THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JOHN.
Chronological Notes relative to this Epistle.
- Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that
used by the Byzantine historians, and other eastern writers,
5593.
- Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5587.
- Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5577.
- Year of the world, according to Archbishop Usher, 4089.
- Year of the world, according to Eusebius, in his
Chronicon, 4311.
- Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, or that in
common use, 3845.
- Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4444.
- Year from the Flood, according to Archbishop Usher, and
the English Bible, 2433.
- Year of the Cali yuga, or Indian era of the Deluge,
3187.
- Year of the era of Iphitus, or since the first
commencement of the Olympic games, 1025.
- Year of the era of Nabonassar, king of Babylon, 834.
- Year of the CCXVIth Olympiad, 1.
- Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius
Pictor, 832.
- Year from the building of Rome, according to Frontinus,
836.
- Year from the building of Rome, according to the Fasti
Capitolini, 837.
- Year from the building of Rome, according to Varro,
which was that most generally used, 838.
- Year of the era of the Seleucidae, 397.
- Year of the Caesarean era of Antioch, 133.
- Year of the Julian era, 130.
- Year of the Spanish era, 123.
- Year from the birth of Jesus Christ, according to
Archbishop Usher, 89.
- Year of the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 85.
- Year of Artabanus IV., king of the Parthians, 4.
- Year of the Dionysian period, or Easter Cycle, 86.
- Year of the Grecian Cycle of nineteen years, or Common
Golden Number, 10; or the year before the fourth embolismic.
- Year of the Jewish Cycle of nineteen years, 7; or the
year before the third embolismic.
- Year of the Solar Cycle, 10.
- Dominical Letter, it being the first year after the
Bissextile, or Leap Year, B.
- Day of the Jewish Passover, the twenty-seventh of March,
which happened in this year on the Jewish Sabbath.
- Easter Sunday, the third of April.
- Epact, or age of the moon on the 22d of March, (the day
of the earliest Easter Sunday possible,) 9.
- Epact, according to the present mode of computation, or
the moon's age on New Year's day, or the Calends of January,
17.
- Monthly Epacts, or age of the moon on the Calends of
each month respectively, (beginning with January,) 17,19,
18,19, 20,21, 22,24, 24,25, 27,27.
- Number of Direction, or the number of days from the
twenty-first of March to the Jewish Passover, 6.
- Year of the Emperor Flavius Domitianus Caesar, the last
of those usually styled the Twelve Caesars, 5.
- Roman Consuls, Domitianus Augustus Caesar, the eleventh
time, and T. Aurelius Fulvus or Fulvius.
- The years in which Domitian had been consul before were,
A. D. 71,73, 74,75, 76,77, 80,82, 83, and 84.
It should be observed that the date of this epistle is very
uncertain. The above is only upon the supposition that it was
written about A. D. 85. See the preface.
II JOHN.
- The apostle's address to a Christian matron and her
children, 1-3.
- He rejoices to find that certain of her
family had received, and continued to adorn, the truth;
and he exhorts them to continue to love one another
according to the commandment of Christ
, 4-6,
- And
particularly cautions them against deceivers, and to so
watch, that they might not lose the benefit of what they
had received, 7,8.
- The necessity of abiding in
the doctrine of Christ, 9.
- He cautions them against
receiving, or in any way forwarding, those who did not
bring the true doctrine of Christ, 10,11.
- Excuses
himself from writing more largely, and purposes to pay
her and family a visit shortly, 12,13.
Verse 1. The elder
John the apostle, who was now a very old man, generally
supposed to be about ninety, and therefore he uses the term
οπρεσβυτερος, presbyter or elder, not as the name of an
office, but as designating his advanced age. He is
allowed to have been the oldest of all the apostles, and to
have been the only one who died a natural death.
This title led some of the ancients to attribute this
epistle to a person called John the Presbyter, a member
of the Church at Ephesus; and not to John the apostle. But
this is a groundless supposition.
The elect lady
εκλεκτηκυρια. As κυρια, kuria, may be the feminine
of κυριος, kurios, lord, therefore it may signify
lady; and so several, both ancients and moderns, have
understood it. But others have considered it the proper
name of a woman, Kyria; and that this is a very
ancient opinion is evident from the Peshito Syriac, the
oldest version we have, which uses it as a proper name
{Syriac} koureea, as does also the Arabic [Arabic]
kooreea.
Some have thought that Eclecta was the name of this
matron, from the word εκλεκτη, which we translate
elect, and which here signifies the same as
excellent, eminent, honourable, or the like. Others
think that a particular Church is intended, which some
suppose to be the Church at Jerusalem, and that the
elect sister, 2 John
1:13, means the Church at Ephesus; but these are
conjectures which appear to me to have no good ground. I am
satisfied that no metaphor is here intended; that the
epistle was sent to some eminent Christian matron, not far
from Ephesus, who was probably deaconess of the Church,
who, it is likely, had a Church at her house, or at whose
house the apostles and travelling evangelists frequently
preached, and were entertained. This will appear more probable
in the course of the notes.
Whom I love in the
truth
Whom I love as the Christian religion
requires us to love one another.
And not I only
She was well known in the Churches; many had witnessed or
heard of her fidelity, and partook of her hospitality; so that
she had a good report of all Christians in that quarter.
Verse 2. For the truth's
sake
On account of the Gospel.
Which dwelleth in
us
By the grace which it has proclaimed.
And shall be with
us
For God will preserve not only the
Christian religion but its truth, all its essential doctrines
for ever. And they that abide in the truth shall go
whither that truth leads, i.e. to glory. The
Armenian has a strange reading here: "For the truth's
sake which dwelleth in us, because it is also with
you; and ye shall be with us for ever." But this is
supported by no other version, nor by any MS.
Verse 3. Grace be with
you
This is addressed to her, her
household, and probably that part of the Church
which was more immediately under her care.
The Son of the
Father
The apostle still keeps in view the
miraculous conception of Christ; a thing which the
Gnostics absolutely denied; a doctrine which is at the
ground work of our salvation.
Verse 4. That I found of thy
children walking in truth
I have already
supposed this Christian matron to be mother of a
family, probably a widow, for no mention is made
of her husband; and that she was also a deaconess in
the church, and one in those house the travelling evangelists
preached, and there they were entertained. The children
mentioned here may either be her own children,
or those members of the Church which were under her
care, or some of both. The apostle was glad to
find, probably by an epistle sent from herself to him,
or from the information of some of the itinerant evangelists,
that the work of God was prospering in the place where she
lived, and also in her own household. He does not say that all
were walking in the truth, but εκτωντεκνων, some of her
children; there was a growing and spreading work, and
there were many adversaries who strove to pervert them who had
already believed, and perhaps were successful in drawing
several away from their simplicity.
Verse 5. That which we had from the
beginning
The commandment to love one
another was what they had heard from the first publication
of Christianity, and what he wishes this excellent woman to
inculcate on all those under her care. The mode of address
here shows that it was a person, not a Church,
to which the apostle wrote.
Verse 6. And this is
love
That is, our love is shown and proved
by our walking according to the commandments of God; for love
is the principle of obedience.
Verse 7. For
many deceivers, before, see 1 John
4:1, And these appear to have been Gnostics, for
they denied that Jesus was come in the flesh. And this
doctrine, so essential to salvation, none could deny but a
deceiver and an antichrist. Instead of εισηλθον
are entered in, many excellent MSS. and versions have
εξηλθον, are gone out. The sense is nearly the same.
Verse 8. Look to
yourselves
Be on your guard against these
seducers; watch, pray, love God and each other, and walk in
newness of life.
That we lose not those things
which we have wrought
That we apostles, who
have been the means of your conversion, may not be deprived of
you as our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Instead of the first person plural, απολεσωμεν,
lose, versions, and fathers, read the
whole clause in the second person plural, απολεσητε, YE
lose, Take heed to yourselves that YE
lose not the things which YE have wrought, but
that YE receive a full reward. This reading is
more consistent and likely, and is supported by at least as
good evidence as the other. We find that if these persons did
not keep on their guard they might lose their
salvation, and the apostles their rejoicing in the day of the
Lord Jesus. Even this intimation might put them on their
guard. Had the apostle said ye cannot finally fall,
what a different effect would it have produced! Griesbach has
placed these readings in the margin as being very probable.
Verse 9. Whosoever
transgresseth
παραβαινων. He who
passes over the sacred enclosure, or goes beyond
the prescribed limits; and abideth not in the
doctrine-does not remain within these holy
limits, but indulges himself either in excesses of
action or passion; hath not God for his Father,
nor the love of God in his heart.
Hath both the father and the
Son.
He who abideth in the doctrine of
Christ, his body is a temple of the Holy Trinity, and he has
communion with the Father as his Father, and with the
Son as his Saviour and Redeemer.
Verse 10. If there come any unto
you
Under the character of an apostle or
evangelist, to preach in your house; and bring not
this doctrine, that Jesus is come in the flesh, and has
died for the redemption of the world.
Receive him not unto your
house
Give him no entertainment as an
evangelical teacher. Let him not preach under your roof.
Neither bid him God
speed.
καιχαιρειναυτωμηλεγερε. And
do not say, Health to him-do not salute him with
Peace be to thee! The usual salutation among
friends and those of the same religion in the east is,
[Arabic] Salam aleekum, "Peace be to you;" which those
of the same religion will use among themselves, but never to
strangers, except in very rare cases. This is the case to the
present day; and, from what John says here, it was a very
ancient custom. We have often seen that peace among the
Hebrews comprehended every spiritual and temporal blessing.
The words mean, according to the eastern use of them, "Have no
religious connection with him, nor act towards him so as to
induce others to believe you acknowledge him as a brother."
Verse 11. Is partaker of his evil
deeds.
He that acts towards him as if he
considered him a Christian brother, and sound in the faith,
puts it in his power to deceive others, by thus apparently
accrediting his ministry. No sound Christian should
countenance any man as a Gospel minister, who holds and
preaches erroneous doctrines; especially concerning the
Lord Jesus. Nor can any Christian attend the
ministry of such teachers without being criminal in the
sight of God. He who attends their ministry is, in effect,
bidding them God speed; no matter whether such belong
to an established Church, or to any congregation of
dissenters from it. But what St. John says here does
not mean that we should deny such the common offices of
humanity, charity, and mercy. No. In these offices we are
equally bound to all men; far less does it intimate that we
should persecute such on account of their heretical or
heterodox sentiments. No. This right has God given to no man,
to no Church, to no state. They who persecute others, even for
the worst heretical opinions, may expect the heaviest
judgments of Almighty God.
There is a remarkable addition here in several MSS.
Of the Vulgate, and in some printed editions. Ecce
praedixi vobis, ut in diem Domini nostri Jesu Christi
non confundamini. "Behold, I have foretold this to you,
that ye may not be confounded in the day of our Lord Jesus
Christ."
This addition is found in the edition of Pope Sixtus
the Fifth, and in the Complutensian Polyglot; but it is
not acknowledged by any of the versions, nor by any
Greek MSS.
Verse 12. Having many things to
write
That is, I have many things that I
might write to thee, but I think it best not to commit them to
paper, because I hope to visit thee shortly, and speak fully
of those matters, which will be a means of increasing the
comfort both of thee and thy family, as well as my own. There
is more comfort in mutual interviews among friends than
in epistolaty correspondence,
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 Clarke on
:.
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
1:10,11relative 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.
