2 (Ala) WE LOVE YOU through the truth which abideth (ev, 172.) among us, and shall be with us for ever. 2

3 Grace, mercy, AND peace, be with you from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, (v, 162.) with truth and love.1

4 I rejoiced greatly (or, 259.) when I found SOME of thy children1 walking in truth,2 as we received commandment from the Father.

2 This love I and all who know the truth, bear to you through the influence of the gospel which abideth among us and shall be continued with us to the end of the world.

3 Grace, mercy and peace, (ε50269) the future for the imperative, Ess. iv. 13.) be with you, from God the Father of all, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, together with the possession of truth, and of love to God and to man.

4 I rejoiced greatly when I found some of thy children, with whom I conversed lately, holding the doctrines and observing the precepts of the gospel, as these were preached by us according to the commandment which we received from the Father.

Ver. 3.-1. And from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, with truth and love. Whitby, supposing the clause, ev aanduiḍ nai ayawḥ, to be an Hebraism, connects it with the Son of the Father, and translates the passage thus: From Jesus Christ the true and beloved Son of the Father. But others construe the passage in this manner: Grace, mercy, and peace, with truth and love, be with you from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father. This construction I think should be followed.

Ver. 4.-1. I rejoiced greatly when I found some of thy children. So iugnna EX TWY TEXVOV 08 signifies. From this expression Estius inferred, that some of this lady's children were not Christians. But I rather suppose with Grotius, that John speaks of such of her children as in the course of their affairs had come to the place where he was; and that having conversed with them, he had found them sound, both in the faith and in the practice of the gospel. After they returned home, the apostle inscribed this letter to them, as well as to their mother, and by the commendation which he bestowed on them in it, he no doubt encouraged them much to persevere in the truth.

2. Walking in truth. As walking denotes in scripture the course of a man's behaviour, Ess. iv. 59. walking in truth, may signify, not only that these young persons maintained the true doctrine of the gospel concerning the person of Christ, ver. 7. but that their conversation was in all respects suitable to the gospel.-In this joy, the apostle manifested the disposition of a faithful minister of Christ: for such derive their greatest happiness from the faith and holiness of their disciples. John spake in the same manner

5 And now I beseech

5 Και νυν ερωτω σε, κυρία,

thee, lady, not as though I ουχ ὡς εντολην γραφων σοι

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.

καινην, αλλα ην είχομεν απ' αρχής, να αγαπωμεν αλλη λους.

concerning Caius. 3 Epist. ver. 3. And Paul concerning his converts, Philip. iv. 1. 1 Thess. iii. 9.

Ver. 5.-1. Now I beseech thee lady. This sort of address suiteth a particular person, better than a whole church consisting of many individuals, to which, in the opinion of some, this letter was directed. See Pref. Sect. 2. 2. Not as writing to thee a new commandment. The apostle doth not speak of a new commandment, in the sense in which our Lord used that phrase, when he said to his disciples, John viii. 34. A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you that ye also love one another. See 1 John ii. 8. note 1. But his meaning is, either, that the commandment to love one another which he gave to this lady, was not a commandment which had never been delivered to the church before; or, that it was not a com mandment peculiar to the gospel. The first of these I take to be the apostle's meaning; as he tells this lady, that the disciples of Christ had had this commandment delivered to them from the beginning.

S. But that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. In inculcating this commandment so frequently and so earnestly in all his writings, John shewed himself, not only a faithful apostle of Christ, but a person of an excellent heart. His own breast being full of love to mankind, he wished to promote that amiable disposition in all the disciples of Jesus. See the conclusion, at the end of this epistle.

5 And now I beseech thee, lady,1 not as writing to thee a new commandment,2 2 but that which we had from the beginning, that we love

one another. 3

6 And this is the love, that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment,2 even as ye have heard from the beginning, that ye may walk in it.3

7 (Ori, 256.) For many deceivers are entered into the world, who do not confess Jesus Christ did come in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.2

5 And now I beseech thee, lady, not as writing to thee a new commandment; commandment which thou never heardst before; but that commandment which we apostles had from our Master from the beginning, and which we have all along preached, that we love one another. Moreover this is the love of God, that we walk according to his commandments, (1 John v. 3.) This is the great commandment of God, that ye believe in him whom he hath sent, (John vi. 29.) even as ye have heard from the beginning, in order that ye may constantly obey it. See 1 John ii. 5. note 1.

6.

7 I put you in mind of God's commandment to believe on Jesus Christ, whom God sent into the world in the flesh, because many deceivers are entered into the world, who do not confess that Jesus Christ did come in the flesh, and who refuse to obey him. Every teacher of this sort, is the false prophet and the antichrist, foretold by our Lord to

come.

Ver. 6.-1. This is the love, that we walk according to his commandments. Most commentators think John is here describing the love mentioned in the preceding verse, namely the love which Christians owe to each other. But, since he tells us that the love of which he now speaketh, consists in the keeping of God's commandments, he must mean the love of God: for he delivers the same sentiment, 1 John v. 3. This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.

2. This is the commandment; that is, the commandment by way of eminence. Wherefore, though the apostle doth not tell us what this commandment is, yet by calling it the commandment, he certainly directeth us to God's great commandment to obey his beloved Son Jesus Christ, whom he sent into the world made flesh, to save sinners. To this interpretation, the reason assigned by the apostle in the next verse, for putting the disciples in

8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

9 Whosoever transgres

seth, 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:

8 Βλέπετε ἑαυτους, ίνα μη απολέσωμεν & ειργασάμεθα, ά αλλα μισθον πληρη απολαβωμεν.

9 Πας ὁ παραβαινων, και μη μένων εν τη διδαχή του Χριςον Θεον ουκ έχει ὁ με νων εν τη διδαχη του Χριςου, έτος και τον πατέρα και τον διον εχει.

10 Ει τις ερχεται προς μας, και ταυτην την διδα χην ου φερει, μη λαμβάνετε

αυτόν εις οικίαν, και χαιρειν αυτῷ μη λεγετε.

mind of God's commandment, agreeth: for many deceivers are entered into the world, &c.

3. Even as ye have heard from the beginning, that ye may walk in it. The apostle having, from the beginning of the gospel, declared it to be God's commandment to obey Christ, John might well tell his disciples, that they bad beard it preached from the beginning in order that they might constantly obey it.

Ver. 7. 1. Who do not confess Jesus Christ did come in the flesh. Ερχομενον being the participle of the imperfect of the indicative, is rightly translated did come for Jesus Christ was not on earth in the flesh when John wrote this; as the translation in our Bible, is come, imports. He had come in the flesh, but was gone. For which reason no translation of this clause, which representeth Jesus Christ as then present, can be just. Beza, in his note ο ερχόμενον, after observing that it is not the participle of the present but of the imperfect tense, tells us, that this participle is used in innumerable places for the aorist: and gives as an example, 3 John, ver. 3. where ερχομένων is put for ελθόντων, and is rendered accordingly, even by our translators; when the brethren came.-In the Vulgate version of the verse under our consideration, ερχομενον is rightly translated venisse.

2. This is the deceiver, and the antichrist. Notwithstanding these appellations are in the singular number, they do not denote any particular false teacher, but a number of such; as is plain from the precedent clause, where it is said many deceivers are entered into the world. Perhaps the apostle used the singular number emphatically, to lead this lady to recollect our Lord's prediction concerning the false teachers who were to arise. See 1 John ii. 18. note 3. iv. 3. note 2.

8 Keep yourselves from these deceivers, that we who have converted you, may not, by your following them, lose our labour, but, by presenting you faultless at the day of judgment, may receive our reward complete.

9 Whosoever goeth beyond, and doth not abide in the doctrine taught by Christ and his apostles, (see 1 John ii. 23. note.) acknowledgeth not God. He who closely adheres to the doctrine taught by Christ and his apostles, the same acknowledgeth the authority both of the Father and of the Son, who have confirmed that doctrine in the most ample manner.

10 If any teacher come to you, and do not bring this doctrine, that Jesus Christ the Son of God did come in the flesh to save mankind, do not receive him into your house, nor express your approbation of him by giving him the common salutation.

Ver. 8.-1. Look to yourselves. BETETE, Look attentively to yourselves, and to those around you, that they may not by any crafty methods, seduce you into the paths of error and vice.

2. That we may not lose the things which we have wrought. Five of Stephen's MSS. the Alexandrian and other MSS. the Vulgate, the second Syriac, and the Ethiopic versions, for απολέσωμεν & ειργασάμεθα read here, απολέσητε ά ειργασασθε that ye may not lose the things which ye have wrought. Grotius saith, this agrees better, than the common reading, with what goeth before.

3. But may receive a full reward. The elect lady and her children were to take heed to themselves, for this among other reasons, that the apostles who had converted them, might not lose that part of their reward which is promised to them who turn others to righteousness. Dan. xii. 3. And even, although no particular reward were promised to those who are instrumental in converting others, certainly, by the apostasy of their disciples, such will lose the joy which their perseverance in faith and holiness would give them, See Heb. xiii. 17.—The person, who was to receive a full reward, in consequence of this lady and her children's looking to themselves, is the apostle: For if the others apostatized, they would receive no reward at all.