2 John 1:1 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 John 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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 John 1:1-3

1:1-3 The Elder to the Elect Lady and to her children, whom I love in truth (it is not only I who love you and them, but so do all who love the truth) because of the truth which abides in us and which will be with us for ever. Grace, mercy and peace will be with you from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 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,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 John 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 ( Greek #26 ) is the word for Christian love. Agape ( Greek #26 ) is not passion with its ebb and flow, its flicker and its flame; nor is it an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 John 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 1 Peter 5:1 , the elect lady... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 John 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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1

The elder. Not an unlikely appellation to have been given to the last surviving apostle. Other apostles had been called elders; their successors also were called elders; but St. John was "the elder." That there was a second John at Ephesus, who was known as "the elder," to distinguish him from the apostle and evangelist, is a theory of Eusebius, based upon a doubtful interpretation of an awkwardly worded passage in Papias. But it is by no means certain that any such person ever existed.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-3

"The elder unto the elect lady and her children," etc. This address and salutation presents to us three chief topics for consideration. I. A LADY OF SAINTLY CHARACTER AND DISTINGUISHED PRIVILEGE . "The elder unto the elect lady and her children," etc. 1 . A saintly character. This lady is designated "elect," as chosen out of the unchristian world and called "into the sanctified company of the Church of God" (cf. John 15:19 ; 2 Timothy 2:10 ; 1 Peter 1:1 ; 1 Peter... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-3

I. INTRODUCTION . 1 . Address. "The elder unto the elect lady and her children." The writer of this Epistle was known as "the elder;" it clearly bears the Johannine mark. The principal receiver was "the elect lady." Some think that "a Church" is intended; but a mystical interpretation is not to be resorted to when a plain interpretation is tenable and beautiful. The lady was "elect," as "chosen out of the profane world into the sanctified company of the Church of God." She found a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-4

1. Introduction. Address and occasion. read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 John 1:1-4

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 John 1:1-3

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - 2 John 1:1-3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 John 1:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 John 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-3

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 John 1:1-4

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