Grace to the elect lady 1
Love means obedience 5
Antichrist deceivers 7
| Text | Comments |
| .1
¶ The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the
truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. .3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. |
1 -
Elder
John is an old man. Some think this word points to someone else as the
author but evidence is against this theory.
1 - The elder to the elect lady. John identifies himself with professional reserve. The letter is not to be taken as personal attention to a woman. This is a good example for pastors today although using first names does not imply what it might have then – at least, not in the American culture. 1 - All they. Perhaps her sister and her sister's children v13. |
| .5
And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto
thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. |
This is love that we walk after ... John is underlining his commandment about walking in truth v4. How important it is that our walk be guided by the truth we have heard from the word. |
| .7
For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. |
7 -
Antichrist
The word means, counterfeit christ or false christ. The antichrists who
John was writing to the elect lady about had a false doctrine about the
human nature of Christ as we saw in his first letter 1jo0403.
See on 1jo0218.
9 - Transgresseth. 1jo0304. 9 - Abideth not in the doctrine of Christ. To refuse Christ is to refuse God who sent Him. I believe that those who have not had the opportunity to understand about Christ but would have believed, will also be saved. Some of these little puzzles we will not be clear until Jesus explains them in heaven. |
| 10 If there come any
unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house,
neither bid him God speed:
.11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. |
10 - Bid him God speed. "Give him a greeting" NASB. |
| 12 Having many things
to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to
come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
.13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen. |
13 - 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." (Clarke commentary). I would be less confident and replace "Probably" with "Possibly." |
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