due time, and in his own way, those particular mer- mankind, that are not such, all who have not his cies which we ask of him. Spirit, are not only touched by him, but very generally are guilty of idolatry, fraud, violence, lasciviousness, impiety, and all manner of vice; lieth in Verses 16, 17. If any man, &c.-As if he had said, Yea, he hears us not only for ourselves, but others also; see his brother-That is, any child of man ; || wickedness-Rather, in the wicked one, as ev тw πOVNρW sin a sin which is not unto death-That is, any sin signifies. They are under his dominion: just as it but that which is marked out in the awful words is said of believers in the next verse, that they are of our Lord Jesus Christ as unpardonable, namely, || ev rw aλndwvw, in the true one. αληθινω, "The power of Satan the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, of which see in this lower world, and over its inhabitants, is often on Matt. xii. 31; Mark iii. 29. Or, which may rather spoken of in Scripture. Thus Eph. ii. 2, he is called be intended, the sin of total apostacy from both the the spirit which now worketh in the children of disopower and form of godliness; he shall ask, and God || bedience: 2 Cor. iv. 4, he is termed the god of this shall give him life-Repentance unto life, and, in || world, and is said to blind the minds of them that consequence thereof, pardon and salvation for that believe not: 1 Pet. v. 8, he is called our adversary, sinner. There is a sin unto death; I do not say and is said to be going about as a roaring lion, that he shall pray for it-That is, let him not pray seeking whom he may devour. Further, 2 Tim. for it. A sin unto death may likewise mean one ii. 26, wicked men are said to be held in the snare which God has determined to punish with temporal of the devil, who (Ephesians vi. 11) is said to use death. All unrighteousness is sin-Every deviation || wiles for the destruction of mankind, and (2 Cofrom perfect holiness is sin; but all sin is not unpar- rinthians xi. 3) to have beguiled Eve by his subdonable, nor does God determine to punish every || tlety." sin with temporal death. Verses 20, 21. We know-By all these infallible Verses 18, 19. We know, &c.-As if he had said,|| proofs; that the Son of God is come-Into the Yet this gives no encouragement to sin. On the world; and hath given us an understanding-Hath contrary, it is an indisputable truth, that whosoever enlightened our minds; that we may know him that is born of God-That is, regenerated and made a || is true-The living and true God, namely, the Fanew creature; see on chap. ii. 29; sinneth not-Doth || ther, of whom the apostle appears here to speak; not commit any known sin, so long as he lives by and we are in him that is true-In his favour, and faith in the Son of God, and by that faith has union in a state of union and fellowship with him; evenwith Christ; but he that is begotten of God—By the|| This particle is not in the Greek; in—Or rather, word of truth, (James i. 18; 1 Pet. i. 23,) accompa- through; his Son Jesus Christ-Through whose nied by the influence of the Divine Spirit; keepeth mediation alone we can have access to, or interhimself-By the aid of divine grace watching unto course with, the Father. This—Ovros, he, namely, prayer, denying himself and taking up his cross Christ, the person last mentioned; is the true God daily; and that wicked one-Namely, the devil;|| and eternal life-He partakes with the Father in toucheth him not-So as to overcome and lead him || proper Deity, and our immortal life is supported by into known, wilful sin. And we know-By the testi- || union with him. Little-Or beloved; children, keep mony of the Holy Spirit and our own consciences; || yourselves from idols—From all false worship of that we-Who believe in Christ, (verse 13,) and are born of God, and made partakers of the divine nature; are of God-Belong to him, as his children and his heirs; and the whole world-All the rest of b images, or of any creature, and from every inward PREFACE TO THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JOHN. SOME," says Bede, (in the beginning of the eighth century,) "have thought this and the following epistle not to have been written by John the evangelist, but by another, a presbyter of the same name, whose sepulchre is still seen at Ephesus, whom also Papias mentions in his writings. But now it is the general consent of the church, that John the apostle wrote also these two epistles, forasmuch as there is a great agreement of the doctrine and style between these and his first epistle, and there is also a like zeal against heretics." Compare 2 Epistle verse 5, with 1 Epistle ii. 8 ;-verse 6, with 1 Epistle v. 3;-verse 7, with 1 Epistle iv. 3;-3 Epistle verse 12, with John xix. 35. Of John's peculiar manner of expressing things, compare 2 Epistle verse 7, and 3 Epistle verse 11.Of the second epistle, which contains only thirteen verses, eight may be found in the first, either in sense or in expression. It is true, Eusebius, in bearing testimony to the authenticity of the first epistle of John, hath insinuated that some ascribed the second and third epistles to another person of the name of John, called "the elder," of whom he speaks, lib. iii. c. 39. And Jerome likewise hath mentioned this John in his catalogue. But the earliest and best Christian writers ascribe the second and third epistles, as well as the first, to the Apostle John. All the three were received as his by Athanasius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Epiphanius, Jerome, and the council of Laodicea; as also by Ruffin, by the third council of Carthage, by Augustine, and by all those authors who received the same canon of the New Testament which we receive. All the three are in the Alexandrian MS. and in the catalogue of Gregory Nazianzen. The second epistle is cited twice by Irenæus as written by John the apostle, declaring, that "they who denied Jesus Christ to become in the flesh,' were 'seducers' and 'antichrists,' verses 7, 8; and that they who 'bid' the heretic 'God speed,' were 'partakers of his evil deeds;"'" ;"" which words are found in verses 10, 11. And Aurelius cites the 10th verse as the words of St. John the apostle. As to the title of "elder," taken by the writer of these two short epistles, we cannot infer from this that they were not written by the Apostle John; the word "elder" being, it seems, only intended to denote that the person so called was of long standing in the Christian faith. It was, therefore, an appellation of great dignity, and entitled the person, to whom it belonged, to the highest respect from all the disciples of Christ: for which reason it was assumed by the Apostle Peter. Or, as some think, the word "elder” might be used with a reference to John's great age, and that he was as well known by the name of "elder" as by his proper name; the word signifying the same as if it had been said, "The aged apostle." The circumstance, that the writer of these epistles hath not mentioned his own name, is agreeable to John's manner; who neither hath mentioned his name in his gospel, nor in the first epistle, which are unquestionably his. These epistles have very improperly been termed “general” or “catholic,” since each is inscribed to a single person, one to a woman of distinction, styled "the elect lady," or, as some render the words, “the elect Kuria," (taking the latter word for a proper name,) and the other to "Gaius ;" probably the same person with Gaius of Corinth, who is styled by St. Paul "his host," and is celebrated for his hospitality to the brethren; a character very agreeable to that which is here given of Gaius by the Apostle John. There is no fixing the date of these two epistles with any certainty. It in a great measure depends on the date of the first epistle; soon after which, it is generally agreed, both these were written. And this indeed appears exceeding probable from that coincidence, both of sentiment and expression, which occurs in all these epistles, as mentioned above. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF JOHN. (1,) The Apostle John salutes a Christian matron and her children, 1–3. (2,) With great joy recommends further degrees of faith and love, 4-6. (3,) Cautions against seducers, particularly such as denied Christ's incarnation, and dissuades from entertaining persons that erred from the truth, or wishing them success, 7-11. (4,) Refers some other matters to a personal intercourse, 12, 13. A. D. 90. a A. D. 90. A. M. 4094. THE elder unto the elect lady, and || from God the Father, and from the A. M. 4094. her children, whom I love in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have || Father, in truth and love. known the truth; b d e 4 I rejoiced greatly, that I found of 2 For the truth's sake which dwelleth in us, thy children walking in truth, as we and shall be with us for ever. have received a commandment from the 3 Grace 1be with you, mercy and peace Father. a1 John iii. 18; 3 John 1; Verse 3.b John viii. 32; Gal. ii. 5, 14; iii. 1; v. 7; Col. i. 5; 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Tim. ii. 4; Heb. x. 26.1 Timothy i. 2.1 Gr. shall be.―d Verse 1. e 3 John 3. Verses 1,2. The elder-An appellation suited to a || I trust, God will enable us to believe and obey to the familiar letter; for the import of it see the preface: || end of our lives. unto the elect—That is, the Christian; lady—Or Verse 3. Grace be with you, &c.-See on Rom. Kuria, rather, for the word seems to be a proper || i. 7. Grace takes away the guilt and power of sin, name, both here and in verse 5, it not being then and renews our fallen nature; mercy relieves our usual to apply the title of lady to any but the Roman misery; peace implies our abiding in grace and empress, neither would such a manner of speaking mercy. It includes the testimony of God's Spirit have been suitable to the simplicity and dignity of and of our own conscience, both that we are his the apostle; and her children—There is no mention || children, and that all our ways are acceptable to him. made by the apostle of this matron's husband, either This is the very foretaste of heaven, where it is perbecause he was dead, or because he was not a Chris- fected: in truth and love-Truth embraced by a tian; whom―That is, both her and her children; I || lively faith, and love to God, his children, and all love in the truth-Or rather (as aλndeca is without || mankind, flowing from discoveries of his favour. the article) in truth. The meaning is, whom I love Verse 4. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy with unfeigned and holy love. The sincerity and children-That is, some of thy children; walking purity of his love to this family, the apostle showed || in truth-In a manner agreeable to the gospel. It on the present occasion, by his earnestness to guard is probable that John speaks of such of her children them against being deceived by the false teachers, as he had met with in the course of his travels, prowho were then going about among the disciples of bably at their aunt's house, verse 13; and that havChrist. And not I only love her and them, but ing conversed with them, and observed their conalso all love them that have known the truth- duct, he had found reason to conclude that they As is in Jesus, and have had any opportunity of were truly pious, and sound in the faith. After their becoming acquainted with them. For the truth's || return home, it seems, he inscribed this letter to sake-Because you have embraced the same truth them as well as to their mother, and by the comof the gospel which I myself, and other faithful mendation which he bestowed on them in it, he no Christians, have received; which dwelleth in us-As doubt encouraged them much to persevere in the truth. a living principle of faith and holiness; see Phil. i. 6; || By the joy which this circumstance gave the apostle, 1 John ii. 14; and shall be with us for ever—Which, || was manifested the disposition of a faithful minister of Christ; for such derive great happiness from the in our Bible, is come, imports. He had come in the faith and holiness of their disciples. flesh, but was gone. So that no translation of this clause, which represents Jesus Christ as then present, can be just. The apostle alludes to the rise of those heretics, who affirmed that Christ came only in appearance; and who, of course, denied his priestly, if not also his prophetic and kingly office. This-Every one who does this, who does not acknowledge that Christ came in the flesh; is a deceiver-A seducer from God; and antichrist— An enemy to Christ. Verse 5. Now, I beseech thee, Kuria-This sort of address suits a particular person much better than a whole church, consisting of many individuals, to which, in the opinion of some, this letter was directed; not as though I wrote a new commandment—A commandment which thou didst never hear before;|| but that which we had from the beginning-Of our Lord's ministry. Indeed it was in some sense from || the beginning of the world; that we love one another -More abundantly. The apostle does not here Verses 8, 9. Look to yourselves-Take heed, lest speak of a new commandment in the sense in which you grow remiss or negligent in the course of your our Lord used that phrase John xiii. 34; (see on || obedience. That we lose not, &c.—Lest you lose 1 John ii. 7, 8;) but his meaning is, either that the the reward of what you have already done, which commandment to love one another, which he gave every apostate does; but that we receive-- Which to this family, was not a commandment which had every one that is faithful unto death shall do; a full never been delivered to the church before, or that it || reward--That, having fully employed all our talents was not a commandment peculiar to the gospel. || to the glory of him that gave them, we may receive The first of these seems to be the apostle's meaning; the whole portion of felicity which God has proas he tells this matron that the disciples of Christ had mised to diligent, persevering Christians. Receive had this commandment delivered to them from the || this as a certain rule; whosoever transgresseth— beginning. In inculcating mutual love among the || Any law of God; and abideth not--Does not persedisciples of Christ so frequently and so earnestly invere; in his belief of, and obedience to, the doctrine all his writings, John showed himself to be, not only of Christ, hath not God-For his Father and his God. a faithful apostle of Christ, but a person of a most He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ-Believamiable and benevolent disposition; his own heart || ing and obeying it; hath both the Father and the being full of love to all mankind, and particularly to|| Son-Who have confirmed that doctrine in the the followers of Jesus, he wished to promote that most ample manner. holy and happy temper in all true Christians. Verses 10, 11. If there come any unto you-Either Verses 6, 7. And this is love—The principal proof || as a teacher or a brother; and bring not this doctrine of true love, first to God, and then to his people; || --Of Christ, namely, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, that we walk after his commandments—That we be || did come in the flesh to save mankind; or advance obedient to his will in all things. This love is the any thing contrary to it, or any other branch of great commandment, which ye have heard from the || Christ's doctrine; receive him not into your housebeginning of our preaching; that ye should walk || Either as a teacher or a brother; neither bid him in it-Should persevere in love. For many de-|| God speed-Give him no encouragement therein; ceivers, &c.—See on 1 John iv. 1: as if he had said, || for he that biddeth him God speed-That gives him Carefully keep what you have heard from the be- any encouragement; is partaker of-Is accessary ginning; for many seducers are come; who confess || to; his evil deeds—We may infer, from what the not that Jesus Christ is come—Or came, as εpxoμɛvov | apostle here says, 1st, That when those who pro(considered as the participle of the imperfect) || fessed to be the disciples of Christ came to any place may be rendered; for Jesus Christ was not on earth where they were not known to the brethren who in the flesh when John wrote this; as the translation || resided there, nor were recommended to them by Several matters referred II. JOHN. 4 to a personal interview. A. M. 4094. 12 Having many things to write unto || 3 face to face, that our joy may be full. A. M. 4094. you, I would not write with paper and 13 The children of thy elect sister ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak greet thee. Amen. A. D. 90. r3 John 13.- 3 Gr. mouth to mouth. t A. D. 90. 4 Or, your. t 1 Pet. v. 13. s John xvii. 13; 1 John i. 4.some with whom they were acquainted, they made also he wished to mention to her the names of those themselves known to them as the real disciples of that he had principally in view. But these things Christ, by declaring their faith. This shows the pro- || he did not think it proper to write in a letter; espepriety of the apostle's advice to this pious matron|| cially as he proposed to visit this matron and her and her children. 2d, That as the Christians in children soon, and to converse with them personally. those days exercised hospitality to their stranger|| The children of thy elect-Or Christian sister, greet brethren, who were employed in spreading the gos- thee-It seems she was absent, if not dead, when the pel; so the Christian sister to whom the apostle | apostle wrote this. It is justly observed by Macknight, wrote this letter, being probably rich, and of a that "the word elect here, as in verse 1, doth not benevolent disposition, thought herself under an signify chosen from eternity to salvation. For the obligation to supply the wants of those strangers who apostle could not know that the matron's sister was went about preaching. Wherefore, to prevent her so elected, unless the matter had been made known from being deceived by impostors, the apostle here to him by a particular revelation, which is not directs her to require such teachers to give an alleged to have been the case by any who so interaccount of the doctrines which they taught; and if pret election." But it signifies, as the same exshe found that they did not hold the true Christian pression generally does, in other passages of Scripdoctrine, he advised her not to receive them into her ture, a true believer in Christ, who, as such, is in a house, nor to give them any countenance. And this state of acceptance with God, and one of his chosen advice of the apostle was certainly perfectly proper, people. See on Eph. i. 3-7. It is proper to observe because they who entertained, or otherwise showed here also, that the salutations which the Christians respect to, false teachers, enabled them the more in the first age gave to each other, were not of the effectually to spread their erroneous doctrine, to the same kind with the salutations of unbelievers, which seduction and ruin of those whom they deceived. were wishes of temporal health and felicity only; but they were prayers for the health and happiness of their souls, and expressions of the most sincere love. See 3 John, verse 2. The apostle sent this matron the salutation of the children of her sister, to intimate to her that they were all Christians, and that they persevered in the true doctrine of the gospel. Verses 12, 13. Having many things to write-Con- || cerning these and other subjects; I would not-ОUK|| εbëλndŋv, I was not minded, to communicate them by paper and ink-Probably the apostle meant that he had many things to say concerning the characters and actions of the false teachers; perhaps || b 679 |