What is the meaning of 2 John 1:5? And now I urge you, dear lady— “And now I urge you, dear lady—” • John writes with the gentle authority of an apostle and a spiritual father, much like he does with “little children” in 1 John 2:1 and “beloved” in 3 John 1:2. • “Dear lady” may be an individual Christian woman or a congregation personified (both views harmonize with the text, cf. 1 Peter 5:13). Either way, the greeting underscores personal affection and chosen status. • The verb “urge” shows pastoral urgency (Romans 12:1) rather than mere suggestion; obedience to what follows is non-negotiable for faithful believers. not as a new commandment to you, “not as a new commandment to you,” • John is not unveiling something novel. The call to love has echoed since Leviticus 19:18 and was reaffirmed by Jesus in John 13:34. • By reminding rather than innovating, he guards the church against the lure of “new” teachings that contradict apostolic truth (Galatians 1:8). • 1 John 2:7 mirrors this exact phrase, stressing continuity between Old Covenant ethics and New Covenant fulfillment in Christ. but one we have had from the beginning— “but one we have had from the beginning—” • “Beginning” reaches back to the first proclamation of the gospel (1 John 3:11) and ultimately to God’s own character revealed from Genesis onward. • Love is foundational, not optional; it frames the Greatest Commandments (Matthew 22:37-40) and sums up the law (Romans 13:9-10). • By recalling the beginning, John aligns present obedience with historic, unchanging revelation, anchoring the church against drifting fads. that we love one another “that we love one another.” • The charge is clear: love is the daily, observable evidence that we walk in truth (2 John 1:6; John 15:12-13). • Biblical love is: – Self-sacrificing (Ephesians 5:2) – Obedient to God’s commands (1 John 5:2-3) – Expressed in deeds and truth, not sentiment alone (1 John 3:17-18) • Love also protects the flock; it refuses to endorse error while still showing kindness (Ephesians 4:15). In the very next verses John warns about deceivers, so genuine love must stay tethered to doctrinal truth. summary John warmly but firmly reminds his readers of an old, ever-relevant command: love one another. This appeal carries apostolic authority, stands unchanged from the earliest revelation, and functions as the visible proof that believers live in the truth. Authentic Christian life, then, is inseparable from active, truth-anchored love expressed within the family of faith. |
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