Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 John 1:4-11

"I rejoice greatly that I have found [certain] of thy children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, [even] they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward. Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into [your] house, and give him no greeting: for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works." — 2 John 1:4-11 (ASV)

St. John had recently had the opportunity of observing how some of the matron’s children proved their adherence to the truth by their daily conduct. Having congratulated her about this, he states the chief thing he desires of her: pure Christian love, which implies every other grace and virtue—in other words, following the divine commandments. For this love to be pure, and these commandments to be unimpaired, it was necessary to remember that nothing new could be added to the original message of Christ.

This warning was timely, because many errors had already appeared, especially that greatest error which denied the Incarnation. The family must, therefore, be on its guard, lest it be cheated of its reward. The test was very simple: any advance beyond the doctrine of Christ. It would be better for the family not to entertain in their house any who had committed themselves to these doctrines of development (2 John 1:4–11).

I rejoiced . . .—Compare Romans 1:8; 1 Corinthians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:3; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 1:3; Colossians 1:3.

Of your children.—Probably those met at home.

Walking in truth.—Compare John 8:12; 1 John 1:6–7; 1 John 2:6; 3 John 1:3–4.

As we have received a commandment.—That is, walking according to the revelation of God’s will in Christ Jesus.

Love is the Christian's moral disposition of mind, which embraces all other virtues and graces. It implies faith, because it is founded on Christian principle, and can only be tested by a right belief. It implies purity, because it is modeled on the love of God, and has renounced the old man. It implies unselfishness, because it desires the good of the other for his own sake and God’s. It implies humility, because it distrusts itself, relies on God, and thinks more of the other than of itself. (John 15:12; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:2; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:21.)

Not as though.—See the Notes on 1 John 2:7–8; 1 John 3:11.

The attitude of love in general, whether towards God or man, is best defined and described as “following God’s commandments.” It might have been thought that love would be a vague, immeasurable feeling, differing chiefly in intensity; but the Christian disposition which is described as love is that practical and enlightened result of faith which naturally acts and expresses itself by following God’s will in all things. (Compare 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:16.)

This is the commandment.—The sum of all God’s commandments for us is this: that we should be doers of the word which we have heard since first Christ began to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, and not of any other. All development from what He said, or from what we have repeated from Him, is disobedience and error. (Compare 1 John 2:24.)

The ground of his love for the matron and her family was that they held to the truth. He is proportionately anxious that they should not go beyond it through evil influences.

Deceivers.—“Those who cause others to wander.” (Compare 1 John 2:26; 1 John 4:1–6; 1 Timothy 4:1.)

Entered into the world.—Compare 1 John 2:19; 1 John 4:1.

Confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.—Rather, confess not Jesus Christ coming in flesh. The Greek implies the idea only, without reference to time. (Compare 1 John 4:2–3.) The expression would include both those who denied that Jesus was the Messiah, and those who, for Gnostic theories, held Him to be only a phantom, declaring the Incarnation to be an impossibility.

This is a deceiver and an antichrist.—Rather, the deceiver, and the antichrist—that is, among all the human errors by which the influence of the Evil One is manifested, this is the most destructive. Those who adopt such errors are the most fatal deceivers and opponents of Christ and truth.

Look to yourselves.—For the triple “we” in this verse, read “you.” The result of the error would be loss of the fellowship with the Father and the Son in truth and love. (Galatians 4:11.)

Which we (or, you) have wrought.—Their faith, hope, love, and the growth of the Christian graces.

A full reward.—The diminution of the reward would be in proportion to the gravity of the error. The reward would be the peace of God which passeth all understanding, the blessed stability, firmness, and joy which truth and love communicate. (Galatians 4:2.)

Progression beyond Christ’s teaching is a sign of the absence of God; refusal to go beyond His lines is a proof of the presence of Father and Son.

Transgresseth.—Rather, goes beyond. (1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 5:24; 2 Timothy 3:7; 2 Timothy 3:14; Titus 1:9.)

The doctrine of Christ.—That which Christ taught. (Matthew 16:12; Matthew 22:33; Mark 1:22; Mark 4:2; Mark 12:38; John 8:31; Acts 2:42; Acts 5:28.)

Hath not God.—Compare 1 John 2:23; 1 John 5:12.

Although it would be possible to love unbelievers, in the sense of earnestly desiring that they might come to a knowledge of the truth, it would be wrong—for sincere Christians it would be impossible—to hold out to them the right hand of fellowship. Especially dangerous would it be for the matron and her family. (Compare 2 Timothy 3:6.)

If there come.—The construction implies that it was the case. St. John was dealing with facts. St. Paul held the same view (Romans 16:17; Galatians 1:8–9; Titus 3:10–11; and, in regard to morals, 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 16:22).

This doctrine.—See 2 John 1:9. He is not speaking of those who had never heard or been instructed in the doctrine of Christ; they would be less dangerous. He means those who deliberately altered the Apostolic teaching. And his reason is evidently chiefly the religious welfare of the matron and her family. The case supplies an important instruction in the theory of Christian social conduct.

Receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.—These are no terms of ordinary politeness, which the Apostle does not forbid, but terms of close Christian intimacy and spiritual communion, the deliberate cultivation of personal acquaintance, fraternal intercourse. The highest sort of Christian brotherly love—love, that is, in its fullness and truth—can only find reciprocity in the same atmosphere of Christ, on the same basis, and in the same characteristics. (Compare 2 Corinthians 6:16.)

Is partaker of his evil deeds.—Condones his false doctrine; puts himself in a position to accept it; shares the guilt of his disloyalty by sympathizing with him; and in this way lowers his whole moral standard, doing an injury to “God, Christ, the Church, the truth, individual communities, and his own soul.” If any interpret the exhortations to love in the Epistles of St. John too liberally, or by too low a measure, this passage is a wholesome corrective.

In applying this teaching to modern times we should remember:

1. that St. John is only speaking of those who deliberately deprave the doctrine of Christ in its great outlines;
2. that there may be much in ourselves, in our systems, in our quarrels, in our incrustations of divine truth, in our lack of the sense of proportion in dealing with divine things, which may have hindered others from receiving Christ.