2 John & 3 John
Walking
in Truth and Love

John, the beloved disciple and apostle identifies himself as an elder (presbuteros cf 1Pt 5:1). He personifies the church he truly loves as a “chosen or elect lady” (cf verse 13), and the believers as her children (a verse demonstrating the corporate aspect of election). The reason for the figure of speech isn't given, but perhaps there was a need to keep the identity or location secret to avoid persecution. However, everyone who knows (perfect tense) the truth loves the recipients for the sake of the truth in them. He uses the perfect tense to indicate that the knowledge of the truth occurred in the past with continuing results into the present, and then he stresses the permanently abiding nature of the truth in the into the future (eis the Age). He then wishes them God's covenantal blessings of grace, mercy (usual translation of hesed) and peace which will be with them by means of (en) truth and love (themes in 1John).

John rejoices that he found “some” (no word in the Greek, but it fits the context from the preposition ek) of her children walking in the truth according to the commandment. He repeats the concept of walking according to the commandment in verse 6, forming an inclusio around “love” at the end of verse 5 and beginning of verse 6. The chief commandment Jesus gave His followers according to John in 13:34 is love, for one another. He exhorts the church to continue to manifest the love Jesus modeled (self-sacrificial service of another's needs).

He warns them of Satan's agents, the false teachers who seek to deceive believers to keep them from following the truth. They don't acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah in the flesh. In 1John 4:3-4, he wrote of Jesus having come in the flesh (perfect tense). Here he uses the present tense “coming” possibly looking forward to the second coming. In any event, the false teachers are anti-Messiah (Christ=Messiah, the Anointed One). They deny that the Messiah came, and would return, since He didn't come the first time.

John tells them to watch out that they aren't swayed from believing the truth, so that “we” don't lose (literally apolllumi “destroyed”) what “we've produced/worked for,” but might receive a full reward. Note three things: 1) John includes himself in those who would suffer loss if the readers stray from the truth; 2) reward is the result of laboring or working in helping others walk according the truth; 3) reward can be full, or partial, or lost (as in experience destruction). The word for reward is also used of paying wages. No work, no wages. This is one of the more ignored passages in modern evangelicalism, and it destroys a lot of bogus theology.

Whoever transgresses (steps over the line) and doesn't abide in the teaching of Christ (as in love one another) doesn't have God. To have God was explained in 1John, of having an abiding, intimate relationship with Him. To not have Him, is to not have that “abiding in the vine" relationship (Jn 15) which results in loss of reward (see comments on Mt 7 “I never knew you”). This does not mean that people never had, nor lose their forgiveness/justification, but they lose out on the blessings of God now, and in the future kingdom. Whoever abides in the teaching of Christ (through obedience) has both the Father and Son (Jn 14:21). The distinction between the Father and Son probably points to Judaizers who claimed God was their Father, and didn't give allegiance to His Son (Mt 3:9), but were instead trying to get believers to follow OT ritual.

John was all for love, but love must be guided by truth and discernment (Phil 1:9-10) if one is to reap reward. In fact those who don't bring the teaching about walking in love and obedience to gain and keep reward should not be welcomed, nor allowed into the house (church?) for those who welcome them share in their evil works and punishment. John has more to say, but wants to speak in person, so that his joy might be made full. He closes with a greeting from a sister church.

John writes to Gaius, whom he loves in truth (truly), and prays that Gaius might prosper in all things physical, including health, just as he is prospering spiritually. This raises the question of: “How does one have a prosperous soul?” Our soul consists of our mind, will/values, and emotions, and is what makes us distinctively us. It is what we exchange for things during our time on earth. It is what we must deny if we are to follow Christ, and lose if we are to gain heavenly or kingdom rewards (Lk 9:23-26). The testimony of the brothers let John know that his soul was prospering, by reporting how Gaius walked/live in the truth. He particularly demonstrated his commitment to truth by his love and service for others. John has no greater joy (as do most Biblical parents) than to hear that their children (in this case a spiritual one) walk in the truth. Worldling parents are proud that their children are successful in the world's eyes. Those who love God are most proud that their children are successful in God's sight. Being righteous is all about being careful to do what is right in God's sight, which means walking according to His commands, and loving others Biblically.

John commends Gaius for faithfully seeing to the needs of those itinerant ministers who were at or passing through his location. They were workers for the truth (verse 8) who went out (missionaries) for the sake of the Name of Jesus, receiving no support from the Gentiles (to whom they ministered). The recipients of Gaius' hospitality testified to the love he had shown them. John says he does well/good (good works) in sending them to their next destination provisioned in a manner worthy of the ambassadors of the Most High God. John says believers ought to receive/welcome such workers of the truth (as contrasted with 2John 10, where believers are told to reject the false teachers). Those who welcome and encourage workers for the truth (financially and otherwise) share in their work (sun-ergos) as fellow-workers.

John said he wrote (instruction/truth) to the church but one of Satan's agents, Diotrephes, was taken captive by pride (loves to be first) to do his will (cf 2Tim 2:24-26), and was opposing the written revelation of the apostles. If John comes to visit, he will highlight and admonish his deeds, which include maligning the apostles with wicked words (this usually happens to all who speak God's words, because Satan's agents are ubiquitous). Diotrophes wasn't just content to speak against the truth and those who communicated it, but he would reject those who brought itinerant workers who brought the truth and toss out of the chuch those who would welcome them. Here is a clear example of what Paul talked about in Acts 20:29-30. People would rise to position of power in the church, not to help others obey Jesus, but to do the devil's work. John counsels Gaius (in a good lesson for all believers) to not imitate what is evil, but follow the good examples. Those who do good, are of God. Those who do evil haven't seen God. In 1John is was made clear that to see God in John's thinking is to have an abiding, intimate relationship with Him.