2 John

 Author: Frequently quoted in early church literature and accredited to John. This is especially true with 2 John. Many similarities in all three letters.  Date: 2-3 John’s dates are really unknown. Sometime after 70 A.D. They may have been closer to because this is around the time the heresies that John seems to address were an issue.

 Audience: “the elect lady” One view says that this is a reference to the church. Others believe this is a reference to a specific lady.  Character of the book: A very personal letter, but with many helpful applications to others.

 Brotherly love  False Teaching  Physical Body of Jesus  Hospitality  Truth

“To encourage continued faithfulness to Christ’s teaching, and to warn faithful followers not to entertain those who are false teachers.”

 The Salutation v.1-3  The Message Occasion for Letter v. 4 Appeal for love and obedience v. 5-6 The warning against the false teachers v. 7-9 The prohibition against aiding the heretics v  The Epilogue v.12-13

3 John

 Audience: Gauis is specifically mentioned as the recipient of the letter, but we know nothing about him outside the letter.  Character of the book: A short personal letter Full of encouragement

 Truth  Brotherly Love  Hospitality or support  Selfishness

“To encourage continued faithfulness to the truth and the support of those who are teachers of the truth.”

 I. The Prologue (1-4) A. The Salutation (1) B. The Elder's Prayer for Gaius' Health and His Joy for Gaius' Walking in Truth (2-4)  II. The Body: The Elder's Evaluations for Gaius (5- 12) A. The Elder's Commendation of Gauis for His Support of Traveling Christian Teachers (5-8) B. The Elder's Condemnation of Diotrephes for His Evil Deeds (9-11) C. The Elder's Commendation of Demetrius for His Good Testimony (12)  III. The Epilogue (13-14)

Jude

 Author: Jude, the brother of James and half brother of Jesus. Only two people in Scripture are called by the name Jude:  One is the apostle Jude mentioned in John 14:22. He does not seem to be the one who wrote this letter because the letter seems to deny the author as an apostle.  Jude, a half brother of Jesus mentioned in Matthew 13:55. This is widely held to be the Jude that wrote this letter because it make since that he would then reference his brother James. James was widely known and was the head of the church in Jerusalem. This reference would have then given immediate credibility to Jude’s message.  We know Jude only believed in Christ after His death and resurrection (Acts 1:14). We also know that he was married and traveled as an evangelist (1 Cor. 9:5).  He is a Jew; note his use of the O.T. in the letter of Jude.

 Special: Jude and 2 Peter’s similarities. Jude 7 – 2 Peter 2:6 Jude 8 – 2 Peter 2:10 Jude 9 – 2 Peter 2:11 Jude 10 – 2 Peter 2:12 Jude 16 – 2 Peter2:18 Jude – 2 Peter 3:2-3 Theories on similarities  Worked completely independently  Same source  Peter copied Jude  Jude copied Peter  Date: A.D. Not before 2 Peter Before Jerusalem was destroyed  Character: Strong but encouraging language (a rally cry for battle) Vivid imagery (mostly from the O.T.) Strong warnings Great hope

 False Teachers  Judgment  Perseverance/ Glorification  Evangelism

“To strongly exhort believers to contend for the faith by not compromising and reaching out to as many as possible”

 I. The Prologue (1-4) A. The Salutation (1-2) B. The Necessity to Contend Earnestly for the Faith (3-4)  II. The Body: Jude's Reminder of the Christians' Duty When Faced with False Teachers/Teaching (5-23) A. The Description of the False Teachers (5-16) B. The Duty in View of the False Teaching (17-23)  1. Heed the Instruction of the Word (17-19)  2. Stay in the Love of God (20-21)  3. Have Mercy on Those Impacted by the False Teaching (22- 23)  III. The Epilogue (24-25)

NT Survey II will begin on Jan 27 Epistles and Journeys of Paul and The Book of Revelation