Bible Overview 2 John
Mike Ervin
2 JOHN STUDY OVERVIEW
1. AUTHORSHIP AND DATE
Traditional View:
• Authorship:
2 John is traditionally attributed to the “elder”—commonly identified with the
Apostle John—who also is linked to the Gospel of John and 1 John. This
attribution is based on internal evidence (the greeting “the elder”) and early
church tradition.
• Date:
Traditionally, many date the letter to around A.D. 90–110, situating it in the
context of late first-century Johannine writings.
Modern Scholarly View:
• Authorship:
While most scholars agree that the author comes from the Johannine community,
some debate remains about whether the same person authored all the Johannine
works. Modern scholars often see 2 John as reflecting the theological milieu of
that community, even if its precise authorship isn’t definitively resolved.
• Date:
Scholars generally propose a date in the late first century (A.D. 90–110). The
dating is inferred from its language, theological themes, and its relationship
to other Johannine texts.
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2. INTENDED AUDIENCE
• Address:
The letter is addressed to “the elect lady and her children.”
• Interpretation of Audience:
• Traditional Interpretation:
The “elect lady” is often understood to be a particular church or a prominent
female leader within a local Christian community, with “her children” referring
to the members of that congregation.
• Modern Scholarly Interpretation:
Some modern scholars view the “elect lady” as a symbolic or representative
figure for the entire church community, emphasizing the collective identity of
believers rather than a single individual.
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3. MAJOR THEMES
1. Truth and Love:
• The letter emphasizes the need to walk in truth and to love one another.
Truth is both doctrinal (adhering to the teaching of Christ) and ethical (living
in accordance with that truth).
2. Guarding Against False Teaching:
• A strong warning is issued against deceivers—those who do not acknowledge
Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This reflects early conflicts with
emerging docetic or Gnostic ideas.
3. Hospitality and Community Boundaries:
• The text advises caution in extending hospitality to itinerant teachers if
their teachings do not align with apostolic truth, underscoring the importance
of safeguarding the community’s doctrinal purity.
4. Walking in Obedience:
• The call to abide in Christ is linked to ethical living; truth and love are
seen as inseparable markers of genuine faith.
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4. SEQUENTIAL REVIEW OF THE TEXT
Note: 2 John is very brief (only 13 verses), so its structure is tightly
unified rather than divided into separate chapters.
1. Greeting and Identification (Verse 1):
• The letter opens with the author identifying himself as “the elder” and
addressing “the elect lady and her children.”
• Key Point: Establishes authority and sets a tone of intimate, pastoral
concern.
2. Exhortation to Walk in Truth and Love (Verses 2–6):
• The author commends the recipients for walking in truth, which is closely
linked with love.
• He instructs them to continue living according to the commandment they
received from the beginning.
• A warning is given: Do not welcome anyone who does not bring the true
teaching about Christ, for such a person would be a deceiver.
• Key Point: Faithfulness to the true doctrine is essential for both personal
integrity and the health of the community.
3. Final Warning and Greetings (Verses 7–13):
• The concluding verses reinforce the warning against extending hospitality to
false teachers, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the truth.
• The letter ends with a brief closing, expressing a desire for peace and a
warning that the community must remain vigilant.
• Key Point: The community is called to maintain doctrinal purity and to
protect the witness of the Christian message by rejecting false teaching.