this
is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment,
as you heard from the beginning, in which you should walk.
4 I rejoiced greatly to find some of
your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father.
In the Old Testament and the New, "walking" with God
means to be in fellowship with God by following His commandments just as
walking with other gods referred to the sin of idol worship. The Old Testament
praised the Patriarchs for "walking with God (c.f., Gen 5:22, 24; 6:9), and the
phrase continued throughout the Old and New Testaments for those who fulfilled
with their covenant with God required. For example:
In 2 John 4, John rejoices that "some" of the "children" walk in the truth of Christ. Other professed Christians in the community are not "walking in the truth" but have stepped off the "narrow path" (Mt 7:14) to salvation. They are in danger because they are not keeping the commandments and could forfeit their eternal salvation. Notice that he adds himself to the list of those under obedience to God's commands with the pronoun "we." Obedience to God's commandments is a requirement for both the laity and the leadership in all generations of the Church. John encourages walking in the truth/commandments of Christ three times in verses 4 and 6. See similar uses of "walking" in St. Paul's letters (Rom 13:13; Gal 15:16; Eph 2:10).
5 But now, Lady, I ask you, not as
though I were writing a new commandment but the one we have had from the
beginning: let us love one another. 6 For this is love, that we walk
according to his commandments; this is the commandment, as you heard from the
beginning, in which you should walk.
Love demonstrated by "walking" in the path of Christ
through obedience to the commandments is the central theme of all three of the letters
attributed to St. John Zebedee. The command to love God and one's neighbor
first appears "from the beginning" in the Old Covenant at Sinai (Lev 19:18 and
Dt 6:4-5). Jesus repeated the commandment to love as a summary of the entire
Law (Mt 22:37-39; Mk 12:29-31). In his First Letter, John repeatedly wrote
that demonstrations of faith and love are visible evidence of a Christian's true
union with the Most Holy Trinity (1:6-7; 2:3, 6; 3:6, 10, 17, 24; 4:6, 8, 13,
16, 20), and the word "love" appeared 46 times in 105 verses.
In verse 5, John writes, "from the beginning," they heard how they "should walk." In 1 John 1:1, he also refers to "the beginning." In both letters, the "beginning refers to when the disciples and Apostles first heard Jesus' message of salvation and what they needed to believe and have faith to "walk" in a relationship with Jesus on the journey to eternal salvation. However, there is also a connection to John's Gospel Prologue that refers to the Creation event when God brought all things into being through His divine Son, "in the beginning" (Jn 1:1-3; c.f., 1 Jn 2:13-14, 3:8; Gen 1:1; Col 1:16). It is another link joining the First and Second Letters to the writer of the Fourth Gospel.
PART III: Avoiding False Teachers and Their Doctrines
7 Many deceivers have gone out into
the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh;
such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves that
you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. 9 Anyone
who is so "progressive" as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not
have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not
bring this doctrine, do not receive him in your house or even greet him; 11 for
whoever greets him shares in his evil works.
Verses 7-11 are warnings that are a summary of what John wrote in the Letter of First John (c.f., 2:18-29; 4:1-6; 5:1-50. He shows the clearest way to recognize these heretics, which is that they do not acknowledge the Incarnation and divinity of Jesus Christ (c.f., 1 Jn 4:2-3). He warns his readers that anyone who rejects sound teaching on this subject is abandoning the Father and the Son (c.f., 1 Jn 2:22-25). In verses 10-11, John advises what precautions Christians need to take in dealing with heretics.
7 Many deceivers have gone out into
the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh;
such is the deceitful one and the antichrist [antichristos].
Perhaps this verse indicates why St. John wrote that only
"some" of the "children" in the Elect Lady's family are "walking in the truth"
(verse 4). In the New Testament, only the First and Second Letters of John
mention the evil entity who is the enemy of Jesus and His Church, calling him
the antichrist and those influenced by him "antichrists" (1 Jn 2:18 antichrist
and antichrists; 2:22 antichrist; 4:3 spirit of antichrist, and 2 John 7
antichrist).
The Greek word antichristos means one who stands in opposition to the Christos, the Greek word for Messiah. As mentioned above, it only appears five times in Scripture in 1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3, 2 John 7, and in the plural in 1 John 2:18. Throughout history, many "antichrists" have attempted to sow disharmony within the Church, separating its members from the truth, and placing in jeopardy their eternal salvation in Christ Jesus. However, in addition to the many, the Church teaches there will be one final Antichrist when Satan attempts to wrench humanity out of the protective arms of Mother Church before Jesus' Second Advent (CCC 675-77).
Of all the Biblical writers, only St. John names this evil entity as "Antichrist" and his agents as "antichrists." In this verse, John defines the antichrist and his agents as former members of the Church. They have "gone out" from the congregation to teach falsely (heresy) concerning the Incarnation: Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist (2 Jn 7).
St. Paul refers to this evil being as "the lawless one" in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12.
Question: In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12, how does St.
Paul describe the individual who will appear at the end of time to stand in
opposition to God and His divine plan for humanity?
Answer:
The one Antichrist who will appear at the end of human history and all antichrists that come before him are agents of Satan. Satan rules over the world of those immersed in sin and who deny Jesus is the Christ (Redeemer-Messiah). In his Gospel, St. John made three references to Satan using the title ruler/prince (Jn 12:31; 14:30; and 16:11). Jesus assured His disciples at the Last Supper that Satan had no power over Him (Jn 14:31). Satan did not have any power over Jesus in His humanity because Jesus is without sin. Sin in human beings is what empowers Satan, but Jesus came to do away with Satan's power over humankind. St. John warns the faithful: Whoever sins belongs to the devil because the devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8). The bad news is that sin will significantly increase on earth to facilitate the coming of the antichrist.
St. Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna (70-156), according to tradition, a disciple of St. John and bishop of one of the churches under the leadership of St. John in Asia Minor, wrote to the Christians at Philippi about the spirit of antichrist between AD 108 and 120. He warned them: "For everyone who does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is antichrist; and whoever does not acknowledge the testimony of the cross is of the devil; and whoever twists the sayings of the Lord to suit his own sinful desires and claims that there is neither resurrection nor judgment; well, that one is the firstborn of Satan. Therefore, let us leave behind the worthless speculations of the crowd and their false teaching and let us return to the word delivered to us from the beginning" (St. Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians, 7.1-2). Notice that Polycarp also mentions the teaching received "from the beginning," repeating what John wrote in 1 John 1:1 and 2 John 6. The true teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church are consistent and unaltered "from the beginning" of Jesus' Gospel message.
8 Look to yourselves that you [plural] do not
lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. [...] = IBGE, vol. IV, page 649.
Since the "you" is plural, it is not clear whether this
means the Christians to whom John wrote the letter or also includes the writer.
Some ancient Greek manuscripts and some of the Greek Fathers who quote this
verse in their commentaries and letters have "we" instead of "you." Perhaps
the point is that faithfulness to the teachings of Christ and His Church, and
obedience to His commandments is a personal responsibility that brings eternal
blessings.
9 Anyone
who is so "progressive" [goes beyond = NJB] as not to remain in the teaching of
the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father
and the Son.
The Greek reads "Anyone who
goes ahead," referring to those who add to the doctrine of Christ, like the
Gnostic mystics. The writer warns that fellowship with God through Christ must
be gained only by holding to the complete, unaltered teachings of Jesus
(1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2; 5:5-6).
The Gnostic heresy (from the Greek gnosis = knowledge) was an enemy of true Christian doctrine in the first two centuries AD. It was a system of religious thought that emphasized "secret knowledge." Christian Gnosticism developed from pre-Christian pagan religions influenced by former pagan philosophers teaching in Christian schools who, after being condemned for their teachings, separated from the Church with their followers. Some Gnostics held that the doctrine of Christ coming in the flesh, which was a necessity for true-doctrine Christians, was surpassed by the more advanced and spiritual beliefs of Gnostics who held to a "secret knowledge." They professed that the secret of salvation was made known to only a select few who were initiates of the Gnostic sect. Their teaching was entirely at odds with the message of orthodox Christianity that taught Christ had openly taught the truth of eternal salvation available to everyone who submitted to baptism and professed faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. John affirms that fellowship with God comes only from holding on to the complete doctrine of Jesus Christ (c.f., 1 Jn 2:22-23; 4:2; 5:5-6). See CCC 430-78 for what the Catholic Church teaches about Jesus and the Incarnation.
10 If
anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him in
your house or even greet [chairo] him; 11 for whoever greets [chairo]
him shares in his evil works.
The Greek verb translated as "greet" in verses 10 and 11 is
chairo (IBGE, Vol. IV, page 650). It is also the same verb from verse 4
translated as "rejoice": I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children
walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. John
"rejoiced" (chairo) that some of the "children" of the community were
"walking in the truth," but now he warns them not to "greet" (chairo)
those who fail to teach the truth. In Anderson and Keating's commentary on
Second John, they wrote: "The link between "rejoicing" and "greeting' is
suggestive. When we share the truth of the faith, we rejoice to see the truth
being taught and lived, and we are able to give a full welcome to those who
teach and live this same truth" (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture;
James, First, Second, and Third John, page 254). However, they cannot extend that
same greeting to someone who teaches falsely.
Question: How does John write that a Christian should treat someone who offers a different doctrine other
than what is taught by Christ and His Church? Why?
Answer: The recommendation is not to show hospitality to a heretic but to shun that person
because of the danger he or she poses to those who might be less firm in their
faith.
John is not suggesting the Christian should avoid giving a witness of the true faith in a peaceful manner to someone who is in error. That is something every Christian is obliged to do. However, if that person rejects the testimony of the truth, one should warn the individual that now that they have heard the truth, they cannot claim ignorance. Therefore, God will hold them accountable for their false beliefs and also for anyone they mislead away from Christ. He advises not to continue a relationship with a heretic because that person's false beliefs, like a virus, could infect members of the Christian's household or faith community who become seduced, as Adam and Eve were by Satan. St. Paul gave a warning similar to John's when he wrote: Do not share in another's sins (1 Tim 5:22). He warned against showing hospitality to traveling teachers who taught a different doctrine about Christ that could lead to becoming an accomplice to sin by spreading the false doctrine they teach (also see 2 Cor 11:4-6; Gal 1:6-9).
In his commentary, St. Bede writes: "On the one hand John forbids us to greet the enemies of the truth, but on the other, he salutes the elect. This is so that unbelievers will be shunned by all good people unless they happen to repent and change their views, and also so that peace and love between believers will continue to grow forever" (St Bede, On 2 John).
PART IV: Benediction
12 Although I have much to write to you, I do not
intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to
face so that our joy may be complete. 13 The
children of your chosen [eklektos = elect] sister send you greetings.[...] =IBGE, vol. IV, page 650.
Unlike the Letter of First John that ended in an epilogue, but like the Letter of Third John, St. John ends his letter with a benediction. "Epilogue" is a Greek word meaning "words attached (at the end)." An epilogue wraps up or summarizes what came before to bring closure to the document. The word benediction is from the Latin word bene, meaning "good," joined to dictio, that means "to speak," making the word "to speak good" or "good-speaking;" some might say a "well-wishing." In the Bible, it is a short statement in the form of a blessing offering a petition, assurance, or promise suggesting protection or comfort.
12 Although I have much to write to you, I do not
intend to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and to speak face to
face so that our joy may be complete.
John makes a promise for a future visit and more in-depth
teaching on the subjects he addressed in the letter. Verse 12 explains why
this letter and the Letter of Third John are so short. When he visits, he will
be able to speak to them about things that are difficult to put into writing.
13 The children of your chosen [eklektos
= elect] sister send you greetings.
Verse 12 and this verse suggest the letter is to a faith
community, with verse 13 including greetings from another nearby faith community
that John has already visited. In his commentary on 2 John, the Christian
philosopher, Oecumenius (sixth century), writes: "This ending proves that John
was not writing to a single individual but to a church" (Oecumenius, Commentary
on 2 John).
Endnote:
1. Truth is a theme John returns to repeatedly in the
three Letters. He uses the word "truth" 9 times in the
First Letter in 1:6, 8; 2:4, 21 twice; 3:18, 19; 4:6; 5:6. John uses the word "truth" 5 times in the
Second Letter in 1:1 twice, 2, 3, and 4 and in the Third Letter another 5 times
in 1:1, 3, 4, 8, and 12.
Catechism references for this lesson (* indicates
Scripture quoted or paraphrased in the lesson):
Verse 1 (CCC 2040)
Verse 7 "antichrist" (CCC 465*, 675-77*); Jesus and the Incarnation (CCC 430*-78)
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