We have come to the end of John the apostle's words in Second John. After all the care and concern that he has given to the elect lady and her children about false teachings and doctrine, what are the words he would use in his final closing? Today we see a touch of tenderness and greeting in his final words as he shares in Second John verse thirteen:
The children of your elect sister greet thee. Amen.
There are no words that have such importance as those from someone for whom we care deeply. When we have not heard from a family member or close friend for a while, when we finally hear from them their words are cherished. John employs a greeting from “the children of your elect sister” as his final words to the elect lady and her children. Perhaps these are fellow Christians with whom John was living at this point or they may have been actual relations to the elect lady, but whomever they were the greeting from them was seen as important. It might have been from these that John heard about the itinerant false teachers who were visiting the elect lady, and it was only proper that John mention them at the end of his book. Nonetheless, this greeting was found necessary to be entered into scriptures.
We sometimes forget that the writers of the scriptures had to live their lives day to day as we do. They woke up in the morning, and went to sleep at night. They ate, talked, walked and worked among people for the most part just as we do. They also related to others in most cases, and spent much of their time simply living. John lived his personal life as we do today. He in this case was among those who wished to greet John's audience as he wrote to her and her children. Perhaps the elect lady and her children were real people, and perhaps it is a reference to the church. But whichever the case may be, we all would do well to remember that sometimes there is nothing better than to let others know that you are thinking about them. It doesn't have to be much, as this greeting was very short, but the meaning behind the care and concern just to reach out a little will make great strides in keeping relationships as fervent as they can be.
Finally, John ends his book with “Amen,” which means, “so be it”. There is a finality to John's words as he closes his writings but not his thoughts as he continues to be concerned over the spreading of false doctrine. Maybe it can be characterized in this manner, “Jesus said it. I believe it, and that settles it.” May all who read review the words of Jesus and compare every thought, belief or idea of relating to God to the scriptures and see if those things be so. Amen.
Next time we shall venture into the third letter of John named appropriately “Third John”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
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