2 John 1

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 John 4. Second Epistle of the Holy Apostle John the Divine. In our Bibles the epithet ‘Catholic’ or ‘General’ has wisely been omitted. The Epistle is not addressed to the Church at large, but either to an individual, or to a particular Church.

2 John 1:1-3

1–3. Address and Greeting1–3. 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, and to Titus.

2 John 1:2

2. 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 ever] ‘With us’ is emphatic: and with us it shall be for ever. An echo of Christ’s farewell discourses: ‘He shall give you another Advocate, that He may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth’ (John 14:16). Comp. ‘I am … the Truth’ (John 14:6) and ‘The Spirit is the Truth’ (1 John 5:6). The Apostle and all believers love the elect lady and her children on account of the ever-abiding presence of Christ in the gift of the Spirit. ‘For ever’ is literally ‘unto the age’: see on 1 John 2:17.

2 John 1:3

3. 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, in the salutations to Timothy (both Epistles) and Titus. The more common form is ‘grace and peace’.

In Judges 2 we have another combination; ‘mercy, peace, and love’. In secular letters we have simply ‘greeting’ (χαίρειν) instead of these Christian blessings. ‘Grace’ is the favour of God towards sinners (see on John 1:14); ‘mercy’ is the compassion of God for the misery of sinners; ‘peace’ is the result when the guilt and misery of sin are removed. ‘Grace’ is rare in the writings of S. John; elsewhere only John 1:14; John 1:16-17; Revelation 1:4; Revelation 22:21.from God the Father] Literally, ‘from the presence of, or from the hand of (παρά) God the Father’: see on John 1:6; John 16:27 : the more usual expression is simply ‘from’ (ἀπό), as in Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2, &c.and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father] Omit ‘the Lord’ with AB and the Vulgate; the title of ‘Lord’ for Jesus Christ, though found in the Gospel and in the Revelation, does not occur in S. John’s Epistles. The repetition of the preposition marks the separate Personality of Christ; whose Divine Sonship is emphasized with an unusual fulness of expression, perhaps in anticipation of the errors condemned in 2 John 1:7; 2 John 1:10.in truth and love] These two words, so characteristic of S. John (see on 1 John 1:8; 1 John 2:8; 1 John 3:1), are key-notes of this short Epistle, in which ‘truth’ occurs five times, and ‘love’ twice as a substantive and twice as a verb. ‘Commandment’ is a third such word.

2 John 1:4

4. The Occasion of the Epistle4. 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.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. The word for ‘rejoice’ (χαίρω) is cognate with ‘grace’ (χάρις) in 2 John 1:3. ‘Grace’ 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.that I found] Better, that I have found, or because I have found. There is nothing in ‘I have found’ (εὕρηκα) to shew that there had been any seeking on the part of the Apostle, still less that there had been any examination as to the rightness of their conduct.of thy children] This elliptical mode of expression (ἐκτῶντέκνων) 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. ‘Walking’ indicates the activity of human life (see on 1 John 1:7): ‘in truth’ is in Christian truth, as in 2 John 1:1; 2 John 1:3; in Christian tone and temper.as we have received a commandment] 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. ‘heard’ 1 John 2:7; 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:11; and ‘gave’ 1 John 3:23-24. ‘Commandment’ 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.from the Father] Literally, as in 2 John 1:3, from the hand of the Father (παρὰτοῦΠατρός). The Divine command has come direct from the Giver.

2 John 1:5-11

5–11. 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 break.

2 John 1:6

6. 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 will run riot, and duty divorced from love will starve. See on 1 John 5:3.

The Apostle has no sympathy with a religion of pious emotions: there must be a persevering walk according to God’s commands. In writing to a woman it might be all the more necessary to insist on the fact that love is not a mere matter of feeling.This is the commandment] Or, as before, The commandment is this, i.e. consists in this. We had a similar transition from plural to singular, ‘commandments’ to ‘commandment’ in 1 John 3:22-23.In these verses (5, 6) S. John seems to be referring to the First Epistle, which she would know.as ye have heard] Better, as R. V., even as ye heard, referring to the time when they were first instructed in Christian Ethics. See on ‘received’ in 2 John 1:4.

R. V. is also more accurate in placing ‘that’ after, instead of before, ‘even as ye heard’. But A. V. is not wrong, for ‘even as ye heard’ belongs to the apodosis, not to the protasis: still, this is interpretation rather than translation.ye should walk in it] In brotherly love; not, in the commandment, as the Vulgate implies. S. John speaks of walking in (ἐ ?í) truth, in light, in darkness; but of walking according to (êáôÜ) the commandments.

S. Paul speaks both of walking in love (Ephesians 5:2) and according to love (Romans 14:15). Neither speaks of walking in commandments: and in Luke 1:6 a different verb is used. Moreover the context here is in favour of ‘in it’ meaning in love.

2 John 1:7-9

7–9. Warnings against False Doctrine7–9. 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 her children; and they love them for the truth’s sake. Truth no less than love is the condition of receiving the threefold blessing of grace, mercy, and peace.

And it was the fact that some of her children were walking in truth, while others seemed to be deserting it, which led the Apostle in the fulness of his heart to write to her. All this tends to shew the preciousness of the truth. Love of the brethren and loyal obedience to God’s commands will alike suggest that we should jealously guard against those who by tampering with the truth harm the brethren and dishonour God and His Son.

2 John 1:8

8. 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 sentence run more smoothly some have made all the verbs in the first person, others have made them all in the second. For the construction comp. 1 Corinthians 16:10.

The meaning is, ‘Take heed that these deceivers do not undo the work which Apostles and Evangelists have wrought in you, but that ye receive the full fruit of it’.a full reward] Eternal life. The word ‘reward’ has reference to ‘have wrought’. ‘Apostles have done the work, and you, if you take heed, will have the reward’. Eternal life is called a full reward in contrast to real but incomplete rewards which true believers receive in this life; peace, joy, increase of grace, and the like. Comp. Mark 10:29-30.

2 John 1:9

9. 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 (ΰAB), Whosoever, or Every one that (see on 1 John 3:16) goeth before (πᾶςὁπροάγων) or that goeth onwards. The verb is fairly common in the Synoptists and the Acts, but occurs nowhere else in S. John’s writings. It may be interpreted in two ways: 1. Every one who sets himself up as a leader; 2.

Every one who goes on beyond the Gospel. The latter is perhaps better. These antichristian Gnostics were advanced thinkers: the Gospel was all very well for the unenlightened; but they knew something higher. This agrees very well with what follows: by advancing they did not abide. There is an advance which involves desertion of first principles; and such an advance is not progress but apostasy.in the doctrine] ‘In the teaching’, as R. V., is no improvement.

Of the two words used in N. T., διδαχή (as here) and διδασκαλία (which S. John does not use), the former should be rendered ‘doctrine’, the latter, as being closer to διδάσκαλος and διδάσκειν, should be rendered ‘teaching’. But no hard and fast line can be drawn.of Christ] The doctrine which He taught (John 18:19; Revelation 2:14-15), rather than the doctrine which teaches about Him.hath not God] This must not be watered down to mean ‘does not know God’: it means that he has Him not as his God; does not possess Him in his heart as a Being to adore, and trust, and love.he that abideth] The opposite case is now stated, and as usual the original idea is not merely negatived but expanded. ‘Of Christ’ in this half of the verse must be omitted: it has been inserted in some authorities to make the two halves more exactly correspond.hath both the Father and the Son] This shews that ‘hath not God’ implies ‘hath neither the Father nor the Son’. See on 1 John 2:23.

2 John 1:10

10, 11. Warnings against False Charity10. 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; John 18:8. ‘Cometh’ probably means more than a mere visit: it implies coming on a mission as a teacher; comp. 3 John 1:10; John 1:7; John 1:30-31; John 3:2; John 4:25; John 5:43; John 7:27, &c.; 1 Corinthians 2:1; 1 Corinthians 4:18-19; 1 Corinthians 4:21; 1 Corinthians 11:34, &c.and bring not this doctrine] Better, and bringeth not this doctrine, The negative (οὐ not μή should be emphasized in reading: it “does not coalesce with the verb, as some maintain, but sharply marks off from the class of faithful Christians all who are not faithful” (Speaker’s Commentary on 1 Corinthians 16:22). The phrase ‘to bring doctrine’ occurs nowhere else in N.

T., but it is on the analogy of ‘to bring a message, to bring word’ (Hom. Il.

XV. 15, 175 &c.): comp. ‘What accusation bring ye’? (John 18:29).receive him not into your house] ‘Refuse him the hospitality which as a matter of course you would shew to a faithful Christian’. Charity has its limits: it must not be shewn to one man in such a way as to do grievous harm to others; still less must it be shewn in such a way as to do more harm than good to the recipient of it. If these deceivers were treated as if they were true Christians, (1) their opportunities of doing harm would be greatly increased, (2) they might never be brought to see their own errors. “S. John is at once earnestly dogmatic and earnestly philanthropic; for the Incarnation has taught him both the preciousness of man and the preciousness of truth” (Liddon). The famous story respecting S. John and Cerinthus in the public baths is confirmed in its main outlines by this injunction to the elect lady, which it explains and illustrates.

See the Introduction, p. 24.The greatest care will be necessary before we can venture to act upon the injunction here given to the elect lady. We must ask, Are the cases really parallel?

Am I quite sure that the man in question is an unbeliever and a teacher of infidelity? Will my shewing him hospitality aid him in teaching infidelity? Am I and mine in any danger of being infected by his errors? Is he more likely to be impressed by severity or gentleness? Is severity likely to create sympathy in others, first for him, and then for his teaching? In not a few cases the differences between Christianity in the first century and Christianity in the nineteenth would at once destroy the analogy between these antichristian Gnostics visiting Kyria and an Agnostic visiting one of ourselves.

Let us never forget the way in which the Lord treated Pharisees, publicans and sinners.neither bid him God speed] ‘Give him no greeting’ is perhaps too narrow, whether as translation or interpretation. And do not bid him, God speed will perhaps be a better rendering; and the injunction will cover any act which might seem to give sanction to the false doctrine or shew sympathy with it.

The word for ‘God speed’ (χαίρειν) is used in a similar sense Acts 15:23; Acts 23:26; James 1:1 : comp. John 19:3, &c.

2 John 1:11

11. 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 works, his evil (works). The word for ‘partake’ (κοινωνεῖν) occurs nowhere else in S. John, but is cognate with the word for ‘fellowship’ (κοινωνία), 1 John 1:3; 1 John 1:6-7. The word for ‘evil’ (πονηρός) is the same as that used of ‘the evil one’, 1 John 2:13-14; 1 John 3:12; 1 John 5:18-19.

What is involved, therefore, in having fellowship with such men is obvious. At a Council of Carthage (a.d. 256), when Cyprian uttered his famous invective against Stephen, Bishop of Rome,—Aurelius, Bishop of Chullabi, quoted this passage with the introductory remark, “John the Apostle laid it down in his Epistle”: and Alexander, Bishop of Alexandria (c. a.d. 315), quotes the passage as an injunction of “the blessed John” (Socrates H.E. I. vi.). The change from ‘deeds’ to ‘works’ may seem frivolous and vexatious, but it is not unimportant. ‘Works’ is a wider word and better represents ἔργα: words no less than deeds are included, and here it is specially the words of these deceivers that is meant. Moreover in 1 John 3:12 the same word is rendered ‘works’ of the ‘evil works’ of Cain. See on John 5:20; John 6:27; John 6:29.

Wiclif and the Rhemish have ‘works’ here.At the end of this verse some Latin versions insert, ‘Lo I have told you beforehand, that ye be not confounded (or, condemned) in the day of the Lord (or, of our Lord Jesus Christ)’. Wiclif admits the insertion, but the Rhemish does not: Cranmer puts it in italics and in brackets. It has no authority.

2 John 1:12-13

12, 13. Conclusion12, 13. The strong resemblance to the Conclusion of the Third Epistle seems to shew that the two letters are nearly contemporaneous.

2 John 1:13

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.