We’re going to take a look at the relationship between God and Jesus in this short article about the Bible book of 2 John. Is there any indication that Jesus is God, or is equal to God? What about the holy Spirit? Is it mentioned in this letter? Are God and Jesus the same person, or are they two separate and distinct individuals? Is the Trinity in the letter of 2 John? Let’s find out.

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son.” (2 John 1:3) Notice the conjunction “and” separates “God the Father” and “the Father’s Son”. Obviously, they are separate and distinct, with Jesus identified, not as “God the Son,” an expression that occurs nowhere in the Bible, but as “the Father’s Son.”

“Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.” (2 John 1:7) Only Jesus came in the flesh, not God. “God is spirit” (John 4:24), and is “invisible” (1 Timothy 1:17), so “no one has ever seen God” (John 1:18). The fact is that “God is not a man” (Numbers 23:19 ESV; KJV;NKJV; NASB; HCSB), whereas Jesus referred to himself as “me, a man” (John 8:40).

“Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God.” (2 John 1:9) How can this be? John 7:18 says: “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me . . .” Jesus got his teaching from God. ” . . . Whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 1:9).  This phrase, especially the word “both,” clearly expresses the fact that God and Jesus are two distinct, and entirely separate, individuals. Notice that the holy Spirit is not mentioned here, which we would expect if the Trinity doctrine is true.

Is the Trinity found in the letter of 2 John?

The holy Spirit is not mentioned in this letter, nor is the Trinity. If the holy Spirit was “the third person of the Trinity,” as is claimed, surely there would be some mention of one, or both, of these. The short letter of 2 John presents clear evidence against the Trinity doctrine.

All Bible verses quoted from the New International Version (NIV), unless otherwise indicated.