1. ‘O ‘7rpe<rf3vrepos, The Elder) An appropriate title for a familiar Epistle, such as this, and the one that follows. And indeed the gravity of the argument, and the familiarity of the little Epistle, are wonderfully combined and adjusted. The parts of the Epistle are three.
I. The Inscription, ver. 1-3.
II. An Exhortation to perseverance in true love and faith, ver. 4-11.
III. The Conclusion, ver. 12, 13.
— ex\exr?i, elect ) He calls her elect , from her spiritual condition : for that this name is appellative, is plain from the circumstance of its being attributed to her sister also, ver. 13 ; and if it had been a proper name, it would have been exXixryj, from sxXixrog. They were either widows, or women of piety beyond their husbands. But Kvpia [answering to the Hebrew Martha. — V. g.], as in other places, so here, is a proper name, as the Pgecile of Heuman teaches, T. 2, Book iii. art. 13, and T. 3, Book i. art. 2. Nor can any one doubt it, unless he is ignorant of the style of the ancients, or does not bear it in mind. The appellative Kvpia, a mistress , independently of the relation to her slaves, could scarcely be given to a queen at that time without exciting envy. Proper names were usually employed of old,
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even in addressing illustrious persons, in preference to appellatives. But the Elder elegantly interposes, between his own name and that of the lad}7, a word denoting the spiritual relationship, from which this short Epistle proceeded. The word K vp/a again occurs, ver. 5. The Syrian Version retains the proper name : and the Synopsis of Athanasius1 says, yputpei K vpict, he writes to Cyria , where he uses the proper name, but omits the epithet exAsxrr,, elect. But it frequently happens that proper names and appellatives are confused with one another. See Wesseling, Probabil., p. 199, etc. — ovc, whom ) This refers to the mother and her children. — h dx^s/a, in truth) Love is not only true love, but it rests on the truth of the Gospel : ver. 3, at the end. — <xavrsg, all) The communion of saints.
2. A /a, on account of) Construe with ayanu, I love. They w7ho love in truth, also love on account of truth. — r^v pevovguv, which abides) which still is. It is followed by the future, shall be. T ?jv ftevovcav — xai iffrai, resolve into, which abides , and shall be : 1 Cor. vii. 37, note.
3. "Effra /, shall be) TV. A prayer, together wdth an affirmation. — pet)' vfiuv, with you) See the App. Crit. Ed. ii. on this passage.2 The Latin Version has vobiscum , with you: and this is properly consonant with the salutation. Comp. 3 John, ver. 2. — %«?/£, z\tog, slprm j, grace, mercy, arid peace) Grace removes guilt ; mercy removes misery ; peace expresses a continuance in grace and mercy. — eiprivri, peace) even under the assaults of temptation. — Kvplov, Lord) This is the only passage in which the Epistles of St John contain the title of Lord, which is w’ell adapted to a salutation.3 He usually calls Him the Son of God. — h aXrjOslq xui uydirri, in truth and love) Respecting the former he speaks in ver. 4 ; respecting the latter, in ver. 5. St Paul is accustomed to use the appellations, faith and love, for truth and faith are synonymous : and the Hebrew DDK is constantly translated in the Septuagint by either word. Comp. 3 John, ver. 3, the truth that is in thee.
1 The “ Synopsis Sacrse Scripturae” is included in the writings of Athanasius, but has no claim to be considered his. It is however a valuable relic of anti- quity. See Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography. — T.
2 B (according to Lachm., not so Tisch.) Vulg. Elzev. Rec. Text, have sotoii pctff vpav. But A and later Syr. omit the words. Stephens’ Rec. Text has yjptZu. — E.