Cambridge Greek Testament Commentary

2 John 1:4

[873] omits τοῦ before πατρός.

[873] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles.

4. THE OCCASION OF THE EPISTLE

4. The Apostle has met with some of the elect lady’s children (or some members of the particular Church addressed), probably in one of his Apostolic visits to some Church in Asia Minor. Their Christian life delighted him and apparently prompted him to write this letter.

ἐχάρην λζαν. I rejoiced greatly, or, I have rejoiced greatly, or, perhaps, as R.V., I rejoice greatly, if it is the epistolary aorist, as in 1 John 2:26; 1 John 5:13. The same phrase occurs 3 John 1:3 and Luke 23:8. Χαίρω is cognate with χάρις in 2 John 1:3. Χάρις is originally ‘that which causes joy’: but there is no connexion between the two words here. Like S. Paul, the Elder leads up to his admonition by stating something which is a cause of joy and thankfulness: comp. Philemon 1:4; 2 Timothy 1:3; Romans 1:8; &c.

ὅτι εὕρηκα. That I have found, or, because I have found. There is nothing in εὕρηκα to shew that there was any seeking on the part of the Apostle (John 1:44), still less that there had been any investigation as to the children’s conduct.

ἐκ τῶν τέκνων. This elliptical expression occurs in classical Greek; συνηγυροῦσιν ἐκ τίνων (Aristoph. Nub. 1089); and therefore need not be classed as a Hebraism. Comp. LXX. in Psalms 72:15. This ellipse of τινὲς or τινὰς is rather common in S. John (John 1:24; John 7:40; John 16:17; Revelation 2:10; Revelation 5:9; Revelation 11:9; see on 1 John 4:13). It is impossible to say whether the expression is a delicate way of intimating that only some of the children were walking in truth, or whether it merely means that the Apostle had fallen in with only some of the children. The expression of affection in 2 John 1:1 is in favour of the latter supposition; but the strong warnings against intercourse with heretical teachers favours the former; some of her children were already contaminated. Περιπατεῖν indicates the activity of human life (see on 1 John 1:7) and in this sense is found in all three Epistles, the Gospel, and the Apocalypse; elsewhere rare except in S. Paul: ἐν� is in Christian truth, as in 2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:3; in Christian tone and temper.

καθὼς ἐντολὴν ἐλάβομεν. The changes made in R.V., even as we received commandment, are all improvements in the direction of accuracy. ‘Even as’ (καθώς) points to the completeness of their obedience; comp. 1 John 2:6; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 3:3; 1 John 3:7; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:17. The aorist points to the definite occasion of their reception of the commandment: comp. ἠκούσατε 1 John 2:7; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:11; and ἔδωκεν 1 John 3:23-24. Ἐντολή is the third key-word of the Epistle, in which it occurs four times. Love, truth, and obedience; these are the three leading ideas, which partly imply, partly supplement one another. Obedience without love becomes servile; love without obedience becomes unreal: neither of them can flourish outside the realm of truth.

παρὰ τοῦ πατρός. As in 2 John 1:3, from the hand of the Father, who is one with the Son. The Divine command has come direct from the Giver. ‘All things that I heard from My Father I have made known unto you’ (John 15:15), including the Father’s commands.

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2 John 1:4

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