In Matthew 6:47, Jesus commands us to greet people who we consider enemies. However, 2 John 10-11 states that we are not to greet those who promote false teachings. How are we to solve this dilemma?
2007-07-23 21:50:32 · 9 answers · asked by helper725 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Sorry, that was Matthew 5:47.
2007-07-24 06:09:43 · update #1
A common practice in the first century was that a missionary or traveling minister would stay in the home of one of the congregation of the church. The church would house him and feed him during his time there.
Gnostic teachers often ministered the same way, and were taking advantage of this practice to get free food and lodging out of the early Christian churches. II John was written specifically as a warning about these Gnostic missionaries. Colossians and Jude were also written to warn the early church about Gnostic infiltrators.
Matthew 6 only has 34 verses, so I will assume you mean Matthew 5:43-47 (Also in Luke 6:27-36). I was so excited when I saw that someone else caught this; then I noticed that they thought II John was written BY Paul TO John.
Anyway, the point in both the Matthew and Luke passages is to forgive those who have wronged you and to not hold a grudge. We are to accept them as people. We do not judge them based on their sin. In relation to the passage in II John, however, the church was told to reject the false teachings. It was these teachings that were not welcome, so the Gnostic missionaries were forced to leave.
III John, ironically, was written to one of the churches that took II John so literally that they actually kicked out John's own messengers. See, the church as an organization was screwed up even back then!
2007-07-23 22:16:53 · answer #1 · answered by SDW 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is no Matthew 6:47
2007-07-24 05:25:22 · answer #2 · answered by wordoflifeb216 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you mean Matthew 5:47. It tells us to greet people who we do not agree with. 2 John 10-11 tells us to not welcome false teachers into your house. In Matthew Christians are given instructions to be civil to people. In Paul's letter to John we are told that this pleasantness is not to extend so far as to provide support for false teachers in the form of housing or food/water.
2007-07-24 05:04:25 · answer #3 · answered by Nels N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It helps if we quote the passages in question:
“And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:47 [not 6:47])
This saying comes in the midst of Jesus’ teaching that people should show love even to those who treat them unkindly.
"If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work." (2 John 10-11)
In those days there were itinerant ministers who would find housing and hospitality from Christians in a given area as they preached or taught to that church. Sometimes the people who hosted such a church in their homes would make accommodations for them. John says the Christians were not to house and feed these false teachers. To do such a thing would make them enablers and accomplices.
2007-07-24 05:04:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Anyone that teaches to not love the Father or the Christ is a false teacher. Anyone that teaches you to not love all people (including your enemies) is a false teacher.
If nothing else we know that God is love.
Use love to test the spirit of every situation.
If you use the same tools as Pharisees then you are a Pharisee and the Pharisees used scripture to isolate people and pronounce judgment and feel superior.
Be better, be bright.
I tell no one what I believe they see my fire... they ask, then I tell them about Jesus.
I study the Gnostic scriptures but it's a pastime. Are you of ____religion or are you a child of God. I identify myself as Gnostic so people might know that I'm familiar with materials they may not have heard of but it and everything else in this world is utterly useless, save the love of God.
Blessed Be!
2007-07-24 05:11:25 · answer #5 · answered by ♥Gnostic♥ 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To greet people and try to show them the truth even though you dislike them is not the same as to greet someone that takes God's very words and twist them into lies.
God says to love your enemies so we are not the ones to pass judgment just because they have not chosen to follow Jesus yet, but if someone is mocking God and taking his word to turn them into lies knowingly it is evil.
2007-07-24 05:02:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Greet only those enemies that don't promote false teachings.
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2007-07-24 04:55:55 · answer #7 · answered by Wise@ss 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
we should consider our enemies but never encourage false teachers
2007-07-24 04:59:42 · answer #8 · answered by suzana r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The bible is corrupted, therefore all teachings based on it are false. Be smart, believe Jesus, not Moses.
2007-07-24 05:00:05 · answer #9 · answered by single eye 5 · 1⤊ 6⤋