Shunning; a look at the 2nd letter of John
We’ve already looked at the Bible’s frank and clear teachings on how Christian’s should deal with other Christians who practice fornication, idolatry, drunkenness, etc. We also considered a ‘real world’ viewpoint on the effect shunning has on a person’s view of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who shun them.
What verse of the Bible do Jehovah’s Witnesses cite to explain why they won’t even say hello to a disfellowshipped or disassociated one, even if that one belongs to their own family?
The verses can be found in the 2nd letter of the apostle John;
If anyone comes to YOU and does not bring this teaching, never receive him intoYOUR homes or say a greeting to him. For he that says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works.
Jehovah’s Witnesses point, with confidence, to the last few words of verse 10, “never receive him into your homes or say a greeting to him.” This, they say, is why we won’t have fellowship or even say hello to disfellowshipped ones.
Would it be considered splitting hairs to wish to bring into effect the context of John’s words in verses 10 and 11 of his letter? Any reasonable person would surely wish to make sure of all things, and to hold fast to fine, scriptural teachings by being clear on who John was referring to and what he meant by the word ‘greeting’. Especially so when you consider the devastating effects of not speaking to those even in one’s own family who may be disfellowshipped.
Firstly, what does the context in John’s 2nd letter say about the identity of those to whom Christians should never say a greeting to?
The Bible is inspired, and we can be confident that Jehovah wanted to make sure John conveyed accurately what would be pleasing or displeasing to Him, and what would be harmful or beneficial to us. Therefore, we see from the context;
For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
By the time John wrote this letter, towards the end of the first century, Gnostic deceivers were gaining prominence, trying to influence Christians with their belief that Jesus Christ was not who Christians believed him to be. More can be read about this topic in Robertson’s Word Pictures of the New Testament, a reference work the Watch Tower Society has referred to previously. Clearly, from a Christian point of view, these deceivers were spreading evil lies about the Messiah and Saviour, and John quite rightly describes them as the antichrist. These ones literally denied Christ.
It would appear that some Christians had allowed themselves to be influenced by Gnostic teachings;
Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son.
John doesn’t mince his words. Anyone who had departed from the teaching of the Christ (see 1 Cor 2:1,2) - a simple teaching or gospel about Christ’s death and resurrection bringing salvation to the whole human race - had departed from God and did not have Jehovah or Jesus.
Therefore, it was these such ones - deceivers and antichrists - that John was referring to in verses 10 and 11. He instructed that Christians should not welcome such ones into their homes (where their Christian gatherings were held) nor even say a greeting to such a one.
Did the language that John here uses imply that Christians should not even say ‘hello’ to the Gnostics or antichrists?
It would be understandable to assume so. Let’s consider, again with a mind keen on accurately understanding Scripture, what John was actually saying.
There are a number of words in the Greek language which can be translated as ‘greeting’. John in his letter uses the word khairo. It is of use to compare how several different translations of this verse render this particular Greek word into English. Another word John could have used is aspazomai, this too could have been rendered in English as ‘greeting’.
So, there are two separate words being discussed, both of them Greek, both of them capable of being translated ‘greeting’. Greek, though, is a wonderfully colourful language and both of these words having a deeper, more rounded out meaning than just ‘greeting’. Here’s what the Watchtower magazine of May 15, 1988, page 27 has to say;
John here used khai’ro, which was a greeting like “good day” or “hello.” (Acts 15:23; Matthew 28:9) He did not use aspa’zomai (as in verse 13), which means “to enfold in the arms, thus to greet, to welcome” and may have implied a very warm greeting, even with an embrace. (Luke 10:4; 11:43; Acts 20:1, 37; 1 Thessalonians 5:26) So the direction at 2 John 11 could well mean not to say even “hello” to such ones.
With a spirit of wishing to make sure of all things, let’s compare what was printed in this Watchtower article with the definition given to each of these Greek words in Strong’s Concordance;
chairo {khah’-ee-ro} 1) to rejoice, be glad 2) to rejoice exceedingly 3) to be well, thrive 4) in salutations, hail! 5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
aspasmos {as-pas-mos’} 1) a salutation, either oral or written
John used the first of these 2 words, khairo. What does this word mean, according to Strong’s Concordance? It appears to mean more than a simple greeting, as the Watchtower claims. For example, it would involve rejoicing with the person, wishing them well, hailing them. It seems that it doesn’t simply mean saying ‘hello’. If John had wished, under inspiration by Jehovah’s holy spirit, to convey to us that saying a simple ‘hello’ to such a person would make us a sharer in their evil works, he would have used the Greek word aspazomai.
In summary, John’s instruction to never receive these ones into our homes or say a greeting to them was in reference to a distinct group of people; those who had rejected Christ and his resurrection, who had been led to believe - and propagate - teachings that reduced who Christ was and is and were considered deceivers and antichrists. And these ones were not to be hailed, rejoiced with or to be wished well.
Does that even begin to compare, if we’re completely honest, with the current Jehovah’s Witness practice of not even saying hello to disfellowshipped or disassociated friends and family members? And why does the Watchtower magazine switch definitions for the Greek words khairo and aspazomai?
Recommended reading;
2 John 10 at Roberston’s Word Pictures of the New Testament.
