Interpretation of the 2nd Epistle of the Holy Apostle John

Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria gained experience in explaining the Holy Scriptures when, as a rhetorician of the Great Church, he instructed the people. Most of his written interpretations arose at the request of the Greek Empress Maria, whom he calls his pious patron. These works became an outstanding synthesis and transposition of the established patristic traditions, primarily the heritage of the Antiochian theological school and St. John Chrysostom. As a rule, the author presents abbreviated versions of extensive interpretations of the ancient Church Fathers, borrowing only what is necessary for understanding the text. The commentary also includes his own explanations, which often concern disputes with heretics, especially later ones, and issues of dialogue with the Latins. Thanks to his clear, concise presentation and clear semantic emphasis, his commentaries were accessible to a wide range of readers, became widespread and had a significant influence on both Byzantine and Western European theology. The Commentary on 2 John the Apostle covers the following topics: a call to love and fidelity, the importance of maintaining the purity of faith and staying away from false teachings, as well as a warning against false teachers who reject the incarnation of Christ After the introduction, it talks about the right life in love for God, while always maintaining pious faith; here it also says that a heretic should not be accepted into the house or welcomed, so as not to commit a sin. – Promise to come personally, in the hope of being useful. The Apostle writes this letter as an elder (presbyter) to the chosen lady and her children. The reason for the message was the following. The apostle saw that the children of that lady lived well according to faith, and yet many deceivers went around and said that there was no coming of Christ in the flesh. Therefore the apostle writes this epistle. In it, firstly, he praises the children of that lady for behaving well; then he teaches that the mystery of our faith is not new; again convinces them to love and to ensure that they remain in the teaching taught to them; finally, he teaches that whoever says that Christ has not come in the flesh is the Antichrist, and commands that no one should receive such people into the house or say greetings to them, and then ends the epistle. 2 John 1:1. The Elder - to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who have known the truth, 2 John 1:2. for the sake of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever. Some thought that this message, like the one that follows it, belongs not to John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, but to another person of the same name; because in both epistles the writer calls himself a presbyter, and writes one epistle to one woman, and another to Gaius, again to one, which does not fit the epistle called conciliar; Moreover, the beginning of this message is not the same as in the first message. To this we will say the following. In the first epistle he did not make such a beginning as here, because he did not write it to a specific person or to the church of a certain place (as the Apostle Peter did, definitely meaning that he was writing to the Jews who were in dispersion, and before him the Apostle James), but addressed his speech to all the faithful in general, whether gathered or in dispersion, and therefore omitted this beginning. Here he calls himself an elder, and not an apostle, nor a servant of Jesus Christ, like the other apostles. He does not call himself an apostle, perhaps because he was not the first to preach the Gospel in Asia, but after Paul, and not by passing through, like him, but constantly remaining there. He did not call himself a slave of Jesus Christ, because with his strong love he hoped to be beyond the fear of slavery. Only he deigned to call himself a presbyter (elder), either because he wrote these epistles in old age or because he designated his bishopric with the name of presbyter, since at that time the name presbyter was usually used about bishops. He writes to a faithful woman, and by this he does not humiliate himself at all, because in Christ Jesus there is no difference “neither male nor female” (Gal. 3:28). He writes to one Gaius, following the example of the Apostle Paul, who writes to Titus, to Timothy and to a private individual - Philemon. This is about the beginning of the message. The authenticity of these messages is revealed from the manner of expression and other structure of speech. For here, too, the writer often repeats his speech, saying the same thing about the same thing, with little reason, in order to confirm the speech. The apostle asks the chosen one for two things: that she walk in love, and that she turn away from heretics. He calls her chosen (έκλεκτη) either by name or by love for virtue. He says that he loves her in truth, and not only her, but also all those who are like her, who have the truth established in themselves. He says that he loves in truth, for one can love feignedly, with one’s lips, as he himself in the first letter (1 John 3:18) exposed some believers, but hypocrites. Having said: “which abides in us,” he added: “and will be with us forever.” To this he again added that grace and mercy will be with us, showing what benefits grow from perfect love. 2 John 1:3. May grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. To the words: “from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ,” he also added: “Son of the Father.” For God alone is in the proper sense the Father of the Son. Therefore, Paul says: “from whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named” (Eph. 3:15). In truth and love. These words give credibility to the speech and indicate a sign of the love he is talking about. “Peace” – that is, the world is true and solid, and not by appearance alone. 2 John 1:4. I rejoiced exceedingly that I found of your children walking in the truth, as we received the commandment from the Father. Truly, it is a very joyful thing to find a person who unfailingly walks the path of faith in Christ according to His commandment. What is this commandment? The one about whom Christ speaks in the Gospel: “Whoever loves Me will keep My commandments” (John 14:23). Here he calls Christ Father, because He is also the father of those sons who, according to the dispensation, are given to Him by the Father, as it is said: “Here am I and the children whom God has given me” (Isa. 8:18). Note here too the authenticity of the present message. In this case, it agrees with what was said in the first letter (1 John 5:2-3): we know that he who loves God keeps “His commandments.” For to do the commandments is the same as that to observe them is active and has existence when it is accomplished. Therefore, he who has ceased to walk in virtues does not keep them with the thought of indicating progress. For the more one acts in virtue, the further he goes forward, the more he acquires the habit of good. ). For the benefits bestowed upon us by the Word made man are so great that it is desirable for the angels to receive at least some understanding of them. For this is how one should understand “to penetrate” (παρακύψαι). Every prudent person desires something that will not cease, but will continue forever. And since the inexhaustible cannot be fully embraced, it is desirable, at least as far as possible, to become a participant in it. 2 John 1:5. And now I ask you, lady, not as a new commandment prescribing to you, but the one that we have from the beginning, that we love one another. 2 John 1:6. Love consists in our acting according to His commandments. “Not as a new commandment.” And this is in accordance with what is said in the first epistle (1 John 2:7). He also adds the requirement of the commandment: “that we love one another.” And he explains about love that its essence lies in walking on it, and the commandment about it is a commandment from the beginning, and was given for nothing other than so that you would walk on it. This is the commandment which you heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. 2 John 1:7. For many deceivers have entered into the world, not confessing Jesus Christ who has come in the flesh: Constantly talks about the same thing. The commandment of love convinces them to unite, to ensure that they do not go over to the seducers. Who are already walking around the world and rejecting the coming of the Lord in the flesh. Speaking about walking according to the commandment given from the beginning, it shows that the opinion of the lost heretics is new, and convinces the faithful to adhere to this original commandment, and not to be carried away by the deception of the heretics. For Christ also commanded His disciples regarding the deceivers: “Many will come in My name, saying that it is I... do not go after them” (Luke 21:8). So, he commands all who keep the commandments not to be deceived, but to consider the one who says this to be the Antichrist. The Greek text says: “those who do not confess Jesus Christ to come (ἐρχόμενον, and not “to come” - ἐλθόντα) in the flesh,” from which it is clear that there were some who rejected the second coming of Christ. And the Lord Himself, when He says that many will come under His name, is not talking about His first coming, and about the second. However, it is absolutely true that those who reject the second coming do not recognize the first. For if the Lord had already come in the flesh and promised to come again; then, obviously, he who rejects the second coming also rejects the first. He who believes that the Lord has come will accept His promise with faith. And whoever rejects the promise, nothing prevents him from denying the first coming. That is why, I believe, the apostle expressed himself: “he who is coming,” and not “he who has come,” in order to embrace in one word those who reject both comings of the Lord. Such a person is a seducer and the Antichrist. For greater clarity, before this you need to mean: “whoever does not confess this,” and then read: “he is the deceiver and the Antichrist.” Without this addition the speech is incomplete. 2 John 1:8. Take heed to ourselves, so that we do not lose what we have worked for, but that we receive the full reward. 2 John 1:9. Anyone who transgresses the teaching of Christ and does not abide in it does not have God; He commands those to whom he writes to beware of people who reject both comings of the Lord. It also represents the reason, namely, so that by pestering them, you will not lose what you have done, but will receive a full reward. One of this kind of people, perhaps, will say: if I do not believe in the coming of Christ in the flesh, but spend my life in good deeds, can’t I really stand with the pious in these deeds? Can't I really get rewards for my deeds? The Apostle forward destroys such an objection. He says: whoever rejects the coming of Christ in the flesh, let him not think about receiving the full reward for his deeds, which is due to true believers, or about counting himself among the completely pious. On the contrary, everyone who transgresses His commandment, that is, Christ who came in the flesh, and does not abide in His teaching, does not have God. For if He who came to teach people the perfect knowledge of God is looked upon with disdain, then how can one still be pious when one despises the Teacher Himself? No, such a person is an atheist; just as the one who is firm in the teachings of Christ is God’s and God-loving, and has in himself all the fullness of the Divinity, that is, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. For Christ teaches about the Father when he says: “all that the Father has is Mine” (John 16:15); in many places he teaches about himself and about the Father, that one is the Father and the other is the Son; teaches about the Spirit when he says: “The Holy Spirit, which proceeds from the Father” (John 15:26); even more clearly when he says: “baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). If the disciple of the Lord spoke here only about the Father and the Son, and kept silent about the Holy Spirit, then do not be at all tempted by this. For here it was necessary to speak only about this, that is, about Father and Son. He who abides in the teaching of Christ has both the Father and the Son. Abides in the teaching of Christ, that is, in the Gospel, the one who thinks in accordance with it, teaches, acts, and reflects on it throughout his entire life, internal and external. And whoever moves away from him is an atheist. For as one who lives exactly according to this teaching, he assimilates himself to God, like Abraham, who therefore heard from Him: “I am your God” (Gen. 17:1); so the one who does not live according to the commandment of the Gospel lives without God, because he has removed himself from God. But whereas this one, that is, the one who is alienated from the divine teaching, lives without God, the one who abides in this teaching has both the Father and the Son. The Son also said about this: “We will come to him and make our abode with him,” that is, together with the Father (John 14:23). For by keeping the commandments he made himself the church and dwelling place of God, and God dwelt in him. The words having God are used in a double sense. It is said that all creatures also have God, as the Apostle Paul put it: “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). This is what is said in relation to being. Again, when someone serves God with virtues, he is said to have God. In this sense, God is called the God of Abraham, Isaac and the God-loving Jews in general. What must now be added to what has been said: whoever has the Son also has the Father. For “he who has seen the Son,” as He Himself said, “has seen the Father also.” He said: “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (John 14:9-10). Therefore, from here the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son is recognized. And if someone says: in this case, the one who receives the disciples has the Father and the Son, because it is said: “he who receives you receives Me, and... he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (Matthew 10:40); Let such a one know that he speaks poorly and understands incorrectly. For this is said about teaching. Whoever voluntarily accepted the apostles and their teaching, through them accepted both the Father and the Son as teachers. And otherwise: he who remains in the teaching has both the Father and the Son, and the apostles remained in the teaching because they preached it; Therefore, he who accepted them, the churches of God, through his very acceptance has the Son and the Father abiding in them. 2 John 1:10. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not accept him into your home and do not welcome him. 2 John 1:11. For the one who greets him participates in his evil deeds. 2 John 1:12. I have a lot to write to you, but I don’t want to write it on paper with ink, but I hope to come to you and speak mouth to mouth, so that your joy may be complete. The apostle warns those to whom he writes the epistle not only not to accept anyone who comes to them without confessing the teachings of Christ under their roof, but also not to give them a greeting, because greeting from us should only be given to those who are of the same equals and the same faith with us. For to whom should we pray for well-being, if not those of the same morality and faith with us? If we greet the wicked, which is only appropriate in relation to those of the same faith and likeness; then by this we show that we are in communication with them, and that they have already drawn us into their wickedness. The reason why this epistle and the one that follows it are stated briefly is that the apostle supplies what he hopes to come himself and, in a personal meeting, to fill in what is missing. 2 John 1:13. The children of your chosen sister greet you. Amen. Some, on the basis of these words, think to assert that this letter was written not to a woman, but to the Church. I don’t argue at all with those who think so. End of the second epistle. John. You might be interested in: