What is the meaning of 2 John 1:1? The elder John opens by simply calling himself “the elder,” a title that blends humility with pastoral authority. Like Peter, who identified himself as “a fellow elder” (1 Peter 5:1), John speaks as a shepherd caring for the flock. The term also echoes Acts 20:17–28, where elders guard doctrine and nurture believers. In 3 John 1:1 he uses the same designation, reinforcing continuity in leadership and reminding readers that mature oversight is God’s design for His people. To the chosen lady and her children The greeting moves from the sender to the recipients: a woman singled out as “chosen,” along with her children. Scripture frequently celebrates God’s electing love—“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4). Whether John writes to an individual or to a congregation personified as a “lady,” the point is clear: • They belong to God by His sovereign grace (1 Peter 2:9). • Their identity shapes their conduct, just as Paul urges believers to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling” (Ephesians 4:1). Children here likely includes both her biological family and the spiritual children under her influence, echoing the pattern of Lois and Eunice cultivating Timothy’s faith (2 Timothy 1:5). whom I love in the truth John’s affection is anchored “in the truth,” not in sentiment alone. Love and truth are never rivals in Scripture: • Jesus pairs them in the upper room—“A new commandment I give you: love one another” (John 13:34–35), while praying, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). • Paul urges believers to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). True Christian love is covenantal, anchored in God’s revealed Word, and expressed in practical care (1 John 3:18). By stating this, John signals that everything he will ask of them flows from shared commitment to the gospel. and not I alone John widens the circle: his care is not isolated. The family of God is always bigger than any one voice. Hebrews 10:24–25 calls us to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds…encouraging one another”. Fellowship multiplies strength, accountability, and joy (Philippians 2:1–2). but also all who know the truth Every believer who “knows the truth” shares the same love for this chosen lady and her children. Knowing the truth means more than mental assent; it is relational, transformative knowledge. Paul calls the church “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). John earlier wrote, “We are from God; whoever knows God listens to us” (1 John 4:6). The shared possession of truth unites believers across geography and generations, binding them in mutual commitment to protect and live out the gospel (John 17:21). summary 2 John 1:1 sets a tone of pastoral warmth and doctrinal clarity. An elder shepherds God’s elect, expressing genuine love firmly rooted in revealed truth. That love is communal, drawing in every believer who knows the same saving truth, and together they stand committed to Christ and to one another. |
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