2 John 1:1

JOHN'S SECOND LETTER

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth;

The elder ... The use of "elder" as an apostolic title is verified by the fact of the apostle Peter having used it (1 Peter 5:1). Peter used "fellow-elder" indicating that others besides himself in the apostolic group were still living. John's use of "elder" could indicate that he alone of the sacred Twelve still remained alive. The title of "elders" was used of all the apostles, and "they were referred to by Papias under this title."[7] Plummer commented on this that, "Elder was not an unlikely title; other apostles were called elders; but John was the elder,"[8] the last survivor of the Twelve.

Unto the elect lady and her children ... As noted from the ASV margin, the Greek term for lady might also be translated as a proper name, Cyria; but this tendency to view this letter as being written to a prominent Christian woman of that era is rejected here. As Roberts pointed out, "It is also true that the word for elect could be translated as a proper name, Eclecte."[9] However, as Roberts noted, the word for "elect" is used as an adjective by John in 2 John 1:1:13. There is absolutely no reason for assuming that any personal name is involved here. "The elect lady" is a metaphorical reference to the church, often spoken of in the New Testament under the figure of a bride, or a pure woman. Roberts agreed that, "The most likely possibility, however, is that the elect lady is not a person at all but a personification for a local church."[10] This would seem to be a mandatory conclusion from the last clause of the verse.

And not I only, but also all they that know the truth ... It is inconceivable that any prominent woman in the early church was known to "all who know the truth," every Christian on earth, although such an expression is understandable as a reference to a prominent congregation. John's purpose of shortly visiting the church (2 John 1:1:12) would indicate its prominence and importance.

Whom I love in the truth ... Here, the author of this letter continues in the same vein of thought that is found in 1John.

[7] Robert Law, op. cit, p. 1718.

[8] A. Plummer, op. cit., p. 1.

[9] J. W. Roberts, The Letters of John and Jude (Austin, Texas: R. B. Sweet Company, 1968), p. 150.

[10] Ibid., p. 149.