John begins his letter by introducing his recipient as “the elect lady and her children” (v.1). Although John does not provide a specific name, it is safe to assume that he is writing to a woman of faith and her children who have, in some way, become entangled with the false teachers about whom he had written in his first letter. According to verses 10-11, John warns her, “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” (vv.10-11). Considering the brevity of this letter, it appears that John is writing to this woman about the conditions of acceptance and showing kindness to others. These false teachers had probably traveled from another place and were taking advantage of this woman’s kindness by taking up residence in her home while they spread their erroneous teachings. While her willingness to be hospitable to strangers is commendable, John looks a little deeper into the situation by declaring that those who host false teachers are, in reality, helping them advance their cause. For this reason, John provides a warning about the motives of these teachers, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward” (vv.7-8). John wants this woman to be fully aware of what the false teachers are teaching, so he exposes their denial of Jesus’ deity and humanity. This rejection of truth should have caused her to turn away these men. I’m convinced that this woman did not commit this error in rebellion, but maybe in ignorance. No matter her motive, believers should never aid those who “transgresses and do[es] not abide in the doctrine of Christ…” (v.9). Assisting those who are leading many away from the truth is equal to sharing in his work (v.11).

Many reading John’s letter may question the balance between loving others and rejecting those who spread lies, but John provides a carefully guided principle. If a person claims they represent God but their teachings do not accurately reflect Him, that person must be rejected and refused in fellowship with believers. Although this may sound harsh, it is important for believers to guard and protect the truth through whatever means necessary. John MacArthur sums up John’s teachings by saying, “Truth is the necessary condition of unity and, as a result, the basis of hospitality” (MacArthur Study Bible, p. 1977, notes on 2 John 1).

Dear God, help me to carefully guard my relationships so as not to aid those who deceive the faithful.

This is the second of three letters John writes to believers sometime at the end of the first century. Although the specific date of writing is not known, the content implies that it was penned soon after his first letter and in regard to the same problem he addresses in 1 John. In his first letter, John primarily wrote to combat a group of false teachers who were seeking to infiltrate the church with teachings not representative of God. John spent most of his initial letter describing the characteristics of those who truly follow Christ so that believers could distinguish who represented God and who did not. The following is a list of those character traits which define the lives of those who follow God’s ways: continuing in the truth which God has revealed through Jesus and the apostles (1 John 1:1-4; 2:22-27; 4:1-6), obeying God’s commandments (1 John 2:3-6, 15-21; 3:1-9), and loving God as well as others (1 John 2:7-14; 3:10-23; 4:7-5:5). Since the lifestyle of the deceitful teachers did not reflect these qualities, it was safe for John’s readers to assume that their doctrine was also erroneous.

There is one major distinction between this letter and John’s first letter. 1 John is not addressed to a specific audience, while this letter is written from “the Elder, to the elect lady and her children…” (v.1). Even though this does not provide much detailed information about the recipients of this letter, it does reveal that John was writing to a woman and her children whom he knew well. From the words of the letter the reader can assume that the female recipient was a follower of Christ whom John wanted to warn about the deceitfulness of the false teachers. According to vv. 10-11, it appears that these false teachers had come into the community where this woman lived and were attempting to reside with believers; in other words, they were trying to take advantage of Christian hospitality. The woman to whom John addresses this letter may have opened her home to these evil teachers, so he was writing to provide instructions about the conditions upon which to extend kindness to others.

Some may read this letter and think that John’s words are harsh, especially since he has already written about the necessity of loving others; however, when a person or group of people are seeking to deceive believers, different actions apply. It is important that believers distance themselves from those who claim to represent God but, in reality, are trying to lead them away from the truth.

Dear God, provide understanding for this brief letter John has written and may I be careful to heed every word.