vv.1-4 Does the aged John anticipate that truth will perish when
he, the last of the apostles, is dead?(esp. v.2; cf. John 14:16,17)
Truth is obviously very much on John's mind as he shepherds the
Lord's churches: he uses the word 5 times in 4 verses. How could the apostle
expect grace, mercy, and peace will be with us ... in truth and
love (v.3), if it was already decreed by God that truth would die out with
the apostles?
vv.5-8 What will protect the believer from deceivers? (cf.
1 John 2:18-27)
The gospel heard from the beginning (v.6; cf. 1 John 2:7), that gospel
confessing Jesus Christ Son of God, come in flesh and raised
bodily from the dead (v.7), is the rock upon which the true
Church is built (Matt. 16:13-18,21).
vv.9-13 If the truth remains and will be with
us forever (v.2, NWT) it will not need to be restored after1800 years of
"Christendom's darkness." Would the deceiver's take over
the true church? Would the church's teachers receive or reject them? (cf.
1 John 2:18,19; 3 John 9,10)
