What is a summary of the book of 2 John?

from the old testament

• The book of 2 John is not found in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

• Both 2 and 3 John serve as letters about hospitality, but from opposite sides. Whereas in 3 John John commended Gaius for his hospitality towards the missionaries he sent, in 2 John he warns “the elect lady and her children” (2 John 1) not to show hospitality to false teachers.
• The need for hospitality in the first century was very different from what it is today, as in most parts of the world, one can find public accommodations such as hotels. In the first century, there were few such locations, and those that existed were known as centers of immorality. Therefore, missionaries relied on the kindness of strangers to provide a safe location.
• However, that also meant the risk of welcoming strangers who claimed to be Christians but were teaching false ideas. That was John’s concern in 2 John. He said, “Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist” (2 John 7) and “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward” (2 John 8).
• John clarified that false teachers were so dangerous because “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God” (2 John 9). Going on ahead refers to going beyond what Scripture teaches. The danger was that they were adding to and undermining Scripture. Those who welcomed those men into their houses were at risk of being influenced away from the gospel.
• Another risk existed, also. While they themselves might not be wrongly persuaded, if some allowed them to stay, others might be more accepting of them. That’s why John said, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works” (2 John 10–11). While this sounds unloving, it was an expression of love that protected other believers from falling for the false teachers.
• While this letter was a warning about strangers, John did commend them for expressing love towards believers. Just as Jesus had commanded (John 13:34), they were to love one another (2 John 5). As alluded to, loving, in this letter’s context, meant walking “according to [Jesus’] commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it” (2 John 6). By walking in Jesus’ commandments, believers were loving Jesus and one another by protecting themselves from error.
• Note: Scholars debate whether “the elect lady and her children” (2 John 1) refers to a lady and her children or a church figuratively called “the elect lady” and the believers in the church. Regardless, the interpretation of the letter remains largely the same: don’t love other believers while not giving false believers any credence through acts of hospitality towards them.

implications for today

Jesus commanded all believers to be partakers in making disciples (Matthew 28:19–20), and that includes supporting those who go out (Philippians 1:7). However, that doesn’t mean that all pastors, missionaries, or ministries are good.

The same John who wrote 3 John to encourage Gaius to welcome missionary strangers wrote 2 John to tell “the elect lady” not to welcome every missionary stranger, because some were false teachers. More than not welcoming them, they were not to do anything that implied support for those false teachers.

This is a warning to us, as well. There are many false religions, certainly, but worse than that, there are many who claim to be Christian, but who are not. These are the most dangerous to Christians because they speak our language without holding our Gospel.

Some examples include Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses who go door to door in a way remotely similar to 3 John’s context. While others, such as Roman Catholicism, teach a merit-based salvation. Still others, such as prosperity teachers, teach a false gospel of prosperity and health.

In these and many other examples, we must be careful never to cross the line by either calling them our brothers and sisters or partnering with them in a way that signals to other Christians that their teaching is harmless. That doesn’t mean we can’t engage them winsomely, but we must do so at a distance lest we ourselves become tainted by their doctrine.