Overview Article
Second John is the shortest book in the New Testament. It has only thirteen verses. In ancient times, the whole letter could fit on one sheet of papyrus paper. The first letter of John explained the principles of remaining true to God, loving fellow Christians, and being cautious of false teachers. This letter shows how to apply these principles in a real-life situation.
Key People, Places, and Terms
People 2
Places
None mentioned.
Themes
Early Christian Heresies 2 The Greek word hairesis , which first means "choice," refers to a sect or faction . For example, the Sadducees were a sect within Judaism, as were the Pharisees ( Acts 5:17 ; 15:5 ). They called early believers in Jes... The Son of God 2 Jesus' healings, exorcisms (casting out demons), raising the dead, and teachings resulted in wonder, awe, amazement, and fear (for example, Mark 1:22 , 27 ; 4:41 ; 5:15 , 20 , 33 ; 7:37 ; 9:15 ; 10:24 , 26 , 32 ; 12:1... Remaining in Christ 1 The Greek term menō , often translated as “remain,” “stay,” or “abide,” appears often in Jesus’ teachings about deep, intimate, and lasting relationships. For example, Jesus said, “ If you continue in [ menō en , ‘sta... The Antichrist 1 The term antichrist appears only in the apostle John's letters ( 1 John 2:18 , 22 ; 4:3 ; 2 John 1:7 ). John believed many antichrists would appear throughout history ( 1 John 2:18 ). These antichrists would deny that... The Little Horn 1 In the vision of the prophet Daniel, the little horn represents a king. It has human-like features, such as eyes and a mouth. This imagery is typical of apocalyptic literature. "Apocalyptic" is from a Greek word meani... The Seventy Sets of Seven 1 The "seventy weeks" (or sevens) in Daniel 9:24–27 have always been difficult to understand. Although it is difficult to connect them to a specific historical period, these "seventy sets of seven" are important. They s...