The Second Epistle of John] This title, like that of the First Epistle and of the Gospel, exists in various forms both ancient and modern, and is not original: and here again the oldest authorities give it in the simplest form. 1. _of John B_; 2. _Second Epistle of John 3. Second Catholic Epistle of... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Elder_ It is probably on account of his age that the Apostle styles himself thus: and it is a designation which a writer personating S. John would scarcely have chosen, as being too indistinct. On the other hand an Elder, who did _not_wish to personate the Apostle, would hardly call himself - _... [ Continue Reading ]
Address and Greeting 1 3. Like most of the Epistles of S. Paul, the Epistles of S. Peter, S. James, and S. Jude, and unlike the First Epistle, this letter has a definite address and greeting. In its fulness the salutation reminds us of the elaborate openings of the Epistles to the Romans, Galatians... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the truth's sake_ The repetition of the word -truth" is quite in S. John's style. -The truth" here and at the end of 2 John 1:1 means the truth as revealed in Christ and the Spirit. _which dwelleth in us_ Better, as R. V., _which_ ABIDETH _in us_: see on 1 John 2:24. _and shall be with us for... [ Continue Reading ]
_Grace be with you, mercy, and peace_ Rather, as R. V., _Grace, mercy, and peace_ SHALL BE _with_ US. It is not so much a prayer or a blessing, as the confident assurance of a blessing; and the Apostle includes himself within its scope. This triplet of heavenly gifts occurs, and in the same order, i... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Exhortation to Love and Obedience 5. _And now_ As in 1 John 2:28 (see note there), this introduces a practical exhortation depending on what precedes. -It is my joy at the Christian life of some of thy children, and my anxiety about the others, that move me to exhort thee". _I beseech thee_ S. Joh... [ Continue Reading ]
We now enter upon the main portion of the Epistle, which has three divisions: _Exhortation to Love and Obedience_(5, 6); _Warnings against False Doctrine_(7 9); _Warnings against False Charity_(10, 11). As usual, the transitions from one subject to another are made gently and without any marked brea... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this is love_ Or, _And_ THE LOVE IS THIS: the love which I mean consists in this (see on 1 John 1:5). In 2 John 1:5 obedience prompts love; here love prompts obedience. This is no vicious logical circle, but a healthy moral connexion, as is stated above on 2 John 1:4. Love divorced from duty wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ Or, _Because_. Some would make this conjunction introduce the reason for 2 John 1:8: -Because many deceivers have appeared … look to yourselves." But this is altogether unlike S. John's simple manner; to say nothing of the very awkward parenthesis which is thus made of -This is … Antichrist.... [ Continue Reading ]
Warnings against False Doctrine 7 9. The third element in the triplet of leading thoughts once more comes to the front, but without being named. Love and obedience require, as the condition of their existence, truth. It is in truth that -the Elder" and all who love the truth love the elect lady and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Look to yourselves_ Exactly as in Mark 13:9, excepting the emphatic pronoun; -But look _ye_to yourselves". _that we lose not_ The persons of the three verbs are much varied in our authorities. The original reading probably was, as R. V., YE _lose_… WE _have wrought_… YE _receive_. To make the sent... [ Continue Reading ]
Explains more fully what is at stake; no less than the possession of the Father and the Son. _Whosoever transgresseth_ This is a simplification (KL) of a much more difficult reading (א AB), _Whosoever_, or _Every one that_(see on 1 John 3:16) GOETH BEFORE (πᾶς ὁ προάγων) or _that_ GOETH ONWARDS. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Warnings against False Charity 10. _If there come any unto you_ Better, as R. V., _if_ ANY ONE COMETH _unto you:_it is εἰ with the indicative, not ἐάν with the subjunctive. It is implied that such people do come; it is no mere hypothesis: comp. 1 John 5:9; John 7:4; John 7:23; John 8:39; John 8:46;... [ Continue Reading ]
_For he that biddeth him God speed_ Much more, therefore, he that by receiving him into his house affords a home and head-quarters for false teaching. _is partaker of his evil deeds_ More accurately, as R. V., PARTAKETH IN _his evil_ WORKS: literally, with much emphasis on -evil", _partaketh in his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Having many things to write_ The First Epistle will give us some idea of what these were. _I would not write with paper and ink_ There is here no -write" in the Greek; and in the first clause -write" is almost too limited in meaning for γράφειν, which like our -say" covers a variety of methods of... [ Continue Reading ]
Conclusion 12, 13. The strong resemblance to the Conclusion of the Third Epistle seems to shew that the two letters are nearly contemporaneous.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The children of thy elect sister greet thee_ Better, for the sake of uniformity with 3 John 1:14, SALUTE _thee_: the same verb is used in both passages. That the elect sister herself sends no greeting is taken as an argument in favour of the -elect lady" being a Church, and the -elect sister" a sis... [ Continue Reading ]