---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  2 John 1"
description: ":-.
ADDRESS:
GREETING:
THANKSGIVING
FOR THE
ELECT
LADY"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/2-john/1"
---

.
ADDRESS:
GREETING:
THANKSGIVING
FOR THE
ELECT
LADY'S
FAITHFULNESS
IN THE
TRUTH:
ENJOINS
LOVE:
WARNS
AGAINST
DECEIVERS,
LEST
WE
LOSE
OUR
REWARD:
CONCLUSION.

**The
elder**
— In a familiar letter John gives himself a less authoritative
designation than “apostle”; so .
**lady**
— Bengel takes the *Greek*
as a proper name Kyria, answering to the *Hebrew*
“Martha.” Being a person of influence, “deceivers” ()
were insinuating themselves into her family to seduce her and her
children from the faith [Tirinus], whence John felt it necessary to
write a warning to her. (But see my Introduction and see on ).
A particular *Church,*
probably that at Babylon, was intended. “Church” is derived from
*Greek*
“Kuriake,” akin to Kuria, or Kyria here; the latter word among
the Romans and Athenians means the same as ecclesia, the term
appropriated to designate the *Church
assembly.*
**love
in the truth**
— Christian *love*
rests on the Christian *truth*
(,
end). Not merely “I love *in
truth,*”
but “I love in THE truth.”
**all**
— All Christians form one fellowship, rejoicing in the spiritual
prosperity of one another. “The communion of love is as wide as the
communion of faith” [Alford].

**For
the truth’s sake**
— joined with “I love,” .
“They who love *in*
the truth, also love *on
account of the truth.*”
**dwelleth
in us, and shall be with us for ever**
— in consonance with Christ’s promise.

**Grace
be with you**
— One of the oldest manuscripts and several versions have “us”
for *you.*
The *Greek*
is literally, “Grace *shall
be*
with us,” that is, with both *you
and me.*
A prayer, however, is implied besides a confident affirmation.
**grace
... mercy ... peace**
— “*Grace*”
covers the sins of men; “mercy,” their miseries. *Grace*
must first do away with man’s guilt before his misery can be
relieved by *mercy.*
Therefore *grace*
stands before *mercy.
Peace*
is the result of both, and therefore stands third in order. Casting
all our care on the Lord, with thanksgiving, maintains this peace.
**the
Lord** —
The oldest manuscripts and most of the oldest versions omit “the
Lord.” John never elsewhere uses this title in his Epistles, but
“the Son of God.”
**in
truth and love**
— The element or sphere in which alone *grace,
mercy,*
and *peace,*
have place. He mentions *truth*
in ;
*love,*
in .
Paul uses FAITH and *love;*
for *faith*
and *truth*
are close akin.

**I
found**
— probably in one of his missionary tours of superintendence. See
on Introduction, at the end, and ;
,
.
**of
thy children**
— some.
**in
truth**
— that is, in *the*
Gospel truth.
**as**
— even as. “The Father’s commandment” is the standard of “the
truth.”

**I
beseech**
— rather (compare *Note,*
see on ),
“I request thee,” implying some degree of *authority.*
**not
... new commandment**
— It was *old*
in that Christians heard it from the first in the Gospel preaching;
*new,*
in that the Gospel rested love on the new principle of filial
imitation of God who first loved us, and gave Jesus to die for *us;*
and also, in that *love*
is now set forth with greater clearness than in the Old Testament
dispensation. Love performs both tables of the law, and is the end of
the law and the Gospel alike (compare *Notes,*
see on ,
).
**that
we** —
implying that he already had love, and urging her to join him in the
same Christian grace. This verse seems to me to decide that a *Church,*
not an *individual
lady,*
is meant. For a man to urge a woman (“THEE”; not *thee
and thy children*)
that he and she should *love
one another,*
is hardly like an apostolic precept, however pure may be the love
enjoined; but all is clear if “the lady” represent a *Church.*

**

“Love
is the fulfilling of the law” (),
and the fulfilling of the law is the sure test of love.
**This
is the commandment**
— *Greek,*
“The commandment is this,” namely, *love,*
in which all God’s other commandments are summed up.

As
*love*
and *truth*
go hand in hand (,
),
he feels it needful to give warning against teachers of untruth.
**For**
— giving the reason why he dwelt on *truth*
and on *love,*
which manifests itself in keeping God’s commandments ().
**many**
— (;
).
**are
entered**
— The oldest manuscripts read, “have *gone
forth,*”
namely, from us.
**confess
not ... Jesus ... in the flesh**
— the token of Antichrist.
**is
come** —
*Greek,*
“coming.” He who denies Christ’s *coming*
in the flesh, denies the *possibility*
of the incarnation; he who denies that he *has
come,*
denies its *actuality.*
They denied the possibility of a Messiah’s appearing, or *coming,*
in the flesh [Neander]. I think the *Greek*
present participle implies *both*
the first and the second advent of Christ. He is often elsewhere
called *the
Coming One*
(*Greek*),
;
.
The denial of the reality of His manifestation in the flesh, at His
first coming, and of His personal advent again, constitutes
Antichrist. “The world *turns
away*
from God and Christ, busily intent upon its own husks; but to OPPOSE
God and Christ is of the leaven of Satan” [Bengel].
**This
is a, etc.**
— *Greek,*
“This (such a one as has been just described) is *the*
deceiver and *the*
Antichrist.” The *many*
who in a degree fulfil the character, are forerunners of the final
personal Antichrist, who shall concentrate in himself all the
features of previous Antichristian systems.

**Look
to yourselves**
— amidst the widespread prevalence of deception so many being led
astray. So Christ’s warning, ,
,
.
**we
lose not ... we receive**
— The oldest manuscripts and versions read, “That YE lose not,
but that YE receive.”
**which
we have wrought**
— So one oldest manuscript reads. Other very old manuscripts,
versions, and Fathers, read, “which YE have wrought.” The *we*
being seemingly the more difficult reading is less likely to have
been a transcriber’s alteration. Look that ye lose not the
believing state of “truth and love,” which WE (as God’s
workmen, ;
)
were the instruments of working in you.
**a
full reward**
— of grace not of debt. *Fully*
consummated glory. If “which YE have wrought” be read with very
old authorities, the reward meant is that of their “work (of faith)
and labor of love.” There are degrees of heavenly reward
proportioned to the degrees of capability of receiving heavenly
blessedness. Each vessel of glory hanging on Jesus shall be fully
happy. But the larger the vessel, the greater will be its capacity
for receiving heavenly bliss. He who with one pound made ten,
received authority over ten cities. He who made five pounds received
five cities; each according to his capacity of rule, and in
proportion to his faithfulness. Compare .
“There is no half reward of the saints. It is either lost
altogether, or received *in
full;*
in *full*
communion with God” [Bengel]. Still no service of minister or
people shall fail to receive its reward.

The
*loss*
()
meant is here explained: the *not
having God,*
which results from *abiding
not in the doctrine of Christ.*
**transgresseth**
— The oldest manuscripts and versions read, “Every one who *takes
the lead*”;
literally, “goes,” or “leads on before”; compare ,
“He goeth before them” (not the same *Greek*).
Compare ,
“Loveth to have the *pre-eminence.*”
**hath
not God**
— (;
).
The second “of Christ” is omitted in the oldest manuscripts, but
is understood in the sense.
**He**
— emphatical: *He
and He alone.*

**

**If
there come any**
— as a teacher or brother. The *Greek*
is indicative, not subjunctive; implying that such persons *do
actually come,*
and *are
sure to come;*
when any comes, as there will. True love is combined with hearty
renunciation and separation from all that is false, whether persons
or doctrines.
**receive
him not ... neither bid him God speed**
— This is not said of those who were always aliens from the Church,
but of those who wish to be esteemed brethren, and subvert the true
doctrine [Grotius]. The greeting salutation forbidden in the case of
such a one is that *usual
among Christian brethren*
in those days, not a mere formality, but a token of *Christian
brotherhood.*

**

By
wishing a false brother or teacher “God (or ‘*good*’)
speed,” you imply that he is capable as such of good speed and *joy*
(the literal meaning of the *Greek*),
and that you wish him it while opposing Christ; so you identify
yourself with “his evil deeds.” The *Greek*
of “partaker” is “having communion with.” We cannot have
communion with saints and with Antichrist at the same time. Here we
see John’s naturally fiery zeal directed to a right end. Polycarp,
the disciple of John, told contemporaries of Irenaeus, who narrates
the story on their authority, that on one occasion when John was
about to bathe, and heard that Cerinthus, the heretic, was within, he
retired with abhorrence, exclaiming, Surely the house will fall in
ruins since the enemy of the truth is there.

**I
would not write**
— A heart full of love pours itself out more freely face to face,
than by letter.
**paper**
— made of Egyptian papyrus. Pens were then reeds split.
**ink**
— made of soot and water, thickened with gum. Parchment was used
for the permanent manuscripts in which the Epistles were preserved.
Writing *tablets*
were used merely for temporary purposes, as our slates.
**face
to face**
— literally, “mouth to mouth.”
**full**
— *Greek,*
“filled full.” Your joy will be complete in hearing from me in
person the joyful Gospel truths which I now defer communicating till
I see you. On other occasions his writing the glad truths was for the
same purpose.

Alford
confesses that the non-mention of the “lady" herself here
seems rather to favor the hypothesis that a *Church*
is meant.

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