2 John 1:12-13

THE CONCLUSION

2 John 1:12-13

12Having many things to write unto you, I would not write24 with paper and ink; but25 I trust to come26 unto you, and speak face to face,27 that our28 joy may be full. 13The children of thy elect sister greet thee.29 Amen.30

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Breaking off. 2 John 1:12.

2 John 1:12. Having many things to write to you.—His heart is full; he had only written very little of what he had in his heart. Hence it is unwarrantable to see, with Ebrard, in most of these verses, simply citations from the First Epistle.

I would not [write them] with paper and ink.—The Infinitive from the preceding clause: πολλὰ ἔχων ὑμῖν γράφειν should, of course, be supplied here. Διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος denotes the written character of his communication; the more common phrase is: διὰ μέλανος—καὶ καλάου, 3 John 1:13.—Ὁ χάρτης is the Egyptian papyrus, probably the so-called Augustan or Claudian, for letters; τὸ μέλαν, also 2 Corinthians 3:3, ink made of soot, water and gum; ὁ κάλαμος, the writing reed, probably split (μεσοσχιδής, μεσότομος). Cf. Lücke on this passage. The Aorist οὐκ ἐβουλήθην, from the standpoint of the readers on receiving the Epistle, because he wished to communicate it personally, orally.

But I hope to come to you and to speak [say it] mouth to mouth.—The antithesis of γράφειν διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος is πρὸς ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλῆσαι; because he hopes for the latter, he has broken off the former; but this does not import that he did reserve part of the doctrine necessary to salvation for oral tradition (Barth. Petrus); for he surely spoke only what he had written in the first Epistle. On στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλῆσαι see John 6:21; John 6:25; Acts 20:16; Acts 21:17; Act 25:15; 1 Corinthians 16:10; John 10:35; Acts 10:13=to turn towards a person or place. On στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλῆσαι, cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12; Xenoph. Mem. II., 6, 32; and פֶּח אֶל־פֶּה, Numbers 12:8.

That our joy may be fulfilled [filled full].—The aim (ἵνα) is to fill up his own and the readers’ joy, and then that of the hearers. Cf. notes on 1 John 1:4. The object of joy is not the personal presence of the Apostle (Bengel), but the full communication of the truth in oral intercourse.

The greetings, 2 John 1:13.

2 John 1:13. There greet thee the children of thy sister, the elect one.—To explain τῆς of a Church, and τέκνα of church-members is not warranted by any thing found here; the reason why the sister herself does not send greetings, may be death, or absence, but “can neither be ascertained, nor is it a proper question” (Düsterdieck versus Huther). Bengel: “Suavissima communitas! Comitas apostoli, minorum verbis salutem nunciantis.”

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Starke:—Both what the Apostles wrote and what they spoke is the word of God, and we do well to bear this in mind.—A true reader is he, who not satisfied with the written Epistle or the printer’s work on paper, suffers the Holy Spirit to write in his heart and thus becomes himself an Epistle of the living God.—It is a blessing of God if we have the opportunity given to us of conferring with friends on matters of importance and of enjoying the benefit of their counsel.—The children of the world imagine that the life of the godly consists in nothing but dejected looks and constant sorrowing; but here applies that saying: as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.—He is the servant of his belly, but not the servant of Christ, who seeks in his office other joy than the salvation of his hearers.—It is and ever will be a beautiful custom to interchange cordial greetings with friends in Epistles and in other ways, and thus to desire for them all temporal and spiritual prosperity.—Happy are those sisters and brothers who besides being united by the ties of nature, are also firmly united by the tie of Divine grace. For it is eternal grace only, which works alliances of eternal friendship.

Heubner:—With us it is often the opposite; we have much to write and little to speak, when we do meet.—When those who are one in faith, meet and converse together of the grace of God, of which they have made experience, they have a foretaste of heavenly joy.

Footnotes: 

2 John 1:12; 2 John 1:12. [German omits “write” supplied in E. V.—M.]

2 John 1:12; 2 John 1:12. ἀλλα ἐλπίζω is the reading of the best and of most Codices, also of Cod. Sin. A. al. read ἐλπίζωγάρ.

2 John 1:12; 2 John 1:12. πρὸς ὑμᾶς γενέσθαι is the most authentic reading; ἐλθεῖν lect. rec. supported by G. K.; Coptic version has ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς according to 3 John 1:14.

2 John 1:12; 2 John 1:12. [German: “mouth to mouth;” Alford, Lillie.—M.]

2 John 1:12; 2 John 1:12. Cod. Sin. G. K.: Χαρὰ ἡμῶν; A. B. ὑμῶν. The former, on account of 1 John 1:4 is lectio difficilior.

2 John 1:13; 2 John 1:13. [German: “There greet thee the children of thy sister, the elect one.” Alford; “There greet thee the children of thine elect sister.”—M.]

2 John 1:13; 2 John 1:13. Ἀμὴν, at the conclusion, is wanting. Cod. Sin. A.B.; Ἰωάννουβ́. Others add ἐπιστολὴ, others τοῦ θεολόγου, and still others καθολική.