OVERVIEW: The identity of both the elder and of the elect lady were matters of controversy in the early church. If it is true that majority opinion eventually decided that the elder was John, the Evangelist and beloved disciple of Jesus (THEOPHYLACT), and that the elect lady was a church (CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, HILARY OF ARLES), neither view can be regarded as settled in ancient times. Some thought that there was another John, distinguished here as the elder (OECUMENIUS), and quite a number were prepared to believe that the elect lady was a particular individual who had a church in her house (ANDREAS). Of special interest to us is the recognition that originally there was no difference between elders (presbyteroi) and bishops (episcopoi) and that John was therefore writing in his capacity as a bishop (JEROME). Because the heretics of that time denied that our Lord Jesus Christ was the true Son of God and claimed that he was born in a merely human way, John rightly recalls that he is the Father’s Son (BEDE).
TO THE ELECT CHURCH. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: John’s second letter, which is written to virgins, is extremely straightforward. It was written to a certain Babylonian woman called Electa, whose name stands for the election of the holy church. ADUMBRATIONS.1
TO THE ELECT LADY. HILARY OF ARLES: The elect lady is clearly a church to which the letter is written. It is elect in faith and mistress of all virtues. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.2
THE ELDER. JEROME: Originally “presbyters” and “bishops” were the same. When later on one was chosen to preside over the rest, this was done to avoid schism. For apart from ordination, what function is there which belongs to a bishop which does not also belong to a presbyter? LETTERS 146.3
TO A PARTICULAR LADY. ANDREAS: John is either writing to a church, or else to a particular woman who has ordered her household spiritually, according to the commandments of God. He writes this letter to one of the women who has accepted the proclamation and exhorts her to do two things. The first of these is to walk in love, and the second is to avoid welcoming false teachers. John also tells us that the overall purpose of his letter is to keep her informed until he is able to come to her in person. CATENA.4
TO ALL WHO KNOW THE TRUTH. BEDE: John is writing against the heretics who have departed from the truth. He rightly recalls that there is a love in the Holy Spirit which is common to all who know the truth. By mentioning the unanimity and the large number of catholic Christians he frightens those few who have separated themselves from their number. Look how all catholic Christians everywhere follow a single rule of truth, whereas heretics and unbelievers do not all agree on what they reject and attack each other just as much as they attack the truth. ON 2 JOHN.5
JOHN THE ELDER. OECUMENIUS: There are some people who think that this and the following letter are not by John the beloved disciple but by someone else of the same name. The reasons they give for this are that in both letters he describes himself as the elder and addresses a single correspondent (either the elect lady as here, or Gaius), which is not the case in the Catholic Epistle (1 John). Moreover, he starts with a personal introduction in both these letters, which is missing from 1 John. In answer to these points we would say that he did not put an introduction in his first letter because he was writing neither to a particular church nor to a specific individual. The fact that he calls himself an elder rather than an apostle may be due to the fact that he was not the first missionary to preach the gospel in Asia Minor. There he followed Paul, but unlike his predecessor, who merely passed through, John remained in the province and ministered directly to the local people. Nor did he refer to himself as a slave of Christ6 because as the beloved disciple he had the confidence that he had gone beyond the fear of slavery. COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.7
THE AUTHOR. THEOPHYLACT: The most convincing argument in favor of the belief that John wrote this and the following letter is that the themes found in the first letter recur whenever the opportunity presents itself. COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.8
THE TRUTH ABIDES IN US. HILARY OF ARLES: By “truth” John is referring to the Holy Spirit, because love is always the work of the Spirit. INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.9
PERSEVERANCE. OECUMENIUS: Here John states that our faith is firm and sure, and he alludes to the divine gift of perseverance. He had to do this because the people to whom he was writing were not properly established and confirmed in their faith. COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.10
FROM JESUS CHRIST THE FATHER’S SON. BEDE: Because the heretics of that time, people like Marcion and Cerinthus, denied that our Lord Jesus Christ was the true Son of God and claimed that he was born in a merely human way, John rightly recalls that he is the Son of God the Father in order to refute these blasphemers. He also bears witness that grace, mercy and peace come from the Son in exactly the same way as they come from the Father, thereby demonstrating that the Father and the Son are equal and consubstantial with each other. ON 2 JOHN.11
IN TRUTH AND LOVE. OECUMENIUS: Here John is saying that good things arise out of perfect love. His choice of words here gives solidity to what he is saying and provide real evidence of his charity, or love, toward those to whom he is writing. COMMENTARY ON 2 JOHN.12