2 John 1:13

The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. Not the members of a sister church, as some think; but the children of one who was the sister of this lady, according to the flesh; and who, as she

Alford, The non-mention of the "lady" herself seems to favour the hypothesis that a church is meant.

They were, it is probable, with him at Ephesus, and took the occasion by him now writing, to transmit their salutations. Amen; this concluding Amen imports his sincerity in what he had written.

13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. Ver. 13. The children of thine elect] Who probably sojourned with St John for education’ s sake. The lady might say to the apostle, as he in Virgil did to Aeneas, "- sub te tolerare magistro Militiam-tua cernere facta Assuescant, primis et te mirentur ab annis."

(3) Conclusion (2 John 1:12-13). (12) Having many things to write unto you.—This verse shows that the Letter to the matron and her family was not a mere accompaniment of a copy of the First Epistle. His heart is full of things to write, but he hopes soon to have unlimited conversation. Paper.—The Egyptian papyrus.Ink.—A mixture of soot, water, and gum. The papyrus-tree grows in the swamps of the Nile to the height of ten feet and more. Paper was prepared from the thin coats that surround the plant. Pliny describes the method (xiii. 23). The different pieces were joined together by the turbid Nile water, as it has a kind of glutinous property. One layer of papyrus was laid flat on a board, and a cross layer put over it; these were pressed, and afterwards dried in the sun. The sheets were then fastened or pasted together. There were never more than twenty of these sheets fastened together in a roll; but of course the length could be increased to any extent. The writing was in columns, with a blank slip between them; it was only on one side. When the work was finished, it was rolled on a staff, and sometimes wrapped in a parchment case (Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, p. 567). Of the ink used by the Romans, Pliny says that it was made of soot in various ways, with burnt resin or pitch. “For this purpose they have built furnaces which do not allow the smoke to escape. The kind most commended is made in this way from pine-wood: it is mixed with soot from the furnaces or baths; and this they use for writing on rolls. Some also make a kind of ink by boiling and straining the lees of wine.” The black matter of the cuttle-fish was also sometimes used for writing (Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, p. 110). The pen was a reed, sharpened with a knife, and split like a quill-pen. The Jews seem to have used lamp-black dissolved in gall-juice, or lamp-black and vitriol, for ink. The modern scribes “have an apparatus consisting of a metal or ebony tube for their reed-pens, with a cup or bulb of the same material attached to the upper end for ink. This they thrust through the girdle, and carry with them at all times” (Thomson, The Land and the Book, p. 131; Smith’s Dictionary of the Bible, p. 1802). Speak face to face.—Not that there was any oral tradition which he would not write down. His Gospel and First Epistle would contain the outline of all his teaching. But on this occasion there was no need for writing. (Comp. 1 Corinthians 13:12.) That our joy may be full.—Comp. 1 John 1:4. It would be the deep satisfaction of the interchange of spiritual thoughts and aspirations without the limitations of a monologue or of writing materials.

Verse 13. The children of thy elect sister] Probably her own sister, who lived at Ephesus; and, being acquainted with the apostle's writing, desired to be thus remembered to her. Elect, both in this and the first verse, signifies excellent, eminent, or honourable. See note on 2 John 1:1. Amen is wanting in the most ancient MSS., and in most of the versions; but ηχαριςμετασου and μεθυμων, Grace be with thee, or with you, is found in several MSS. and versions. Subscriptions in the VERSIONS: - The end of the Second Epistle. - Syriac. The Second Epistle of John is ended. - Philox. SYRIAC. Praise be to God for ever, Amen! - ARABIC. In the MANUSCRIPTS: - The Second of John. - Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Vaticanus. The Second of John to the Parthians. - One of Colbert's MSS. The Second catholic Epistle of St. John the apostle and divine. There are other subscriptions, but, like the above, they are worthy of little regard. THIS epistle is more remarkable for the spirit of Christian love which it breathes than for any thing else. It contains scarcely any thing that is not found in the preceding; and out of the thirteen verses there are at least eight which are found, either in so many words or in sentiment, precisely the same with those of the first epistle. The most remarkable part of it is the tenth and eleventh verses, 2 John 1:10; 2 John 1:11 relative to the orders concerning the heretical teacher; and from them we see how such teachers were treated in the apostolic Church. They held no communion with them, afforded them no support, as teachers; but did not persecute them. On this model the conduct of all Christians should be formed, relative to the teachers of false doctrine in general. To go thus far, we have apostolical authority, to go farther, we have none. And let us still remember, in all cases it is our duty to love even our enemies, and consequently to do them any act of humanity and mercy.

13. 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 sister Church, which could send no greeting other than that of its members or ‘children’. But the verse fits the other hypothesis equally well. Kyria’s nephews may be engaged in business at Ephesus under S. John’s Apostolic care: their mother may be living elsewhere, or be dead. It was perhaps from these children of her sister that the Apostle had knowledge of, the state of things in the elect lady’s house. Their sending a salutation through him may intimate that they share his anxiety respecting her and hers.Amen] As in 1 John 5:21 (where see note), this is the addition of a copyist.

The children of thy elect sister greet thee - Of this “elect sister” nothing more is known.

13. Thy elect sister—Who should these be but the children of the writer’s deceased wife?