Text -- 2 John 1:1-9 (NET)

Introduction and Thanksgiving

1:1 From the elder, to an elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth (and not I alone, but also all those who know the truth), 1:2 because of the truth that resides in us and will be with us forever. 1:3 Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 1:4 I rejoiced greatly because I have found some of your children living according to the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

Warning Against False Teachers

1:5 But now I ask you, lady (not as if I were writing a new commandment to you, but the one we have had from the beginning), that we love one another. 1:6 (Now this is love: that we walk according to his commandments.) This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning; thus you should walk in it. 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not confess Jesus as Christ coming in the flesh. This person is the deceiver and the antichrist! 1:8 Watch out, so that you do not lose the things we have worked for, but receive a full reward. 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not remain in the teaching of Christ does not have God. The one who remains in this teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: 2Jo 1:1

And her children ( kai tois teknois autēs ).

As with eklektē kuria , so here tekna may be understood either literally as in 1Ti 3:4, or spiritually, as in Gal 4:19, Gal 4:25; 1Ti 1:2. For the spiritual sense in teknia see 1Jo 2:1, 1Jo 2:12.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:1

Whom ( hous ).

Masculine accusative plural, though teknois is neuter plural (dative), construction according to sense, not according to grammatical gender, "embracing the mother and the children of both sexes"(Vincent). See thus hous in Gal 4:19.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:1

I ( Egō ).

Though ho presbuteros is third person, he passes at once after the Greek idiom to the first and there is also special emphasis here in the use of agapō with the addition of en alētheiāi (in truth, in the highest sphere, as in Joh 17:19; 3Jo 1:1) and ouk egō monos (not I only, "not I alone"). Brooke argues that this language is unsuitable if to a single family and not to a church. But Paul employs this very phrase in sending greetings to Prisca and Aquila (Rom 16:4).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:1

That know ( hoi egnōkotes ).

Perfect active articular participle of ginōskō , "those that have come to know and still know."

Robertson: 2Jo 1:2

For the truth’ s sake ( dia tēn alētheian ).

Repetition of the word, one of which John is very fond (1Jo 1:6, "the truth, as revealed by the Christ, and gradually unfolded by the Spirit, who is truth"(Brooke).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:2

Which abideth in us ( tēn menousan en hēmin ).

See Joh 17:19 for "sanctified in truth"and 1Jo 2:6 for abiding in Christ, and so it includes all who are in Christ.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:2

It shall be with us ( meth' hēmōn estai ).

Confident assertion, not a mere wish. Note the order of the words, "With us it shall be"(estai future middle of eimi ).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:3

Shall be with us ( estai meth' hēmōn ).

He picks up the words before in reverse order. Future indicative here, not a wish with the optative (eie ) as we have in 1Pe 1:2; 2Pe 1:2. The salutation is like that in the Pastoral Epistles: "Charis , the wellspring in the heart of God; eleos , its outpourings; eirēnē , its blessed effect"(David Smith).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:3

And from Jesus Christ ( kai para Iēsou Christou ).

The repetition of para (with the ablative) is unique. "It serves to bring out distinctly the twofold personal relation of man to the Father and to the Son"(Westcott). "The Fatherhood of God, as revealed by one who being His Son can reveal the Father, and who as man (Iēsou ) can make him known to men"(Brooke).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

I rejoice ( echarēn ).

Second aorist passive of chairō as in 3Jo 1:3, "of a glad surprise"(D. Smith), as in Mar 14:11, over the discovery about the blessing of their godly home on these lads.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

Greatly ( lian ).

Only here and 3Jo 1:3 in John’ s writings.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

I have found ( heurēka ).

Perfect active indicative of heuriskō as in Joh 1:41, our "eureka,"here with its usual force, a continued discovery. "He sits down at once and writes to Kyria. How glad she would be that her lads, far away in the great city, were true to their early faith"(David Smith).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

Certain of thy children ( ek tōn teknōn ).

No tinas as one would expect before ek , a not infrequent idiom in the N.T. (Joh 16:17).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

Walking ( peripatountas ).

Present active accusative supplementary participle agreeing with tinas understood. Probably members of the church off here in Ephesus.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

In truth ( en alētheiāi ).

As in 2Jo 1:1; 3Jo 1:4.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:4

We received ( elabomen ).

Second aorist active (possibly, though not certainly, literary plural) of lambanō . This very idiom (entolēn lambanō ) in Joh 10:18; Act 17:15; Col 4:10. Perhaps the reference here is to 1Jo 2:7.; 1Jo 3:23.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

Beseech ( erōtō ).

For pray as in 1Jo 5:16.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

Lady ( kuria ).

Vocative case and in the same sense as in 2Jo 1:1.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

As though I wrote ( hōs graphōn ).

Common idiom hōs with the participle (present active) for the alleged reason.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

New ( kainēn ).

As in 1Jo 2:7., which see.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

We had ( eichamen ).

Imperfect active (late ̇a form like eichan in Mar 8:7) of echō and note eichete with ap' archēs in 1Jo 2:7. Not literary plural, John identifying all Christians with himself in this blessing.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:5

That we love one another ( hina agapōmen allēlous ).

Either a final clause after erōtō as in Joh 17:15 or an object clause in apposition with entolēn , like 1Jo 2:27; 1Jo 3:23 and like 2Jo 1:6.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:6

Love ( hē agapē ).

The love just mentioned.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:6

That we should walk ( hina peripatōmen ).

Object clause in nominative case in apposition with agapē , with hina and the present active subjunctive of peripateō , "that we keep on walking."

Robertson: 2Jo 1:6

The commandment ( hē entolē ).

The one just mentioned with the same construction with hina as in 1Jo 3:23. John changes from the first person plural to the second (ēkousate as in 1Jo 2:7, peripatēte ) as in 1Jo 2:5, 1Jo 2:7.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:6

In it ( en autēi ).

Either to alētheiāi (truth) of 2Jo 1:4, agapē of this verse, or entolē of this verse. Either makes good sense, probably "in love."With peripateō (walk) we have often en (1Jo 1:7; 1Jo 2:11, etc.) or kata (according to) as in Mar 7:5; 1Co 3:3; 2Co 10:2, etc.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

Deceivers ( planoi ).

Late adjective (Diodorus, Josephus) meaning wandering, roving (1Ti 4:1). As a substantive in N.T. of Jesus (Mat 27:63), of Paul (2Co 6:8), and here. See the verb (tōn planontōn humās ) in 1Jo 2:26 of the Gnostic deceivers as here and also of Jesus (Joh 7:12). Cf. 1Jo 1:8.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

Are gone forth ( exēlthan , alpha ending).

Second aorist active indicative of exerchomai , perhaps an allusion to the crisis when they left the churches (1Jo 2:19, same form).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

Even they that confess not ( hoi mē homologountes ).

"The ones not confessing"(mē regular negative with the participle). The articular participle describes the deceivers (planoi ).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

That Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh ( Iēsoun Christon erchomenon en sarki ).

"Jesus Christ coming in the flesh."Present middle participle of erchomai treating the Incarnation as a continuing fact which the Docetic Gnostics flatly denied. In 1Jo 4:2 we have elēluthota (perfect active participle) in this same construction with homologeō , because there the reference is to the definite historical fact of the Incarnation. There is no allusion here to the second coming of Christ.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

This ( houtos ).

See 1Jo 2:18, 1Jo 2:22; 1Jo 5:6, 1Jo 5:20.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:7

The deceiver and the antichrist ( ho planos kai ho antichristos ).

Article with each word, as in Rev 1:17, to bring out sharply each separate phrase, though one individual is referred to. The one par excellence in popular expectation (1Jo 2:22), though many in reality (1Jo 2:18; 3Jo 1:7).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:8

Look to yourselves ( blepete heautous ).

Imperative active with reflexive pronoun as in Mar 13:9. The verb often used absolutely (Phi 3:2) like our "look out."

Robertson: 2Jo 1:8

That ye lose not ( hina mē apolesēte ).

Negative purpose with hina mē and first aorist active subjunctive of apollumi . This is the correct text (B), not apolesōmen (we). Likewise apolabēte (that ye receive), not apolabōmen (we).

Robertson: 2Jo 1:8

Which we have wrought ( ha ērgasametha ).

This is also correct, first aorist middle indicative of ergazomai , to work (Joh 6:27.). John does not wish his labour to be lost. See Rom 1:27 for this use of apolambanō for receiving. See Joh 4:36 for misthos in the harvest. The "full reward"(misthon plērē ) is the full day’ s wages which each worker will get (1Co 3:8). John is anxious that they shall hold on with him to the finish.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:9

Whosoever goeth onward ( pās ho proagōn ).

"Every one who goes ahead". Proagō literally means to go on before (Mar 11:9). That in itself is often the thing to do, but here the bad sense comes out by the parallel clause.

Robertson: 2Jo 1:9

And abideth not in the teaching of Christ ( kai mē menōn en tēi didachēi tou Christou ).

Not the teaching about Christ, but that of Christ which is the standard of Christian teaching as the walk of Christ is the standard for the Christian’ s walk (1Jo 2:6). See Joh 7:16; Joh 18:19. These Gnostics claimed to be the progressives, the advanced thinkers, and were anxious to relegate Christ to the past in their onward march. This struggle goes on always among those who approach the study of Christ. Is he a "landmark"merely or is he our goal and pattern? Progress we all desire, but progress toward Christ, not away from him. Reactionary obscurantists wish no progress toward Christ, but desire to stop and camp where they are. "True progress includes the past"(Westcott). Jesus Christ is still ahead of us all calling us to come on to him.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

The elder ( ὁ πρεσβύτερος )

The word is used originally of seniority in age . So Luk 15:25. Afterward as a term of rank or office. Applied to members of the Sanhedrim (Mat 16:21; Act 6:12). Those who presided over the Christian assemblies or churches (Act 11:30; 1Ti 5:17, 1Ti 5:19). The twenty-four members of the heavenly court in John's vision (Rev 4:4, Rev 4:10; Rev 5:5, Rev 5:6, Rev 5:8, Rev 5:11, Rev 5:14). Here, with reference to official position, coupled, presumably, with age.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

Unto the elect lady ( ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ )

An expression which baffles all the commentators. It is supposed by some that the title describes a person , by others, a society . The views of the former class as to the person designated, are (1.) That the letter was addressed to a certain Babylonian named Electa . (2.) To a person named Kyria . (3.) To Electa Kyria , a compound proper name. Those who regard the phrase as describing a society , divide on the question whether a particular Christian society or the whole Church is intended. It is impossible to settle the question satisfactorily.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

Children ( τέκνοις )

May be taken either in a literal or in a spiritual sense. For the later, see 1 Timothy 1, 1Ti 2:1-15; Gal 4:25; 3Jo 1:4. Compare also 2Jo 1:4, 2Jo 1:13. The explanation turns on the meaning of ἐκλεκτῇ κυρίᾳ . If it mean the Church , children will have the spiritual sense. If it be a proper name, the literal.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

Whom ( οὓς )

Comprehensive, embracing the mother and the children of both sexes.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

I love ( ἀγαπῶ )

See on Joh 5:20.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

In the truth ( ἐν ἀληθείᾳ )

Omit the . The expression in truth marks the atmosphere or element of truth in which something is said, or felt, or done. See Joh 17:17. In truth is equivalent to truly , really . Compare Col 1:6; Joh 17:19.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:1

That have known ( οἱ ἐγνωκότες )

Either have come to know , or as Rev., know . The perfect tense of γινώσκω , to learn to know , is rendered as a present: I have learned to know , therefore I know . See on 1Jo 2:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:2

Which dwelleth ( τὴν μένουσαν )

Rev., abideth . Enlarging on the idea of the truth: that which abideth . See on 1Jo 4:9, on the phrase to abide in , see on 1Jo 2:6.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:2

Shall be with us ( μεθ ' ἡμῶν ἔσται )

With us has the emphatic position in the sentence: and with us it shall be . Note the change from abideth in to shall be with , and see on Joh 14:16, Joh 14:17.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

Grace be with you, mercy and peace ( ἔσται μεθ ἡμῶν χάρις ἔλεος εἰρήνη )

The verb is in the future tense: shall be . In the Pauline Epistles the salutations contain no verb. In 1 and 2 Peter and Jude, πληθυνθείη be multiplied , is used. Grace (χάρις ) is of rare occurrence in John's writings (Joh 1:14, Joh 1:16, Joh 1:17; Rev 1:4; Rev 22:21); and the kindred χαρίζομαι to favor , be kind , forgive , and χάρισμα gift , are not found at all. See on Luk 1:30. Mercy (ἔλεος ), only here in John. See on Luk 1:50. The pre-Christian definitions of the word include the element of grief experienced on account of the unworthy suffering of another. So Aristotle. The Latin misericordia ( miser " wretched," cor " the heart" ) carries the same idea. So Cicero defines it, the sorrow arising from the wretchedness of another suffering wrongfully . Strictly speaking, the word as applied to God, cannot include either of these elements, since grief cannot be ascribed to Him, and suffering is the legitimate result of sin. The sentiment in God assumes the character of pitying love . Mercy is kindness and goodwill toward the miserable and afflicted, joined with a desire to relieve them. Trench observes: " In the Divine mind, and in the order of our salvation as conceived therein, the mercy precedes the grace . God so loved the world with a pitying love (herein was the mercy ), that He gave His only-begotten Son (herein the grace ), that the world through Him might be saved. But in the order of the manifestation of God's purposes of salvation, the grace must go before the mercy and make way for it. It is true that the same persons are the subjects of both, being at once the guilty and the miserable; yet the righteousness of God, which it is quite as necessary should be maintained as His love, demands that the guilt should be done away before the misery can be assuaged; only the forgiven may be blessed. He must pardon before He can heal.... From this it follows that in each of the apostolic salutations where these words occur, grace precedes mercy" (" Synonyms of the New Testament" ).

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

With you

The best texts read with us .

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

From God - from Jesus Christ ( παρὰ Θεοῦ - παρὰ Ἱησοῦ Χριστοῦ )

Note the repeated preposition, bringing out the twofold relation to the Father and Son. In the Pauline salutations ἀπό from , is invariably used with God, and never repeated with Jesus Christ . On the use of παρά from , see on Joh 6:46; see on 1Jo 1:5.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

God the Father

The more common expression is " God our Father."

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

The Son of the Father

The phrase occurs nowhere else. Compare Joh 1:18; 1Jo 2:22, 1Jo 2:23; 1Jo 1:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:3

In truth and in love

The combination is not found elsewhere. The words indicate the contents of the whole Epistle.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:4

I rejoiced

Expressions of thankful joy are common in the Pauline salutations. See Romans, 1 Corinthians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, Philemon.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:4

Greatly ( λίαν )

The word is found in John's writings only here and 3Jo 1:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:4

I found ( εὕρηκα )

See on Joh 1:41. Rev., I have found .

Vincent: 2Jo 1:4

Of thy children ( ἐκ τῶν τέκνων )

The rendering is obscure. Rev., rightly, supplies certain . Compare Joh 16:17.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:4

In truth ( ἐν ἀληθείᾳ )

Compare 3Jo 1:3. See on 1Jo 1:8.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:5

New ( καινὴν )

See on Mat 26:29.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:5

We had ( εἴχαμεν )

The apostle identifies himself with his readers.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:6

Love ( ἡ ἀγάπη )

The love just mentioned in the verb we love .

Vincent: 2Jo 1:6

That ( ἵνα )

See on Joh 15:13.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:6

After His commandments ( κατὰ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ )

For walk , with κατά after , according to , see Mar 7:5; Rom 8:4; Rom 14:15; 1Co 3:3; 2Co 10:2. Very often with ἐν in . See Joh 8:12; Joh 11:9, Joh 11:10; 2Co 4:2; 1Jo 1:7, 1Jo 1:10. Both constructions are found 2Co 10:2, 2Co 10:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:6

From the beginning ( ἀπ ' ἀρχῆς )

See on Joh 1:1.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:6

In it ( ἐν αὐτῇ )

In love : not the commandment .

Vincent: 2Jo 1:7

Deceivers ( πλάνοι )

See on we deceive ourselves , 1Jo 1:8.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:7

Are entered into ( ἐξῆλθαν εἰς )

Rev., are gone forth into . The A.V. follows the reading εἰσῆλθον entered into . The tense is the aorist, strictly rendered, went forth . It may indicate a particular crisis, at which they went forth from the Christian society.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:7

Who confess not ( οἱ μὴ ὁμολογοῦντες )

The article with the participle describes the character of this class of deceivers, and does not merely assert a definite fact concerning them. Compare Mar 15:41, " other women which came up with Him" (αἱ συνσνσβᾶσαι ). Confess . See on Mat 7:23; see on Mat 10:32.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:7

Is come ( ἐρχόμενον )

Wrong. The verb is in the present participle, coming , which describes the manhood of Christ as still being manifested . See on 1Jo 3:5. In 1Jo 4:2 we have the manifestation treated as a past fact by the perfect tense, ἐληλυθο.τα has come . Rev., that Jesus Christ cometh . So in 1Th 1:10, τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς ἐρχομένης is the wrath which is coming ; which has already begun its movement and is advancing: not merely, as A.V., the wrath to come , which makes it wholly a future event. See on lingereth , 2Pe 2:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:7

An antichrist ( ὁ ἀντίχριστος )

Rev, rendering the definite article, the antichrist . See on 1Jo 2:18.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:8

Look to yourselves that ( βλέπετε ἑαυτούς ἵνα )

Ἵνα in order that , marks the intent of the caution. See on Joh 15:13.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:8

We lose ( ἀπολέσωμεν )

The best texts read ἀπολέσητε , ye lose . So Rev, with destroy in margin. For the meanings of the verb see on Luk 9:25.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:8

We receive ( ἀπολάβωμεν )

The best texts read ἀπολάβητε ye receive . The compounded preposition ἀπό , has the force of back: receive back from God.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:8

Reward ( μισθὸν )

See on 2Pe 2:13, and compare Mat 5:12; Joh 4:36; 1Co 3:8; Rev 11:18; Rev 22:12.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:9

Whosoever transgresseth ( πᾶς ὁ παραβαίνων )

The best texts read προάγων goeth onward . So Rev., with taketh the lead in margin. The meaning is, whosoever advances beyond the limits of Christian doctrine . Others explain of those who would set themselves up as teachers, or take the lead . Such false progress is contrasted with abiding in the teaching. On the construction, πᾶς every one , with the article and participle, see on 1Jo 3:3.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:9

Abideth - in ( μένων ἐν )

See on 1Jo 2:6.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:9

Doctrine ( διδαχῇ )

Better, as Rev., teaching .

Vincent: 2Jo 1:9

Of Christ

Not the teaching concerning Christ, but the teaching of Christ Himself and of His apostles. See Heb 2:3. So according to New Testament usage. See Joh 18:19; Act 2:12; Rev 2:14, Rev 2:15.

Vincent: 2Jo 1:9

In the doctrine of Christ

Omit of Christ . Διδαχή teaching, is used thus absolutely, Rom 16:17; Tit 1:9.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:1

An appellation suited to a familiar letter, but upon a weighty subject.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:1

That is, Christian. Kuria is undoubtedly a proper name, both here and in 2Jo 1:5; for it was not then usual to apply the title of lady to any but the Roman empress; neither would such a manner of speaking have been suitable to the simplicity and dignity of the apostle.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:1

Both her and her children.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:1

With unfeigned and holy love.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:2

As a living principle of faith and holiness.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:3

Grace takes away guilt; mercy, misery: peace implies the abiding in grace and mercy. It includes the testimony of God's Spirit, both that we are his children, and that all our ways are acceptable to him. This is the very foretaste of heaven itself, where it is perfected.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:3

Or, faith and love, as St. Paul speaks. Faith and truth are here synonymous terms.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:4

Probably in their aunt's house, 2Jo 1:13.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:4

In faith and love.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:5

Of our Lord's ministry. Indeed it was, in some sense, from the beginning of the world.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:5

More abundantly.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:6

And this is the proof of true love, universal obedience built on the love of God.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:6

Love.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:6

Of our preaching.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:7

Who disbelieve either his prophetic, or priestly, or kingly office.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:7

From God.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:7

Fighting against Christ.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:8

Which every apostate does.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:8

Having fully employed all our talents to the glory of him that gave them. Here again the apostle modestly transfers it to himself.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:9

Any law of God.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:9

For his Father and his God.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:9

Believing and obeying it.

Wesley: 2Jo 1:9

For his God.

JFB: 2Jo 1:1

In a familiar letter John gives himself a less authoritative designation than "apostle"; so 1Pe 5:1.

JFB: 2Jo 1:1

BENGEL takes the Greek as a proper name Kyria, answering to the Hebrew "Martha." Being a person of influence, "deceivers" (2Jo 1:7) were insinuating themselves into her family to seduce her and her children from the faith [TIRINUS], whence John felt it necessary to write a warning to her. (But see my Introduction and 1Pe 5:13). A particular Church, probably that at Babylon, was intended. "Church" is derived from Greek "Kuriake," akin to Kuria, or Kyria here; the latter word among the Romans and Athenians means the same as ecclesia, the term appropriated to designate the Church assembly.

JFB: 2Jo 1:1

Christian love rests on the Christian truth (2Jo 1:3, end). Not merely "I love in truth," but "I love in THE truth."

JFB: 2Jo 1:1

All Christians form one fellowship, rejoicing in the spiritual prosperity of one another. "The communion of love is as wide as the communion of faith" [ALFORD].

JFB: 2Jo 1:2

Joined with "I love," 2Jo 1:1. "They who love in the truth, also love on account of the truth."

JFB: 2Jo 1:2

In consonance with Christ's promise.

JFB: 2Jo 1:3

One of the oldest manuscripts and several versions have "us" for you. The Greek is literally, "Grace shall be with us," that is, with both you and me. A prayer, however, is implied besides a confident affirmation.

JFB: 2Jo 1:3

"Grace" covers the sins of men; "mercy," their miseries. Grace must first do away with man's guilt before his misery can be relieved by mercy. Therefore grace stands before mercy. Peace is the result of both, and therefore stands third in order. Casting all our care on the Lord, with thanksgiving, maintains this peace.

JFB: 2Jo 1:3

The oldest manuscripts and most of the oldest versions omit "the Lord." John never elsewhere uses this title in his Epistles, but "the Son of God."

JFB: 2Jo 1:3

The element or sphere in which alone grace, mercy, and peace, have place. He mentions truth in 2Jo 1:4; love, in 2Jo 1:5. Paul uses FAITH and love; for faith and truth are close akin.

JFB: 2Jo 1:4

Probably in one of his missionary tours of superintendence. See Introduction, at the end, and 2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:10, 3Jo 1:14.

JFB: 2Jo 1:4

Some.

JFB: 2Jo 1:4

That is, in the Gospel truth.

JFB: 2Jo 1:4

Even as. "The Father's commandment" is the standard of "the truth."

JFB: 2Jo 1:5

Rather (compare Note, see on 1Jo 5:16), "I request thee," implying some degree of authority.

JFB: 2Jo 1:5

It was old in that Christians heard it from the first in the Gospel preaching; new, in that the Gospel rested love on the new principle of filial imitation of God who first loved us, and gave Jesus to die for us; and also, in that love is now set forth with greater clearness than in the Old Testament dispensation. Love performs both tables of the law, and is the end of the law and the Gospel alike (compare Notes, see on 1Jo 2:7-8).

JFB: 2Jo 1:5

Implying that he already had love, and urging her to join him in the same Christian grace. This verse seems to me to decide that a Church, not an individual lady, is meant. For a man to urge a woman ("THEE"; not thee and thy children) that he and she should love one another, is hardly like an apostolic precept, however pure may be the love enjoined; but all is clear if "the lady" represent a Church.

JFB: 2Jo 1:6

"Love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom 13:10), and the fulfilling of the law is the sure test of love.

JFB: 2Jo 1:6

Greek, "The commandment is this," namely, love, in which all God's other commandments are summed up.

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

As love and truth go hand in hand (2Jo 1:3-4), he feels it needful to give warning against teachers of untruth.

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

Giving the reason why he dwelt on truth and on love, which manifests itself in keeping God's commandments (2Jo 1:6).

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

(1Jo 2:18; 1Jo 4:1).

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

The oldest manuscripts read, "have gone forth," namely, from us.

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

The token of Antichrist.

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

Greek, "coming." He who denies Christ's coming in the flesh, denies the possibility of the incarnation; he who denies that he has come, denies its actuality. They denied the possibility of a Messiah's appearing, or coming, in the flesh [NEANDER]. I think the Greek present participle implies both the first and the second advent of Christ. He is often elsewhere called the Coming One (Greek), Mat 11:3; Heb 10:37. The denial of the reality of His manifestation in the flesh, at His first coming, and of His personal advent again, constitutes Antichrist. "The world turns away from God and Christ, busily intent upon its own husks; but to OPPOSE God and Christ is of the leaven of Satan" [BENGEL].

JFB: 2Jo 1:7

Greek, "This (such a one as has been just described) is the deceiver and the Antichrist." The many who in a degree fulfil the character, are forerunners of the final personal Antichrist, who shall concentrate in himself all the features of previous Antichristian systems.

JFB: 2Jo 1:8

Amidst the widespread prevalence of deception so many being led astray. So Christ's warning, Mat 24:4-5, Mat 24:24.

JFB: 2Jo 1:8

The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "That YE lose not, but that YE receive."

JFB: 2Jo 1:8

So one oldest manuscript reads. Other very old manuscripts, versions, and Fathers, read, "which YE have wrought." The we being seemingly the more difficult reading is less likely to have been a transcriber's alteration. Look that ye lose not the believing state of "truth and love," which WE (as God's workmen, 2Co 6:1; 2Ti 2:15) were the instruments of working in you.

JFB: 2Jo 1:8

Of grace not of debt. Fully consummated glory. If "which YE have wrought" be read with very old authorities, the reward meant is that of their "work (of faith) and labor of love." There are degrees of heavenly reward proportioned to the degrees of capability of receiving heavenly blessedness. Each vessel of glory hanging on Jesus shall be fully happy. But the larger the vessel, the greater will be its capacity for receiving heavenly bliss. He who with one pound made ten, received authority over ten cities. He who made five pounds received five cities; each according to his capacity of rule, and in proportion to his faithfulness. Compare 1Co 15:41. "There is no half reward of the saints. It is either lost altogether, or received in full; in full communion with God" [BENGEL]. Still no service of minister or people shall fail to receive its reward.

JFB: 2Jo 1:9

The loss (2Jo 1:8) meant is here explained: the not having God, which results from abiding not in the doctrine of Christ.

JFB: 2Jo 1:9

The oldest manuscripts and versions read, "Every one who takes the lead"; literally, "goes," or "leads on before"; compare Joh 10:4, "He goeth before them" (not the same Greek). Compare 3Jo 1:9, "Loveth to have the pre-eminence."

JFB: 2Jo 1:9

(1Jo 2:23; 1Jo 5:15). The second "of Christ" is omitted in the oldest manuscripts, but is understood in the sense.

JFB: 2Jo 1:9

Emphatical: He and He alone.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:1

The elder - John the apostle, who was now a very old man, generally supposed to be about ninety, and therefore he uses the term ὁ πρεσβυτερος, presbyter or elder, not as the name of an office, but as designating his advanced age. He is allowed to have been the oldest of all the apostles, and to have been the only one who died a natural death

This title led some of the ancients to attribute this epistle to a person called John the Presbyter, a member of the Church at Ephesus; and not to John the apostle. But this is a groundless supposition

Clarke: 2Jo 1:1

The elect lady - Εκλεκτῃ Κυρια· As Κυρια, kuria , may be the feminine of Κυριος, kurios , lord, therefore it may signify lady; and so several, both ancients and moderns, have understood it. But others have considered it the proper name of a woman, Kyria; and that this is a very ancient opinion is evident from the Peshito Syriac, the oldest version we have, which uses it as a proper name koureea , as does also the Arabic kooreea

Some have thought that Eclecta was the name of this matron, from the word εκλεκτη, which we translate elect, and which here signifies the same as excellent, eminent, honorable, or the like. Others think that a particular Church is intended, which some suppose to be the Church at Jerusalem, and that the elect sister, 2Jo 1:13, means the Church at Ephesus; but these are conjectures which appear to me to have no good ground. I am satisfied that no metaphor is here intended; that the epistle was sent to some eminent Christian matron, not far from Ephesus, who was probably deaconess of the Church, who, it is likely, had a Church at her house, or at whose house the apostles and traveling evangelists frequently preached, and were entertained. This will appear more probable in the course of the notes

Clarke: 2Jo 1:1

Whom I love in the truth - Whom I love as the Christian religion requires us to love one another

Clarke: 2Jo 1:1

And not I only - She was well known in the Churches; many had witnessed or heard of her fidelity, and partook of her hospitality; so that she had a good report of all Christians in that quarter.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:2

For the truth’ s sake - On account of the Gospel

Clarke: 2Jo 1:2

Which dwelleth in us - By the grace which it has proclaimed

Clarke: 2Jo 1:2

And shall be with us - For God will preserve not only the Christian religion but its truth, all its essential doctrines for ever. And they that abide in the truth shall go whither that truth leads, i.e. to glory. The Armenian has a strange reading here: "For the truth’ s sake which dwelleth in us, because it is also with you; and ye shall be with us for ever."But this is supported by no other version, nor by any MS.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:3

Grace be with you - This is addressed to her, her household, and probably that part of the Church which was more immediately under her care

Clarke: 2Jo 1:3

The Son of the Father - The apostle still keeps in view the miraculous conception of Christ; a thing which the Gnostics absolutely denied; a doctrine which is at the ground work of our salvation.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:4

That I found of thy children walking in truth - I have already supposed this Christian matron to be mother of a family, probably a widow, for no mention is made of her husband; and that she was also a deaconess in the church, and one in those house the traveling evangelists preached, and there they were entertained. The children mentioned here may either be her own children, or those members of the Church which were under her care, or some of both. The apostle was glad to find, probably by an epistle sent from herself to him, or from the information of some of the itinerant evangelists, that the work of God was prospering in the place where she lived, and also in her own household. He does not say that all were walking in the truth, but εκ των τεκνων, some of her children; there was a growing and spreading work, and there were many adversaries who strove to pervert them who had already believed, and perhaps were successful in drawing several away from their simplicity.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:5

That which we had from the beginning - The commandment to love one another was what they had heard from the first publication of Christianity, and what he wishes this excellent woman to inculcate on all those under her care. The mode of address here shows that it was a person, not a Church, to which the apostle wrote.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:6

And this is love - That is, our love is shown and proved by our walking according to the commandments of God; for love is the principle of obedience.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:7

For many deceivers, etc. - Of these he had spoken before, see 1Jo 4:1, etc. And these appear to have been Gnostics, for they denied that Jesus was come in the flesh. And this doctrine, so essential to salvation, none could deny but a deceiver and an antichrist. Instead of εισηλθον are entered in, many excellent MSS. and versions have εξηλθον, are gone out. The sense is nearly the same.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:8

Look to yourselves - Be on your guard against these seducers; watch, pray, love God and each other, and walk in newness of life

Clarke: 2Jo 1:8

That we lose not those things which we have wrought - That we apostles, who have been the means of your conversion, may not be deprived of you as our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus

Instead of the first person plural, απολεσωμεν, etc., We lose, etc., many MSS., versions, and fathers, read the whole clause in the second person plural, απολεσητε, Ye lose, etc. Take heed to yourselves that Ye lose not the things which Ye have wrought, but that Ye receive a full reward. This reading is more consistent and likely, and is supported by at least as good evidence as the other. We find that if these persons did not keep on their guard they might lose their salvation, and the apostles their rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. Even this intimation might put them on their guard. Had the apostle said ye cannot finally fall, what a different effect would it have produced! Griesbach has placed these readings in the margin as being very probable.

Clarke: 2Jo 1:9

Whosoever transgresseth - Παραβαινων· He who passes over the sacred enclosure, or goes beyond the prescribed limits; and abideth not in the doctrine - does not remain within these holy limits, but indulges himself either in excesses of action or passion; hath not God for his Father, nor the love of God in his heart

Clarke: 2Jo 1:9

Hath both the father and the Son - He who abideth in the doctrine of Christ, his body is a temple of the Holy Trinity, and he has communion with the Father as his Father, and with the Son as his Savior and Redeemer.

Defender: 2Jo 1:1

"The elder" is, of course, the beloved disciple, John. The vocabulary, tone and content of this short epistle clearly prove that it was written by the same author as John's gospel and his first epistle. He evidently called himself "the elder" both because he was an old man by this time and also because the various churches of Asia (to whom his letters were undoubtedly circulated) all acknowledged him as entitled to this official designation. Uniform tradition holds that he was the presiding elder, or bishop, of the church at Ephesus in particular, but all these churches honored and respected him as holding apostolic authority.

Defender: 2Jo 1:1

Although a number of modern writers believe John was writing to a particular woman leader of one of the churches, it seems more likely that he was personifying the church under the figure of a gracious lady (compare 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-27, Eph 5:32). No other canonical epistle is addressed to an individual unless that individual is addressed by name (3Jo 1:1). Some have suggested that "lady" is actually a proper name (Greek kuria), but the adjective "elect" is never used elsewhere as an individual appellation ("the well-beloved Gaius," 3Jo 1:1). Another obvious problem is that this lady was assumed to have considerable authority in the church whereas the Apostle Paul had made it plain that, in the church, no woman was to "usurp authority over the man" (1Ti 2:12).

Defender: 2Jo 1:1

The "children" so addressed, as well as other children that had moved away (2Jo 1:4), were, evidently, those who had been won to Christ through the ministry of this church. Perhaps, since John did not mention its location, this church was addressed as representing all the churches of the region."

Defender: 2Jo 1:7

This means, literally, "gone forth" into the world, evidently from the domain of Satan, seeking to undermine and destroy any true church.

Defender: 2Jo 1:7

This is the specific test by which to distinguish true teachers from false teachers (1Jo 4:1-3). Actually, the verb "is come" could be rendered "is coming." That is, Jesus Christ is coming back to this world, and it will again be "in the flesh," but His body is now made of glorified and immortal flesh.

Defender: 2Jo 1:7

Literally, "the deceiver and the antichrist." This is, indeed, the doctrine taught by Satan and his coming Antichrist, but already there are "many antichrists" (1Jo 2:18), as well as "many deceivers" that have "entered into the world.""

Defender: 2Jo 1:9

This could be restated, "goes beyond;" trying to put esoteric extrapolations of a pseudo-spiritual nature on the plain teachings of Christ and His Word.

Defender: 2Jo 1:9

The "doctrine" of Christ (which is actually "teachings" in the Greek) must include all the teachings of Christ, everything He said and did, covering all the Scripture and all His purposes."

TSK: 2Jo 1:1

ad 90, am 4094

elder : 1Pe 5:1; 3Jo 1:1

the elect lady : 2Jo 1:5, 2Jo 1:13; Luk 1:3; Eph 1:4, Eph 1:5; 1Th 1:3, 1Th 1:4; 2Th 2:13, 2Th 2:14; 1Pe 1:2

whom : 2Jo 1:2, 2Jo 1:3; 1Pe 1:22, 1Pe 1:23; 1Jo 3:18; 3Jo 1:1

known : Joh 8:32; Gal 2:5, Gal 2:14, Gal 3:1, Gal 5:7; Col 1:5; 2Th 2:13; 1Ti 2:4; Heb 10:26; 1Jo 2:21

TSK: 2Jo 1:2

the truth’ s : 1Co 9:23; 2Co 4:5

which : Joh 15:7; Col 3:16; 2Ti 1:5; 1Pe 1:23-25; 1Jo 2:14, 1Jo 2:17

TSK: 2Jo 1:3

Grace : Rom 1:7; 1Ti 1:2

be : Gr. shall be

the Son : 1Jo 2:23, 1Jo 2:24, 1Jo 4:10

in truth : 2Jo 1:1; Zec 8:19; Gal 5:6; 1Ti 1:14; 2Ti 1:13

TSK: 2Jo 1:4

rejoiced : Phi 4:10; 1Th 2:19, 1Th 2:20, 1Th 3:6-10; 3Jo 1:3, 3Jo 1:4

walking : Hos 14:9; Mal 2:6; Gal 2:14; Eph 5:2, Eph 5:8; 1Jo 1:6, 1Jo 1:7, 1Jo 2:6

TSK: 2Jo 1:5

not : 1Jo 2:7, 1Jo 2:8, 1Jo 3:11

that we : Joh 13:34, Joh 13:35, Joh 15:12; Gal 5:22; Eph 5:2; 1Th 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1Pe 1:22, 1Pe 1:23, 1Pe 4:8; 2Pe 1:7; 1Jo 3:14-18, 1Jo 3:23, 1Jo 4:7-12, 1Jo 4:20

TSK: 2Jo 1:6

this is love : Joh 14:15, Joh 14:21, Joh 15:10,Joh 15:14; Rom 13:8, Rom 13:9; Gal 5:13, Gal 5:14; 1Jo 5:3, 1Jo 5:15

This is the : 2Jo 1:5; 1Jo 2:24

TSK: 2Jo 1:7

many : 2Pe 2:1-3; 1Jo 2:18-22, 1Jo 4:1

who : Joh 1:14; 1Ti 3:16; 1Jo 4:2; Rev 12:9, Rev 13:14

This is : 1Jo 2:22, 1Jo 4:3

TSK: 2Jo 1:8

Look : Mat 24:4, Mat 24:24, Mat 24:25; Mar 13:5, Mar 13:6, Mar 13:9, Mar 13:23; Luk 21:8; Heb 12:15; Rev 3:11

that we lose : Gal 3:4, Gal 4:11; Phi 2:15, Phi 2:16, Phi 3:16; Heb 10:32, Heb 10:35; Rev 3:11

wrought : or, gained, ""Some copies read, which ye have gained, but that ye receive, etc."

that we receive : Dan 12:3; Joh 4:36; 1Co 3:8, 1Co 3:14, 1Co 15:8

TSK: 2Jo 1:9

abideth not : Joh 15:6; 1Jo 2:22-24

the doctrine : Joh 7:16, Joh 7:17; Act 2:42; Col 3:16; Tit 2:10; Heb 6:1

hath not : Mat 11:27; Luk 10:22; Joh 5:23, Joh 14:6

He that : Heb 3:14

he hath : 1Jo 1:3

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Jo 1:1

The elder - See the introduction, Section 1, (2,d).

Unto the elect lady - The elect or chosen Kyria. See the introduction, Section 2. He addresses her as one chosen of God to salvation, in the use of a term often applied to Christians in the New Testament.

And her children - The word here rendered "children"( τέκνοις teknois ) would include in itself both sons and daughters, but since the apostle immediately uses a masculine pronoun, τοις tois it would seem more probable that sons only were intended. At all events, the use of such a pronoun proves that some at least of her children were sons. Of their number and character we have no information, except that (the notes at 2Jo 1:4) a part of them were Christians.

Whom I love in the truth - See the notes, Joh 3:18. The meaning here is, that he "truly"or "sincerely"loved them. The introduction of the article the here, which is not in the original, ( ἐν ἀληθίᾳ en alēthia ) somewhat obscures the sense, as if the meaning were that he loved them so far as they embraced the truth. The meaning however is, that he was sincerely attached to them. The word "whom"here, ( οὓς hous ,) embraces both the mother and her children, though the pronoun is in the masculine gender, in accordance with the usage of the Greek language. No mention is made of her husband, and it may thence be inferred that she was a widow. Had he been living, though he might not have been a Christian, it is to be presumed that some allusion would have been made to him as well as to the children, especially since there is reason to believe that only some of her children were pious. See the notes, 2Jo 1:4.

And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth - That is, all those Christians who had had an opportunity of knowing them, were sincerely attached to them. It would seem, from a subsequent part of the Epistle 2Jo 1:10, that this female was of a hospitable character, and was accustomed to entertain at her house the professed friends of religion, especially religious teachers, and it is probable that she was the more extensively known from this fact. The commendation of the apostle here shows that it is possible that a family shall be extensively known as one of order, peace, and religion, so that all who know it or hear of it shall regard it with interest, respect, and love.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:2

For the truth’ s sake - They love this family because they love the truth, and see it so cordially embraced and so happily exemplified. Those who love the gospel itself will rejoice in all the effects which it produces in society, on individuals, families, neighborhoods, and their hearts will be drawn with warm affection to the places where its influence is most fully seen.

Which dwelleth in us - In us who are Christians; that is, the truths of the gospel which we have embraced. Truth may be said to have taken up a permanent abode in the hearts of all who love religion.

And shall be with us for ever - Its abode with us is not for a night or a day; not for a month or a year; not for the few years that make up mortal life; it is not a passing stranger that finds a lodging like the weary traveler for a night, and in the morning is gone to be seen no more; it has come to us to make our hearts its permanent home, and it is to be with us in all worlds, and while ceaseless ages shall roll away.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:3

Grace be unto you ... - See the notes at Rom 1:7. This salutation does not differ from those commonly employed by the sacred writers, except in the emphasis which is placed on the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ is "the Son of the Father."This is much in the style of John, in all of whose writings he dwells much on the fact that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God, and on the importance of recognizing that fact in order to the possession of true religion. Compare 1Jo 2:22-23; 1Jo 4:15; 1Jo 5:1-2, 1Jo 5:10-12, 1Jo 5:20.

In truth and love - This phrase is not to be connected with the expression "the Son of the Father,"as if it meant that he was his Son "in truth and love,"but is rather to be connected with the "grace, mercy, and peace"referred to, as a prayer that they might be manifested to this family in promoting truth and love.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:4

I rejoiced greatly that I found ... - That I learned this fact respecting some of thy children. The apostle does not say how he had learned this. It may have been that he had become personally acquainted with them when they were away from their home, or that he had learned it from others. The word used εὕρηκα heurēka would apply to either method. Grotius supposed that some of the sons had come to Ephesus on business, and that John had become acquainted with them there.

Of thy children walking in truth - That is, true Christians; living in accordance with the truth, for this constitutes the essence of religion. The expression used here, "of thy children,"( ἐκ τῶν τέκνων ek tōn teknōn ,) means some of thy children; implying that he knew of a part of them who were true Christians. This is clear from the Greek construction, because:

(a)\caps1     i\caps0 f he had meant to say that he had found them all to be of this description, the sentiment would have been directly expressed, "thy children;"but as it is, some word is necessary to be understood to complete the sense; and,

(b)\caps1     t\caps0 he same thing is demanded by the fact that the participle used ("walking"- περιπατοῦντας peripatountas ) is in the accusative case.

If he had referred to them all, the participle would have been in the genitive, agreeing with the word "children,"( τῶν περιπατοῦντων tōn peripatountōn ) - Lucke. Whether the apostle means to say that only a part of them had in fact embraced the gospel, or that he had only known that a part of them had done it, though the others might have done it without his knowledge, is not quite clear, though the former supposition appears to be the correct one, for if they had all become Christians it is to be presumed that he would have been informed of it. The probability seems to be that a part of her children only were truly pious, though there is no evidence that the others were otherwise than correct in their moral conduct. If there had been improper conduct in any of her other children, John was too courteous, and too delicate in his feelings, to allude to so disagreeable a circumstance. But "if that pious lady,"to use the language of Benson, "had some wicked children, her lot was not unique. Her consolation was that she had some who were truly good. John commended those who were good, in order to excite them in the most agreeable manner to persevere."

As we have received a commandment from the Father - That is, as he has commanded us to live; in accordance with the truth which he has revealed. The "Father,"in the Scripture, is everywhere represented as the Source of law.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:5

And now I beseech thee, lady - Dr, "And now I entreat thee, Kyria,"( κυρία kuria .) See the introduction, Section 2. If this was her proper name, there is no impropriety in supposing that he would address her in this familiar style. John was probably then a very old man; the female to whom the Epistle was addressed was doubtless much younger.

Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee - John presumed that the command to love one another was understood as far as the gospel was known; and he might well presume it, for true Christianity never prevails anywhere without prompting to the observance of this law. See the notes at 1Th 4:9.

But that which we had from the beginning - From the time when the gospel was first made known to us. See the notes at 1Jo 2:7; 1Jo 3:11.

That we love one another - That is, that there be among the disciples of Christ mutual love; or that in all circumstances and relations they should love one another, Joh 15:12, Joh 15:17. This general command, addressed to all the disciples of the Saviour, John doubtless means to say was as applicable to him and to the pious female to whom he wrote as to any others, and ought to be exercised by them toward all true Christians; and he exhorts her, as he did all Christians, to exercise it. It was a command upon which, in his old age, he loved to dwell; and he had little more to say to her than this, to exhort her to obey this injunction of the Saviour.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:6

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments - This is the proper expression or evidence of love to God. See the notes at Joh 14:15, Joh 14:21.

This is the commandment - That is, this is his great and special commandment; the one by which his disciples are to be especially characterized, and by which they are to be distinguished in the world. See the notes at Joh 13:34.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:7

For - Ὅτι Hoti . This word "for"is not here to be regarded as connected with the previous verse, and as giving a reason why there should be the exercise of mutual love, but is rather to be understood as connected with the following verse, 2Jo 1:8, and as giving a reason for the caution there expressed: "Because it is a truth that many deceivers have appeared, or since it has occurred that many such are abroad, look to yourselves lest you be betrayed and ruined."The fact that there were many such deceivers was a good reason for being constantly on their guard, lest they should be so far drawn away as not to receive a full reward.

Many deceivers are entered into the world - Are abroad in the world, or have appeared among men. Several manuscripts read here, "have gone out into the world,"( ἐξῆλθον exēlthon ,) instead of "have entered into," εἰσῆλθον eisēlthon . The common reading is the correct one, and the other was originated, probably, from the unusual form of the expression, "have come into the world,"as if they had come from another abode. That, however, is not necessarily implied, the language being such as would he properly used to denote the idea that there were such deceivers in the world.

Who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh - Who maintain that he assumed only the appearance of a man, and was not really incarnate. See the notes at 1Jo 4:2-3.

This is a deceiver - Everyone who maintains this is to be regarded as a deceiver.

And an antichrist - See the notes at 1Jo 2:18; 1Jo 4:3.

Barnes: 2Jo 1:8

Look to yourselves - This seems to be addressed to the lady to whom he wrote, and to her children. The idea is, that they should be particularly on their guard, and that their first care should be to secure their own hearts, so that they should not be exposed to the dangerous attacks of error. When error abounds in the world, our first duty is not to attack it and make war upon it; it is to look to the citadel of our own souls, and see that all is well guarded there. When an enemy invades a land, the first thing will not be to go out against him, regardless of our own strength, or of the security of our own fortresses, but it will be to see that our forts are well manned, and that we are secure there from his assaults. If that is so, we may then go forth with confidence to meet him on the open field. In relation to an error that is in the world, the first thing for a Christian to do is to take care of his own heart.

That we lose not those things which we have wrought - Margin: "Or, gained."Some copies read: "which ye have gained, but that ye."The reading here referred to in the margin is found in several manuscripts and also in the Vulgate, the Syriac, and the Aethiopic versions. It is not, however, adopted in the late critical editions of the New Testament, and the common reading is probably genuine. The sense is not materially varied, and the common reading is not unnatural. John was exhorting the family to whom this Epistle was written to take good heed to themselves while so many artful errorists were around them, lest they should be drawn away from the truth, and lose a part of the full reward which they might hope to receive in heaven. In doing this, nothing was more natural than that he, as a Christian friend, should group himself with them, and speak of himself as having the same need of caution, and express the feeling that he ought to strive also to obtain the full reward, thus showing that he was not disposed to address an exhortation to them which he was not willing to regard as applicable to himself.

The truth which is taught here is one of interest to all Christians - that it is possible for even genuine Christians, by suffering themselves to be led into error, or by failure in duty, to lose a part of the reward which they might have obtained. The crown which they will wear in heaven will be less bright than that which they might have worn, and the throne which they will occupy will be less elevated. The rewards of heaven will be in accordance with the services rendered to the Redeemer; and it would not be right that they who turn aside, or falter in their course, should have the same exalted honours which they might have received if they had devoted themselves to God with ever-increasing fidelity. It is painful to think how many there are who begin the Christian career with burnings zeal, as if they would strike for the highest rewards in heaven, but who soon waver in their course, and fall into some paralyzing error, until at last they receive, perhaps, not half the reward which they might have obtained.

But that we receive a full reward - Such as will be granted to a life uniformly consistent and faithful; all that God has to bestow on his people when most faithful and true. But who can estimate the "full reward"of heaven, the unspeakable glory of those who make it the grand business of their lives to obtain all they can of its bliss. And who is there that does not feel that he ought to strive for a crown in which not one gem shall be missing that might have sparkled there forever?

Barnes: 2Jo 1:9

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God - In the doctrine which Christ taught, or the true doctrine respecting him. The language is somewhat ambiguous, like the phrase "the love of Christ,"which may mean either his love to us, or our love to him. Compare Joh 15:9. It is difficult to determine here which is the true sense - whether it means the doctrine or precepts which he taught, or the true doctrine respecting him. Macknight understands by it the doctrine taught by Christ and his apostles. It would seem most probable that this is the sense of the passage, but then it would include, of course, all that Christ taught respecting himself, as well as his other instructions. The essential idea is, that the truth must be held respecting the precepts, the character, and the work of the Saviour. Probably the immediate allusion here is to those to whom John so frequently referred as "antichrist,"who denied that Jesus had come in the flesh, 2Jo 1:7. At the same time, however, he makes the remark general, that if anyone did not hold the true doctrine respecting the Saviour, he had no real knowledge of God. See Joh 1:18; Joh 5:23; Joh 15:23; Joh 17:3; 1Jo 2:23.

Hath not God - Has no true knowledge of God. The truth taught here is, that it is essential for piety to hold the true doctrine respecting Christ.

He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ - In the true doctrine respecting Christ, or in the doctrine which he taught.

He hath both the Father and the Son - There is such an intimate union between the Father and the Son, that he who has just views of the one has also of the other. Compare the Joh 14:7, Joh 14:9-11 notes; 1Jo 2:23 note.

Poole: 2Jo 1:1

2Jo 1:1-4 The apostle testifieth his regard and good wishes

for a certain pious matron and her

children, and his joy in their good behaviour.

2Jo 1:5-9 He exhorteth them to persevere in

Christian love and belief, that they lose not their

full reward,

2Jo 1:10,11 and to have nothing to do with

those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of

Christ.

2Jo 1:12,13 He hopeth to see them shortly, and

concludeth with salutations.

The elder a general name of office, fitly appropriated with eminency here, he being the only apostle, probably, now surviving on earth.

The elect lady this appears to have been some noted person, whom both her singular piety, and rank in the world, made eminent, and capable of having great influence for the support of the Christian interest, which her general value with all that had

known the truth ( i.e. the Christians in those parts), shows. The opinion that a church is intended by this appellation, had it greater probability, is of no great importance, and need not here be disputed.

Poole: 2Jo 1:2

The indwelling of evangelical truth, which is here meant, signifies its deep radication, and powerful transforming efficacy, in the soul, so as to be productive of holiness, as Joh 17:17 ; than which nothing can be a greater inducement among Christians of mutual love.

Poole: 2Jo 1:3

Such salutations see explained where they have formerly occurred.

Poole: 2Jo 1:4

Some of her sons, it is probably conjectured, he had met with, upon their occasions, at Ephesus, where, it is thought, he now resided, and found them to have a good savour of religion, and to walk according to rule, which was matter of great joy to him.

Poole: 2Jo 1:5

He inculcates that great precept, of which see 1Jo 2:7,8 .

Poole: 2Jo 1:6

From this particular command he passes to what is more general, requiring in all things a strict and unanimous adherence to the pure and primitive doctrine of the gospel, which would be the best expression of love to God, and the true centre and bond of love to one another, as 1Jo 5:1,3 .

Poole: 2Jo 1:7

See 1Jo 2:18,22 4:3 .

Poole: 2Jo 1:8

Such changes of the person, as we here find, are neither unusual, nor, in exhortation, inelegant; but some copies read in the two latter clauses

ye He presses to constancy in the true, incorrupt Christian profession.

That we receive a full reward that the expected recompence be not lost in the whole, or in any part, as Gal 3:3,4 .

Poole: 2Jo 1:9

See 1Jo 2:23 .

Haydock: 2Jo 1:1

The ancient priest, or bishop. See 1 Peter v. 1. ---

To the lady Elect. Some conjecture that elect might be the name of a family, or of a particular church; but the common opinion is, that it was the proper name of a virtuous lady. ---

Whom I love in truth, with a sincere Christian charity as well as her children. By reason of the truth, or the true faith, that abideth in us. (Witham)

Haydock: 2Jo 1:6

This is the rule of a Christian and Catholic to walk in that faith and worship which he hath received from the beginning, and which we now call according to the Scriptures, the tradition of the apostles. Thus shall the faithful avoid seducers that start up in every age, teaching new doctrines. (Bristow)

Haydock: 2Jo 1:7

Many seducers are gone out into the world; antichrists, who confess not Christ to have come in the flesh. These were the disciples of Simon, the Cerinthians, Ebionites, &c. See 1 John ii. 18. (Witham)

Haydock: 2Jo 1:8-9

We here see the reward for adhering to the Catholic faith, and the condemnation for revolting from the received truth. The apostles, and their lawful successors in the ministry, determine the true doctrine in points which innovators call into controversy, which being once done and declared to the faithful, they need no other mark to know a false teacher, but that he cometh with another doctrine than that which has been delivered.

Gill: 2Jo 1:1

The elder unto the elect lady and her children,.... By the "elder" is meant the writer of this epistle, the Apostle John, who so calls himself either on account of his age, he being now near an hundred years of age, having outlived all the apostles: or on account of his office, being a bishop or overseer, not only of the church at Ephesus, but of all the Asiatic churches, which is the same with an elder; nor is this incompatible with his being an apostle; see 1Pe 5:1, the elect lady is the person he writes unto; by whom is designed not the church of Christ, since such a way of speaking is unusual; and besides, he speaks of coming to see her face to face, and of the children of her elect sister: but some particular person, some rich, as well as gracious woman of John's acquaintance; and these words, "elect lady", are neither of them proper names of the person: some think that the word "Kyria", rendered "lady", was the name of the person, as "Domina" with the Romans, and answers to the Hebrew word "Martha"; for as מר, "Mar", signifies lord, so מרתא, "Martha, lady"; and then the inscription runs, "to the choice" or "excellent Martha"; and the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "to the elect Kyria": and others think that the word rendered elect is a proper name, and that this person's name was "Electa", as "Electus" ^d is a man's name; and then it must read thus, "to the lady Electa"; but her sister also is so called, and it can hardly be thought that two sisters should be both of a name; neither of them are proper names, but characters and titles of respect and honour: she is called a "lady", because she was a person of distinction and substance, which shows that God sometimes calls by his grace some that are rich and noble; and also that titles of respect and honour, where flattery is avoided, may be lawfully given to persons of dignity and wealth; so Nazianzen ^e calls his own mother by the same title; and it was usual to call women by this name from fourteen years of age ^f: and this person also is said to be "elect"; either because she was a choice, famous, and excellent person, not only for her birth, nobility, and riches, but for her virtue, grace, and good works; or because she was chosen unto eternal life and salvation; and which the apostle might know without a special and divine revelation, by the Gospel coming with power to her; by the grace that was wrought in her; by the faith of God's elect, which she appeared to have, seeing it worked by love; and which may be, and ought to be concluded in a judgment of charity, of everyone that professes faith in Christ, and walks according to it; and this also makes it appear that election is of particular persons, and not of nations, communities, and churches, as such; nor is it unusual to salute single persons under this character; see Rom 16:13, this epistle is inscribed not only to this lady, but also to "her children"; who were not infants, but grown up, and had made a profession of the truth, and walked in it, 2Jo 1:4, and both the mother and the children the apostle represents as the objects of his love:

whom I love in the truth; either as being in the truth and faith of the Gospel; for though all men are to be loved as men, and to be done well to, yet they that are of the household of faith, or are in the faith, are in and especial manner to be loved and respected; see Gal 6:10; or the sense is, that the apostle loved this lady and her children sincerely and heartily, without dissimulation; not in word and in tongue, but in deed and in truth, 1Jo 3:18,

and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; either the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth; not with a notional knowledge, but with the knowledge of approbation and affection; with a fiducial and appropriating one: or the Gospel, the word of truth; not with a speculative, but with a spiritual and experimental knowledge of it: and this is not to be understood of every individual person then living, which had such a knowledge of the truth; for it cannot be reasonably thought that every individual person should know this lady and her children; but of all such persons who had any knowledge of them; for such who are born again by the word of truth, love not only him that begot them, but all those who are begotten of him: this shows in what sense the word "all" is sometimes taken.

Gill: 2Jo 1:2

For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us,.... Not for her high birth, nobility, or riches; but either for Christ's sake, who is the truth, and who dwells in the hearts of believers by faith, and who is the same that dwells in one as in another; and on his account it is that saints love one another, because they belong to him, he is formed in them, and his image is stamped upon them; and every like loves its like: or for the Gospel's sake, which has a place, and dwells in every saint, and is the same for matter and substance in one as in another; and unity of mind and judgment produces unity of affection: or for the sake of the truth of grace, the inward principle of grace, which dwells in every regenerate person; a communication of the experience of which knits the saints one to another:

and shall be with us for ever; where Christ enters and takes up his abode, from thence he never finally and totally departs, though he may sometimes hide his face with respect to communion, or withdraw his gracious presence; and where the Gospel has once took place in the heart, and is become the ingrafted word, it can never be rooted out, or be removed; and where the truth of grace is, it will remain; it is an incorruptible seed, a well of living water, springing up into eternal life.

Gill: 2Jo 1:3

Grace be with you, mercy and peace,.... This form of salutation, or wish and prayer for the blessings mentioned,

from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, is the same used by other apostles; see 1Ti 1:2 and See Gill on Rom 1:7. Only it is added here with respect to Christ, that he is

the Son of the Father in truth and love; which is mentioned by the apostle to confirm the deity of Christ, which is plainly implied in wishing for the above things equally from him, as from the Father; and to oppose and confront some heretics of those times, who denied the true and proper sonship of Christ; and therefore he calls him, "the Son of the Father", the only begotten of the Father; and that "in truth", or truly and properly, and not in a figurative and metaphorical sense, as magistrates are called the sons of God, and children of the most High, by reason of their office; but so is not Christ, he is God's own Son, in a true, proper, and natural sense: and he is so "in love"; he is his well beloved Son, his dear Son, the Son of his love; as he cannot otherwise be; since he is not only the image of him, but of the same nature, and has the same perfections with him.

Gill: 2Jo 1:4

I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children,.... Not all, but some of them; for good parents have not always good children, or at least not all of them; Adam had a Cain, Abraham an Ishmael, and Isaac an Esau: God is pleased to show his discriminating grace in tribes and families, by taking some, and leaving others: it is a great mercy when any are called by grace, and instead of the fathers are the children: and this was the case of some of the children of this elect lady, they were

walking in the truth: in Christ, the truth, by faith, as they had received him; and in the truth of the Gospel, as they had embraced and professed it; they abode in it, and by it, and made a proficiency in the knowledge of it, which may be signified by walking, that being a progressive action: as also they walked according to it, and as became it; and likewise they walked in the truth of Gospel worship, discipline, and ordinances:

as we have received a commandment from the Father; and which has been made known by Jesus Christ, as his mind and will. Now as it is matter of joy and gladness to godly parents when their children walk in the paths of faith, truth, and holiness, so it is also to ministers of the Gospel, as well as to the angels in heaven; it gives them an inward pleasure and joy, and which is not only expressed by them, to such children and their parents, but is also abundant by many thanksgivings unto God.

Gill: 2Jo 1:5

And now I beseech thee, lady,.... Or "Kyria", which word the Syriac and Arabic versions retain, as if it was a proper name: the apostle having finished the inscription, salutation, and congratulation in the preceding verses, passes to an exhortation and entreaty to observe the commandment of love to one another, which is not a new commandment, but what was from the beginning:

not as though I wrote a new commandment, &c. See Gill on 1Jo 2:7 and See Gill on 1Jo 2:8.

Gill: 2Jo 1:6

And this is love, that we walk after his commandments,.... By observing them as a rule of conversation, in so doing love is shown to God; and such may expect the fresh discoveries of the love of God to, them; See Gill on 1Jo 5:3;

this is the commandment, that as ye have heard from the beginning,

ye should walk in it; that is, this is the will of God, that his people should walk in the truth of the Gospel, and abide by it, as they heard and received it at their first conversion, from the mouths of the apostles, or other faithful ministers of the word; a reason for which, is given in 2Jo 1:7.

Gill: 2Jo 1:7

For many deceivers are entered into the world,.... By whom are meant false teachers, who are described by their quality, "deceivers", deceitful workers, pretending to be ministers of Christ, to have a: value for truth, a love for souls, and a view to the glory of God, but lie in wait to deceive, and handle the word of God deceitfully; and by their quantity or number, "many", and so likely to do much mischief; and by the place where they were, they were "entered into the world"; or "gone out into the world", as the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read; See Gill on 1Jo 4:1; and by their tenet,

who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh; these were not the Jews who denied that Jesus was the Christ, though they would not allow that Christ was come in the flesh; but these were some who bore the Christian name, and professed to believe in Jesus Christ, but would not own that he was really incarnate, or assumed a true human nature, only in appearance; and denied that he took true and real flesh of the virgin, but only seemed to do so; and these are confuted by the apostle, 1Jo 1:1; and upon everyone of these he justly fixes the following character.

This is a deceiver and an antichrist; one of the deceivers that were come into the world, and one of the antichrists that were already in it; and who were the forerunners of the man of sin, and in whom the mystery of iniquity already began to work; for antichrist does not design anyone particular individual person, but a set of men, that are contrary to Christ, and opposers of him.

Gill: 2Jo 1:8

Look to yourselves,.... This is an exhortation to the elect lady, and her children, to look about them, and take care of themselves, and beware of these deceivers, and their doctrines:

that we lose not those things which we have wrought; or as the Alexandrian copy, and many other copies, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, "that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought"; in embracing the Gospel, making a profession of it, walking in it, showing a zeal, and contending for it, expressing a love both by words and actions to the ministers of it, and suffering much reproach on the account of it; all which would be lost, and in vain, should they at last drop the Gospel, and embrace the errors of the wicked; see Gal 3:4. Moreover, such who do not go such lengths, as to let go the head, Christ, but retain him as the foundation, and the fundamental doctrines of the Gospel, yet, among many precious things, may lay much rubbish on this foundation; and therefore should take heed what they build upon it, since, though they themselves may be saved, their works may be destroyed, and so they suffer loss; see 1Co 3:11; and if we read the words, "that we lose not--which we have wrought"; the sense is the same, it being only a figure which rhetoricians call communion, and it is frequently used when a common duty is exhorted to; see 1Jo 2:28; unless it should be thought that this has a peculiar reference to the ministers of the Gospel, as it may: for though the Gospel preached by them can never be lost, being the everlasting Gospel, and the word which abides for ever; yet it may be received in vain, and persons may fall from it, and imbibe error, and so the labour of Christ's faithful ministers may be so far in vain, and lost; and likewise, many souls whom they have thought they have gained to Christ, and that they have been instruments of working upon them for good, and have hoped they would be their joy and crown of rejoicing another day; when such are carried away by deceivers, fall off from the truth, ministers of the word lose what they thought they had wrought, which must give them great concern; and this is improved by the apostle into a reason and argument why the persons he wrote to should beware of seducers and their errors:

but that we receive a full reward; in heaven, and which itself is called the recompense of reward, and the reward of the inheritance; not that this is a reward of debt due to the works of men, which are not rewardable in themselves; for they are such as are due to God before they are performed; and when they are done, they are not profitable to him, nothing is given to him, or received by him; when all is done that can be done, men are unprofitable servants; but this is a reward of grace, God has of his own grace promised it to those who love and serve him; and because it will be given them of his grace, after their work is over, as wages are given to a servant when he has done his work, it goes by this name: and whereas it is said to be a "full" one, the meaning is not as if it was different to different persons, for there is but one recompense of reward, or reward of the inheritance common to all the saints; or, as if it might be incomplete in some; it only signifies a large and exceeding great reward; see Gen 15:1; in which last place the same phrase is used as here; and where the Septuagint interpreters use the same words as here; and which is thus paraphrased by the Targumist,

"the Lord give thee a good recompence in this world for thy good work, and let thy reward be שלימא, "full", or "perfect", in the world to come.''

And the Jews ^g often speak of a full reward, and an equal one, to be received hereafter. Perhaps regard is here had particularly to the ministers of the Gospel, who have their reward in part here, for the workman is worthy of his reward, and they will have it in full hereafter. Moreover, the apostle might here be concerned, that he, and every faithful minister, might have their full number, they expected, that none may be missing, and which he may call a full reward: though the above copies and versions read here, as before, "ye", and "not we".

Gill: 2Jo 1:9

Whosoever transgresseth,.... Not the law of God, of which everyone is a transgressors and that daily, in thought, word, or deed; but who passes over the rule and standard of doctrine, the word of God, and will not adhere to that, nor walk according to it, but rejects and despises that rule:

and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ; which he received from his Father, and delivered to his apostles, and of which he is the sum and substance; the doctrine which is concerning his person as the Son of God, and as truly God, and the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his one person; and concerning his office, as the Mediator, surety, and messenger of the covenant, and as the prophet, priest, and King of his church; and concerning his incarnation, obedience, sufferings, death, resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven, session at God's right hand, intercession for his people, and second coming to judgment; concerning peace and pardon by his blood, atonement by his sacrifice, justification by his righteousness, and complete salvation by him: this is תלמודו של מלך המשיח, "the doctrine of the King Messiah", or the Messiah's Talmud ^h, to use the Jewish phrase, and which agrees with John's. Now, whoever has embraced and professed this doctrine, but errs concerning it, and rejects it, and abides not in it, as Satan abode not in the truth, appears to be of him:

hath not God; for his Father, but the devil, the father of lies; he has no true knowledge of God, for there is none but in Christ, whose doctrine such an one has denied; nor has he, nor can he, have communion with him, nor any interest in him.

He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ; as he hath received and professed it; neither can anything remove him from it, not the arguments of false teachers, nor the reproaches and persecutions of men, or the snares and allurements of the world:

he hath both the Father and the Son; he has an interest in them both, and has knowledge of each of them, and fellowship with them. The Alexandrian copy and the Vulgate Latin version leave out the phrase, "of Christ", in the preceding clause, and only read, "in the doctrine"; and the Syriac version, "in his doctrine"; the sense is the same.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:1

¹ tn The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

² tn Or “presbyter.”

sn The author’s self-designation, the elder, is in keeping with the reticence of the author of the Gospel of John to identify himself. This is the same self-designation used by the author of 3 John.

³ tn This phrase may refer to an individual or to a church (or the church at large). Some have suggested that the addressee is a Christian lady named “Electa,” but the same word in v. 13 is clearly an adjective, not a proper name. Others see the letter addressed to a Christian lady named “Kyria” (first proposed by Athanasius) or to an unnamed Christian lady. The internal evidence of 2 John clearly supports a collective reference, however. In v. 6 the addressee is mentioned using second person plural, and this is repeated in vv. 8, 10, and 12. Only in v. 13 does the singular reappear. The uses in vv. 1 and 13 are most likely collective. Some have seen a reference to the church at large, but v. 13, referring to “the children of your elect sister” is hard to understand if the universal church is in view. Thus the most probable explanation is that the “elect lady” is a particular local church at some distance from where the author is located.

sn 2 John is being written to warn a “sister” church some distance away, referred to as an elect lady, of the missionary efforts of the secessionist false teachers (discussed in 1 John) and the dangers of welcoming them whenever they arrive.

⁴ tn The prepositional phrase ἐν ἀληθείᾳ (en alhqeia) in 2 John 1 is similar to 3 John 1, although it is not qualified there as it is here (see 3 John 1). This is not merely the equivalent of an adverb (“truly”), but is a theological statement affirming the orthodoxy of Gaius, to whom the letter is addressed. “Truth” is the author’s way of alluding to theological orthodoxy in the face of the challenge by the opponents (see 1 John 3:19).

⁵ sn All those who know the truth refers to true Christians who are holding fast to the apostolic Christology in the face of the secessionist opponents described in 1 John.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:2

¹ tc The prepositional phrase that begins v. 2, διὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν (dia thn alhqeian, “because of the truth”), is missing in a number of significant mss, among them Ψ 614 1241 1505 1739 al. However, it looks to be a simple case of homoioteleuton, for v. 1 ends with τὴν ἀλήθειαν. For some of these mss it could be an intentional omission, for the sense of the passage is largely the same without the prepositional phrase (the following adjectival participle, in this case, would simply attach itself to the previous τὴν ἀλήθειαν). The phrase could thus have been viewed as redundant and for this reason expunged from the text.

sn While truth certainly has a doctrinal aspect in this context, the following phrase that resides in us and will be with us forever suggests more than doctrine is involved. A close parallel is John 14:16-17 where Jesus promised his disciples that the Spirit (Paraclete) would be with them forever: “He remains with you and will be in you.” The “truth” the author speaks of here is a manifestation of the Spirit of Truth who is permanently with the believer.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:3

¹ tn “And” is not in the Greek text. It is supplied for smoothness in English.

² tc Most witnesses, including some early and important ones (א P 33 Ï sy), have κυρίου (kuriou, “Lord”) before ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Ihsou Cristou, “Jesus Christ”), but this is a typical scribal addition, motivated by pietistic and liturgical concerns. Further, early and excellent mss (A B Ψ 048 0232 81 323 1739 al) lack κυρίου. Thus, both internally and externally, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:4

¹ tn “Some” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied because the prepositional phrase beginning with ἐκ (ek) has partitive force. The partitive force of the prepositional phrase here has been taken by some interpreters to mean that the author has found some of the elect lady’s children who are living according to the truth and some who are not. This is grammatically possible, but the author has merely stated that he knows of some Christians in the church addressed who are “walking in the truth.” He does not know for certain that all of them are, and concern over this is probably part of the motivation for writing the letter.

² sn Living according to the truth (Grk “walking in [the] truth”). The use of the Greek verb περιπατέω (peripatew) to refer to conduct or lifestyle is common in the NT (see 1 John 1:6, 3 John 3-4, as well as numerous times in Paul. Here the phrase refers to conduct that results when a person has “truth” residing within, and possibly alludes to the indwelling Spirit of Truth (see 2 John 2). In the specific context of 2 John the phrase refers to true Christians who are holding fast to an apostolic Christology in the face of the secessionist opponents’ challenge to orthodoxy.

³ tn Grk “just as we received commandment from the Father.” The idiom “we received commandment from the Father” means the Father gave (a) commandment to them (the author plus the recipients).

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:5

¹ tn The introductory καὶ νῦν (kai nun) has some adversative (contrastive) force: The addressees are already “living according to the truth” (v. 4) but in the face of the threat posed by the opponents, the author has to stress obedience all the more.

² tn The words “if I were” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied for clarity in English.

³ sn An allusion to John 13:34-35, 1 John 2:7-8.

⁴ tn “The one” is not in the Greek text. It is supplied for clarity in English.

⁵ sn See 1 John 2:7.

⁶ tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause indicates content.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:6

¹ tn Or “that we live.”

² tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause indicates result, parallel to John 13:34 where the final ἵνα clause also indicates result.

³ tn Or “should live in obedience to it.”

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:7

¹ tn Technically this ὅτι (Joti) clause is subordinate to the verb περιπατῆτε (peripathte) at the end of v. 6, giving the reason why the readers should walk in the commandment to love one another. But BDF §456.1 notes that subordination “is often very loose” in such cases and can be translated “for.” Thus the ὅτι assumes something of an inferential sense, drawing an inference based on what has preceded.

² tn “As” is not in the Greek text. It is supplied for clarity in English, since (like in the same confession in 1 John 4:2) ᾿Ιησοῦν (Ihsoun) should be understood as object and Χριστόν (Criston) as complement of an object-complement double accusative construction.

³ tn Or “Messiah.”

⁴ tn This is the same confession as in 1 John 4:2 except the perfect participle used there is replaced by a present participle (ἐρχόμενον, ercomenon) here. It is not clear why the author changed from a perfect participle in 1 John 4:2 to a present participle here. The perfect participle suggests a reference to the incarnation (past). The present participle could suggest a reference to the (future) second advent, but based on the similarity to 1 John 4:2 it is probably best to take it as referring to the incarnation.

⁵ sn The statement This person is the Deceiver and the Antichrist! is a metaphor (metonymy). The author does not mean that each individual is to be identified as the Antichrist. The opponents are compared to the Deceiver (Satan) and the Antichrist since they are accomplishing Satan’s work and preparing the way for the Antichrist.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:8

¹ sn The things we have worked for probably refers to the pastoral and missionary efforts undertaken by the recipients of the letter in their own community and surrounding communities. This work would be “lost” if the opponents with their false teaching are allowed to proselytize unopposed.

² sn The idea of a reward for Christians who serve faithfully is not common in the Johannine writings, but can be found in Rev 11:18 and 22:12.

NET Notes: 2Jo 1:9

¹ tn The construction πᾶς ὁ (pas Jo) + participle occur frequently in 1 John (13 times) where it is used by the author to divide people into categories: “everyone who does this” as opposed to “everyone who does the opposite.”

² tn Here μένω (menw) has been translated “remain” rather than “reside” since a change in status or position is present in the context: The opponents did not “remain” but “ran on ahead.” The verb μένω is used only here (twice in this verse) in the Johannine letters in connection with “teaching” but in the Gospel of John it is used three times with reference to the teaching of Jesus himself (7:16, 17; 18:19).

³ tn The genitive τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou Cristou, “of Christ”) is difficult because it may be understood as objective (the teaching about Christ), subjective (Christ’s own teaching), or both (M. Zerwick’s “general” genitive [Biblical Greek §§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s “plenary” genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). An objective genitive (with Christ as the object of the “apostolic” teaching) might seem to be the obvious reading in context, especially since verse 7 makes reference to what a person “confesses” about Jesus Christ. A good case can also be made for a subjective genitive, however, since other Johannine uses of the genitive following the noun διδαχή (didach, “teaching”) favor a subjective sense here. In John 7:16, 17 Jesus himself refers to “my teaching” and “teaching from me,” and 18:19 refers to “his (Jesus’) teaching.” Rev 2:14, 15 refers to the “teaching of Balaam” and “the teaching of the Nicolaitans,” both of which are clearly subjective in context. In the present context, to speak of “Christ's teaching” as a subjective genitive would make Christ himself (in the person of the indwelling Spirit) the teacher, and this is consistent with the author’s position in 1 John 2:27 that the community does not need other teachers. In 1 John 2:27 it is the Paraclete, referred to as “his anointing,” who does the teaching. Since the dispute with the opponents concerns the salvific significance of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus, the “teaching” here would refer to Jesus’ own teaching (reflected in the Gospel of John) concerning his person and work. Since this is ultimately one with the apostolic eyewitness testimony about Jesus, it is perhaps best to view the genitive here as both objective and subjective (perhaps the author deliberately intended not to be specific).

⁴ sn The idiom translated have God means to have a relationship to God as a genuine believer. The phrase has both the Father and the Son later in this verse should be understood the same way.

Geneva Bible: 2Jo 1:1

The elder unto the ^{( a )} elect ^{( b )} lady and her children, ^{( 1 )} whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

^{( a )} This is not a proper name, but is to be taken as it sounds that is to say, the worthy and noble lady.

^{( b )} Excellent and honourable woman. ^{( 1 )} The bond of Christian union is the true and constant profession of the truth.

Geneva Bible: 2Jo 1:3

Grace be with you, mercy, [and] peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in

^{( c )} truth and love.

^{( c )} With true knowledge which always has love united with it, and following it.

Geneva Bible: 2Jo 1:4

^{( 2 )} I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in ^{( d )} truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.

^{( 2 )} This true profession consists both in love towards one another which the Lord has commanded, and also especially in wholesome and sound doctrine, which also is delivered to us: for the commandment of God is a sound and sure foundation both of the rule of conduct and of doctrine, and these cannot be separated from one another,

^{( d )} According as the truth directs them.

Geneva Bible: 2Jo 1:7

^{( 3 )} For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

^{( 3 )} Antichrists fighting against the person and office of Christ had already crept into the Church, in the time of the apostles.

Geneva Bible: 2Jo 1:8

^{( 4 ) ( e )} Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

^{( 4 )} He that makes shipwreck of doctrine, loses all.

^{( e )} Beware, and take good heed.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2 John

1 He exhorts a certain honourable matron, with her children, to persevere in Christian love and belief,

8 lest they lose the reward of their former profession;

10 and to have nothing to do with those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of Christ Jesus.

Maclaren: 2Jo 1:3

Grace, Mercy, And Peace

Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.'--2 John 3.

WE have here a very unusual form of the Apostolic salutation. Grace, mercy, and peace' are put together in this fashion only in Paul's two Epistles to Timothy, and in this the present instance; and all reference to the Holy Spirit as an agent in the benediction is, as there, omitted.

The three main words, Grace, mercy, and peace,' stand related to each other in a very interesting manner. If you will think for a moment you will see, I presume, that the Apostle starts, as it were, from the fountain-head, and slowly traces the course of the blessing down to its lodgment in the heart of man. There is the fountain, and the stream, and, if I may so say, the great still lake in the soul, into which its waters flow, and which the flowing waters make. There is the sun, and the beam, and the brightness grows deep in the heart of man. Grace, referring solely to the Divine attitude and thought: mercy, the manifestation of grace in act, referring to the workings of that great Godhead in its relation to humanity : and peace, which is the issue in the soul of the fluttering down upon it of the mercy which is the activity of the grace. So these three come down, as it were, a great, solemn, marble staircase from the heights of the Divine mind, one step at a time, down to the level of earth ; and the blessings which are shed along the earth. Such is the order. All begins with grace ; and the end and purpose of grace, when it flashes into deed, and becomes mercy, is to fill my soul with quiet repose, and shed across all the turbulent sea of human love a great calm, a beam of sunshine that gilds, and miraculously stills while it gilds, the waves.

If that be, then, the account of the relation of these three to one another, let me just dwell for a moment upon their respective characteristics, that we may get more fully the large significance and wide scope of this blessing. Let us begin at what may be regarded either as the highest point from which all the stream descends, or as the foundation upon which all the structure rests. Grace from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father.' These two, blended and yet separate, to either of whom a Christian man has a distinct relation, these two are the sources, equally, of the whole of the grace.

The Scriptural idea of grace is love that stoops, and that pardons, and that communicates. I say nothing about that last characteristic, but I would like to dwell for a moment or two upon the other phases of this great word, a key-word to the understanding of so much of Scripture.

The first thing then that strikes me in it is how it exults in that great thought that there is no reason whatsoever for God's love except God's will. The very foundation and notion of the word grace' is a free, undeserved, unsolicited, self-prompted, and altogether gratuitous bestowment, a love that is its own reason, as indeed the whole of the Divine acts are, just as we say of Him that He draws His being from Himself, so the whole motive for His action and the whole reason for His heart of tenderness to us lies in Himself. We have no power. We love one another because we apprehend something deserving of love, or fancy that we do. We love one another because there is something in the object on which our love falls; which, either by kindred or by character, or by visible form, draws it out. We are influenced so, and love a thing because the thing or the person is perceived by us as being worthy, for some reason or other, of the love. God loves because He cannot help it ; God loves because He is God. Our love is drawn out--I was going to say pumped out--by an application of external causes. God's love is like an artesian well, whensoever you strike, up comes, self-impelled, gushing into light because there is such a central store of it beneath everything, the bright and flashing waters. Grace is love that is not drawn out, but that bursts out, self-originated, undeserved. Not for your sakes, be it known unto you, O house of Israel, but for Mine own name's sake, do I this.' The grace of God is above that, comes spontaneously, driven by its own fulness, and welling up unasked, unprompted, undeserved, and therefore never to be turned away by our evil, never to be wearied by our indifference, never to be brushed aside by our negligence, never to be provoked by our transgression, the fixed, eternal, unalterable centre of the Divine nature. His love is grace.

And then, in like manner, let me remind you that there lies in this great word, which in itself is a gospel, the preaching that God's love, though it be not turned away by, is made tender by our sin. Grace is love extended to a person that might reasonably expect, because he deserves, something very different; and when there is laid, as the foundation of everything, the grace of our Father and of the Son of the Father,' it is but packing into one word that great truth which we all of us, saints and sinners, need--a sign that God's love is love that deals with our transgressions and shortcomings, flows forth perfectly conscious of them, and manifests itself in taking them away, both in their guilt, punishment, and peril. The grace of our Father' is a love to which sin-convinced consciences may certainly appeal ; a love to which all sin-tyrannised souls may turn for emancipation and deliverance. Then, if we turn for a moment from that deep fountain, Love's ever-springing well,' as one of our old hymns has it, to the stream, we get other blessed thoughts. The love, the grace, breaks into mercy. The fountain gathers itself into a river, the infinite, Divine love concentrates itself in act, and that act is described by this one word, mercy. As grace is love which forgives, so mercy is love which pities and helps. Mercy regards men, its object, as full of sorrows and miseries, and so robes itself in garb of compassion, and takes wine and oil into its hands to pour into the wound, and lays often a healing hand, very carefully and very gently, upon the creature, lest, like a clumsy surgeon, it should pain instead of heal, and hurt where it desires to console. God's grace softens itself into mercy, and all His dealings with us men must be on the footing that we are not only sinful, but that we are weak and wretched, and so fit subjects for a compassion which is the strangest paradox of a perfect and divine heart. The mercy of God is the outcome of His grace.

And as is the fountain and the stream, so is the great lake into which it spreads itself when it is received into a human heart. Peace comes, the all-sufficient summing up of everything that God can give, and that men can need, from His loving-kindness, and from their needs. The world is too wide to be narrowed to any single aspect of the various discords and disharmonies which trouble men. Peace with God; peace in this anarchic kingdom within me, where conscience and will, hopes and fears, duty and passion, sorrows and joys, cares and confidence, are ever fighting one another; where we are torn asunder by conflicting aims and rival claims, and wherever any part of our nature asserting itself against another leads to intestine warfare, and troubles the poor soul. All that is harmonised and quieted down, and made concordant and co-operative to one great end, when the grace and the mercy have flowed silently into our spirits and harmonised aims and desires.

There is peace that comes from submission; tranquillity of spirit, which is the crown and reward of obedience; repose, which is the very smile upon the face of faith, and all these things are given unto us along with the grace and mercy of our God. And as the man that possesses this is at peace with God, and at peace with himself, so he may bear in his heart that singular blessing of a perfect tranquillity and quiet amidst the distractions of duty, of sorrows, of losses, and of cares. In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God; and the peace of God which passeth all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.' And he who is thus at friendship with God, and in harmony with himself, and at rest from sorrows and cares, will surely find no enemies amongst men with whom he must needs be at war, but will be a son of peace, and walk the world, meeting in them all a friend and a brother. So all discords maybe quieted ; even though still we have to fight the good fight of faith, we may do, like Gideon of old, build an altar to' Jehovah-shalom,' the God of peace.

And now one word, as to what this great text tells us are the conditions for a Christian man, of preserving, vivid and full, these great gifts, Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you,' or, as the Revised Version more accurately reads, shall be with us in truth and love.' Truth and love are, as it were, the space within which the river flows, if I may so say, the banks of the stream. Or, to get away from the metaphor, these are set forth as being the conditions abiding in which, for our parts, we shall receive this benediction--In truth and in love.'

I have no time to enlarge upon the great thoughts that these two words, thus looked at, suggest ; let me put it into a sentence. To abide in the truth' is to keep ourselves conscientiously and habitually under the influence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and of the Christ who is Himself the Truth. They who, keeping in Him, realising His presence, believing His word, founding their thinking about the unseen, about their relations to God, about sin and forgiveness, about righteousness and duty, and about a thousand other things, upon Christ and the revelation that He makes, these are those who shall receive Grace, mercy, and peace.' Keep yourselves in Christ, and Christ coming to you, brings in His hands, and is, the grace and the mercy and the peace' of which my text speaks. And in love, if we want these blessings, we must keep ourselves consciously in the possession of, and in the grateful response of our hearts to, the great love, the incarnate Love, which is given in Jesus Christ.

Here is, so to speak, the line of direction which these great mercies take. The man who stands in their path, they will come to him and fill his heart ; the man that steps aside, they will run past him and not touch him. You keep yourselves in the love of God, by communion, by the exercise of mind and heart and faith upon Him ; and then be sure--for my text is not only a wish, but a confident affirmation--be sure that the fountain of all blessing itself, and the stream of petty benedictions which flow from it, will open themselves out in your hearts into a quiet, deep sea, on whose calm surface no tempests shall ever rave, and on whose unruffled bosom God Himself will manifest and mirror His face.

THE END

3 John

MHCC: 2Jo 1:1-3

Religion turns compliments into real expressions of respect and love. And old disciple is honourable; an old apostle and leader of disciples is more so. The letter is to a noble Christian matron, and her children; it is well that the gospel should get among such: some noble persons are called. Families are to be encouraged and directed in their love and duties at home. Those who love truth and piety in themselves, should love it in others; and the Christians loved this lady, not for her rank, but for her holiness. And where religion truly dwells, it will abide for ever. From the Divine Persons of the Godhead, the apostle craves grace, Divine favour, and good-will, the spring of all good things. It is grace indeed that any spiritual blessing should be given to sinful mortals. Mercy, free pardon, and forgiveness; for those already rich in grace, need continual forgiveness. Peace, quietness of spirit, and a clear conscience, in assured reconciliation with God, together with all outward prosperity that is really for good: these are desired in truth and love.

MHCC: 2Jo 1:4-6

It is good to be trained to early religion; and children may be beloved for their parents' sake. It gave great joy to the apostle to see children treading in their parents' steps, and likely in their turn to support the gospel. May God bless such families more and more, and raise up many to copy their example. How pleasing the contrast to numbers who spread irreligion, infidelity, and vice, among their children! Our walk is true, our converse right, when according to the word of God. This commandment of mutual Christian love, may be said to be a new one, in respect of its being declared by the Lord Christ; yet, as to the matter, it is old. And this is love to our own souls, that we obey the Divine commands. The foresight of the decay of this love, as well as of other apostacies, or fallings away, might engage the apostle to urge this duty, and this command, frequently and earnestly.

MHCC: 2Jo 1:7-11

The deceiver and his deceit are described: he brings some error concerning the person or office of the Lord Jesus. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist; he deludes souls, and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. Let us not think it strange, that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ's name and dignity now, for there were such, even in the apostles' times. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. Let us equally disregard such as abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and those who transgress his commands. Any who did not profess and preach the doctrine of Christ, respecting him as the Son of God, and salvation by him from guilt and sin, were not to be noticed and countenanced. Yet in obeying this command, we must show kindness and a good spirit to those who differ from us in lesser matters, but hold firmly the all-important doctrines of Christ's person, atonement, and holy salvation.

Matthew Henry: 2Jo 1:1-4

Ancient epistles began, as here, with salutation and good wishes: religion consecrates, as far as may be, old forms, and turns compliments into real expressions of life and love. Here we have, as usually,

I. The saluter, not expressed by name, but by a chosen character: The elder. The expression, and style, and love, intimate that the penman was the same with that of the foregoing epistle; he is now the elder, emphatically and eminently so; possibly the oldest apostle now living, the chief elder in the church of God. An elder in the ancient house of Israel was reverend, or to be reverenced, much more he who is so In the gospel Israel of God. An old disciple is honourable; and old apostle and leader of disciples is more so. He was now old in holy service and experience, had seen and tasted much of heaven, and was much nearer than when at first he believed.

II. The saluted - a noble Christian matron, and her children: To the elect lady and her children. A lady, a person of eminent quality for birth, education, and estate. It is well that the gospel ha got among such. It is a pity but lords and ladies should be acquainted with the Lord Christ and his religion. They owe more to him than others do; though usually not many noble are called. Here is a pattern for persons of quality of the same sex. The elect lady; not only a choice one, but one chosen of God. It is lovely and beautiful to see ladies, by holy walking, demonstrate their election of God. And her children; probably the lady was a widow; she and her children then are the principal part of the family, and so this may be styled an economical epistle. Families may well be written to and encouraged, and further directed in their domestic love, and order, and duties. We see that children may well be taken notice of in Christian letters, and they should know it too; it may avail to their encouragement and caution. Those who love and commend them will be apt to enquire after them. This lady and her children are further notified by the respect paid them, and that, 1. By the apostle himself: Whom I love in the truth, or in truth, whom I sincerely and heartily love. He who was the beloved disciple had learnt the art or exercise of love; and he especially loved those who loved him, that Lord who loved him. 2. By all her Christian acquaintance, all the religious who knew her: And not I only, but also all those that have known the truth. virtue and goodness in an elevated sphere shine brightly. Truth demands acknowledgment, and those who see the evidences of pure religion should confess and attest them; it is a good sign and great duty to love and value religion in others. The ground of this love and respect thus paid to this lady and her children was their regard to the truth: For the truth's sake (or true religion's sake) which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Christian love is founded upon the appearance of vital religion. Likeness should beget affection. Those who love truth and piety in themselves should love it in others too, or love others upon the account of it. The apostle and the other Christians loved this lady, not so much for her honour as her holiness; not so much for her bounty as her serious Christianity. We should not be religious merely by fits and starts, in certain moods and moons; but religion should still dwell within us, in our minds and hearts, in our faith and love. It is to be hoped that where religion once truly dwells it will abide for ever. The Spirit of Christianity, we may suppose, will not be totally extinguished: Which shall be with us for ever.

III. The salutation, which is indeed an apostolical benediction: Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love, 2Jo 1:3. Sacred love pours out blessings upon this honourable Christian family; to those who have shall more be given. Observe,

1. From whom these blessings are craved, (1.) From God the Father, the God of all grace. He is the fountain of blessedness, and of all the blessings that must bring us thither. (2.) From the Lord Jesus Christ. He is also author and communicator of these heavenly blessings, and he is distinguished by this emphatic character - the Son of the Father; such a Son as none else can be; such a Son as is the brightness of the Father's glory, and the express image of his person, who, with the Father, is also eternal life, 1Jo 1:2.

2. What the apostle craves from these divine persons. (1.) Grace - divine favour and good-will, the spring of all good things: it is grace indeed that any spiritual blessing should be conferred on sinful mortals. (2.) Mercy - free pardon and forgiveness; those who are already rich in grace have need of continual forgiveness. (3.) Peace - tranquility of spirit and serenity of conscience, in an assured reconciliation with God, together with all safe and sanctified outward prosperity. And these are desired in truth and love, either by sincere and ardent affection in the saluter (in faith and love he prays them from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ ), or as productive of continued truth and love in the saluted; these blessings will continually preserve true faith and love in the elect lady and her children; and may they do so!

IV. The congratulation upon the prospect of the exemplary behaviour of other children of this excellent lady. Happy parent, who was blessed with such a numerous religious offspring! I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in the truth, as we have received commandment from the Father, 2Jo 1:4. Possibly the lady's sons travelled abroad, either for accomplishment and acquaintance with the world, or on the account of their own business or the common affairs of the family, and in their travels might come to Ephesus, where the apostle is supposed to have now resided, and might there happily converse with him. See how good it is to be trained up to early religion! Though religion is not to be founded upon education, yet education may be and often is blessed, and is the way to fortify youth against irreligious infection. Hence too let young travellers learn to carry their religion along with them, and not either leave it at home or learn the ill customs of the countries where they come. It may be observed, also, that sometimes election runs in a direct line; here we have an elect lady, and her elect children; children may be beloved for their parents' sake, but both by virtue of free grace. From the apostle's joy herein we may observe that it is pleasant to see children treading in good parent's steps; and those who see this may well congratulate their parents thereupon, and that both to excite their thankfulness to God for, and to enlarge their comfort in, so great a blessing. How happy a lady was this, who had brought forth so many children for heaven and for God! And how great a joy must it be to her ladyship to hear so good an account of them from so good a judge! And we may further see that it is joyful to good old ministers, and accordingly to other good old disciples, to see a hopeful rising generation, who may serve God and support religion in the world when they are dead and gone. We see here also the rule of true walking: the commandment of the Father. Then is our walk true, our converse right, when it is managed by the word of God.

Matthew Henry: 2Jo 1:5-6

We come now more into the design and substance of the epistle; and here we have,

I. The apostle's request: Now, I beseech thee, lady. Considering what it is that he entreats, the way of address is very remarkable; it is not any particular boon or bounty to himself, but common duty and observance of divine command. Here he might command or charge; but harsher measures are worse than needless where milder will prevail; and the apostolical spirit is, of all other, the most tender and endearing. Whether out of deference to her ladyship, or apostolical meekness, or both, he condescends to beseech: And now I beseech thee, lady. He may be supposed speaking as another apostle does to a certain master to whom he writes: Wherefore, though I might be very bold in Christ (and according to the power with which Christ hath entrusted me) to enjoin thee that which is convenient, yet, for love's sake I rather beseech thee, being such a one as the aged, the elder. Love will avail where authority will not; and we may often see that the more authority is urged the more it is slighted. The apostolical minister will love and beseech his friends into their duty.

II. The thing requested of the lady and her children - Christian sacred love: That we love one another, 2Jo 1:5. Those that are eminent in any Christian virtue have yet room to grow therein. But, as touching brotherly love, you need not that I write unto you; for you yourselves are taught of God to love one another. But we beseech you, brethren (and sisters), that you increase more and more, 1Th 4:9, 1Th 4:10.

1. This love is recommended, (1.) From the obligation thereto - the commandment. Divine command should sway our mind and heart. (2.) From the antiquity of the obligation: Not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, 2Jo 1:5. This commandment of mutual Christian love may be said to be a new one in respect of its new enaction and sanction by the Lord Christ; but yet, as to the matter of it (mutual holy love), it is as old as natural, Jewish, or Christian religion. This commandment must every where attend Christianity, that the disciples of it must love one another.

2. Then this love is illustrated from the fruitful nature of it: And this is love, that we walk after his commandments, 2Jo 1:5. This is the test of our love to God, our obedience to him. This is love to ourselves, to our own souls, that we walk in obedience to divine commands. In keeping them there is great reward. This is love to one another, to engage one another to walk in holiness; and this is the evidence of our sincere, mutual, Christian love - that we (in other things) walk after God's commands. There may be mutual love that is not religious and Christian; but we know ours to be so, by our attendance to all other commands besides that of mutual love. Universal obedience is the proof of the goodness and sincerity of Christian virtues; and those that aim at all Christian obedience will be sure to attend to Christian love. This is a fundamental duty in the gospel-charter: This is the commandment, that, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it (2Jo 1:6), that is, walk in this love. The foresight of the decay of this love, as well as of other apostasy, might engage the apostle to inculcate this duty, and this primordial command, the more frequently, the more earnestly.

Matthew Henry: 2Jo 1:7-9

In this principal part of the epistle we find,

I. The ill news communicated to the lady-seducers are abroad: For many deceivers have entered into the world. This report is introduced by a particle that bespeaks a reason of the report. "You have need to maintain your love, for there are destroyers of it in the world. Those who subvert the faith destroy the love; the common faith is one ground of the common love;"or, "You must secure your walk according to the commands of God; this will secure you. Your stability is likely to be tried, for many deceivers have entered into the world. "Sad and saddening news may be communicated to our Christian friends; not that we should love to make them sorry, but to fore-warn is the way to fore-arm them against their trials. Now here is, 1. The description of the deceiver and his deceit - he confesses not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (2Jo 1:7); he brings some error or other concerning the person of the Lord Jesus; he either confesses not that Jesus Christ is the same person, or that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the anointed of God, the Messiah promised of old for the redemption of Israel, or that the promised Messiah and Redeemer has come in the flesh, or into the flesh, into our world and into our nature; such a one pretends that he is yet to be expected. Strange that after such evidence any should deny that the Lord Jesus is the Son of God and Saviour of the world! 2. The aggravation of the case - such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist (2Jo 1:7); he deludes souls and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. He must be an impostor, a wilful deceiver, after all the light that has been afforded, and all the evidence that Christ has given concerning himself, and the attestation God has given concerning his Son; and he is a wilful opposer of the person, and honour, and interest of the Lord Christ, and as such shall be reckoned with when the Lord Christ comes again. Let us not think it strange that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ's name and dignity now, for there were such of old, even in the apostle's times.

II. The counsel given to this elect household hereupon. Now care and caution are needful: Look to yourselves, 2Jo 1:8. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Delusions may so prevail that even the elect may be endangered thereby. Two things they must beware of: - 1. That they lose not what they have wrought (2Jo 1:8), what they have done or what they have gained. It is a pity that any religious labour should be in vain; some begin well, but at last lose all their pains. The hopeful gentleman, who had kept the commands of the second table from his youth up, lost all for want of less love to the world and more love to Christ. Professors should take care not to lose what they have gained. Many have not only gained a fair reputation for religion, but much light therein, much conviction of the evil of sin, the vanity of the world, the excellency of religion, and the power of God's word. They have even tasted of the powers of the world to come, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit; and yet at last lose all. You did run well, who hindered you, that you should not obey (or not go on to obey) the truth? Sad it is that fair and splendid attainments in the school of Christ should all be lost at last. 2. That they lose not their reward, none of it, no portion of that honour, or praise, or glory that they once stood fair for. That we (or you, as in some copies) receive a full reward. "Secure you as full a reward as will be given to any in the church of God; if there are degrees of glory, lose none of that grace (that light, or love, or peace) which is to prepare you for the higher elevation in glory. Hold fast that which thou hast (in faith, and hope, and a good conscience), that no man take thy crown, that thou neither lose it nor any jewel out of it,"Rev 3:11. The way to attain the full reward is to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end.

III. The reason of the apostle's counsel, and of their care and caution about themselves, which is twofold: - 1. The danger and evil of departure from gospel light and revelation; it is in effect and reality a departure from God himself: Whosoever transgresseth (transgresseth at this dismal rate), and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. It is the doctrine of Christ that is appointed to guide us to God; it is that whereby God draws souls to salvation and to himself. Those who revolt thence, in so doing revolt from God. 2. The advantage and happiness of firm adherence to Christian truth; it unites us to Christ (the object or subject-matter of that truth), and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. He that abideth (rooted and grounded) in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. By the doctrine of Christ we are enlightened in the knowledge of the Father and the Son; by it we are sanctified for the Father and the Son; thereupon we are enriched with holy love to the Father and the Son; and thereby prepared for the endless enjoyment of the Father and the Son. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you, Joh 15:3. This purity makes meet for heaven. The great God, as he has set his seal to the doctrine of Christ, so he puts a value upon it. We must retain that holy doctrine in faith and love, as we hope or desire to arrive at blessed communion with the Father and the Son.

Barclay: 2Jo 1:1-3

The writer designates himself simply by the title of The Elder. Elder can have three different meanings.

(i) It can mean simply an older man, one who by reason of his years and experience is deserving of affection and of respect. There will be something of that meaning here. The letter is from an aged servant of Christ and the church.

(ii) In the New Testament the elders are the officials of the local churches. They were the first of all the church officials, and Paul ordained elders in his churches on his missionary journeys, as soon as it was possible to do so (Act 4:21-23). The word cannot be used in that sense here, because these elders were local officials, whose authority and duties were confined to their own congregation, whereas The Elder of this letter clearly has an authority which extends over a much wider area. He claims the right to advise congregations in places where he himself is not a resident.

(iii) Almost certainly this letter was written in Ephesus in the province of Asia. In the church there Elder was used in a special sense. The elders were men who had been direct disciples of the apostles; it is from these men that both Papias and Irenaeus, who lived and worked and wrote in Asia, tell us that they got their information. The elders were the direct links between the second generation of Christians and the followers of Christ in the flesh. It is undoubtedly in that sense that the word is used here. The writer of the letter is one of the last direct links with Jesus Christ; and therein lies his right to speak.

As we have already said in the introduction, The Elect Lady is something of a problem. There are two suggestions.

(i) There are those who hold that the letter is written to an individual person. In Greek the phrase is Eklekte (1588) Kuria (2959). Kurios (2962) (the masculine form of the adjective) is a common form of respectful address and Eklekte (1588) could just possibly--though not probably--be a proper name, in which case the letter would be written to My Dear Eklekte. Kuria (2959), besides being a title of respectful address, can be a proper name, in which case eklekte (1588) would be an adjective and the letter would be to The Elect Kuria. Just possibly both words are proper names, in which case the letter would be to a lady called Eklekte Kuria.

But, if this letter is written to an individual, it is much more likely that neither word is a proper name and that the Revised Standard Version is correct in translating the phrase The elect lady. There has been much speculation as to who The Elect Lady might be. We mention only two of the suggestions. (a) It has been suggested that The Elect Lady is Mary, the mother of our Lord. She was to be a mother to John and he was to be a son to her (Joh 19:26-27), and a personal letter from John might well be a letter to her. (b) Kurios (2962) means Master; and Kuria (2959) as a proper name would mean Mistress. In Latin, Domina is the same name and in Aramaic, Martha; both meaning Mistress or Lady. It has, therefore, been suggested that the letter was written to Martha of Bethany.

(ii) It is much more likely that the letter is written to a church. It is far more likely that it is a church which all men love who know the truth (2Jo 1:1). 2Jo 1:4says that some of the children are walking in the truth. In 2Jo 1:4; 2Jo 1:8; 2Jo 1:10; 2Jo 1:12 the word you is in the plural, which suggests a church. Peter uses almost exactly the same phrase when he sends greetings from The Elect One (the form is feminine) which is at Babylon (1Pe 5:13).

It may well be that the address is deliberately unidentifiable. The letter was written at a time when persecution was a real possibility. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, there might well be trouble. And it may be that the letter is addressed in such a way that to the insider its destination is quite clear, while to the outsider it would look like a personal letter from one friend to another.

Barclay: 2Jo 1:1-3

It is of great interest to note how in this passage love and truth are inseparably connected. It is in the truth that the elder loves the elect lady. It is because of the truth that he loves and writes to the church. In Christianity we learn two things about love.

(i) Christian truth tells us the way in which we ought to love. Agape (26) is the word for Christian love. Agape (26) is not passion with its ebb and flow, its flicker and its flame; nor is it an easy-going and indulgent sentimentalism. And it is not an easy thing to acquire or a light thing to exercise. Agape (26) is undefeatable goodwill; it is the attitude towards others which, no matter what they do, will never feel bitterness and will always seek their highest good. There is a love which seeks to possess; there is a love which softens and enervates; there is a love which withdraws a man from the battle; there is a love which shuts its eyes to faults and to ways which end in ruin. But Christian love will always seek the highest good of others and will accept all the difficulties, all the problems and all the toil which that search involves. It is of significance that John writes in love to warn.

(ii) Christian truth tells us the reason for the obligation of love. In his first letter, John clearly lays it down. He has talked of the suffering, sacrificing, incredibly generous love of God; and then he says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another" (1Jo 4:11). The Christian must love because he iv loved. He cannot accept the love of God without showing love to the men God loves. Because God loves us, we must love others with the same generous and sacrificial love.

Before we leave this passage we must note one other thing. John begins this letter with a greeting, but it is a very unusual greeting. He says, "Grace, mercy and peace will be with us." In every other New Testament letter the greeting is in the form of a wish or a prayer. Paul usually says, "Grace be to you and peace." Peter says, "May grace and peace be multiplied to you" (1Pe 1:2). Jude says, "May mercy, peace and love, be multiplied to you" (Jd 2 ). But here the greeting is a statement: "Grace, mercy and peace will be with us." John is so sure of the gifts of the grace of God in Jesus Christ that he does not pray that his friends should receive them; he assures them that they will receive them. Here is the faith which never doubts the promises of God in Jesus Christ.

Barclay: 2Jo 1:4-6

In the church to which he is writing there are things to make John's heart glad and things to make it sad. It brings him joy to know that some of its members are walking in the truth; but that very statement implies that some are not. That is to say, within the church there is division, for there are those who have chosen to walk different roads. For all things John has one remedy and that is love. It is no new remedy and no new commandment; it is the word of Jesus himself: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Joh 13:34-35). Only love can mend a situation in which personal relationships are broken. Rebuke and criticism are liable to awaken only resentment and hostility; argument and controversy are liable only to widen the breach; love is the one thing to heal the breach and restore the lost relationship.

But it is possible that those who, as John sees it, have gone the wrong way might say, "We do indeed love God." Immediately John's thoughts go to another saying of Jesus: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (Joh 14:15). Jesus' actual commandment was to love one another and, therefore, anyone who does not keep this commandment does not really love God, however much he may claim to do so. The only proof of our love for God is our love for the brethren. This is the commandment, says John, which we have heard from the beginning and in which we must walk.

As we go on we shall see that there is another side to this and that there is no soft sentimentality in John's attitude towards those who were seducing men from the truth; but it is significant that his first cure for all the troubles of the church is love.

Barclay: 2Jo 1:7-9

Already, in Joh 4:2, John has dealt with the heretics who deny the reality of the incarnation. There is one difficulty. In 1Jo 4:2the Greek is that Jesus has come in the flesh. The idea is expressed in a participle and the participle is in the past tense. It is the fact that the incarnation has happened which is stressed. Here there is a change and the participle is in the present tense: the literal translation would be that Jesus comes or is coming in the flesh. As far as the language goes this could mean either of two things.

(i) It could mean that Jesus is always coming in the flesh, that there is a kind of permanence about the incarnation, that it was not one act which finished in the thirty years during which Jesus was in Palestine but is timeless. That would be a great thought and would mean that now and always Jesus Christ, and God through him, is entering into the human situation and into human life.

(ii) It could be a reference to the Second Coming; and it could mean that Jesus is coming again in the flesh. It may well be that there was a belief in the early church that there was to be a second coming of Jesus in the flesh, a kind of incarnation in glory to follow the incarnation of humiliation. That, too, would be a great thought.

But it may well be that C. H. Dodd is right when he says that in a late Greek writer like John, who did not know Greek as the great classical writers knew it, we cannot lay all this stress on tenses; and that we are better to take it that he means the same as he meant in 1Jo 4:2. That is, these deceivers are denying the reality of the incarnation and therefore denying that God can fully enter into the life of man.

It is intensely significant to note how the great thinkers held on with both hands to the reality of the incarnation. In the second century, again and again Ignatius insists that Jesus was truly born, that he truly became man, that he truly suffered and that he truly died. Vincent Taylor, in his book on The Person of Christ, reminds us of two great statements of the incarnation. Martin Luther said of Jesus: "He ate, drank, slept, waked; was weary, sorrowful, rejoicing; he wept and he laughed; he knew hunger and thirst and sweat; he talked, he toiled, he prayed...so that there was no difference between him and other men, save only this, that he was God, and had no sin." Emil Brunner cites that passage, and then goes on to say, "The Son of God in whom we are able to believe must be such a One that it is possible to mistake him for an ordinary man."

If God could enter into life only as a disembodied phantom, the body stands for ever despised; then there can be no real communion between the divine and the human; then there can be no real salvation. He had to become what we are to make us what he is.

In 2Jo 1:8-9we hear beneath the words of John the claims of the false teachers.

It is their claim that they are developing Christianity discovering more truly what it means. John insists that they are destroying Christianity and wrecking the foundation which has been laid and on which everything must be built.

2Jo 1:9is interesting and significant. We have translated the first phrase everyone who goes too far. The Greek is proagon (4254). The verb means to go on ahead. The false teachers claimed that they were the progressives, the advanced thinkers, the men of the open and adventurous mind. John himself was one of the most adventurous thinkers of the New Testament. But he insists that, however far a man may advance, he must abide in the teaching of Jesus Christ or he loses touch with God. Here, then, is the great truth. John is not condemning advanced thinking; but he is saying that Jesus Christ must be the touchstone of all thinking and that whatever is out of touch with him can never be right. John would say, "Think--but take your thinking to the touchstone of Jesus Christ and the New Testament picture of him." Christianity is not a nebulous, uncontrolled theosophy; it is anchored to the historical figure of Jesus Christ.

Constable: 2Jo 1:1-3

I. INTRODUCTION vv. 1-3

John introduced himself, identified the recipients of this letter, greeted them, and mentioned the major subjects of his concern to prepare his readers for what follows.

vv. 1-2 As I explained in the introduction section of these notes, the "elder" was evidently the Apostle John, the "chosen lady" a local church, and her "children" the believers in that church. The church was "chosen" in that it consisted of elect individuals, Christians.

"We are hardly to think here of an elder in the sense which the word presbyteros usually bears in Christian contexts in the New Testament, that is, one who discharges the ministry of eldership in a local church. . . . The word appears in another specialized sense in second-century Christian literature, of church leaders in the generation after the apostles, particularly those who were disciples of apostles or of apostolic men,' and were therefore guarantors of the tradition' which they received from the apostles and delivered in turn to their own followers."⁴

John loved this church and so did other Christians who knew about it. The basis of this love was the truth the Christians there believed in common with one another. This "truth" refers to God's revelation in Scripture. The importance of this truth is clear from the fact that John referred to it three times in these two verses.

"The Truth makes true love possible."⁵

v. 3 John wanted his readers to appreciate the importance of guarding God's truth and practicing love for one another. These two things are the basis for grace, mercy, and peace. "Grace" is God's unmerited favor, "mercy" is compassion, and "peace" is harmony and inner tranquillity.

"The succession grace, mercy, peace' marks the order from the first notion of God to the final satisfaction of man."⁶

These qualities flourish where truth and love prevail.

"Where truth and love' coexist harmoniously, we have a well-balanced Christian character (cf. Eph. 4.15)."⁷

John's description of Jesus Christ as the Son of God the Father is reminiscent of his emphasis on Jesus' full deity both in his first epistle and in his Gospel.

Constable: 2Jo 1:4-11

II. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TRUTH vv. 4-11

"In the central section of 2 John [vv. 4-11] . . . we have a brief summary of the great contrasts between truth and error, love and hatred, the Church and the world, which are dealt with at greater length in 1 John."⁸

Constable: 2Jo 1:4--3Jo 1:5

A. Practicing the Truth vv. 4-6

John wrote this epistle to urge his readers to continue to be obedient to God by responding positively to the truth of His revelation. He also wanted them to resist the inroads of false teachers who sought to distort this truth. He dealt with the first purpose in verses 4-6.

v. 4 John began by commending the church. He had met some of its members who were walking in obedience to God's truth (i.e., walking in the light, 1 John 1:7).

v. 5 John's message for this church was not some new revelation. It was a reminder to keep on walking in obedience to God's truth by continuing to love one another (cf. 1 John 2:3-9; 3:14-18, 23; 4:7, 11, 20-21). This was important since false teachers were encouraging the readers to depart from the truth they were hearing (v. 6).

"It is not that love precedes truth or belief but that love offers the clearest test of the truthfulness of the confession and the sincerity of the obedience given to God's commands. Belief may be feigned and confession only of the lips, but love is harder to counterfeit."⁹

v. 6 If anyone had a question about what loving one another meant, John explained that it is essentially obeying God (cf. 1 John 5:2-3a). That is, we love each other best when we obey God's will that His Word reveals.

"Love strives to realise [sic] in detail every separate expression of the will of God."¹⁰

The antecedent of the last word in this verse is not clear in the English text or the Greek text. "It" could refer to "love" or "commandment." The latter alternative seems somewhat more likely in view of John's argument. In this case John's point was that his readers should obey God's commands as they had heard these from the beginning of the apostles' preaching (cf. 1 John 1:1). They should not obey the gospel that the false teachers were proclaiming.

All the specific "commandments" of God are really one "commandment" or obligation for the Christian (cf. 1 John 3:22-23).

Constable: 2Jo 1:7--3Jo 1:10

B. Protecting the Truth vv. 7-11

Next John moved on to his second purpose. He wrote to encourage his readers to resist the false teachers who were distorting the truth and deceiving some of the believers.

"The presbyter's attention now moves from the existence of true belief inside the Johannine community, which gives him great joy (v 4), to the dangers presented to it through the espousal of false belief by deceivers who have defected into the world.' Earlier, the writer has spoken of Christian truth and love; in the remainder of 2 John the emphasis inevitably falls on the need for truth in contrast to error. But the two sections interlock. Departure from the truth results in a failure of love. Thus the dark description of heretical secession and its consequences (vv 7-11) forms the basis of John's warm appeal for love and unity (vv 4-6)."¹¹

v. 7 This verse gives the reason for the exhortation in verse 6 and links what follows with verses 4-6. Erroneous teaching had already begun to proliferate in the early church (e.g., Gnosticism, Docetism, Cerinthianism, etc.; cf. 1 John 2:18, 22-23, 27; 4:1-3). The common error was Christological. The false teachers regarded Jesus as something other than God's Anointed One who had come in the flesh (cf. 1 John 5:1). "Coming" in the flesh means having come and continuing in flesh. This is the true view of the Incarnation. Jesus was and continues to be fully God and fully man.

"The incarnation was more than a mere incident, and more than a temporary and partial connection between the Logos and human nature. It was the permanent guarantee of the possibility of fellowship, and the chief means by which it is brought about."¹²

This type of false teacher is a deceiver as well as opposed to Christ. John did not mean that such a person was the end-time Antichrist. The use of the definite article in Greek, translated "the," used with an unnamed individual as here, sometimes translates better with the English indefinite article "a" or "an." That understanding of this statement is preferable here in view of other Scriptures that indicate the end-time Antichrist has yet to appear (e.g., Dan. 11; 2 Thess. 2).

"The elder says that anybody who denies the truth is a very antichrist, just as we might speak of a supremely evil person as the very devil.'"¹³

v. 8 Compromise with the false teachers could lead to a loss of reward (cf. the warning passages in Hebrews).¹⁴ Moreover loss for John's readers would involve loss for him as well since he had a share in their lives. This loss would only be partial, however. They would still receive some reward (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11-15).¹⁵ Loss of salvation is not in view at all.

v. 9 The picture in John's mind seems to have been that of a Christian who, the false teachers said, did not have the whole truth. It is common even today for false teachers to claim that those who do not agree with them are still in an infantile intellectual condition. However, John regarded that "infantile" position as proper for the Christian. If his readers advanced beyond it, they would really step out of the truth into error. John warned his readers of the danger of apostasy, namely, forsaking truth to embrace error (cf. 1 John 2:23-24).

John's use of "abide" indicates that he spoke of a vital personal relationship with God that comes with adherence to the truth, not just dead doctrinal orthodoxy (cf. John 8:31; 14:21-23; 15:1-7).

vv. 10-11 In the culture of John's day philosophers and teachers relied on the people to whom they spoke for lodging and financial assistance (e.g., Acts 18:2-3; 21:7). John instructed his readers to refuse to help the false teachers in these ways. Beyond this they were not even to give verbal encouragement to these apostates (cf. Acts 15:23; 23:26; 1 Cor. 10:20; 1 Tim. 5:22; James 1:1; 1 Pet. 4:13).¹⁶ John did not advocate the persecution of heretics here, but he strongly counselled his readers to give them no aid or encouragement in their destructive ministry. I believe he would have approved his readers' efforts to correct the false teachers in private and to lead them into a true appreciation of the person and work of Christ. In dealing with such persons ourselves we must also relate to their ministry in one way and to themselves in another. We must not approve or encourage their work but must show concern for their personal relationship with Christ.¹⁷

"Admittedly great care should be exercised before applying such a radical withholding of hospitality from anyone. For the elder it was applied only to antichristians who were committed to destroying the faith of the community. The issue involved more than disagreements in interpretation or personal misunderstandings among members of the body of Christ. It was radical and clearly defined unbelief, and it involved active and aggressive promotion of perversions of truth and practice that struck at the heart of Christianity.

"The responsibility of parents may furnish an analogy. Parents must discriminate as to whom even among their relatives they entertain in their home. Some relatives might be of such questionable character as to menace the moral, spiritual, and physical welfare of the children. Such relatives must be excluded. Parents must balance their concern for their relatives with their responsibility for their children. Notice that John does not suggest that the elect lady and her children deal with the false teachers in hatred or retaliate against them. Instead, he counsels that the false teachers be kept at a distance lest their heresy destroy the young church."¹⁸

College: 2 John

2 JOHN

¹ The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth - and not I only, but also all who know the truth - ² because of the truth, which lives in us and will be with us forever:

³ Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love. ⁴ It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. ⁵ And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. ⁶ And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

⁷ Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. ⁸ Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. ⁹ Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. ¹¹ Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

¹² I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

¹³ The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

I. GREETING (1-3)

As was mentioned earlier, 2 and 3 John are closer examples of first century letters than 1 John. We have author, recipient, greeting, transitional statement of thanks or praise, main body, and closing. John continues to answer the same villains in his second epistle as he had in the first. This is not to say that there were Gnostics under every rock opposing the church in the first century, but rather that John specifically answers their false teaching with his epistles.

Aside from inspiration and God's canonization of the works, their preservation indicates the respect given to John's writings by the church. The readers needed to hear that they were wanted by God, that they were chosen by him, that they were protected by him from various enemy threats.

v. 1The elder,

The letter writer is presbuvtero" ( presbyteros ). Taken literally, this word means "older one." It was used for:

1) Those of an older or advanced age

2) Those in church leadership (usually used in plurality in the NT; see 1 Pet 5:1)

3) Predecessors, people of ancient times. One possibility is that John is using apocalyptic language to disguise himself and to protect the readers from government persecution. In any case, John is known by the readers of this letter and simply uses the designation of The Elder .

To the chosen lady and her children,

The recipients of the letter is another matter for discussion. Commentators through the centuries have disagreed about their identification. Who are the chosen lady and her children ? There are at least four views to consider for the identification of the lady:

1) Some have argued that the lady is an "unknown sister" in one of the local congregations. This is probably the best position for those who insist on the one-recipient view.

2) Others have held that there was a lady by the name of Eklecte or Eclecta (literally taking the Greek to indicate an actual name of a specific woman, =Eklekth/', (transliterated as Eklecte ). E.g., Clement of Alexandria held this view. It is also less likely because we find it again as an adjective in verse 13.

3) Perhaps it was another lady named Kuria or Cyria by transliterating the word for lady (kuriva in Greek, the equivalent of "Martha" in Hebrew). But there is little evidence in early Christian literature to support such a view.

4) If John were using the device of cryptic language in this epistle, the chosen lady and her children would be the local church.

It is my opinion that this last view is the correct one. Both the Greek pronouns and verb forms used here are plural. The children , therefore, would be members of a local congregation (see 1 Tim 1:2; Gal 4:25). Like mother, like daughter - the church and her members are chosen!

whom I love in the truth - and not I only, but also all who know the truth -

John and the recipients share a common passion for the truth. He is referring to the gospel of truth (John 1:7; 14:7; 17:19; Gal 2:5, 14; Col 1:6). John identifies himself as being a part of their company. All who have obeyed the gospel know the truth and are known by the truth they live. Paul bragged about congregations whose reputation in the faith preceded them (Rom 1:8; 2 Cor 8:7; Ph 1:15; Col 1:4; 1 Thess 1:8; and 2 Thess 1:3).

v. 2 because of the truth,

Truth (ajlhvqeia, alçtheia) is a key word in the second epistle appearing five times in the first four verses. Notice the antithesis of truth in the word "deceivers" in verse 7 and the intimated opposition to truth in verse 11, "wicked work." For the sake of the truth John is writing to these Christians to remind them of a common cause and bloodline.

which lives in us and will be with us forever:

How does this truth live in the Christian? Jesus is the truth (John 14:6). When we clothe ourselves with Christ, we clothe ourselves with him, the truth (Gal 3:26-29). Jesus' promise in Matthew 28:20 is fulfilled by the indwelling of Christ's Spirit (John 14:16; Acts 2:38, 39) and our continued faithfulness to his revealed truth in the Word.

v. 3 Grace, mercy and peace

These three words also appear in 1 Timothy 1:2 and 2 Timothy 1:2. You have the common Greek greeting in grace (cavri", charis ) and the common Hebrew greeting in peace (eijrhvnh, eirçnç - often explained as the Christian form of shalom ). Mercy (e[leo", eleos ) serves as the bridge connecting the two (Westcott, "the manifestation of the divine 'grace.'").

from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father's Son, will be with us in truth and love.

John presents evidence that Jesus Christ and God the Father are one in that they are the source (paraÉ, para or from) of the grace, mercy and peace. Literally these blessings come from both equally. Jesus had told Philip, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). John is also answering some of the false teaching that denied Jesus' physical birth and life on earth (v. 7). Grace, mercy and peace will cohabit with the Christian through truth and love . Interestingly, here the verb tense is future e[stai (2 Pet 1:2 and Jude 2 use present tense, "be. . .in abundance" - plhquvnw, plçthynô).

II. WALKING IN OBEDIENCE (4-6)

A. SOURCE OF JOY (4)

v. 4 It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us.

Following the customary first century letter form, John expresses a note of thanksgiving to the recipients. As for any parent, the knowledge that your children are actually obedient to what you have asked them to do is a source of great joy , not to mention relief! God the Father has commanded that we continue to walk in the truth . Logically if some (not in the original) of the children were walking in the truth , others were no longer and had fallen away. It is to be a lifestyle for the faithful that is obvious to everyone, friend and enemy alike.

B. LOVE AS OBEDIENCE (5-6)

v. 5 And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.

The apostle of love again politely pleads with his readers (singular, yet addressed to all, including John) to obey the command to love one another . The NIV uses the words I ask . It is not new because they have heard it before. John had seen, touched and heard it before. The command goes back to Leviticus 19:18. More specifically, from the beginning would be from the time of their rebirth and being clothed with truth and love (John 13:34; see comments on 1 John 2:7-15). In contrast, the Gnostics were constantly adding new teachings. The old teaching of love was sufficient to answer the new threat to the church. It is not optional because it is a command from the head of the church. Jesus in Matthew 22 and Paul in Romans 13 summed up a list of commands in the one to love.

v. 6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.

John defines love for the readers again. We have the benefit of knowing what John has written in his extant writings. They did not and needed another explanation of love fleshed out. The same phrase is repeated, from the beginning . John reinforces the thought that they knew better and should renew their first love.

But what happens when we do not obey all of his commands ? We have "one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One" (1 John 2:1). Intent to obey his commands and living a life before and toward God proves our love for him and our neighbor. Maybe the RSV has a closer meaning to the original by using "follow" in love. Jesus best demonstrated how to love and we must follow his example! Walking in love puts our confession of faith into action.

III. CONTINUING IN THE TEACHING (7-11)

A. IDENTIFICATION OF DECEIVERS (7)

v. 7 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

This is the real reason for John to write about the truth - the rise of false teachers. The NIV does not translate o}ti ( hoti - "because" or "for") at the beginning of the verse, which would evidence John's purpose in warning. We generally know what deceivers are. They are liars! And we know that the devil "is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44). They had been commissioned by their master to go out into the world . John clarifies that the deceivers attempting to teach among his readers would be those who deny Jesus' incarnation (see 1 John 2:22; 4:2, 15; 5:6). They do not acknowledge or confess (oJmologevw, homologeô) that Jesus came in the flesh in contrast to the Christian confession. Their unity is in a common conspiracy of deceit. They are calling God a liar (1 John 5:10). One of the best safeguards against error or false teaching is for brothers and sisters to genuinely love one another.

The definite article appears in the original to label false teachers as the deceiver and the antichrist . Some have taken this to mean that the false teachers were the devil himself. There is no worse enemy for Christians than one who is anti-Christ. In this wording we hear the strongest warning from John. That is why any association with the deceivers would be anti-Christian and walking in the opposite direction of their confession of faith and walk in love. Is there one Antichrist? John is the only New Testament writer to use the terminology, here and in 1 John 2:18, 22 and 4:3. Context indicates that there are many antichrists or deceivers.

B. BEING FULLY REWARDED (8)

v. 8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

Watch out (blevpete, blepete ) means caution! When one holds the belief that Jesus did not come in the flesh, as Knofel Staton responds, "it is just a logical jump to conclude that He is not presently coming into the flesh of men via the Holy Spirit. If that is denied, ethics is reduced to humanism. That is precisely what Gnosticism did to ethics in the first century. If there is no Divine that comes into the human, the human becomes his own god." If a person becomes "his own god," he is lost.

John's warning here runs counter to the position of some Calvinists who hold the doctrine of "the perseverance of the saints" (the "P" in TULIP). The possibility of losing, drifting away or falling away is taught in such passages as Hebrews 2:1 (drifting), Matthew 11:6; 26:31, 33; Mark 4:17; 14:27, 29; Luke 7:23; 8:13; and Hebrews 6:6 (falling). The NIV translates the clause, a} hjrgasavmeqa ( ha çrgasametha) as what you have worked for . This is better rendered, "what we have worked for." The objection to works salvation would be answered to some degree with this interpretation. We would see John's concern that his own efforts and those of other evangelists could be in vain should the readers "fall away." Paul writes, "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil 2:12, 13).

There is always a need for self-examination in the Christian life (e.g., 1 Cor 11:28). The end result of our watching out is to be rewarded fully . "Reward" is used 24 times in the New Testament, among which only one other passage is in John's writings, Revelation 22:12. The ultimate reward for the Christian to hear from his Lord is, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!" (Matt 25:21).

C. HAVING BOTH THE FATHER AND THE SON (9)

v.9 Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God;

What does John mean by the clause anyone who runs ahead, as the NIV translates Pa'" oJ proavgwn (pas ho proagôn)? It can also mean "to go too far" or as Smith uses the alternate reading of parabaivnwn, parabainôn - "progresses," which can also mean "turn away" or "leave." There is a caution for John's readers, as well as for us, to build on the past without completely abandoning it. John describes a person who is not satisfied with the way things are and usurps a teacher's authority in order to present a contradictory new teaching. He or she has a revelation that is better than what God has revealed. When that happens, he stops following the teaching of Christ and does not have God ! To be without Christ is to be lost (1 John 5:12).

What then is the teaching of Christ? Two options would be either " what Jesus taught" or "what has been taught about him." The context of John's epistles would have us adopt the latter view due to the false teaching about the Christ of which John warns his readers.

whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

The positive outcome for the faithful follower is the assurance of having both the Father and the Son and their having him. Persevering of the saints requires discipline!

D. WARNING ABOUT MISDIRECTED HOSPITALITY (10-11)

v. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.

If begins a conditional sentence and means in essence that it is likely that the recipients of this letter will encounter false teachers. Marshall comments, "we should not give any kind of practical encouragement to the false teachers." We have heard that some cults practice scare tactics in warning their would-be proselytes to ignore any other teaching as from the devil. That would be one way for false teachers to protect their catch. John warns the Christians to identify the deceivers immediately by their speech. If what they teach is not in line with what John has described as the teaching of Christ (or the teaching about Christ), they are to be avoided entirely. Romans 12:13 is not to be applied to false teachers and deceivers. Christians are under no obligation to "practice hospitality" to them. Do not take him into your house or welcome him clearly protects family devotion to one another and to Christ.

Ross cautions about overreacting and becoming too judgmental, "We should, however, be absolutely certain that men are as far astray from Christian Truth as John's heretics were before we think of meeting [sic] out to them such treatment as John here recommends." We would all do well to apply 1 John 4:1-6 in testing the spirits of such alleged teachers in order to protect ourselves and the fellowship of the church.

v. 11 Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work.

If the readers had not learned the lesson by now, John adds to the warning by explaining that to be hospitable to deceivers is the same as being a deceiver. They would have fellowship (koinwniva, koinônia) in wickedness! Alexander Campbell used the phrase "listening distance" or "hearing distance." Ross comments that inviting deceivers in, "would increase their opportunities for working mischief." Paul warned, "I urge you brothers . . . . Keep away from them." (Rom 16:17). If we do not invite false teachers into our homes (churches - Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 16:19; Phlm 1:2), we will not come within the listening distance to be led astray!

IV. HOPING FOR A VISIT (12)

v. 12 I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink.

A close parallel with 3 John indicates that both books may have been written at the same time. We do not know how much more John wished to write to the readers of this letter. The brevity of the letter demonstrates John's urgency in warning the church. Many have speculated concerning what John might have written. It is reminiscent of John 21:25 where John ends his portrait of Jesus and claims that many more volumes would still not contain all of his life. If John has been using a disguise throughout the letter through cryptic language, he may have been protecting his readers from detection by not saying too much in writing.

Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.

He would wait to speak with them face to face . Some things you cannot write in a letter, speak over the phone or by electronic mail. He may have planned to equip them more completely to handle the onslaught of the false teachers and to rejoice with them in their common faith. Again, John includes himself by using the word our and remains consistent with the rest of the letter. John wanted to rejoice with them and in person.

V. CLOSING (13)

v. 13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

John closes his letter as he began it. If John has been addressing a local congregation, he then signs his letter by sending reciprocal greetings from his own congregation. They needed to know that they were not alone in the world. If John is writing from Ephesus, it is the church at Ephesus that sends greetings. The Textus Receptus has ajmhvn (amçn) added to the closing words of the verse, your chosen sister (literally: your sister, the chosen one).

QUESTIONS ON SECOND JOHN

Consider These as You Read 2 John

1. Who is "the elder"?

2. Who is "the elect lady"?

3. Is there more to verse 3 than the mere formality of greeting?

4. Who are the children of verse 4?

5. What is the purpose of John's writing in 2 John?

6. Why is 2 John so short?

Questions for Review of 2 John

1. What are some of the different views of the identity of "the elect lady?"

2. What is the probable meaning of the term "elder" as used here by John?

3. Against what does 2 John constitute a warning (v. 8)?

4. How does John's position against Gnosticism answer the present day philosophy that "all truth is relative?"

5. Describe the grace of God.

6. Sin, in its deepest sense, is a crime against what or whom?

7. A crime against law can be punished by ________________ .

8. A crime against love can only be atoned for by _________ .

9. How would you answer the claim that the peace of God in the heart of Christians is "the opiate of the people" to lull them into the grasp of those who would enslave and exploit?

10. Why is John pleasantly surprised to find the wandering children of the elect lady walking according to truth?

11. The only admissible evidence that we know truth is that we __________________ (v. 4).

12. The fundamental command of God to his children is that we __________________ .

13. How does love express itself (v. 6)?

14. Love will not allow __________________ with falsehood.

15. Who does John identify as the antichrist in 2 John? How does this compare with what John says about the antichrist in 1 John, chapter 2?

16. The essential truth upon which both the personal salvation of Christians and the fellowship of the church rests is ______________ .

17. What is meant by "the teaching of Christ" in 2 John 9?

18. What is the danger of "progress" as set forth in 2 John 9?

19. Why are we forbidden to be hospitable to false teachers?

20. How would a Christian share in wickedness (v. 11)?

21. Who might be chosen sister be?

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV

Lapide: 2 John

PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND THIRD

EPISTLE OF S. JOHN.

——o——

SEVERAL ancient writers have entertained doubts respecting the Second and Third Epistles of S. John, supposing them to have been written by John the Presbyter, not John the Apostle. They have been led to think this because the writer begins by calling himself the Elder, or the Presbyter, in Greek πζεσβύτεζος. This doubt is mentioned by Eusebius ( H. E. lib. 3 cap ult. ) and S. Jerome ( de Scrip. Eccles.). But that both these Epistles are canonical is now de fide, and also that they were written by S. John the Apostle. This appears, 1st From the definition of the Council of Trent ( sess. 4), and the Third Council of Carthage ( cap. 47), and the Council of Laodicæa ( cap. 59), and the 84 of the Canons of the Apostles.

2d. From the Fathers, viz. Irenæeus ( lib. 3 c. 13), S. Augustine ( lib. 2 de Doct. Christ. c. 8). Hear also S. Jerome ( Epis. ad Paul ): "James, Peter, John, and Jude the Apostles published seven epistles, both mystical, succinct, and brief, all about the same length: short in words, long in sentences, so that there are few readers who are unacquainted with them."¹ He says elsewhere ( Epis. ad Evagr.): "The son of thunder, whom Jesus loved most dearly, sounds with his trumpet; he, I mean, who from the Saviour's breast drank rivers of doctrine, 'the Presbyter to the Elect Lady and her children, whom I love in the truth.'"

3d. Similarity of style and matter is an argument for these two Epistles having the same author as the first. This is what Baronius says ( An. 99 , cap. 9): "Certainly, if ever it be allowable to judge by their likeness to one another that children are born of the same parents, any one can easily perceive, from the words, the sentences, the style, the tone, bearing as they do on the surface the same character, that these Epistles have proceeded from the same author. First, with regard to the words and sentences, there are many indications of this, as when he says in the First Epistle 'I write not a new commandment unto you, but an old.' So in the Second, 'Not as writing a new commandment unto you, but that which we have had from the beginning.' Again in the First, 'Every one who denieth the Son, neither hath he the Father: he who confesseth the Son hath the Father also.' And in the Second he utters the same sentiment in the words, 'Every one who draws back, and abides not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: he who abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the Father and the Son.' So too in the First, 'Whosoever is born of God sinneth not. In the Third the same idea is thus expressed, 'He that doeth good is of God; and he that is born of God sinneth not.' And as in the First Epistle it is frequently inculcated that we should love in deed and in truth, in the Second and Third there are injunctions to love in truth. In the First Epistle we find, 'Many false prophets are gone out into the world; in this is known the spirit of God,' &c. So in the Second we find the same idea in almost identical words, 'There are many seducers gone out into the world: he who confesseth not that Jesus is come in the flesh, this is a seducer and an antichrist.' Again, we have in the First Epistle, 'This is love, that we keep His commandments;' and in the Second, 'This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.' This continual inculcation of charity, love, and truth in these two Epistles clearly indicates that we have in them a genuine transcript of the mind of S. John, just as we have in the First."

To the objection that John writes of himself as the Elder, or Presbyter, I reply that in that age Presbyter and Bishop had the same meaning, as I have shown on 1Ti 4:14. Moreover, S. John, worn out at this time with the fulness of years and the weight of the apostolic dignity, was the oldest of all living Christians. The last of the Apostles, he lived until the age of Trajan, and died about A.D. 101.

 THE SECOND EPISTLE OF

S. JOHN.

——o——

The Elder : S. John, as the last survivor of the Apostles, surpassed all the three Bishops both in age and dignity. As S. Ambrose says, "an Elder, who was furnished with a sort of swan-like grace of age." And Œcumenius says, "John speaks of himself as a Bishop under the name of a Presbyter."

Elect : Serarius endeavours to prove by eight conjectural reasons that by the name Electa is signified not a person, or matron, but an Asiatic Church. For the Church is the elect Spouse of God, according to the words in Song vi. 9, "Fair as the moon, elect as the sun" ( Vulg.); and S. Peter's 1st Epist. (1Pet 513, "The Church in Babylon co-elect with you." Serarius thinks that this Church was one of the seven Churches of Asia, which S. John warns and teaches in the Apocalypse: or else that it was the Church of Corinth, because Gaius the host of S. Paul was a member of it, as we gather from Rom 16:23; and 1Co 1:14. For it would seem that this Second Epistle was sent with the Third to the Church in which Gaius, to whom the Third Epistle is inscribed, lived. Moreover, this Church is called κυζία, i.e. lady, either on account of the dignity of the place, or because it excelled in virtue.

But, omitting other things, it is against this opinion that S. John says in his Third Epistle, speaking to Gaius, "I might perchance have written to the Church, but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the primacy among them, receiveth not us." He shows by these words that he did not write an Epistle to the Church where Gaius was. Wherefore it is the general opinion that the Epistle was written to a particular matron. And that this is the meaning of elect Lady, or the Lady Electa. What then is the meaning of Electa? 1st Some say it means a faithful Christian woman. For Christians generally were called the elect. Thus S. Peter (1 Ep. c. 1) writes "to the elect strangers of Pontus," &c.

But others, with more probability, think that Electa is a proper name. For epistles are wont to be inscribed to particular persons, who are addressed by their proper names. This too is why the word ε̉κλακτη̃ is without the article. For if it were an appellative noun it would have the article as in the last ver. τη̃ ε̉κλακτη̃.

Again, the word Electa is usually written with a capital letter. In a similar manner many Christians had appellatives conferred upon them instead of proper names, such as Justus, Justa, Christianus, Christiana. It may be that the faithful called her by this name because of her eminent virtue, especially because she brought up her daughters in the love of virginity, and had a religious household, as I shall show presently. Thus Elect, as meaning of excellent virtue and nobility, may answer to the Heb. bechira, chosen, illustrious.

Again, it may have been that this matron, on account of her nobility, influence, and virtue, may have been chosen to preside over other Christian women, especially those who were poor, that she might give them instruction in the faith and Christian principles, and supply their wants by procuring alms for them. Lyra adds that she supported the ministers of the Church. She was then a mother, and refuge of the faithful, such as was S. Potentiana, the sister of S. Praxedes, in the persecution of the Emperor Antoninus. For as the Apostles chose S. Stephen and the six other deacons for such an office, so did the Bishops subsequently choose deaconesses to minister to women.

The Latin translation does not call her Eclecla, following the Greek, but in the Latin form Electa. This is in favour of its being an appellative converted into a proper name by reason of her dignity and office. Lucitis Dexter, in his "Chronicle," says that this lady's original proper name was Drusia. This is what he says, "In the year of Christ 105, S. John wrote his Second Epistle to Drusia the elect female, who as a mother of the Church of that city at the time abounded in charity and alms-giving." Lastly, Clement of Alexandria says, "The Second Epistle of John is most simply written to virgins. It is inscribed to a certain lady Electa of Babylon."

Lady : from this it is plain that this Electa was a noble and influential matron, to whom, though not in accordance with his usual practice, S. John writes to confirm her, and through her others in the faith, that they might not be led astray by Ebion, Cerinthus, and the Gnostics. Such heretics would seem to have crept into this lady's house, and were endeavouring to infect her with their false doctrine. S. John seems to intimate this in the 10th ver., where he strictly forbids her to wish them God speed, or to receive them into her house.

There is an allusion to a very pretty Hebrew pun, libeclura gebira, meaning the same as chosen, or elect Lady. Similarly, S. Jerome instructed several noble Roman matrons by his words and his writings, and drew many of them to Bethlehem to the monastery of S. Paula and S. Eustochium under his direction. This is how he answers the charge brought against him for associating with these women ( Epist. 140 ad Princip.), "If men would search the Scriptures, I should not speak to women. If Barach had been willing to go out to battle there would have been no triumph for Debora. Jeremiah is shut up in prison, and, in order that Israel should not perish for lack of a prophet amongst them, Huldah the prophetess is raised up. The priests and Pharisees crucify the Son of God, but Mary Magdalen is weeping at the Cross, is preparing ointments, is seeking Him in the tomb. She interrogates the gardener, she recognises the Lord, she runs to the disciples, she tells them He is found. While they are doubting, she is full of confidence. She is a true tower (πυζγίτις ),² yea a very tower of ivory and cedar looking toward Damascus, that is to the Blood of the Saviour, which calls to deeds of penitence. It ceased to be with Sara after the manner of women, and Abraham was made subject unto her, and it was said to him, 'Whatsoever Sara saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice.'" But this particular conduct of S. Jerome is certainly not for every one to imitate; indeed, with young women it should be wholly avoided.

And her children : Clement of Alexandria testifies that these children were virgins, and thus are affectionately saluted by the virgin John. It seems then that Electa brought up her daughters for virginity and holiness, so that her home might be called a very Parthenon, or convent of virgins.

Whom I love in the truth, i.e. truly, sincerely. In the truth, i.e. in Christian charity. Or, in the truth, i.e. in the Lord, who is Truth.

And not I only, &c. "This common love removes all suspicion of private affection, and makes it of greater force," says the Inter. Gloss.

Ver. 2.— For the Truth's sake. He means, I love them in the Truth, because they themselves constantly adhere to the Truth, i.e. to the true faith. And Electa and her daughters showed that they had this true faith, because they showed it in works of love to the brethren. Therefore did S. John love them. "I love them," he means to say, "for the Truth's sake, because they live a life agreeable to the truth of the Gospel."

Ver. 3.— Grace, mercy, and peace be with you. Concerning this salutation I have spoken in the beginning of St. Paul's Epistles to Titus, the Romans, and Corinthians. He adds mercy (or, as the Syriac translation, compassions ) to grace, that by the mercies which they had received, and were daily receiving from God through Christ, he might stir up Electa and her children to show like mercy to their neighbours. For all, however holy they may be, still are poor and weak, and need the mercy of God, either because they fall, or are in danger of falling.

In truth and love, understand, that ye may persevere and increase in them. Catharinus takes it differently, thus: "The grace, mercy, and peace which I ask for you consist in the truth, i.e. true doctrine, in faith, and the charity in which ye sincerely love one another for God's sake. For in those two things the perfection of Christ consists." This is a very apposite meaning, easy and obvious, and requires nothing to be understood, or supplied.

I was exceeding glad because I found of thy children. Of thy children. This is a Hebraism. There is a similar grammatical form in Ps. lxxii. 16, "To Him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, and they shall worship of Him" ( de ipso ), i.e. " shall worship Him. "

Electa seems to have had many sons or grandsons, for they too are called children.

Walking in the Truth : ordering their lives according to the rule of the Gospel. Observe, he does not say standing, or sitting, to signify that they made daily progress in the Christian life, and went on from virtue to virtue, in which he proposes them as a model for imitation.

As we have received commandment from the Father. For the Father has commanded through the Son, even as Christ saith ( John xv. 15), "All things whatsoever I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you."

Ver.5.—And now, I beseech thee, Lady, &c. This must be referred to the end of the verse, that we love one another. I beseech thee, lady, to exercise thyself, and those who belong to thee, in mutual love. For this commandment of love is not recent and new, but delivered by Christ to me and the rest of the Apostles at the very beginning of the Gospel. Observe the modesty of S. John as something which ought to be imitated by Prelates, in that he says, I beseech thee, Lady, when he might have said, I command thee, 0 my daughter.

Ver. 6. — For this is the commandment. . . that ye should walk, &c. Viz., that ye should make careful progress in evangelical truth and love, growing and making progress in the love of God and your neighbours, as I enjoined upon you in the very beginning of my preaching.

Ver. 7.— Because many seducers are going out into the world. He now passes to the second branch of his epistle, from charity to evangelical truth. For these two virtues are inseparable sisters and companions. Now the word because gives the reason for what he had said in the verse preceding. "I have said that ye should walk in charity, should make progress in the commandment of Gospel truth and charity, because many seducers are gone out into the world, who endeavour to overturn this truth, and as a consequence Christian charity, and to tear it from you. Of such therefore ye ought to beware as of wolves. For they strive to draw you away from union with Christ to their own conventicles of Satan."

This is a seducer and an antichrist. Whosoever thinks, or teaches, that Christ has not come in the flesh, has not been incarnate; this man is a deceiver.

Ver. 8.— Lest ye lose that which ye have wrought : the Greek reads in the first person, lest we lose, &c. Lest I should have preached to you in vain, and lest both I and you should lose all our former labour. As the old saying hath it, "There is no greater unhappiness than to remember that we once were happy."

But that ye may receive a full reward. That is, if ye take heed to yourselves, and persevere, your perseverance will bring you a full reward. Full, i.e. copious and abundant. For he who falls back, even though he afterwards repent, receives only a half reward, for he loses all the time and the works of the period of his apostasy. The Greek has α̉πολάβωμεν, that we may receive, for the reward of an Apostle and teacher is full when he sees the fruit of his works in his disciples, and when he is honoured and crowned, not only in himself, but in them. As S. Paul says, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of glory? Ye are our glory and joy."

Ver. 9.— Whosoever goeth back, &c. The Greek is παζαβαινιν, i.e., who transgresses. The Syriac reads, he who passes by, and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, has not God for his friend.

Ver. 10 . — lf any one come to you, and bring not this doctrine, &c. S. John in this place not only advises, as some think, but also commands Electa and all the rest of the faithful not to receive to hospitality, nor say Hail, to any one who brings another doctrine, i.e. one which is contrary to the orthodox faith of Christ. For he who saith hail to such is partaker of their evil deeds. That is, he seems to favour and applaud the heretical teacher.

Observe, not only by human and canon laws, as since the time of S. John they have been enacted by Pontiffs and Councils, heretics are to be avoided in three cases. The first is, when there is danger lest you or yours should be perverted by them, which is a thing which ordinarily happens. For, as S. Paul saith, "Their word doth creep as doth a cancer." (2 Tim 2:17.)

2d. When, by receiving, you would seem to favour his heresy, and tacitly profess or encourage it. As, for example, if you were to receive to your house and table a recognised Calvinistic minister, who came for the purpose of propagating his heresy. In the same way it would be wrong to be present at his preaching, or eucharists, or to communicate with him in sacris.

3d. When you give scandal to others, so that they, thinking you to be a host and patron of heretics, should be by your example emboldened to do the same.

These cases being excepted, intercourse with heretics is not forbidden by the Divine and natural law, especially if necessity, or mercy, or grave benefit counsels it.

What S, John here teaches by way of precept he enforced by his example. For having entered into a bath, as soon as he saw Cerinthus there, he sprang out, crying, "Let us flee quickly lest the bath in which is Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, should fall upon us!"

S. John's disciple, S. Polycarp, followed his master, saying in his Epistle to the Philippians, in allusion to these words of S. John, "Abstain," he says, "from scandals, and from false brethren, who bear the name of the Lord in vain, who cause foolish men to go astray. For every one who confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, he is antichrist: and he who confesses not the mystery of the Cross is a devil." Thus wrote holy Polycarp, and he acted accordingly. For meeting the heretic Marcion, and being asked by him if he knew him, he answered, "I know thee to be the devil's first-born."

Thus S. Hermenegild was slain by command of his father, Levvigild, king of the Goths, because he would not receive the Eucharist at Easter from an Arian bishop. This is related by S. Gregory (3 Dial. 31), who calls him a martyr of the Church.

Eusebius of Vercelli, being taken by the Arians, preferred to die of hunger rather than take food from those heretics.

S. Paphnutius took Maximus Bishop of Jerusalem by the hand when he was through simplicity associating with heretics, and led him away from them, saying, "I cannot suffer so venerable a bishop to sit in the seat of pestilence, and to communicate with unclean heretics even by a word."

When S. Martin communicated with the Bishops of the Ithacian sect, in the hope of saving them, he was warned by an angel not to do so. And although he repeated, he experienced a diminution of grace, so that he did not work so many miracles as he had previously wrought. ( Sulp. Sever. lib. 3 Dial )

Still more are heretical books to be avoided. For these pestilent productions conceal their heresy like a plague under an appearance of elegance and wisdom, and instil it into the minds of the readers. In this present age the heresy of Luther and Calvin has been dispersed through so many kingdoms by means of their books. If you wish to take away their heresy, take away their books and their ministers. In truth you will have taken it away as soon as you have substituted pious and learned priests and preachers.

Neither say godspeed ( ave ) to him. The Syriac has, ye shall not say either hail to him or farewell. The ancient Romans said ave, or salve at coming in, vale at going out. Ave then here means the same as the Greek χαὶζειν, rejoice.

For he who saith to him Ave (Syriac rejoice ) is a partaker in his evil deeds. For he who salutes a heretical teacher seems to approve his heresy. Some Latin copies add here, Lo, I have told you beforehand, that ye may not be confounded in the day of the Lord.

Ver. 12.— Having many things, &c. Either because they were confidential, or because letters might perish, or fall into the hands of unbelievers, who would interpret them falsely.

For I hope to come unto you. This shows that this letter was not written and sent to a lady at Babylon, as Clement of Alexandria says, but to some one in Asia Minor, or Greece near to Ephesus. For S. John, who was now in extreme old age and infirm, was wont to make excursions to the neighbouring cities of Asia to instruct and confirm them, but not to go as far as Babylon.

That your joy may be full : For the living voice of a Doctor and Apostle, especially S. John, would bring far more joy, instruction, comfort, and devotion than any mere letters.

Ver. 13.— The children of thy sister Electa salute thee. From hence Œcumenius and our Serarius maintain that the name of Electa, to whom this Epistle is inscribed, is an appellative noun and the title of some particular church. They think the meaning is, "The children of thy sister, i.e. the faithful of the elect Church of Ephesus, salute thee, 0 elect Church of Corinth." Some think that these Electas were particular persons, but were called sisters, not as being so in the flesh, but because they were disciples of the same master, S. John.

It is probable that the sister of Electa was also called Electa on the principle that in many families two or more children bear the same name, so that there are two Johns, two Peters, two Marys, or Margarets. I add what I have intimated at the commencement of the Epistle, that Electa is not so strictly a proper as an appropriated name, a title, so to say, of dignity and office which is bestowed upon several persons discharging similar functions. Electa thus seems to have been the name of a chief matron, who like a mother supported the ministers of the Church, the widows, the orphans, and the poor, and who as a Deaconess presided over the instruction and government of other women in the Church. The meaning then is, "0 Electa, mother of the faithful in the Church, say of Corinth, the children of thy sister, who is also Electa, a mother of the faithful, in the Church of Ephesus, from whence I write, salute thee." It is in favour of this that the Greek article is prefixed to Electa, which is not usual in the use of proper names, but to names of dignity and office appropriated to certain persons.

It is an instance of the kindness and courtesy of S. John that he salutes Electa, not only in his own name, but in the name of his grandchildren.

Some Greek and Latin codices add, Grace be with them. Amen. This is a salutation worthy of S. John and common with S. Paul.

Commentary -- Other

Critics Ask: 2Jo 1:1

2 JOHN 1 —Who was the “elect lady”?

PROBLEM: John addresses his second letter to “the elect lady.” Some have argued that because this was strictly a personal letter addressed to a particular lady, that it does not belong in the canon of Scripture. Was the “elect lady” a person or not?

SOLUTION: First of all, if the “elect lady” were a particular person, this would not exclude it from the canon of Scripture. Several of the epistles of Paul were personal letters to particular individuals (e.g., Timothy, Titus, Philemon).

Second, it is possible that the elect lady was not a particular person. The proposals of commentators basically fall into two categories, the literal and the figurative. Those who understand this address to be literal hold that this was indeed a certain individual whom John knew. The following points are offered in favor of this view. First, it seems to be more natural to take the words as an address to an actual lady and her children. Further, this view fits with the references to the children of the elect lady, her sister (v. 13 ), and her sister’s children (v. 13 ). Also, the basic structure of the greeting in verse 1 fits with the basic structure of the greeting of 3 John 1 (“To the … whom I love in truth”) which itself was an address to a certain individual. Finally, if the term “lady” refers to the church, then to whom does the word “children” refer. Are the “children” not included in the church? Are they somehow different from the church?

Third, those who hold the view that this is afigure of speech maintain that this is a reference to the church as a whole, or to a particular local church. The following points are made in support of this view. First, John states that the lady is loved not only by him, but by “all those who have known the truth” (v. 1 ). This would mean that she was known by everyone. However, this kind of observation would fit better with reference to a local church than an individual. Second, although John uses the singular pronoun “you,” he does switch to the plural in verse 8 where he seems to be warning the lady “Look to yourselves.” But, if this was a literal woman, why would he use a plural at all? Third, the appeal to “love one another” (v. 5 ) makes more sense when directed to a community of believers than to a woman and her children.

Fourth, the personification of the church in feminine terms is a common use in the Bible (e.g., Eph. 5:29ff where Paul develops the idea that the church is the bride of Christ; 1 Peter 5:13 where Peter uses the feminine expression of the church).

Although we may not be able to decide the issue definitively on the basis of our current information, it is clear that, if this was a personal letter to a literal woman, this fact would not exclude it from the canon of Scripture. And, it is not at all clear that it is a reference to an individual lady.   

Evidence: 2Jo 1:1

Buddhism

FOUNDER : Siddhartha Gautama, a prince from northern India near modern Nepal who lived about 563–483 B.C.

SCRIPTURES : Various, but the oldest and most authoritative are compiled in the Pali Canon.

ADHERENTS : 613 million worldwide; 1 million in the United States.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION : Buddhism is the belief system of those who follow the Buddha, the Enlightened One, a title given to its founder. The religion has evolved into three main schools:

1. Theravada or the Doctrine of the Elders (38%) is followed in Sri Lanka (Ceylon), Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Cambodia (Kampuchea), and Vietnam.

2. Mahayana or the Greater Vehicle (56%) is strong in China, Korea, and Japan.

3. Vajrayana, also called Tantrism or Lamaism, (6%) is rooted in Tibet, Nepal, and Mongolia. Theravada is closest to the original doctrines. It does not treat the Buddha as deity and regards the faith as a worldview—not a type of worship. Mahayana has accommodated many different beliefs and worships the Buddha as a god. Vajrayana has added elements of shamanism and the occult and includes taboo breaking (intentional immorality) as a means of spiritual enlightenment.

GROWTH IN THE UNITED STATES : Buddhists regard the United States as a prime mission field, and the number of Buddhists in this country is growing rapidly due to surges in Asian immigration, endorsement by celebrities such as Tina Turner and Richard Gere, and positive exposure in major movies such as Siddhartha, The Little Buddha, and What’s Love Got to Do with It? Buddhism is closely related to the New Age Movement and may to some extent be driving it. Certainly Buddhist growth is benefiting from the influence of New Age thought on American life.

HISTORIC BACKGROUND : Buddhism was founded as a form of atheism that rejected more ancient beliefs in a permanent, personal, creator God (Ishvara) who controlled the eternal destiny of human souls. Siddhartha Gautama rejected more ancient theistic beliefs because of difficulty he had over reconciling the reality of suffering, judgment, and evil with the existence of a good and holy God.

CORE BELIEFS : Buddhism is an impersonal religion of self-perfection, the end of which is death (extinction)—not life. The essential elements of the Buddhist belief system are summarized in the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, and several additional key doctrines. The Four Noble Truths affirm that (1) life is full of suffering (dukkha); (2) suffering is caused by craving (samudaya); (3) suffering will cease only when craving ceases (nirodha); and (4) this can be achieved by following the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of right views, right aspiration, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation. Other key doctrines include belief that nothing in life is permanent (anicca), that individual selves do not truly exist (anatta), that all is determined by an impersonal law of moral causation (karma), that reincarnation is an endless cycle of continuous suffering, and that the goal of life is to break out of this cycle by finally extinguishing the flame of life and entering a permanent state of pure nonexistence (nirvana).

BRIDGES FOR EVANGELIZING BUDDHISTS

The gospel can be appealing to Buddhists if witnessing focuses on areas of personal need where the Buddhist belief system is weak. Some major areas include:

Suffering : Buddhists are deeply concerned with overcoming suffering but must deny that suffering is real. Christ faced the reality of suffering and overcame it by solving the problem of sin, which is the real source of suffering. Now, those who trust in Christ can rise above suffering in this life because they have hope of a future life free of suffering. " We fix our eyes not on what is seen [suffering], but on what is unseen [eternal life free of suffering]. For what is seen [suffering] is temporary, but what is unseen [future good life with Christ] is eternal" ( 2Co 4:18 ; NIV).

Meaningful Self : Buddhists must work to convince themselves they have no personal significance, even though they live daily as though they do. Jesus taught that each person has real significance. Each person is made in God’s image with an immortal soul and an eternal destiny. Jesus demonstrated the value of people by loving us so much that He sacrificed His life in order to offer eternal future good life to anyone who trusts Him. " God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" ( Rom 5:8 ; NIV).

Future Hope: The hope of nirvana is no hope at all—only death and extinction. The hope of those who put their trust in Christ is eternal good life in a " new heaven and new earth" in which God " will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things [suffering] has passed [will pass] away" ( Rev 21:4 ; NIV).

Moral Law : Because karma, the Buddhist law of moral cause and effect, is completely rigid and impersonal, life for a Buddhist is very oppressive. Under karma, there can be no appeal, no mercy, and no escape except through unceasing effort at self-perfection. Christians understand that the moral force governing the universe is a personal God who listens to those who pray, who has mercy on those who repent, and who with love personally controls for good the lives of those who follow Christ. " In all things God works for the good of those who love him" ( Rom 8:28 ; NIV).

Merit : Buddhists constantly struggle to earn merit by doing good deeds, hoping to collect enough to break free from the life of suffering. They also believe saints can transfer surplus merit to the undeserving. Jesus taught no one can ever collect enough merit on his own to earn everlasting freedom from suffering. Instead, Jesus Christ, who has unlimited merit (righteousness) by virtue of His sinless life, meritorious death, and resurrection, now offers His unlimited merit as a free gift to anyone who will become His disciple. " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast" ( Eph 2:8-9 ; NIV).

Desire : Buddhists live a contradiction—they seek to overcome suffering by rooting out desire, but at the same time they cultivate desire for self-control, meritorious life, and nirvana. Christians are consistent—we seek to reject evil desires and cultivate good desires according to the standard of Christ. " Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart" ( 2Ti 2:22 ; NIV).

JESUS AND THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

Because Buddhists think a good life consists of following the Eightfold Path, the stages of the path can be used to introduce them to Christ as follows:

Right views : Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life ( Joh 14:6 ), and there is salvation in no one else ( Act 4:12 ).

Right aspiration : Fights and quarrels come from selfish desires and wrong motives ( Jam 4:1-3 ); right desires and motives honor God ( 1Co 10:31 ).

Right speech : A day of judgment is coming when God will hold men accountable for every careless word they have spoken ( Mat 12:36 ).

Right conduct : The one who loves Jesus must obey Him ( Joh 14:21 ), and those who live by God’s wisdom will produce good acts/fruit ( Jam 3:17 ).

Right livelihood : God will care for those who put Him first ( Mat 6:31-33 ), and all work must be done for God’s approval ( 2Ti 2:15 ).

Right effort : Like runners in a race, followers of Christ must throw off every hindrance in order to give Him their best efforts ( Heb 12:1-2 ).

Right mindfulness : The sinful mind cannot submit to God’s law ( Rom 8:7 ), and disciples of Christ must orient their minds as He did ( Phi 2:5 ).

Right contemplation : The secret of true success, inner peace, self-control, and lasting salvation is submission to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and setting your heart and mind on things above where He now sits in glory waiting to bring the present order of sin and suffering to an end ( Col 3:1-4 ).

WHEN WITNESSING TO BUDDHISTS

1. Avoid terms such as " new birth," " rebirth," " regeneration," or " born again." Use alternatives such as " endless freedom from suffering, guilt, and sin," " new power for living a holy life," " promise of eternal good life without suffering," or " gift of unlimited merit."

2. Emphasize the uniqueness of Christ.

3. Focus on the gospel message and do not get distracted by details of Buddhist doctrine.

4. Understand Buddhist beliefs enough to discern weaknesses that can be used to make the gospel appealing (see " Bridges for Evangelizing Buddhists" and " Jesus and the Eightfold Path" ).

5. While using bridge concepts (see " Bridges for Evangelizing Buddhists" ), be careful not to reduce Christian truth to a form of Buddhism. Buddhism has been good at accommodating other religions. Do not say " Buddhism is good, but Christianity is easier."

6. Share your own testimony, especially your freedom from guilt, assurance of heaven (no more pain), and personal relationship with Christ.

7. Prepare with prayer. Do not witness in your own strength.

Daniel R. Heimbach, Associate Professor of Christian Ethics, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest,

N.C. Copyright 1996 North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Alpharetta, Georgia. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission.

Evidence: 2Jo 1:7

Religions and " Christian" sects that deny the great truth that God was manifest in the flesh are deceivers and are antichrist in spirit. See 1Jo 4:2 ; 1Ti 3:16 .

Evidence: 2Jo 1:9

Those who object to Christianity’s claim that there is only one way to God usually argue that we should be tolerant of all religions. In that case, they should practice what they preach and be tolerant of the Christian claim. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him ( Joh 14:6 ). See 1Jo 2:23 .

Introduction / Outline

Robertson: 2 John (Book Introduction)

SECOND JOHN

ABOUT a.d. 85 TO 90

By Way of Introduction

There is little to add to what was said about the First Epistle except that here the author terms himself " the elder" ( ho presbuteros ) and writes to " the elect lady" ( eklektēi kuriāi ). There is dispute about both of these titles. Some hold that it is the mythical " presbyter John" of whom Papias may speak, if so understood, but whose very existence is disproved by Dom Chapman in John the Presbyter and the Fourth Gospel (1911). Peter the apostle (1Pe_1:1) calls himself " fellow-elder" ( sunpresbuteros ) with the other elders (1Pe_5:1). The word referred originally to age (Luk_15:25), then to rank or office as in the Sanhedrin (Mat_16:21; Act_6:12) and in the Christian churches (Act_11:30; Act_20:17; 1Ti_5:17, 1Ti_5:19) as here also. A few even deny that the author is the same as in the First Epistle of John, but just an imitator. But the bulk of modern scholarly opinion agrees that the same man wrote all three Epistles and the Fourth Gospel (the Beloved Disciple, and many still say the Apostle John) whatever is true of the Apocalypse. There is no way of deciding whether " the elect lady" is a woman or a church. The obvious way of taking it is to a woman of distinction in one of the churches, as is true of " the co-elect lady in Babylon" (1Pe_5:13), Peter’s wife, who travelled with him (1Co_9:5). Some even take kuria to be the name of the lady (Cyria). Some also take it to be " Eklecta the lady." Dr. Findlay ( Fellowship in the Life Eternal , p. 31) holds that Pergamum is the church to which the letter was sent. The same commentaries treat 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John as a rule, though Poggel has a book on 2 John, 3 John (1896) and Bresky (1906) has Das Verhaltnis des Zweiten Johannesbriefes zum dritten . Dr. J. Rendel Harris has an interesting article in The Expositor of London for March, 1901, on " The Problem of the Address to the Second Epistle of John," in which he argues from papyri examples that kuria here means " my dear" or " my lady." But Findlay ( Fellowship in the Life Eternal , p. 26) argues that " the qualifying adjunct ‘elect’ lifts us into the region of Christian calling and dignity." It is not certain that 2 John was written after 1 John, though probable. Origen rejected it and the Peshitta Syriac does not have 2 John and 3 John.

JFB: 2 John (Book Introduction)

AUTHENTICITY.--That these two Epistles were written by the same author appears from their similarity of tone, style, and sentiments. That John, the beloved disciple, was the author of the Second and Third Epistles, as of the First Epistle, appears from IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 1.16.3], who quotes 2Jo 1:10-11; and in [3.16.8], he quotes 2Jo 1:7, mistaking it, however, as if occurring in First John. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (A.D. 192) [Miscellanies, 2.66], implies his knowledge of other Epistles of John besides the First Epistle; and in fragments of his Adumbrations [p. 1011], he says, "John's Second Epistle which was written to the virgins (Greek, "parthenous"; perhaps Parthos is what was meant) is the simplest; but it was written to a certain Babylonian named the Elect lady." DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 7.25]) observes that John never names himself in his Epistles, "not even in the Second and Third Epistles, although they are short Epistles, but simply calls himself the presbyter, a confutation of those who think John the apostle distinct from John the presbyter. ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA cites 2Jo 1:10-11, as John's [SOCRATES, Ecclesiastical History, 1.6]. CYPRIAN [Concerning the Baptism of Heretics], in referring to the bishops at the Council of Carthage, says, "John the apostle, in His Epistle, has said, if any come to you" (2Jo 1:10); so that this Epistle, and therefore its twin sister, Third John, was recognized as apostolic in the North African Church. The MURATORI fragment is ambiguous. The Second and Third Epistles were not in the Peschito or old Syriac version; and COSMAS INDICOPLEUSTES in the sixth century says that in his time the Syriac Church only acknowledged three of the Catholic Epistles, First Peter, First John, and James. But EPHREM THE SYRIAN quotes the Second Epistle of John. EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History,] reckons both Epistles among the Antilegomena or controverted Scriptures, as distinguished from the Homologoumena or universally acknowledged from the first. Still his own opinion was that the two minor Epistles were genuine, remarking, as he does in Demonstration of the Gospel [3.5], that in John's "Epistles" he does not mention his own name, nor call himself an apostle or evangelist, but an "elder" (2Jo 1:1; 3Jo 1:1). ORIGEN (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 6.25]) mentions the Second and Third Epistles, but adds, "not all admit (implying that most authorities do) their genuineness." JEROME [On Illustrious Men, 9] mentions the two latter Epistles as attributed to John the presbyter, whose sepulcher was shown among the Ephesians in his day. But the designation "elder" was used of the apostles by others (for example, PAPIAS, in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 3.39]), and is used by Peter, an apostle, of himself (1Pe 5:1). Why, then, should not John also use this designation of himself, in consonance with the humility which leads him not to name himself or his apostleship even in the First Epistle? The Antilegomena were generally recognized as canonical soon after the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325). Thus CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, A.D. 349, enumerates fourteen Epistles of Paul, and seven Catholic Epistles. So GREGORY NAZIANZEN, in A.D. 389. The Councils of Hippo, 393, and Carthage, 397, adopted a catalogue of New Testament books exactly agreeing with our canon. So our oldest extant Greek manuscripts. The Second and Third Epistles of John, from their brevity (which ORIGEN notices), and the private nature of their contents, were less generally read in the earliest Christian assemblies and were also less quoted by the Fathers; hence arose their non-universal recognition at the first. Their private nature makes them the less likely to be spurious, for there seems no purpose in their forgery. The style and coloring too accord with the style of the First Epistle.

TO WHOM ADDRESSED.--The Third Epistle is directed to Gaius or Caius; whether Gaius of Macedonia (Act 19:20), or Gaius of Corinth (Rom 16:23; 1Co 1:14), or Gaius of Derbe (Act 20:4), it is hard to decide. MILL believes Gaius, bishop of Pergamos [Apostolic Constitutions, 7.40], to be the person addressed in 3Jo 1:1.

The address of the Second Epistle is more disputed. It opens, "The elder unto the Elect lady" (2Jo 1:1). And it closes, "The children of thy elect sister greet thee" (2Jo 1:13). Now, 1Pe 1:1-2, addresses the elect in Asia, &c., and closes (1Pe 5:13), "The Church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you." Putting together these facts, with the quotations (above) from CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, and the fact that the word "Church" comes from a Greek word (kyriake) cognate to the Greek for "lady" (kyria; "belonging to the Lord," kyrios); WORDSWORTH'S view is probable. As Peter in Babylon had sent the salutations of the elect Church in the then Parthian (see above on CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA) Babylon to her elect sister in Asia, so John, the metropolitan president of the elect Church in Asia, writes to the elect lady, that is, Church, in Babylon. NEANDER, ALFORD, and others, think the Greek "kyria" not to mean "lady," but to be her proper name; and that she had a "sister, a Christian matron," then with John.

DATE AND PLACE OF WRITING.--EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 3.25] relates that John, after the death of Domitian, returned from his exile in Patmos to Ephesus, and went on missionary tours into the heathen regions around, and also made visitations of the churches around, and ordained bishops and clergy. Such journeys are mentioned, 2Jo 1:12; 3Jo 1:10, 3Jo 1:14. If EUSEBIUS be right, both Epistles must have been written after the Apocalypse, in his old age, which harmonizes with the tone of the Epistles, and in or near Ephesus. It was on one of his visitation tours that he designed to rebuke Diotrephes (3Jo 1:9-10).

TSK: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Jo 1:1, He exhorts a certain honourable matron, with her children, to persevere in Christian love and belief, 2Jo 1:8, lest they lose the reward of their former profession; 2Jo 1:10, and to have nothing to do with those seducers that bring not the true doctrine of Christ Jesus.

Poole: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

JOHN CHAPTER 1

MHCC: 2 John (Book Introduction)

This epistle is like an abridgement of the first; it touches, in few words, on the same points. The Lady Electa is commended for her virtuous and religious education of her children; is exhorted to abide in the doctrine of Christ, to persevere in the truth, and carefully to avoid the delusions of false teachers. But chiefly the apostle beseeches her to practise the great commandment of Christian love and charity.

The apostle salutes the elect lady and her children. (1Jo 1:1-3) Express his joy in their faith and love. (1Jo 1:4-6) Cautions them against deceivers. (7-11) And concludes. (12, 13)

Matthew Henry: 2 John (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Epistle of John

Here we find a canonical epistle inscribed, principally, not only to a single person, but to one also of the softer sex. And why not to one of that sex? In gospel redemption, privilege, and dignity, there is neither male nor female; they are both one in Christ Jesus. Our Lord himself neglected his own repast, to commune with the woman of Samaria, in order to show her the fountain of life; and, when almost expiring upon the cross, he would with his dying lips bequeath his blessed mother to the care of his beloved disciple, and thereby instruct him to respect female disciples for the future. It was to one of the same sex that our Lord chose to appear first after his return from the grave, and to send by her the news of his resurrection to this as well as to the other apostles; and we find afterwards a zealous Priscilla so well acquitting herself in her Christian race, and particularly in some hazardous service towards the apostle Paul, that she is not only often mentioned before her husband, but to her as well as to him, not only the apostle himself, but also all the Gentile churches, were ready to return their thankful acknowledgments. No wonder then that a heroine in the Christian religion, honoured by divine providence, and distinguished by divine grace, should be dignified also by an apostolical epistle.

Matthew Henry: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

The apostle here salutes an honourable matron and her children (2Jo 1:1-3). Recommends to them faith and love (2Jo 1:5, 2Jo 1:6). Warns them of deceivers (2Jo 1:7), and to take heed to themselves (2Jo 1:8). Teaches how to treat those who bring not the doctrine of Christ (2Jo 1:10, 2Jo 1:11). And, referring other things to personal discourse, concludes the epistle (2Jo 1:12, 2Jo 1:13).

Barclay: 2 John (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO THE SECOND AND THIRD LETTERS OF JOHN

The very shortness of these two letters is the best guarantee of their genuineness. They are so brief and so comparatively unimportant that no one would have gone to the trouble of inventing them and of attaching them to the name of John. A standard papyrus sheet measured ten by eight inches and the length of these letters is to be explained by the fact that they would each take up almost exactly one sheet.

The Elder

Each of them is said to come from "The elder." Second John begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children." Third John begins: "The elder to the beloved Gaius." It is in the last degree unlikely that The elder is an official or ecclesiastical title. Elders were officials attached to one congregation whose jurisdiction did not extend outside that congregation, whereas the writer of these letters certainly assumes that he has the right to speak and that his word will carry weight in congregations where he is not actually present. He speaks as one whose authority goes out to the Church at large. The word is presbuteros (G4245), which originally meant an elder, not in the official but in the natural sense of the term. We would be better to translate it "The ancient", or "The aged", for it is not from an ecclesiastical position but from his age and personal qualities that the writer of these letters draws his authority.

In fact we know that in Ephesus there was an aged John who held a very special position. In the days of the early church there was a churchman called Papias who lived from A.D. 70 to 146. He had a passion for collecting all the information he could lay hands on about the early days of the church. He was not a great scholar, Eusebius dismisses him as "a man of very limited intelligence"; but he does transmit to us some most interesting information. He became Bishop of Hierapolis but he had a close connection with Ephesus, and he tells us of his own methods of acquiring information. He frequently uses elder in the sense of one of the fathers of the Church, and he mentions a particularly distinguished elder whose name was John. "I shall not hesitate," he writes, "to put down for you, along with my own interpretations, whatsoever things I have at any time learned carefully from the elders, and carefully remembered, guaranteeing their truth. For I did not, like the multitude, take pleasure in those that speak much, but in those that teach the truth; not in those who relate strange commandments, but in those who deliver the commandments given by the Lord to faith, and springing from the truth itself. If, then, anyone came who had been a follower of the elders, I questioned him in regard to the words of the elders--what Andrew, or what Peter, had said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the disciples of the Lord; and what things Aristion, or the Elder John say. For I did not think that what was to be gotten from books would profit me as much as what came from the living and abiding voice." Clearly the Elder John, John the aged, was a notable figure in Ephesus, although he is clearly distinguished from John the apostle.

It must be this John who wrote these two little letters. By this time he was an old man, one of the last surviving links with Jesus and his disciples. He was a man who had the authority of a bishop in Ephesus and in the places around it; and when he saw that a church was threatened with trouble and heresy, he wrote with gracious and loving correction to his people. Here are the letters of an aged saint, one of the last of the first generation of Christians, a man whom all loved and respected.

Common Authorship

That the two letters are from the one hand there is no doubt. Short as they are, they have much in common. Second John begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth." Third John begins: "The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth." Second John goes on: "I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children following the truth" (2Jo_1:4 ); and Third John goes on: "No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth." Second John comes to an end: "Though I have much to write to you, I would rather not use paper and ink, but I hope to come to see you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete" (2Jo_1:12 ). Third John comes to an end: "I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face" (3Jo_1:13-14 ). There is the closest possible similarity between the two letters.

There is further the closest possible connection between the situation of these letters and that in First John. In 1Jo_4:3 we read: "Every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of Antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already." In 2Jo_1:7 we read: "Many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is a deceiver and the Antichrist."

It is clear that Second and Third John are closely connected with each other; and that both are closely connected with First John. They are dealing with the same situation, the same dangers and the same people.

The Problem Of The Second Letter

These two little letters confront us with few serious problems. The only real one is to decide whether the Second Letter was sent to an individual or to a church. It begins: "The elder to the elect lady and her children." The problem centres on this phrase the elect lady. The Greek is eklekte (G1588) kuria (G2959) and there are three possible ways of taking it.

(i) It is just barely possible, though not really likely, that Eklekte is a proper name and that kuria (G2959) is a quite usual affectionate address. Kurios (G2962) (the masculine form) has many meanings. It very commonly means sir; it means master of slaves and owner of possessions; on a much higher level it means lord and is the word so often used as a title for Jesus. In letters kurios (G2962) has a special use. It is practically the equivalent of the English phrase My Dear. So a soldier writes home saying, Kurie (G2962) mou (G3450) pater (G3962), My Dear Father. In letters kurios is an address combining affection and respect. So it is just possible that this letter is addressed to My Dear Eklekte. Rendel Harris, indeed, went the length of saying that Second John is nothing other than a Christian love letter. This is unlikely, as we shall see, for more than one reason. But one thing is decisive against it. Second John ends: "The children of your elect sister greet you." The Greek is again eklekte (G1588); and, if it is a proper name at the beginning of the letter, it must also be a proper name at the end. This would mean that there were two sisters both called by the very unusual name of Eklekte--which is simply unbelievable.

(ii) It is possible to take Kuria (G2959) as a proper name, for there are examples of this usage. We would then take eklekte (G1588) in its normal New Testament sense; and the letter would be written to the elect Kuria (G2959). The objections are threefold. (a) It seems unlikely that any single individual could be spoken of as loved by all those who have known the truth (2Jo_1:1 ). (b) 2Jo_1:4 says that John rejoiced when he found some of her children walking in the truth; the implication is that others did not so walk. This would seem to imply a number greater than one womanfamily could contain. (c) The decisive objection is that throughout the letter the eklekte (G1588) kuria (G2959) is addressed sometimes in the singular and sometimes in the plural. The singular occurs in verses 2Jo_1:4-5 and 2Jo_1:13 ; and the plural occurs in 2Jo_1:6 ,2Jo_1:8 ,2Jo_1:10 ,2Jo_1:12 . It would be almost impossible that an individual would be so addressed.

(iii) So, then, we must come to the conclusion that the elect lady means a church. There is, in fact, good evidence that the expression was so used. First Peter, in the King James Version, ends with greetings from "the church that is at Babylon elected together with you" (1Pe_5:13 ). In the King James Version the words church that is are in italics; that, of course, means that they are not in the Greek and have been supplied in translation to fill out the sense. The Greek literally reads: "The Elect One at Babylon" and The Elect One is feminine. Few have ever doubted that the phrase means The church which is at Babylon, and that is how we must take it in Johnletter also. No doubt The Elect Lady goes back to the idea of the church as the Bride of Christ. We can be certain that Second John is written, not to an individual but to a church.

The Problem In The Early Church

Second and Third John throw vivid light on a problem which sooner or later had to arise within the organization of the early church. Let us see if we can reconstruct the situation which lies behind them. It is clear that John the aged regards himself as having a right to act as guide and counsellor and to administer warning and rebuke in the churches whose members are his children. In Second John he writes of those who are doing well (2Jo_1:4 ), and by implication infers that there are others who are not so satisfactory. He further makes it clear that there are itinerant teachers in the district, some of whom are preaching false and dangerous doctrine, and he gives orders that such teachers are not to be accepted and not to be given hospitality (2Jo_1:7-11 ). Here, then, John is exercising what is to him an unquestioned right to issue orders to his churches and is seeking to guard against a situation in which itinerant teachers of falsehood may arrive at any moment.

The situation behind Third John is somewhat more complicated. The letter is written to one called Gaius, whose character and actions John most thoroughly approves (3Jo_1:3-5 ). Wandering missionaries have come to the church, men who are fellow-helpers of the truth, and Gaius has given them true Christian hospitality (3Jo_1:6-8 ). In the same church is another man called Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence (3Jo_1:9 ). Diotrephes is depicted as a dictatorial character who will brook no rival to his authority. Diotrephes has refused to receive the wandering teachers of the truth and has actually tried to drive out of the church those who did receive them. He will have nothing to do with wandering teachers even when they are true preachers of the word (3Jo_1:10 ).Then into the picture comes a man called Demetrius, to whom John gives a personal testimonial as a good man and one to be hospitably welcomed (3Jo_1:12 ). The simplest explanation of Demetrius is that he must be the leader of a wandering band of teachers who are on their way to the church to which John is writing. Diotrephes will certainly refuse to have anything to do with them and will try to eject those who do receive them; and John is writing to urge Gaius to receive the wandering teachers and not to be intimidated by the domineering Diotrephes, whom he (John) will deal with when he visits the church in question (3Jo_1:10 ). The whole situation turns on the reception of the wandering teachers. Gaius has received such teachers before, and John urges him to receive them and their leader Demetrius again. Diotrephes has shut the door on them and defied the authority of John the aged.

The Threefold Ministry

All this looks like a very unhappy situation, and indeed it was. None the less, it was one which was bound to arise. In the nature of things a problem of ministry was bound to emerge within the church. In its earliest days the church had three different kinds of ministries.

(i) Unique, and above all others, stood the apostles, those who had companied with Jesus and been witnesses of the resurrection. They were the undisputed leaders of the church. Their writ ran throughout the whole church; in any country and in any congregation their ministry was supreme.

(ii) There were the prophets. They were not attached to any one congregation. They were wandering preachers, going where the Spirit moved them and giving to men the message which the Spirit of God gave to them. They had given up home and occupation and the comfort and security of settled life to be the wandering messengers of God. They, too, had a very special place in the church. The Didache, or, to give it its English name, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, is the earliest book of church order. In it the unique position of the prophets is made clear. The order of service for the Eucharist is laid down and the prayers are given; the service ends with the prayer of thanksgiving which is given in full; and then comes the sentence: "But suffer the prophets to give thanks as much as they will" (Didache 10:7). The prophets were not to be brought under the rules and regulations which governed ordinary people. So, then, the church had two sets of people whose authority was not confined to any one congregation and who had right of entry to every congregation.

(iii) There were the elders. During their first missionary journey part of the work of Paul and Barnabas was to ordain elders in all the local churches which they founded (Act_14:23 ). The elders were the officials of the settled community; their work was within their congregation and they did not move outside it. It is clear that they were the backbone of the organization of the early church; on them the routine work and the solidity of the individual congregations depended.

The Problem Of The Wandering Preachers

The position of the apostles presented no real problem; they were unique and their position could never really be disputed. But the wandering prophets did present a problem. Their position was one which was singularly liable to abuse. They had an enormous prestige; and it was possible for the most undesirable characters to enter into a way of life in which they moved from place to place, living in very considerable comfort at the expense of the local congregations. A clever rogue could make a very comfortable living as an itinerant prophet. Even the pagan satirists saw this. Lucian, the Greek writer, in his work called the Peregrinus, draws the picture of a man who had found the easiest possible way of making a living without working. He was an itinerant charlatan who lived on the fat of the land by travelling round the various communities of the Christians, settling down wherever he liked and living luxuriously at their expense. The Didache clearly saw this danger and laid down definite regulations to meet it. The regulations are long but so vivid a light do they throw on the life of the early church that they are worth quoting in full (Didache 11 and 12).

Whosoever, therefore, shall come and teach you all these things

aforesaid, receive him. But if the teacher himself turn and teach

another doctrine to pervert, hear him not. But unto the increase

of righteousness and knowledge of the Lord, receive him as the

Lord. And as touching the apostles and prophets, according to the

decree of the gospel, so do ye. But let every apostle that cometh

unto you be received as the Lord. And he shall stay one day, and,

if need be, the next also, but, if he stay three, he is a false

prophet. And, when the apostle goeth forth, let him take nothing

save bread, till he reach his lodging, but, if he ask money, he is

a false prophet. And every prophet that speaketh in the Spirit ye

shall not try nor judge: for every sin shall be forgiven, but this

sin shall not be forgiven. But not everyone that speaketh in the

Spirit is a prophet, but if he has the manners of the Lord. By

their manners, therefore, shall the prophet and the false prophet

be known. And no prophet who ordereth a table in the Spirit shall

eat of it, else he is a false prophet. And every prophet that

teacheth the truth, if he doeth not what he teacheth, is a false

prophet.... Whosoever shall say in the Spirit: Give me money, or

any other thing, ye shall not hearken to him: but, if he bid you

give for others who are in need, let no man judge him.

Let everyone that cometh in the name of the Lord be received,

and then, when ye have proved him, ye shall know, for ye shall

have understanding to distinguish between the right hand and the

left. If he that cometh is a passer-by, succour him as far as ye

can; but he shall not stay with you longer than two or three days,

unless there be necessity. But, if he be minded to settle among

you, and be a craftsman, let him work and eat. But, if he hath no

trade, according to your understanding, provide that he shall not

live idle among you, being a Christian. But, if he will not do

this, he is a Christmonger: of such men beware.

The Didache even invents the word Christmonger, trafficker in Christ, Christemporos, to describe this kind of person.

John was entirely justified in warning his people that the wrong kind of wandering prophets might come claiming hospitality and in saying that they must on no account be received. There is no doubt that in the early church these wandering prophets became a problem. Some of them were heretical teachers, even if they were sincerely convinced of their own teaching. Some were nothing better than plausible rogues who had found an easy way to make a comfortable living. That is the picture which lies behind Second John.

The Clash Of Ministries

But the situation behind Third John is in some ways even more serious. The problem figure is Diotrephes. He is the man who will have nothing to do with wandering teachers and who seeks to eject anyone who dares to give them a welcome. He is the man who will not accept the authority of John and whom John brands as a domineering character. There is much more behind this than meets the eye. This was no storm in a tea-cup; it was a fundamental cleavage between the local and the itinerant ministry.

Obviously the whole structure of the church depended on a strong settled ministry. That is to say, its very existence depended on a strong and authoritative eldership. As time went on the settled ministry was bound to chafe under the remote control of even one so famous as John the aged; and to resent the possibly upsetting invasions of wandering prophets and evangelists. It was by no means impossible that, however well-intentioned they were, these itinerants could do far more harm than good.

Here is the situation behind Third John. John represents the old apostolic remote control; Demetrius and his band of missionaries represent the wandering prophets and preachers; Diotrephes represents the settled ministry of the local elders, who wish to run their own congregation and regard the wandering preachers as dangerous intruders; Gaius represents the good, well-meaning man who is torn in two and cannot make up his mind.

What happened in this case, we do not know. But the end of the matter in the church was that the wandering preachers faded from the scene and the apostles in the nature of things passed from this earth, and the settled ministry became the ministry of the church. In a sense even in the modern church the problem of the itinerant evangelist and the settled ministry is not fully solved; but these two little letters are of the most fascinating interest because they show the organization of the church in a transition stage, when the clash between the itinerant and the settled ministry was beginning to emerge and--who knows?--Diotrephes may not have been as bad as he is painted nor altogether wrong.

FURTHER READING

John

J. N. S. Alexander, The Epistles of John (Tch; E)

A. E. Brooke, The Johannine Epistles (ICC; G)

C. H. Dodd, The Johannine Epistles (MC; E)

Abbreviations

ICC: International Critical Commentary

MC: Moffatt Commentary

Tch: Torch Commentary

E: English Text

G: Greek Text

Barclay: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

The Elect Lady (2Jo_1:1-3)

Love And Truth (2Jo_1:1-3 Continued)

Trouble And Cure (2Jo_1:4-6)

The Threatening Peril (2Jo_1:7-9)

No Compromise (2Jo_1:10-13)

Constable: 2 John (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Historical background

The writer identified himself as "the elder" (v. 1). The writings of the early church fathers attribute authorship of this epistle to the Apostle John. The early Christians commonly recognized him as "the elder" in view. We might have expected John to have described himself as "the apostle" as Paul usually did since this is an office of higher authority than elder. However, John's apostleship was not open to challenge as Paul's was. There is no evidence that the early Christians questioned it as they did Paul's apostleship. "Elder" was a more affectionate title, and it undoubtedly represented John's role among the churches at least unofficially if not officially. He was probably an older man at this time too.

"Unlike 1 John, 2 and 3 John fall into the category of personal letters."¹

The identity of the recipient or recipients of this epistle is in question. Some scholars have concluded that John wrote to a specific lady and her children (v. 1). Of these interpreters some believe her name was Eklekta (from the Greek word eklekte meaning "chosen", v. 1). This seems unlikely, however, because John also called this lady's sister eklekte in verse 13. Others who believe he wrote to a specific lady have suggested that her name was Kyria (the Greek word translated "lady," v. 1). However this too seems unlikely in view of the plural address John used in verse 8. A more probable explanation is that John personified a particular local church as a lady and the Christians in it as her children (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13). This view harmonizes with the personification of the church as Christ's bride (Eph. 5:22-23; 2 Cor. 11:2; Rev. 19:7). Since John's arena of ministry was Asia Minor the probability of this being a church in that Roman province is good.

The conditions existing in the church that John addressed are very similar to those he referred to in his first epistle. Therefore the time of composition seems to have been very close to that of 1 John: A.D. 90-95. Ephesus seems to be the most probable site from which John wrote both letters.

Message²

A summary statement of the message of this epistle could be as follows. Abiding in the truth is essential to maintain brotherly love. Let me try to clarify what John was saying in this epistle.

First, he wrote that revealed truth is foundational for the Christian.

John emphasized the importance of revealed truth in five ways.

1. He based his own love on it (v. 1).

2. He based the love of all Christians on it (v. 1).

3. He based his writing of this epistle on it (v. 2).

4. He based the three great Christian graces on it (v. 3).

5. He commended his readers for basing their lives on it (v. 4).

By the truth John meant the teachings of Christ (v. 9). This includes all that Jesus approved as God's revelation (the Old Testament) and all that He taught through His apostles following His ascension (the New Testament; Acts 1:1).

We must keep the importance of God's truth in balance.

On the one hand, it is the only foundation that will adequately support a proper relationship with God and other people. It is the source of our knowledge of God's commandments. As such it is the basis of our relationship with God and other people (v. 8).

On the other hand, it is only the foundation for a proper relationship with God and other people. We must "abide" in that truth. This is not intellectual assent to orthodoxy but a vital relationship in which God controls us. Our walking in the light of God's truth (1 John 1:7) makes this relationship possible.

Second, John wrote that love for others is the fruit of abiding in the truth.

John regarded love for other people as very important for the Christian. His perspective harmonizes with the teachings of the Mosaic Law and Jesus Christ (v. 5).

He also regarded it as essentially obedience to the will of God (v. 6). When we obey God, we do what is best for others. This is what it means to love others. When we abide in the truth, we will love.

Third, John warned against separating love from the truth.

In John's day some people were rejecting the truth but trying to hold on to love.

They claimed to have progressed from elementary truth to advanced truth, but they had really abandoned the truth (vv. 7-9).

John counseled his readers to give the false teachers no encouragement (vv. 10-11). He did not counsel them to withhold love from them.

In our day some people are making the same appeal.

Watch out for appeals to follow teaching that deviates from Scripture. Watch out for appeals that claim a more advanced knowledge of the truth.

We need to learn from this letter how to relate to false teachers. We should not encourage them in their work, but we should reach out to them in love. I once heard a speaker at a conference say, "It doesn't matter too much what we believe as long as we love each other."

John would have said, "It matters very much what we believe because that will determine if we really love each other." Abiding in the truth is essential to maintain brotherly love.

Constable: 2 John (Outline)

Outline

I. Introduction vv. 1-3

II. The importance of the truth vv. 4-11

A. Practicing the truth vv. 4-6

B. Protecting the truth vv. 7-11

III. Conclusion vv. 12-13

The following is a good expository outline of the book.³

The truth generates an exclusive Christian community (vv. 1-3).

The truth demands a distinctive Christian ethic (vv. 4-6).

The truth involves propositional Christian doctrine (v. 7).

The truth requires unceasing Christian vigilance (vv. 8-11).

Constable: 2 John

2 John

Bibliography

Bailey, Mark L., and Thomas L. Constable. The New Testament Explorer. Nashville: Word Publishing Co., 1999.

Barclay, William. The Letters of John and Jude. Daily Study Bible series. 2nd ed. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1960.

Barker, Glenn W. "2 John." In Hebrews-Revelation. Vol. 12 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary. 12 vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and J. D. Douglas. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1965.

Blair, J. Allen. The Epistles of John. Neptune, N.J.: Loizeaux Brothers, 1982.

Brooke, A. E. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles. International Critical Commentary series. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1912.

Bruce, F. F. The Epistles of John. London: Pickering & Inglis Ltd., 1970; reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986.

Constable, Thomas L. "Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament." Paper submitted for course 686 Analysis of Bible Books--New Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary, January 1968.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, 1942.

Dictionary of the Apostolic Church. Edited by James Hastings. 1915 ed. S.v. "John, Epistles of," by A. E. Brooke.

Dictionary of the Bible. Edited by James Hastings. 1910 ed. S.v. "John, Epistles of," by S. D. F. Salmond.

Dodd, C. H. The Johanine Epistles. The Moffatt New Testament Commentary series. New York: Harper and Row, 1946.

The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus. Twin Brooks series. Popular ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974.

Findlay, George G. Fellowship in the Life Eternal. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1909.

Funk, Robert W. "The Form and Structure of II and III John." Journal of Biblical Literature 86 (1967):424-30.

Gabelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 4 vols. Reprint ed. Chicago: Moody Press, and New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1970.

Graystone, Kenneth. The Johanine Epistles. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London: Marshall, Morgan & Scott, 1984.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. By C. G. Wilke. Revised by C. L. Wilibald Grimm. Translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer, 1889.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. 3 vols. 2nd ed. London: Tyndale Press, 1966.

Harris, W. Hall. "A Theology of John's Writings." In A Biblical Theology of the New Testament, pp. 167-242. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1994.

Hodges, Zane C. "2 John." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, pp. 905-9. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1983.

International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia. Edited by James Orr. 1957 ed. S.v. "John, The Epistles of," by R. Law.

Irenaeus. Against Heresies. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers. Vol. 1: The Apostolic Fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American reprint of the Edinburgh edition. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1899.

Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scripture. 12 vols. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol 12: James-Revelation, by J. P. Lange, J. J. Van Osterzee, G. T. C. Fronmuller, and Karl Braune. Enlarged and edited by E. R. Craven. Translated by J. Isidor Mombert and Evelina Moore.

Lenski, Richard C. H. The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude. Reprint ed. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1961.

Marshall, I. Howard. The Epistles of John. New International Commentary on the New Testament series. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1984.

McNeile, A. H. An Introduction to the Study of the New Testament. 2nd ed. Revised by C. S. C. Williams. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965.

Mitchell, John G. Fellowship. Portland: Multnomah Press, 1974.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible. 2 vols. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1912.

Robertson, Archibald Thomas. Word Pictures in the New Testatment. 6 vols. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1931.

Ryrie, Charles C. "The Second Epistle of John." In The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, pp. 1479-81. Edited by Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison. Chicago: Moody Press, 1962.

Smalley, Stephen S. 1, 2, 3 John. Word Biblical Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1984.

Stott, John R. W. The Epistle of John. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1964.

Thiessen, Henry Clarence. Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962.

Westcott, Brooke Foss. The Epistles of St. John. 1883. Reprint ed. England: Marcham Manor Press, 1966.

Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 John (Book Introduction)

THE

SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN,

THE APOSTLE.

INTRODUCTION.

The Second and Third Epistles of St. John were not at first received as canonical by all Churches. See Eusebuis and St. Jerome, in Catalogo, and Tillemont, art. 9, on St. John, p. 349. The style sufficiently shew they were written by St. John the evangelist. The time and place whence they were written is uncertain. The design in both is to exhort those he writes to, to stand firm in the faith of Christ against all seducing heretics, to love one another, &c. (Witham) --- But though these last two Epistles of the beloved apostle were frequently contested till the fourth or fifth century, from that period they have been regularly received; and even during the first ages [centuries], they were frequently cited by many of the holy Fathers as Catholic Scripture. This short Epistle may still be divided into two parts. The first, a congratulation to the lady he styles Elect, in which he felicitates her on account of the faith and virtue he had discovered in some of her children. He exhorts both them and their mother to be more and more confirmed in charity, as the essential and fundamental precept of Christianity, and of which the unequivocal mark is the observance of the other commandments. This part is from the beginning to ver. 6, inclusive. The second, which begins with ver. 7, and continues to the end, is to put them on their guard against the errors of Simon, of Cerinthus, of the Gnostics, and of Basilides, and prescribes the manner how they are to behave themselves towards these seducers. Though the time and place be uncertain, there is some appearance that it was written from Ephesus, when the apostle governed this Church and all the others of Asia [Asia Minor].

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Gill: 2 John (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 JOHN

Though this epistle was called in question and gainsaid by some as authentic, as Eusebius says ^a, yet there is no room to doubt of the authority of it; it was very early received into the canon of the Scripture, and is cited as such, and also as the Apostle John's, by Irenaeus ^b, who was a disciple of Polycarp, and an hearer of Papias, who were both disciples of the Apostle John; nor need there be any question as to his being the author of it. Eusebius indeed does say ^c, it was a doubt whether it was the Apostle John's or another of the same name; and some have since asserted, that it was written not by John the Evangelist, but by John the Presbyter of Ephesus, after the apostle; and this is thought to have some confirmation from the author of it being called an elder, or presbyter, which is judged not so agreeable to the Apostle John; though it should be observed, that Peter an apostle styles himself an elder, as John here does, 1Pe 5:1, moreover, the above ancient writer, Irenaeus, expressly ascribes this epistle to John, the disciple of the Lord; and whoever compares some passages in this epistle with the former, particularly 2Jo 1:5, with 1Jo 2:7, will easily conclude, from the likeness of style and matter, that it is a genuine epistle of the Apostle John: the design of which is to exhort and encourage the lady he writes to, to continue in the truth and faith of the Gospel, and in love to God and his people, and to avoid false teachers and their doctrines.

Gill: 2 John 1 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 JOHN 1

The writer of this epistle describes himself by his office, an "elder", and inscribes it to a certain matron, whom he styles, on account of her honour and riches, a "lady"; and by reason of her grace, "elect"; and to her children, who, as well as herself, were the objects of the apostle's love, and of all that knew the truth, and that for the sake of it, which was common to them all, 2Jo 1:1, the salutation follows, 2Jo 1:3, and then a congratulation of the lady, that some of her children walked in the same path of truth with herself, 2Jo 1:4, and next an exhortation to brotherly love, which is the commandment from the beginning; the evidence of which love is walking according to that, and every other command of God, 2Jo 1:5, and the rather this should be closely attended to, since many deceivers, who were no other than antichrist, had got into the world, who did not own that Christ was come in the flesh; wherefore it became those that were concerned for his name and glory, as well as their own interest, to take heed lest what was wrought should be lost, and so a full reward be not received, 2Jo 1:7, and then a description of these deceivers and false teachers is given; that they are transgressors of the rule of God's word, abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and so have not God, any interest in him; whereas he that abides in the doctrine of Christ has an interest both in the Father and in the Son, 2Jo 1:9, wherefore the apostle gives advice to the lady how to behave towards such; not to receive them into her house, nor wish them success, since so to do would be to join with them in their evil deeds, 2Jo 1:10, and then he excuses the shortness of his letter, though he had many things to write unto her, yet would not, because he hoped shortly to visit her, and then would personally relate what he had to communicate to their mutual joy, 2Jo 1:12, and closes the epistle with the salutation of her sister's children to her, 2Jo 1:13.

College: 2 John (Outline)

OUTLINE

I. GREETING - 1-3

II. WALKING IN OBEDIENCE - 4-6

A. Source of Joy - 4

B. Love as Obedience - 5-6

III. CONTINUING IN THE TEACHING - 7-11

A. Identification of Deceivers - 7

B. Being Fully Rewarded - 8

C. Having Both the Father and the Son - 9

D. Warning about Misdirected Hospitality - 10-11

IV. HOPING FOR A VISIT - 12

V. CLOSING - 13

-College Press New Testament Commentary: with the NIV