2 John background

2 John

Author: John
See Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius; Book 6, Chapter 25, Verse 10.

Date: Unknown, nineties at the latest

Language: Greek

Place: Unknown, probably Ephesus
See Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius; Book 4, Chapter 14 and
Ecclesiastical History by Eusebius; Book 3, Chapter 31

Purpose: Encouragement to obey the commands of Jesus.

What kind of book?: Letter to "the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth..." (2 John 1 NIV).

Reflection: This letter gives a teaching of Jesus which John recorded Jesus stating in John 14:15 and in John 15:17. I once asked a youth group, "Why is it loving Jesus to obey Jesus?" The answer to that is the fact that obeying the commands of Jesus always result in true love. If your friend said, "If you really loved me, you would obey me." Well that is not the case if the friend ever gave a command that did not result in doing God's will. The commands of Jesus are God's will, and the result is always good.
Hunter Irvine