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2Jn_1:10. Warning against fellowship with false teachers. εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς ] The more particular definition of the τις is contained in the following: καὶ … φέρει . The particle εἰ is used here because “the case is put as if actual” (Winer). The author assumes the ἔρχεσθαι as really occurring, and in reference to it gives the command: μὴ λαμβάνετε ; if he had regarded the coming as a thing which might only possibly occur, he would have put ἐάν ; hence it is unsuitable to say that εἴ τις is un-Johannean (Ebrard), “for it cannot be un-Johannean to assume a case as a reality” (Braune).
καὶ ταύτην τὴν διδαχὴν οὐ φέρει ] τ . τ . διδ ., namely, the διδ . τοῦ Χριστοῦ . The phrase φέρειν τ . διδ . only here in the N. T.; comp. the classical: μῦθον , ἀγγελίην φέρειν τινί .
On οὐ after εἰ , see Al. Buttm. p. 299. Grotius rightly says: non de iis qui alieni semper fuerunt ab ecclesia (1Co_5:10), sed de iis qui volunt fratres haberi ct doctrinam evertunt. It is only with this interpretation that the prohibition of the apostle can be correctly understood.
μὴ λαμβάνετε αὐτὸν εἰς οἰκίαν ] is to be understood of the hospitable reception into our house, which is to be accorded to the brethren as such; the apostle therefore forbids the brotherly reception of such as bring not the doctrine of Christ, but another doctrine opposed to it, and are, accordingly, assiduous in asserting the latter. The limitation of the prohibition to the relationship of φιλοξενία (Rom_12:13; Heb_13:2) finds no support in the words of the apostle. Now such a κρίσις was so much the more necessary the more the false teachers sought to abuse the Christian hospitality, in order to gain for themselves access to the Churches; comp. 2Ti_3:6.
καὶ χαίρειν αὐτῷ μὴ λέγετε ] It is arbitrary to limit this prohibition, with Clemens Alex., to the salutatio, quae fiebat, postquam surgebatur ab oratione solemni velut gaudii et pacis indicium; as well as to interpret it in that degree of generality which a Lapide gives it when he says: vetat hic Joh. omne colloquium, omne consortium, omne commercium cum haereticis; just as little is it to be interpreted, with Vitringa (de Synag. vet. p. 759), of the excommunication proper. This prohibition is in closest connection with the preceding, and similarly refers to εἴ τις ἔρχεται πρὸς ὑμᾶς κ . τ . λ .; it is meant to strengthen the former; not merely the hospitable reception into the house, but also the friendly greeting of the false teacher, if he comes as a Christian brother, is not to take place[13] (comp. Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 2, p. 339). The word χαίρειν , as a formula of salutation, appears frequently both in the classics and also in the N. T., especially in Epistles; see Wahl on this word.
[13] Ebrard contradicts himself when, in opposition to the interpretation given here, he first maintains that χαίρειν λέγειν here is the “quite general idea of the greeting of conventional politeness,” and afterwards interprets: “He who greets such a false teacher, i.e. keeps up personal acquaintance and conventional intercourse with him.”