Fellowship: 2 John

April 3, 2009 Matthew Keedy Clifton Fellowship

“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.” — 2 John 10-11.

In our previous note on 1 John, we commented that John frequently uses the word “truth” in his letters and gospel account. Second John is no different in that respect. The Greek word for truth appears five times in this short letter, by percentage second in the New Testament only to 3 John. This is significant in our understanding of John’s message here.

The theme

Beginning a reading of 2 John, one notices right away that “walking in truth” is the theme of the short letter. In the greeting, John says the receiver of the letter is one whom he loves in truth, and not him only but also all who know the truth (2 John 1). The reason for this love is because of the truth that abides in them all (2 John 2). He further establishes this theme by saying that grace, mercy and peace will be with them “in truth and love” (2 John 3).

Verse four is where the theme is cemented. John says it was a cause for rejoicing on his part that he had found some of the reader’s “children” walking in the truth, and this manner of walking originated by “commandment of the Father.”

We then find a crucial passage in 2 John 6. The apostle goes on to equate love with walking according to God’s commandments. John next professes, “This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.”

The phrase “from the beginning” is a common one in the Johannine writings. We will save an expansive discussion on these usages for another time. But in the letters, it is important to note some instances. In 1 John 1:1-4, the apostle beckons his readers to remember the teachings of all that had been seen and heard of the Christ from the beginning of His time on earth, and how John had told publicly that which he had seen, and having believed in these teachings, fellowship was created. Note especially 1 John 1:3:

“that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”

This is extremely important, because it shows that the fellowship between Christians was created by submitting to a certain set of truths about Jesus. These truths were the facts of the life of Christ: what He said and what He did, for sure, but also what He commanded.

Back to 2 John, we read John using this same phrasing (“from the beginning”) to refer to the things they had heard. John admonishes them to continue walking in these things. He equates love with obedience to the commands of God, just as Jesus has taught (John 14:15, for instance).

A warning

Having established that the theme of this letter is “walking in truth,” let us move ahead. John now takes care to warn the readers of a specific threat that may be among them. He says that many false teachers have gone out into the world teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh (2 John 7). Such a teacher would be a deceiver and an anti-Christ. The next verse tells them to “look to yourselves” so that they would not be carried away by these sorts of teachers.

Having talked about the specific threat, John now seems to give a more general warning: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9). The Greek word translated “transgresses” means literally to “go on ahead.” The sense is one who goes beyond the teachings of Christ. As one scholar wrote:

“The false teachers evidently thought of themselves as ‘advanced’ thinkers. John thinks of anyone who runs ahead in this way as having advanced right out of Christianity! The aim of the believer should not be to pride oneself on being ‘advanced’ but to hold fast to the truth that has been revealed, that is to continue in the teaching of Christ (this could be understood as ‘teaching about Christ’ as the REB, but more probably means the teaching Christ gave).” (Carson, D. A.: New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., USA : Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, S. 2 Jn 7).

The doctrine of Christ

There is much discussion on whether “the doctrine of Christ” means the teaching about Christ, or the teachings that belong to and were given by Christ. The teachings given by Christ seem much more likely, as Carson suggests. For instance, Jesus refers to what He taught as “My doctrine” in John 7:16. Also, John recalls to mind the teachings they received “from the beginning” in 2 John 5-6 and 1 John 1:1, and it is not difficult to see these “from the beginning” teachings to be referred to as the doctrine of Christ.

While some see “doctrine of Christ” as an either/or proposition, others have thought it could mean both. Footnoted in Kruse, Wendland, in ‘What Is Truth?’ 310,

“notes that the ‘teaching of Christ’ (didach? tou Christou) could be construed as either an subjective genitive (‘what Christ taught’) or an objective genitive (‘teaching about Christ’), but suggests that this is another example of what he calls semantic density, where the author intended both meanings to be picked up by the readers. That is, it was important not only to confess that Jesus Christ had come in the flesh (teaching about Christ), but also to acknowledge and obey Christ’s teaching/command to love one another.”

Kruse himself maintains that the “doctrine of Christ” is the gospel as they heard it from faithful witnesses in the beginning (Kruse, Colin G.: The Letters of John. Grand Rapids, Mich.; Leicester, England : W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2000 (The Pillar New Testament Commentary), S. 212). I agree with this view.

Even more controversial is 2 John 10. If the “doctrine of Christ” is the teachings of Christ Himself, then verse 10 means that anyone who does not bring these teachings should not be received or greeted. Some members of the “progressive” movement among churches of Christ think this has to mean that all teachers who err are to be shunned. But does this refer to disputes over doubtful things, or does this refer to plain, direct teachings of Christ? The doctrine of Christ certainly does not refer to carpet color and building decoration, on that much most could agree. Does it refer to whether one sings words projected on a screen, or read from a book? Again, this is doubtful. Does it refer to whether on partakes of the Lord’s supper or not? Now we are getting closer, since this is certainly part of the “doctrine taught by Christ.” It certainly refers to whether or not Jesus came in the flesh. We can know this for certain (2 John 7). It would certainly apply to anything Jesus taught, and anything taught by His inspired apostles, since they were teaching only what He taught them (Matt. 28:18-20). Much more could be said, but we will leave this for future investigation.

Do not receive them…

In the first century communities in Bible lands, hospitality was an important concept. It was not uncommon to take strangers into your home if they had no place to stay. However, this does not seem to be what John is referring to when he says of false teachers, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds” (2 John 10-11). Since many churches met in homes, the meaning seems to be not to accept such a transgressor as a teacher. Such opportunity would allow the teacher’s message to spread. Also, since hospitality would also signal support for his teachings, the homeowner would be giving assistance to a false teacher by taking him into his home. While such a divisive teacher would definitely warrant the withholding of fellowship (Titus 3:10, for instance), the general message from John seems to be to not give place to a false teacher and thereby help him promote his message.

Some will object to this view and say that the only doctrine that is in question is teaching that Jesus did not come in the flesh. However, this does not seem to be the only false teaching that is in view. First, the context makes verses 7 and 8 seem more like a parenthetical phrase. The main theme is “walking in truth,” and John is urging the readers to continue walking in truth by rejecting anyone not teaching the doctrine they had heard from the beginning. Rejected doctrines would certainly include the one mentioned in verse 7.

Also, verse 7 says the false teachers “do not confess Jesus as coming in the flesh.” Doctrine of Christ is mentioned later in verse 9, but does not seem to refer to just Jesus coming in the flesh. The “this doctrine” that should be brought could not just be the teaching that Jesus came in the flesh, because there are many other false teachings that could be brought that would allow a false teacher to squeak in. Instead, it must mean the complete teachings of Christ.

Some may also object and say, “Surely John does not mean one has to teach perfectly to be acceptable to God.” We must look at the scriptures on this point, and read what the apostle himself wrote in 1 John 2:24:

“Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.^“

Therefore, one must abide in the teachings that they heard from the beginning in order to abide in the Son and the Father. Further, John also wrote in 1 John 3:24:

“Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”

In order to “abide in Him,” one must keep His commandments. Therefore, the argument over whether John means the “doctrine about Christ” or “the doctrine taught by Christ” in 2 John 9-10 is of little importance, since holding to both a right understanding of who Jesus was and keeping His teachings are both affirmed by John (1 John 2:24; 3:24; 2 John 7). Is perfection required? Where it concerns the basic facts of the gospel and salvation, certainly. The dividing line between the basics and other things should be discussed and defined. This will be the subject of future study as well.

Bottom line: One who does not abide in the teachings of Christ (which were handed down by the apostles) should not be received in a teaching environment, or facilitated to continue their message. To do so is to share in their deeds.

Fellowship,