Who Do These Children Belong To?!?
2 John:
1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2 For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
4 I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.
5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.
7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.
12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.
13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
I've heard that the woman refers to a church and the children refer to either the members or churches established from this church. I have also heard that this woman and children refer to real people. What is your opinion on this and why? Please give an explanation of your opinion. I hope to see some new ideas and clarification on exactly what this means. (I'll give you my understanding later.)
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3 comments:
I can't help but think it is a church. He refers to her in the plural (yourselves). That last comment about "your elect sister and her children" makes me think it too.
The warnings seem to be constructed as to a church. He warns "her" in the same way he warned the other believers in I John.
Just my thoughts
Their momma.
I am convicted(see my blog) that the letter is written to a church, with the children being a reference to her offspring. God's law of like-begetting-like runs through every fiber of all that God has begun.
John’s letter addressed to “the elect lady” has been interpreted in various ways. Three are the most common: (1) “The elect lady” is an unnamed Christian woman; (2) “The elect lady” is a named Christian woman, the Greek word Kuria (lady) being her name; or (3) “The elect lady” is a façon de parler – a manner of speaking, figurative expression – signifying a Christian congregation rather than an individual.
I have considered it to be the latter, and agree with what Cory and Mike have said. John reverts back and forth in using the singular and plural pronouns sou and humin, which may hint of the allegorical nature of the elect lady and her children.
Perhaps the biggest impact of this would be in the interpretation of verses 10 and 11. The interpretation of house may vary based on one’s interpretation of “the elect lady”. If house means the home of an elect lady, an individual, how does this affect our hospitality? The hospitality of giving a cup of water to thirsty and food to the hungry versus entertaining traveling preachers who hold not the doctrine of Christ. If the elect lady is a church, then the house is “the house of God, the church”. (Also churches met in homes: Philemon v. 2; Rom. 16:5; I Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15. Cf. also Acts 8:3 & I Timothy 3:15.)
Interpretation of the elect sister should be consistent with the elect lady.
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