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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 2Jn_1:1-3
1The elder to the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2for the sake of the truth which abides in us and will be with us forever: 3Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
2Jn_1:1 "The elder" This title (presbuteros) is used to identify the author of both 2 and 3 John. It has a wide variety of meanings in the Bible.
The Johannine writings exhibit authorial designations in different ways.
1. the Gospel uses a cryptic phrase "the beloved disciple"
2. the first letter is anonymous
3. the second and third letters have the title "the elder"
4. Revelation, so uncharacteristic of apocalyptic writing, lists the author as "His servant John"
There has been much discussion among commentators and scholars about the authorship of these writings. They all have many linguistic and stylistic similarities and differences. At this point there is no explanation accepted by all Bible teachers. I affirm John the Apostle's authorship of them all, but this is a hermeneutical issue and not an inspirational issue. In reality the ultimate author of the Bible is the Spirit of God. It is a trustworthy revelation, but moderns just do not know or understand the literary process of its writing or compilation.
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▣ "chosen lady and her children" There has been much discussion about this title. Many have tried to assert this was written to a lady named either Electa, from the Greek word for elect or chosen (Clement of Alexandria) or Kyria, from the Greek term lady (Athanasius). However, I agree with Jerome that this refers to a church for the following reasons.
1. the Greek term for church is feminine (2Jn_1:1)
2. in the LXX "elect" refers to a body of people (cf. 1Pe_2:9)
3. this may refer to the church as the bride of Christ (cf. Eph_5:25-32; Rev_19:7-8; Rev_21:2)
4. this church has members referred to as children (cf. 2Jn_1:13)
5. this church has a sister that seems to refer to another local church (cf. 2Jn_1:13)
6. there is a play between the singular and the plurals throughout the chapter (singular in 2Jn_1:4-5; 2Jn_1:13; plurals in 2Jn_1:6; 2Jn_1:8; 2Jn_1:10; 2Jn_1:12)
7. this term is used in a similar way for a church in 1Pe_5:13
▣ "whom" It is surprising that this is a masculine plural pronoun because it is meant to link up to either "lady," which is feminine, or "children" which is neuter. I think it was John's way of marking the phrase as symbolic.
▣ "I love" John uses phileô synonymously with agapaô in the Gospel and Revelation, but in I, II, and 3 John he uses only agapaô (cf. 2Jn_1:3; 2Jn_1:5-6; 1Jn_3:18).
▣ "truth" Truth is an often repeated theme (cf. 2Jn_1:1[twice],2,3,4). The phrase "this teaching" in 2Jn_1:9 [twice] and 10 is synonymous with "truth." This term is probably emphasized because of the local heresy that is obvious in this little letter (cf. 2Jn_1:4; 2Jn_1:7-10) as in 1 John.
"The truth" can refer to one of three things: (1) the Holy Spirit in John (cf. Joh_14:17); (2) Jesus Christ Himself (cf. Joh_8:32; Joh_14:6); and (3) the content of the gospel (cf. 1Jn_3:23). See Special Topics at Joh_6:55; Joh_17:3.
2Jn_1:2 "which abides in us" This is a present active participle of one of John's favorite terms to describe believers, "abide." See Special Topic at Joh_2:10. This seems to refer to the indwelling Holy Spirit (cf. Rom_8:9; or Son, Rom_8:9-10). All the Persons of the Trinity also abide in/with/by believers (cf. Joh_14:23).
▣ "will be with us forever" Truth abides in and remains with all believers forever. What a powerful statement of assurance! See Special Topic at 1Jn_5:13. Truth is both the person of the gospel and the message of the gospel. This "truth" always issues in love, love for God, love for fellow covenant brothers/sisters, and love for a lost world (cf. 1Jn_4:7-21).
"Forever" is literally "into the age" (cf. Joh_4:14; Joh_6:51; Joh_6:58; Joh_8:35; Joh_8:51; Joh_10:28; Joh_11:26; Joh_12:34; Joh_13:8; Joh_14:16; 1Jn_2:17). See Special Topic: Forever at Joh_6:58.
2Jn_1:3 "Grace, mercy, and peace" This is a typical introduction to a Greek letter of the first century with two exceptions. First, it has been slightly altered to make it uniquely Christian. The Greek term for "greeting" is chairein. It has been altered to charis, which means "grace." This introduction is very similar to the Pastoral Epistles, 1Ti_1:2; 2Ti_1:2; two of there terms are repeated in Paul's introduction to Galatians and 1 Thessalonians.
Second, the normal grammatical construction is a prayer or wish for health. However, 2 John is a statement of truth, a promise of standing with God with a desired Divine outcome.
Theologically one wonders if there is an intentional order or relationship between these terms. Grace and mercy reflect the character of God that brings a free salvation through Christ to fallen mankind. Peace reflects the recipient of God's gift. The believers experience a complete transformation. As the Fall affected all aspects of human life, so too, salvation restores, first through position (justification by faith), then by a radical shift in worldview enabled by an indwelling Spirit, which results in a progressive Christlikeness (progressive sanctification). The image of God in mankind (cf. Gen_1:26-27) is restored!
The other possibility relates to the need for these three terms in light of the false teachers. They questioned "grace" and "mercy" and brought everything but "peace." It is also a point of interest to note that this is the only use of "mercy" (eleeôi) in all of John's writings. "Grace" (charis) is used only here, in the Gospel in Joh_1:14; Joh_1:16-17, and Revelation (cf. Rev_1:4; Rev_22:21).
The Jerome Biblical Commentary mentions the fact that these three terms have OT covenant connections (p. 412). The writers of the NT (except Luke) were Hebrew thinkers, writing in Koine Greek. Much of the vocabulary of the NT has Septuagint origins.
▣ "from God the Father and from Jesus Christ" Both nouns have the preposition (para) which grammatically puts them on equal footing. This was a grammatical way to assert the full deity of Jesus Christ.
▣ "the Son of the Father" A continuing emphasis in 1 John is that one cannot have the Father without having the Son (cf. 1Jn_2:23; 1Jn_4:15; 1Jn_5:10). The false teachers claimed a unique and special relationship with God, but theologically depreciated the person and work of the Son. John repeats again and again that Jesus is the (1) full revelation of the Father and (2) the only way (cf. Joh_14:6) to the Father.