The Second Epistle of John
This
very
short
letter,
penned
by
John
late
in
his
life,
was
written
to
a
specific
woman
believer
(some
say
the
woman
represents
the
church
in
general),
urging
her
to
be
discerning
when
providing
hospitality
to
travelling
evangelists.
The
problem
was
that
there
were
Gnostic
teachers
who
relied
on
the
same
practice
as
true
evangelists;
that
is,
they
would
be
taken
into
a
believer’s
home,
then
given
provisions when they left.
Apart
from
the
usual
exhortations,
briefly
given,
the
key
verses
are
10
and
11:
If
anyone
comes
to
you
and
does
not
bring
this
doctrine,
do
not
receive
him
into
your
house,
nor
speak
a
greeting
to
him. For
he
who
speaks
a
greeting
to
him
is
partaker
of
his
evil
deeds.
The Third Epistle of John
John’s third letter is another personal one, this time to one Gaius of whom nothing else is known.
It
would
seem
that
a
church
leader
by
the
name
of
Diotrephes
rejected
John’s
letters
and
authority.
He
would
not
receive
brethren
sent
by
John,
and
even
excommunicated
those
that
did
receive
them.
John
wrote
this
letter
to
commend
Gaius
for
supporting
the
brethren sent by him and, presumably indirectly, to send a warning to Diotrephes.
Hierarchical Précis