2 John 1:1

King James Version (KJV)

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;

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

The elder - John the apostle, who was now a very old man, generally supposed to be about ninety, and therefore he uses the term ὁ πρεσβυτερος, 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 - Εκλεκτῃ Κυρια· 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 koureea, as does also the 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, honorable, 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 traveling 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.

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Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

The elder - See the introduction, Section 1, (2,d).

Unto the elect lady - The elect or chosen Kyria. See the introduction, Section 2. He addresses her as one chosen of God to salvation, in the use of a term often applied to Christians in the New Testament.

And her children - The word here rendered “children” ( τέκνοις teknois) would include in itself both sons and daughters, but since the apostle immediately uses a masculine pronoun, τοις toisit would seem more probable that sons only were intended. At all events, the use of such a pronoun proves that some at least of her children were sons. Of their number and character we have no information, except that (the notes at 2 John 1:4) a part of them were Christians.

Whom I love in the truth - See the notes, John 3:18. The meaning here is, that he “truly” or “sincerely” loved them. The introduction of the article the here, which is not in the original, ( ἐν ἀληθίᾳ en alēthia) somewhat obscures the sense, as if the meaning were that he loved them so far as they embraced the truth. The meaning however is, that he was sincerely attached to them. The word “whom” here, ( οὓς housembraces both the mother and her children, though the pronoun is in the masculine gender, in accordance with the usage of the Greek language. No mention is made of her husband, and it may thence be inferred that she was a widow. Had he been living, though he might not have been a Christian, it is to be presumed that some allusion would have been made to him as well as to the children, especially since there is reason to believe that only some of her children were pious. See the notes, 2 John 1:4.

And not I only, but also all they that have known the truth - That is, all those Christians who had had an opportunity of knowing them, were sincerely attached to them. It would seem, from a subsequent part of the Epistle 2 John 1:10, that this female was of a hospitable character, and was accustomed to entertain at her house the professed friends of religion, especially religious teachers, and it is probable that she was the more extensively known from this fact. The commendation of the apostle here shows that it is possible that a family shall be extensively known as one of order, peace, and religion, so that all who know it or hear of it shall regard it with interest, respect, and love.

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Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary

Religion turns compliments into real expressions of respect and love. And old disciple is honourable; an old apostle and leader of disciples is more so. The letter is to a noble Christian matron, and her children; it is well that the gospel should get among such: some noble persons are called. Families are to be encouraged and directed in their love and duties at home. Those who love truth and piety in themselves, should love it in others; and the Christians loved this lady, not for her rank, but for her holiness. And where religion truly dwells, it will abide for ever. From the Divine Persons of the Godhead, the apostle craves grace, Divine favour, and good-will, the spring of all good things. It is grace indeed that any spiritual blessing should be given to sinful mortals. Mercy, free pardon, and forgiveness; for those already rich in grace, need continual forgiveness. Peace, quietness of spirit, and a clear conscience, in assured reconciliation with God, together with all outward prosperity that is really for good: these are desired in truth and love.

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SDA Bible Commentary (limited)
Volume 1-7

1. Elder. Gr. presbuteros (see on Acts 11:30). The title may refer to age or to position, or to both. Since this commentary holds that the apostle John was the author of this epistle (see p. 683), it may be observed how fitting is the word “elder” in his case. At the time when the epistle was written, c. a.d. 95 (see p. 683), John would be an old man and—according to tradition—being the last surviving apostle, would occupy a venerated position in the expanding Christian church. Therefore, when writing to people who were well acquainted with him, there would be no need for any other identification than the simple, unpretentious title, “elder.”

Some suggest that the title, “the elder,” refers to another person, identified as John the Presbyter, or the Elder John. Support for this view is drawn from the words of Papias (died c. a.d. 163) as reported by the church historian Eusebius. In his Ecclesiastical History (iii. 39. 4; Loeb ed., vol. 1, p. 293) Eusebius quotes Papias as follows: “But if ever anyone came who had followed the presbyters, I inquired into the words of the presbyters, what Andrew or Peter or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew, or any other of the Lord’s disciples, had said, and what Aristion and the presbyter John, the Lord’s disciples, were saying.” But it is extremely doubtful whether Papias is here referring to different persons, both bearing the name of John. It is probable that he is speaking of one and the same person, John, the beloved disciple. In the first reference, he includes him among the other apostles who may have left written records; in the second, he appears to include him with Aristion as one from whose own lips he (Papias) had heard direct testimony concerning the Lord Jesus. Thus the very existence of a distinct Presbyter John is open to doubt; the name may be only another designation for the last of the apostles. In this case the title “elder” has still more apt significance when applied to John.

Elect. Gr. eklektos, “picked out,” from eklegÅÂ, “to choose,” probably used here in the sense of ethical eminence. Some have preferred to take the word as a feminine proper name, Eklekta, but such an interpretation is hardly tenable in view of the clear use of eklektos as an adjective in v. 13.

Lady. Gr. kuria. Two translations of this word are possible. One takes it to be a lady’s proper name, Kyria or Cyria, which is not unknown in Greek inscriptions. But the Greek construction makes it improbable that the writer is here using a proper name. The second possible translation of kuria is “lady,” a courteous form of address that is the feminine equivalent of kurios, “lord” (see on John 13:13). In this case the phrase used here, eklekte kuria, literally means, “to an elect lady.”

There still remains the problem of interpretation. To whom was John addressing his epistle? To this question two answers are advanced: (1) He was writing to a specific Christian lady and her literal children; (2) He was writing to the church, or a church that he chose to call “an elect lady.” A combination of the above two views may well provide the best solution to the problem. The lady to whom the letter is addressed may have been the leader of the church to which John writes, and her “children” may be the church members (cf. 3 John 4). The tenor of the message is more suited to a group of believers than to an individual, and to mature Christians rather than to children of a certain woman.

Her children. These may be the actual children of the “elect lady,” or the members of the church to whom the letter is read (cf. 1 John 2:1).

Whom. The Greek pronoun is masculine plural, and refers to the elect lady and her children of both sexes.

I love. The pronoun is emphatic in the Greek. John may also have been stressing his love because others were not showing affection for the Christians to whom he was writing (cf. 3 John 9).

In the truth. Literally, “in truth,” that is, John loves his friends in the sphere of “truth,” that is, in connection with all that is expounded in the Christian faith.

All they. While there may have been those false teachers and upstarts who would not love John’s readers, he strikes a reassuring note by referring to the genuine believers who will love those to whom he is writing.

Have known. That is, have come to know and are still knowing. John is speaking to the faithful Christians who have not backslidden.

The truth. That is, the Christian doctrine, as expounded by Christ, who is “truth” (see on John 8:32; cf. John 14:6), and “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17). Those who hold such “truth” naturally love those who share their beliefs.

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Cross References

A. D. 90. A. M. 4094. elder

the elect lady