Lesson 149: 2 John–3 John
LOOK for a principle in 2 John that can help you
preserve the blessings you have obtained as Church members.
I.
2 John John warns about people who teach
false doctrine
---Name
a well-known athlete who is familiar to most students.
- What might this athlete do to stay in peak health to perform well?
- What could happen if this athlete, after working hard to get in shape, stopped going to the gym and began eating junk food, watching a lot of TV, playing video games, and taking substances that are harmful to the body?
---CONSIDER
how the work that successful athletes must do to preserve their peak physical
condition can be compared to the work that Church members must do to preserve
the blessings they have obtained through the gospel.
---In
2 John 1:1–4 the Apostle John began his epistle
by addressing “the elect lady and her children,” which may have been either a
direct address to a female Church member and her children or symbolic language
to describe a Church congregation.
What
commandment did John remind the Saints about?
---READ
2 John 1:7 and look for why John counseled
Church members to “walk after” (2 John 1:6), or obey, the commandments.
- Why did John counsel Church members to obey the commandments?
- What were the “deceivers” (verse 7) teaching?
1---When John wrote this epistle, a philosophy
known as Docetism was gaining
popularity. Docetists believed that God was so exalted that He was above
suffering, death, or any other mortal experience. Therefore, they concluded
that Jesus Christ as the Son of God did not actually come in the flesh but that
His spirit only seemed to do things that a mortal would do or experience.
- What are some examples of false teachings in our day that contradict the truths of the gospel?
- Why are these teachings spiritually dangerous?
---READ
2 John 1:8 looking for what John counseled
Church members to do in light of these false teachings. To “look to yourselves” means to be
watchful or careful not to adopt false teachings and that wrought can mean
performed or acquired (see 2 John 1:8,
footnote a).
- What principle can we learn from John’s teachings in verses 6–8 about how we can continue to enjoy the gospel blessings we have received? (~As we keep the commandments and are watchful, we can continue to enjoy the gospel blessings we have received. BOARD.)
---WRITE
in your class notebooks a list of gospel blessings you have already received or
hope to receive. SHARE. BOARD.
- How could adopting false teachings prevent us from obtaining and continuing to enjoy these gospel blessings?
---READ
2 John 1:9 looking for what John taught would
happen to those who abide in the doctrine of Christ, or remain close to and
endure in the gospel.
- What do those who abide in the doctrine of Christ have with them? (BOARD: If we abide in the doctrine of Christ, we will have the Father and the Son with us.)
---PONDER
your efforts to keep the commandments, to be watchful, and to abide in the
gospel. WRITE down why you want to preserve the blessings you have received
through the gospel and one thing you will do today to be more faithful and
consistent in keeping the commandments.
------In
2 John 1:10–13 John encouraged the Saints to avoid
people who spread false doctrine. He also expressed his desire to personally
visit the Saints he was writing to.
II.
3 John
John
praises Gaius for his faithfulness
Bring
to class a small pebble and a large bowl full of water.
---Can
you drop the pebble into the water without making any ripples?
- Why is it impossible for the water to remain unchanged by the pebble?
- Who else besides yourself can be positively affected by your choice to live the gospel?
---As
recorded in 3 John, John addressed a faithful member of the Church named
Gaius.
---READ
3 John 1:1–4 looking for how John was affected
by Gaius’s faithfulness in living the gospel. Children in verse 4 may refer to Church members whom
John had helped convert to the gospel.
- How was John affected by Gaius’s faithfulness in living the gospel?
- How would you summarize a truth from these verses about how living the gospel can affect ourselves and others? (~Living the gospel brings joy not only to ourselves but to others.)
- When have you experienced joy because someone else faithfully lived the gospel?
---LETTERS.
3 John
1:5–10. Church members should sustain all servants of the Lord
---THINK
of a time when you heard a speaker in general conference or heard from a
visiting authority or missionary whom you were not familiar with. Sometimes we
may be tempted to treat Church leaders or teachers with less deference, or
respect, if we do not know them well.
---READ
3 John 1:5–8 looking for what Gaius was doing
that pleased John. The words brethren
and strangers in verse 5 refer to traveling teachers or
missionaries whom Gaius was not familiar with.
- What was Gaius doing that pleased John? (He showed charity and helped the traveling teachers or missionaries.)
- What did John say all Church members ought to do? (Receive servants of the Lord, even those whom we may not be familiar with.)
- Who displeased John? Why? (Diotrephes, a local Church leader, was in rebellion and personal apostasy. He spoke maliciously about John and his companions, would not receive them, and cast out of the Church any Church members who would receive them.)
3 John
1:9–10. “Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, received us
not”
2-Elder Bruce R. McConkie of
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained who Diotrephes was and what he did:
“Here is Diotrephes, a local church
officer of prominence and influence: (1) Who refuses to permit the
doctrine and instructions of a member of the First Presidency of the Church to
be read in his congregation; (2) Who preaches against the apostolic heads
of the Church; (3) Who refuses to receive the church representatives sent
to him; (4) Who refuses to let others in the congregation care for or give
heed to the church authorities; and (5) Who casts out (apparently
excommunicates) worthy members of the Church” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:413–14).
- What truth can we learn from the good example of Gaius and the poor example of Diotrephes? (~Church members ought to receive and sustain all servants of the Lord.)
- In what ways can we “receive” servants of the Lord? (Listen to them, pray for them, sustain them in their responsibilities, speak well of them, and apply what they teach in our lives.)
---In
3 John 1:5–14 John praised Gaius for his willingness to
receive traveling Church leaders or missionaries, and he criticized a local
leader named Diotrephes, who did not receive John and his companions.
---REVIEW
the truths identified in this lesson. TESTIFY of these truths, and invite
students to APPLY them in their lives.
1- When John wrote this epistle, a philosophy known as Docetism was gaining popularity.
Docetists believed that God was so exalted that He was above suffering, death,
or any other mortal experience. Therefore, they concluded that Jesus Christ as
the Son of God did not actually come in the flesh but that His spirit only
seemed to do things that a mortal would do or experience.
2-Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained who Diotrephes was and what he did:
“Here
is Diotrephes, a local church officer of prominence and influence: (1) Who
refuses to permit the doctrine and instructions of a member of the First
Presidency of the Church to be read in his congregation; (2) Who preaches
against the apostolic heads of the Church; (3) Who refuses to receive the
church representatives sent to him; (4) Who refuses to let others in the
congregation care for or give heed to the church authorities; and (5) Who
casts out (apparently excommunicates) worthy members of the Church” (Doctrinal
New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:413–14).
