him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (21) My little children, guard yourselves from idols.

cal Jesus. Again others were to be found, who thought 21 that the new life, to which faith was intended to lead, consisted in the denial of all obedience to the divine ordinances. There were those also, who in the consciousness of a righteousness received from grace, believed that they had no sin and needed not to furnish any evidences of their righteousness in their lives. All these things the Apostle includes in his exhortation: Be on your guard against the idols.

1

I

THE SECOND EPISTLE OF

JOHN

The elder unto the elect 1lady and her children, whom I love in truth; and not I only, but also all they that know the truth; (2) for the truth's sake which abideth in us, and it shall be with us for ever: (3) Grace, mercy, peace shall be with us, from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

1 Or, Cyria.

In this letter, too, John does not mention his name, but only describes himself as the last representative of an older generation, around whom an entirely new generation had already grown up. By the mistress of the house, who here, as in 1 Pet. v. 13, is called the Elect lady, is evidently meant a congregation, which is only distinguished as a whole from her children, i. e. from the individual members, because something may be said of the former which does not apply to the latter. That the Apostle in truth loves her, appears first of all from the fact, that this love is not the expression of an individual feeling, but is shared in by all, who have per2 manently come into the possession of the faith; as also from the fact, that this love is not intended for them as individuals, but as those in whom truth permanently abides and among whom it has secured a hold it cannot lose, as is the case with those whom they love. For this reason too the usual salutation here becomes a promise, which is intended for the readers as well as for those 3 whom they love. For together with the common possession of truth, the grace that gives to others, namely charity, which sympathizes with all their needs, must

(4) I rejoice greatly that I have found certain of thy children walking in truth, even as we received commandment from the Father. (5) And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote to thee a new commandment, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.

1 Or, Cyria.

have been given them, as also that peace, which Jesus at His departure promised to His own. The implication that their blessings come not only from God but also from Christ, is at this place expressly based on the fact, that He is the Son of the Father, without whom the latter does nothing and with whom He does all things. But that the readers will be among these appears from their possession of the truth as well as of love, because, wherever there is truth and love, there is no lack of the conditions with which the divine blessings of a Christian congregation are connected.

It had given the Apostle great joy, to learn from re- 4 ports which he had received, that among the members of the congregation to whom he was writing there were those whose walk he could praise. He intentionally does not say how many there were of these; but the expression suffices to show, that he does not mean all of them. For this very reason he now appeals with his re- 5 quest to the entire congregation. He does not directly state what he is asking for, because the connection shows, that they should all cause him the same joy by a walk in harmony with the commandment of God, who through Christ has become our Father, as do those members of whom he has heard. With such a request which naturally demands compliance, he does not write to them a new command, but that, which they together, with him have known from the beginning of their Christian life, namely, the commandment of love: for love implies that we each one fulfil the prayer of the

(6) And this is love, that we should walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, even as ye heard from the beginning, that ye should walk in it. (7) For many deceivers are gone forth into the world, even they that confess not that Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. (8) Look to yourselves, that ye lose not the things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full re

1 Or, destroy.

Many ancient authorities read ye.

6 other. But this demands also love to the Father, from whom we have received the commandment in harmony with which is the life of those members of the congregation whom he has praised. For the love to Him consists in this, that we walk according to His commandments; and this commandment, with which the conduct of these people who have caused him joy harmonizes, is certainly none other than that they should on this account, walk in accordance with the message of redemption which had been preached to them from the 7 beginning. For this is demanded in the present times in which have publicly arisen so many deceivers, who show themselves to be such by the fact that they no longer accept the Church's fundamental doctrine concerning the incarnation of Jesus Christ, (cf. 1 John iv. 2). Among these many deceivers has also appeared that one who is such absolutely, namely, the Antichrist. 8 The readers are to be on their guard, lest being induced by such deceivers to discard the truth of redemption that they had received, they tear down what he and his associates had by their labors built up in the congregation. The wages for this work naturally the workmen do not receive, but it is received by those among whom they have labored, as the Lord Himself says (cf. John iv. 36). Full and complete are these wages, if only the hearers preserve the blessings which they have so far secured by the labors of the Apostles, and attain the end of their redemption.

ward. (9) Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son. (10) If any one cometh unto you, and bringeth not this teaching, receive him not into your house, and give him no greeting : (11) for he that giveth him greeting partaketh in his evil works.

'Or, taketh the lead. Comp. 3 Jn. 9.

It is true that these deceivers pretend to have pro- 9 gressed beyond that which they had hitherto possessed. But if this progress consists in not adhering to the doctrine concerning Christ, which the readers have received, then they lose nothing less than God Himself, whom they cannot have since He, in accordance with this teaching, has manifested Himself in Christ. Only he who continues in this teaching, has the Father, who has revealed Himself as such in Christ; and has also the Son. Nothing but the true doctrine concerning Christ teaches us to know Him as such. These heretical teachings also, concerning the heavenly Christ, of whom the first letter has spoken, had already been spread by their representatives, who went from place to place 10 in order to do this. But when such an one comes and brings a doctrine concerning Christ other than that which they have received, they are to refuse him hospitality, and even if he is compelled to leave the house at the entrance to which he has asked for hospitality, they are to refuse him a fraternal farewell. If they 11 do not do this and by their actions recognize him as a Christian brother, then they have communion with his evil deeds, which consist in this very thing, that he, under the semblance of teaching Christ deceives others. For the readers too would thereby also deceive others into regarding him as a Christian brother. We see from this that at the time when this letter was written, the heretics had not yet been officially excluded from the