2nd and 3rd Letters of John

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Just recently I came across these 2 very short epistles in the New Testament. Don’t know how I overlooked them before, except that they are so short. They seem to be a little out of place with the other letters in which the authors instruct, encourage, or chastise their audience on how to live a Christian life. These are simply chatty letters about mutual friends and both end with (to paraphrase) “I have so much to tell you but I don’t want to say it in pen and paper.” As interesting as they may be, they don’t seem to contain much in the way of instruction. Can anyone shed some light on why these letters were included in the bible?
 
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seagal:
Can anyone shed some light on why these letters were included in the bible?
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Seagal,

The usual criteria are Apostolic authorship and agreement with Catholic doctrine. Your mention of “I have a lot more to say but don’t want to use pen and paper” speaks volumes against Sola Scriptura, the idea that everything we need to believe is found in the Bible.
  • Liberian
 
I had never read them before now either. I guess I thought I’d get to it in one of those read the bible in a year programs :o.

The 2nd letter - this was written to a woman! I’m very surprised people aren’t talking about this fact.

The 3rd letter - Who is Diotrephes? What’s the story there? WHen St. John says “Our authority” who is he talking about? The apostles, him and Gaius, the Church?

I’m off to do some googleing. . .
 
wisdom 3:5:
The 2nd letter - this was written to a woman! I’m very surprised people aren’t talking about this fact.
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Wisdom,

Be careful about taking John’s writing at face value. The “woman” in question may be Mother Church.
  • Liberian
 
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seagal:
Just recently I came across these 2 very short epistles in the New Testament. Don’t know how I overlooked them before, except that they are so short. They seem to be a little out of place with the other letters in which the authors instruct, encourage, or chastise their audience on how to live a Christian life. These are simply chatty letters about mutual friends and both end with (to paraphrase) “I have so much to tell you but I don’t want to say it in pen and paper.” As interesting as they may be, they don’t seem to contain much in the way of instruction. Can anyone shed some light on why these letters were included in the bible?
Click to expand...
They are short, but they do contain some valuable instruction in Christian doctrine. Similarly with St Paul’s letter to Philemon.
 
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Liberian:
Wisdom,

Be careful about taking John’s writing at face value. The “woman” in question may be Mother Church.
  • Liberian
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Correct, the non-Pauline or “catholic” letters are understood to be written to the Church at large not to a specific audience as Paul’s letters were written.
 
I am not sure of their timing, but it appears that they might have been treasured as the last writings of any apostle.
 
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