The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 John 1,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"The elder, To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth."
In John's salutation to Gaius in this letter, he identified this man as someone he loved "in the truth."
Truth was important to the apostle John. He commended Gaius as one whom he had heard was faithful to the truth, verse 3, and that it brought him great joy that his "children" walked in truth. Possibly Gaius was one that John had led to the Lord himself.
John goes on to say that believers should work together "for the truth", verse 8, that believers ought to work in concert to that end.
There are two contrasting individuals John highlights to Gaius in this letter, Diotrephes and Demetrius. Diotrephes was apparently someone who had seized control of the fellowship John was concerned about. He had spread malicious rumors about John and his team, and refused to welcome them, considering himself the most important of all, even above apostolic authority, "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us." Verse 9. He also excommunicated members of that fellowship that wanted to welcome other believers.
In contrast, John points to a man named Demetrius. Demetrius had a good name with John and his team (and everyone), and consistent with John's focus on truth, personified truth as commending him as well. John referred to his comments about Demetrius as truthful, something Gaius would know.
In John 14:6, John quotes Jesus as saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." We see in Acts 9:2, 19:9, 19:23, 24:14, 24:22, that the church, the gospel enterprise, God's plan of redemption, taking the name "the Way". Here in 2 John I get the feeling that the apostle John is using "the truth" synonymously with "the Way", in a manner of, "the Truth."
How does it sound to you?
In John's salutation to Gaius in this letter, he identified this man as someone he loved "in the truth."
Truth was important to the apostle John. He commended Gaius as one whom he had heard was faithful to the truth, verse 3, and that it brought him great joy that his "children" walked in truth. Possibly Gaius was one that John had led to the Lord himself.
John goes on to say that believers should work together "for the truth", verse 8, that believers ought to work in concert to that end.
There are two contrasting individuals John highlights to Gaius in this letter, Diotrephes and Demetrius. Diotrephes was apparently someone who had seized control of the fellowship John was concerned about. He had spread malicious rumors about John and his team, and refused to welcome them, considering himself the most important of all, even above apostolic authority, "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us." Verse 9. He also excommunicated members of that fellowship that wanted to welcome other believers.
In contrast, John points to a man named Demetrius. Demetrius had a good name with John and his team (and everyone), and consistent with John's focus on truth, personified truth as commending him as well. John referred to his comments about Demetrius as truthful, something Gaius would know.
In John 14:6, John quotes Jesus as saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." We see in Acts 9:2, 19:9, 19:23, 24:14, 24:22, that the church, the gospel enterprise, God's plan of redemption, taking the name "the Way". Here in 2 John I get the feeling that the apostle John is using "the truth" synonymously with "the Way", in a manner of, "the Truth."
How does it sound to you?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
No comments:
Post a Comment