2 John 1:1-3

(Ἰωάννου β. B. Cod. Sin. Several codices add ἐπιστολή, and others ἐπιστολή καθολική. Several have after Ἰωάννου: τοῦ ἐπὶ στηθοῦς, G: τοῦ ἁγίου —τοῦ θεολόγου).

I. The Address (2 John 1:1-3)

1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth;1 and2 not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; 2for the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us,3 and shall be with us for ever 3Grace be4 with you,5 mercy, and peace from God the Father, and from6 the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

The address proper. 2 John 1:1. The elder, ὁ πρεσβύτερος; the definite Article notes a person, the word without the Article would give prominence to his official position. That John the Apostle is meant we have endeavoured to prove in the Introduction § 5. Thus Peter also calls himself, in an exhortation addressed to presbyters, συμπρεσβύτερος. (1 Peter 5:1).

To the elect lady, ἐκλεκτῃ κυρίᾳ; these words have been very differently explained. Grammatically they present a perfect analogy to 1 Peter 1:1 : ἐκλεκτοῖς παρεπιδήμοις, to elect strangers; κυρίᾳ therefore cannot well be taken as a proper name, which would require as at 2 John 1:13, and 3 John 1:1 : Γαΐῳ τῷ ,—κυρίᾳ τῇ ἐκλεκτῇ Cf. Philippians 1:2.Romans 16:5; Romans 16:8-10; Romans 16:12-13 etc. To what purpose is it that κυρίᾳ was a female proper name, as may be seen in Gruteri inscript. p. 1127. N. 11., and that this was maintained by Athanasius, and later by Benson, Heumann, Bengel, Krigele (de κυρία Joannis, Lips. 1758). S. G. Lange, Carpzovius, Paulus, de Wette, Brückner, Lücke, Düsterdieck and others? Düsterdieck and Lücke notice a certain irregularity and inconsequence, which is not explained by but consists in the adjective preceding the noun, as long as κυρία is treated as a nomen proprium. But the difficulty is even greater in treating ἐκλεκτή as a proper name, as is done by de Lyra, Cappellus, Wetstein, Grotius and al. For the sister, 2 John 1:13, is also called ἐκλεκτή.—But how are we to take the elect lady? The context requires us to think of an individual: the ἐγὼ of the writer answers to the σύ of the person addressed (2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:4 sq.); she as a mother with her children is mentioned (2 John 1:3; 2 John 1:6; 2 John 1:8; 2 John 1:10; 2 John 1:12); her sister and her sister’s children salute her (2 John 1:13). Epictetus (cap. 62) observes that: αἱ γυναῖκες εὐθῦς . Huther is wrong in saying that the term κυρία does not answer to the German Frau [=the English Mistress, the word used to address married ladies—M.], but to the German Herrin [=the English Mistress or lady of the house—M.]; for Frau is the feminine of fro, the Master, (Frohndienst, Frohnveste, Fronleichnam), and Frau=Herrin (see Jütting, Biblisches Wörterbuch 1864, s. v. Frauenzimmer p. 61 and s. v. Frohnvogt p. 65); nor need that author designate κυρία only as a polite form of address, nor Düsterdieck pronounce it a title only suited to worldly politeness. It may just as well be taken as the standing designation of an esteemed woman, and it is neither unworthy of a Christian, nor of an Apostle to call a church-member, according to a prevailing usage, “Frau” (lady or mistress)=κυρία, so Luther, Piscator, Beza, Heidegger, Rittmeier, de electa domina, Helmst. 1706), Wolf, Baumgarten-Crusius, Sander and al.; a Lapide reports her to have been called Drusia or Drusiana. Carpzovius supposes that Martha, the sister of Lazarus, is the person addressed; Knauer (Studien und Kritiken, 1833, pp. 452–458), suggests Mary, the mother of the Lord—but all these views are wholly untenable. It is true, that unfortunately the name of the person addressed is not given in the address, so that one might almost feel inclined to take κυρία as a proper name. But the name of the person addressed might be wanting just as well as that of the writer; the messenger may and probably did make up for such omission.—But the circumstance that this “note” (Handbillet-Augusti) found its way among the Catholic Epistles, should not occasion any difficulty. Just as well as the third Epistle to Caius; it is no more unworthy of the Canon than St. Paul’s Epistle to Philemon; the individual, also a woman, is worthy of due regard and consideration; I confine myself to making mention of Priscilla (Acts 18:2, sq.; 26, sq.; Romans 16:3, sq.).—It is far more hazardous to understand κυρία to signify the Christian Church in general, or some particular congregation; the former is recommended by Jerome, the latter by the Scholiast I.; they are followed by Calov, Hofmann (Weissagung und Erfüllung II., p. 321; Schriftbeweis, I., p. 226, sq.), Hilgenfeld, Huther and al. Serrarius guessed Corinth, Whiston argued for Philadelphia, Whit by for Jerusalem, the mother of all Churches, and Augusti for Jerusalem, because founded by the Lord Himself, though such a “note” would certainly be less suited to a Church than to an individual church-member. Hammond has the curious notion that κυρία is=curia, ecclesia, and Michælis, that it designates the Church assembled on the Lord’s day. But wholly unfounded, and devoid of all possibility of proof is the hypothesis of Besser and al., that κυρία is the ἐκκλησία to which 3 John 1:9, was written, and that the 2d Epistle of John is the one there referred to. Hofmann adverts to the Church being called νύμφη and γυνή in the Apocalypse, to שׁוּלַמּית and שְׁלֹמֹח and to ἡ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι συνεκλεκτή (1 Peter 5:13). Huther also rightly observes in opposition to Ebrard, that the Church, which in respect of Christ is an obedient handmaid, may be considered both in her subordinate relation to Christ and in her superior relation to individual members, and as such be described as κυρία by the side of κύριος; but that 2 John 1:12 requires us to understand a single congregation and not “all orthodox Christendom” (Hilgenfeld), and that our Epistle is not an Encyclical. But in that case the address ought to have given the name of that congregation. Nor would ἐκλεκτή exactly suit κυρία ἐκκλησία for ἡ ἐν Βαβυλῶνι συνεκλεκτὴ is somewhat different, and, in juxtaposition with and as distinguished from ὁ Μάρκος, can hardly designate the Church in that place (see Fronmüller on 1 Peter 5:13, in this Commentary). The relation indicated at Galatians 4:26 : ἥτις ἐστὶν μήτηρ ἡμῶν, can hardly have been applied here to a single congregation, so that it might be called κυρία. After all that has been said, the choice lies between κυρία as a nomen proprium, or κυρία=lady. [Among recent English commentators, Alford takes the former view, while Wordsworth elaborates the interpretation, according to which κυρία is a Church.—M.].

And her children (τοῖς τέκνοις) should be taken literally; a family is always an important circle of men! But if κυρία is construed as a Church, the children designate Church-members.

Further particulars. 2 John 1:1-2.

Whom I love in truth.—Οὓς after τέκνα imports sons, but does not exclude daughters, the κυρία had sons and daughters, but more sons than daughters; hence it would have been improper to say τοῖς υἱοῖς, as Huther maintains, who, if κυρία designates a Church, refers to Galatians 4:9 (τεκνία μου—οὓς), Matthew 28:19 (τὰ ἔθνη—αὐτούς), passages which fully justify the given explanation, and prove that τέκνα need not be sons only (de Wette and al.); nor does οὒς refer to κυρία and her children (Beza, Bengel, Sander [al.]). Ἐγώ emphatically asserts the Apostle’s personal relations to that family-congregation; that which makes that family-congregation the object of the Apostle’s love and of that of all believers, implies the reason of this Epistle and its importance. Though ἐν along with ἀγαπῶ should be construed adverbially, yet it signifies more than: “in sincerity,” for it denotes also Christian love. Bengel: “Amor non modo verus amor, sed veritate evangelica nititur.” Lücke: “It designates genuine Christian love.” Ebrard: “I love thee with that love which is love in truth,” cf. 1 John 3:18-19. The additional clause has respect to objective truth (Düsterdieck, Huther 2d ed.).

And not I only, but also all who have known the truth.—Bengel pointedly observes: “communio sanctorum.” He assumes in his own case, as well as in the ἀγαπᾷν ἐν , the ἐγνωκέναι τὴν . The term πάντες must not be restricted to Ephesus and its environs, the supposed place of writing (Grotius, de Wette and al.), but only to those who were acquainted with the κυρία and her children (Lücke), yet so that those, who afterwards might get acquainted with her, are included. The restriction lies not in the word itself, but in the situation (Ebrard). It is not necessary to think here of only one Church (Huther).—The reason of this love is stated in

2 John 1:2. For the truth’s sake, which abideth in us.—Ἡμῖν designates the persons loving and beloved, (Huther); it must not be altogether construed in a general sense or applied, as if by implication, to the persons specified in 2 John 1:1 (Bede, Düsterdieck and al.). This is also the ground of the definition of ἀγαπᾷν ἐν and of believers as οἱ ἐγνωκότες τὴν (2 John 1:1), not as Huther maintains, in πλάνοι (2 John 1:7). The common life-sphere is just ἡ , and moreover not only that which is objectively sure, but also that which subjectively is securely kept. In order to note the former point, the Apostle adds:

And shall be with us forever.—The reason why the Participle, instead of being followed by a further participial sentence, is here followed by the Verb. finit., is the writer’s intention to give greater prominence to this thought. Winer, p. 600. The Future is not the expression of a wish, as Grotius, Lücke, Ebrard and others suppose, but the confident assertion of certain duration. Hence εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα must not be restricted to the duration of the life of the persons interested (Benson and others). Μεθ’ ἡμῶν denotes the objectivity of Divine truth as well as our subjectively developed activity. Cf. John 14:16; 1Jn 2:20; 1 John 2:27; especially Matthew 28:20. Hence ἐν and μετὰ, must not be taken as substantially equivalent (Winer, p. 430), since ἐν notes the subjective side, and μετὰ also the objective side.

The greeting. 2 John 1:3. There shall be with you.—Singular, and proof that we have not to deal here with the imitation of a forger; who would have adhered to usual and current forms of expression, like the addition ἐν , here Future; it is qualified by the preceding words with which it is connected. It is not=ἔστω, but votum cum affirmatione (Bengel); the certainty of the expectation excels the wish of the greeting.

Grace, mercy, peace.—1. Tim. 2 John 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2 have also χάρις, ἔλεος, εἰρήνη.—Χάρις is free grace, which, without any merit on the part of man, lovingly condescends to men and denotes the thoughts of peace in the paternal heart of God, the mind of Him who is Love (Romans 3:24; Ephesians 2:4-10); ἔλεος describes the mercy which energetically lays hold of, and enters into the misery of man (Luke 10:30-37), and denotes the act of love; εἰρήνη is the gift of love, the effect of χάρις and ἔλεος. [Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, p. 2John 225: “Χάρις has reference to the sins of men, ἔλεος to their misery. God’s χάρις, His free grace and gift, is extended to men, as they are guilty, His ἔλεος is extended to them, as they are miserable. The lower creation may be, and is, the object of God’s ἔλεος, inasmuch as the burden of man’s curse has redounded also upon it (Job 38:41; Psalms 147:9; Jonah 4:11), but of His χάρις man alone he only needs, he only is capable of receiving it. In the Divine mind, and in the order of our salvation as conceived therein, the ἔλεος precedes the χάρις. God so loved the world with a pitying love (herein was the ἔλεος) that He gave His only-begotten Son (herein the χάρις) that the world through Him might be saved: cf. Ephesians 2:14; Luke 1:78-79. But in the order of the manifestation of God’s purposes of salvation the grace must go before the mercy, the χάρις must make way for the ἔλεος. 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 just 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 can, or indeed may, be made happy; whom He has pardoned, He heals; men are justified before they are sanctified. Thus in each of the Apostolic salutations it is first χάρις and then ἐλεος, which the Apostle desires for the faithful (Rom 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2, etc.); nor could the order of the words be reversed.”—M.].—This might be wanting soonest, since the χάρις of the Almighty, of course, cannot remain idle; see Titus 1:4; Rom 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2. But it is just χάρις which is omitted in Judges 2:0 (ἔλεος ὕμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ ), since these two, with respect to εἰρήνη, belong together. But the order is established. Bengel observes very well: “Gratia tollit culpam, misericordia miseriam, pax dicit permansionem in gratia est misericordia.” [Alford: “Εἰρήνη is the whole sum and substance of the possession and enjoyment of God’s grace and mercy; cf. Luke 2:14; Romans 5:1; Romans 10:15; John 14:27; John 16:33.”—M.].

From God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father.—The employment of παρὰ instead of the ἀπὸ commonly used in the Pauline writings, points to the independence of our author; and so does the circumstance that the pronoun ἡμῶν is omitted after πατρός. Thus, in this connection, God is to be taken primarily as the Father of Jesus Christ, especially since the words τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ πατρός are annexed, and the Sonship is rendered peculiarly prominent, also since the preposition παρὰ is repeated, as denoting the Divine nature and character of the object desired by the Apostle, whereas ἀπὸ denotes only their procession from God; παρὰ designates them as the gifts of God, ἀπὸ as Divine gifts. Cf. Winer, 382 sq. Note should also be taken here of the independence of the Son by the side of the Father, as importing their equality.

In truth and love.—Also a peculiar addition; it belongs to ἔσται μεθ’ ὑμῶν, the preposition ἐν denoting the two life-elements (Huther) of believers, in which the Divine exhibitions of grace, mercy and peace have to be received and enjoyed (Düsterdieck); these words contain also a reference to the contents of the Epistle (Bengel, Ebrard). Hence it is wrong to join ἐν with τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς, as if it were=filio verissimo et dilectissimo (Barth. Petrus), or to explain ut perseveretis vel ut crescatis (a Lapide), or like Grotius: per cognitionem veri et dilectionem mutuam, nam per haec in nos Dei beneficia provocamus, conservamus, augemus; for ἐν is not=per, and our conduct is not the reason of the χάρις etc. (Huther).

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. God is primarily the Father of Jesus Christ, and Christ the Son of God, and it is not until we are in Christ, that he is our Father, and we are His children.2. By the side of the Personality of the Father the Personality of the Son is a fundamental view.3. The grace of God is the ground of our peace.4. Our peace is the end and aim of the Divine grace and mercy.5. All true love rests upon the truth of revelation.6. Love with its all-embracing power is coextensive with truth.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Love is truth, and truth is love!—Truth and love are the fundamental elements of the Christian life. Peace is really nothing but the health of the soul.

Starke: In Christ there is neither male nor female.—Caution is needed, not to call any man elect, of whose true and firm faith we are not sufficiently convinced.—The abuse of titles should be abolished; but their right use should be preserved; honour to whom honour is due!—What! each and every person are not to be allowed to read the Holy Scriptures? and yet the Holy Spirit caused a special Epistle to be written to a pious matron and her children!—Preachers ought to pasture sheep and lambs, to teach great and small, in various ways, the ways of the Lord.—It is a rare example to meet a whole family of pious people.—A hireling loves the sheep for the sake of their fleece; but a true shepherd only for the truth’s sake, because of God and with self-denial.—Truth is beautiful as such; but it is unprofitable, if it is not, and does not remain, in us.—Truth holds out longest.—Truth is founded on God, it has consequently an eternal root and will never perish. The greeting of Christians is a part of prayer.—None does truly receive peace, unless he have received the grace of God; hence that peace, which is not the daughter of grace, is the offspring of corrupt nature, and a carnal security.—God deems none worthy of peace or grace, who do not deem themselves unworthy of either or both, well knowing, that in virtue of his greatest misery he does not merit any thing, but that he stands in need of mercy.—The grace of God is not with us, unless it be also in us, and be worthily received by us.

Heubner: Love towards a Christian presupposes the knowledge of the truth, and the love of it. But Christ is the truth. For the truth’s sake the shepherd should love his flock.—All greetings ought to have a Christian foundation.

Besser: Every pastor is a successor to the office of the Apostles, and according to the Divine right, there is no difference between bishops, and pastors, and parsons. [On this point I beg leave to differ with the Author, although this is not the place to discuss so important a question.—M.]. Grace, which removes our guilt, mercy, which delivers us from misery, peace, into which grace and mercy translate us.

Footnotes:

2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:1. [German: “Whom I love in truth.” So Alford, Lillie.—M.].

2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:1. B. Cod. Sin.: καὶοὐκἐγὼ; A.; οὐκἐγὼδὲ; G: καὶοὐκἐγὼδὲ. [The reading of A. may have arisen from a desire to mark the antithesis more strongly.—M.]

2 John 1:2; 2 John 1:2. μένουσαν is the reading of B. Sin. and most and the best codd. A. reads ἐνοικοῦσαν, but is evidently an interpretation. [German: “which abideth in us.”—M.]

2 John 1:3; 2 John 1:3. [German: “There shall be with you.”—M.]

2 John 1:3; 2 John 1:3. A. omits ἔσταιμεθ’ ὑμῶν—evidently by a mistake, occasioned by the conclusion of 1 John 5:2. B. G. Sin. read ἡμῶν which is also occasioned by 1 John 5:2.

2 John 1:3; 2 John 1:3. G. K. Sin. insert before Ἰησοῦ the word κυρίου; this addition, as well as the exchange of the preposition παρὰ for ἀπὸ are probably transcribed from the beginnings of the Pauline Epistles.