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Glory be to Jesus Christ!
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(the entire second epistle).
It is considered to have been written after the Gospel in about the 90s.
Apostle John is already in his old age, why does he call himself an elder
. The epistle briefly testifies to the same as 1 epistle.
who does not confess…
refers to preachers who, trying to pass themselves off as true Christians, followers of Jesus, actually spread false teachings (heresies).
do not accept
– do not support. Accepting into a home in those days (and similarly now) meant showing a certain trust, and could also mean establishing a relationship (at least in terms of cooperation in something, for example). That is why John calls it complicity in evil deeds. It is not entirely clear whether heretical teaching and its dissemination or other acts are also called under evil deeds. After all, the preaching of doctrine is an activity, therefore, actions, and not only views or beliefs.
It is important that before being accepted into the house, it was necessary to establish what the preacher will preach. It should not be accepted when discovering what John clearly outlines. It's NOT about unconfirmed suspicion
or anything like that. That is, it was necessary, for example, to ask Who Jesus is, about Whom they want to preach. Already from the words it was possible to establish whether it would be a sermon of truth or heresy, delusion.
It is worth noting that it is also implicit here that this lady (firm in her faith, and in her person also faithful Christian) is given permission for reasonable and expedient communication with (various) preachers.
Do not congratulate
means do not support this sermon verbally, that is, not only with deeds, but also with words.
From the daily Gospel, we read about the Crucifixion and Passion of Christ. Mark gives the time of the beginning of the crucifixion as 3 o'clock (according to our time – 9 in the morning), while John the Theologian writes that the judgement of Jesus ended at 6 o'clock (according to our time – 12 o'clock, noon). The Church in its reckoning of time accepts John's testimony as more accurate (actually, as a direct witness), therefore it is the prayers of the 6th hour (of time) (that is, the service that should be read at 12 noon) that mentions the crucifixion of Jesus. Both evangelists agree that the suffering of Jesus actually lasted from Friday morning (if we count the scourging and mockery), or even longer – from Thursday evening, if we count the prayer and capture in Gethsemane, and the judgment in the Sanhedrin). Mark quotes Jesus' words in Aramaic to make it clear why the Jews thought He was calling Elijah (whose name contains the word God
at the beginning—My God is the LORD
).
According to the general opinion, the tearing of the veil in the temple, which separated the Holy of Holies from the sanctuary, is a sign that with the Savior's death on the cross, people now have access to God, which was previously impossible due to the rule of sin. The topic is very deep – how
Christ defeated sin and death.
Not being able to dwell in detail on many aspects of Christ's Sacrifice right now, I will dwell on how He does not sin and already on the cross itself defeats death.
Christ overcomes as a Man (and as God He does not sin a priori) all the reasons that can lead a person to sin. Let's remember how Eve was tempted by a fruit from a tree – it was pleasant to look at, looked tasty, should have given knowledge and allowed to become gods
– and Jesus on the cross overcomes these reasons – a person can be tempted by appearance and beauty – and Christ was terribly beaten and crucified, He bloodied and cannot even breathe freely (according to the conclusion of modern doctors, death occurred from suffocation); a person can be tempted by taste (feelings), but Christ feels great pain both in body and soul; one can be tempted by the desire for knowledge and by the fact that man becomes God, anticipating God's plan (and God wanted people to gradually become gods by grace, for this He created them, see more about theosis) – and Christ, God, hangs on the cross, knowing everything, but patiently, until everything comes true. Someone may be tempted by the desire for self-affirmation and victory over opponents — but Christ prays for the crucifiers, forgives the robber, takes care of the Mother and closest ones. One can be tempted by glory and greatness, but Christ is weighed down, abandoned and forsaken. One can be tempted by infidelity, but Christ, even being betrayed and abandoned, continues to be faithful. Etc. You can be tempted by food and drink, but He tastes (and does not want) gall and vinegar.
You can be afraid of death, but Christ goes to it willingly for the sake of our salvation. One can be tempted by power and might, but Christ, the Almighty, hangs as if powerless on the cross. One can lose love, faith, hope, and Christ accomplishes all this in the Passion. There are much more meaning in the Christ's Passion, but I think that these brief words encourage to deepen the relationships with Jesus (edited: 02:30 AM EET 2023-02-18).
I also want to add, what strengthens Jesus? There is a good essay about it at the link:
There are good words about the darkening of the sun in the post at the link:
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!
Source:
17022023.html