THE CHOSEN LADY

2 JOHN

2 John 1 - 2

• 2 John 1:1-2 ESV 2 John 1:1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth, 2 because of the truth that abides in us and will be with us forever:

WHO WRITES THE LETTER ?

• THE ELDER• According to church tradition it is the apostle

John• Who we know was one of the twelve• Peter similarly was identified as an elder• ESV 1 Peter 5:1 So I exhort the elders among

you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed:

WHO IS THE LETTER ADDRESSED TO ?

1. The name of a lady (Electa or Kyria)

2. A lady presumably the leader of a church

3. A local church pictured as a lady

4. The church universal pictured as a lady

Name of a lady

• Electa is a Greek name meaning chosen

• Kyria is a Greek name (it is the feminine form of lord or master).

• There is however no definite article with either indicating that neither is a name (this would be the correct grammatical way to indicate a proper noun)

A lady who leads a local church ?

• If this is the case then the chosen sister would be a lady in a similar position. (her sister either in the Lord or her real blood relative).

• NIV 2 John 1:13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

• In 2 john 8, 10 & 12 the 2nd person plural is used. Language addressed to a group of people.( some languages have it clearly defined Gk does)

• ESV 2 John 1:8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

• Collective pronoun

The universal church ?

• This one is fairly simple

• The universal church has no sister

• NIV 2 John 1:13 The children of your chosen sister send their greetings.

A local church ?

• After eliminating the other options this option stands

1. No definite art therefore not Electa nor Kyria

2. A group is addressed therefore it is not an individual

3. “she” has a sister therefore not the one universal church of Jesus

CHOSEN

• ESV 1 Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,

• Set apart and precious

• Called into being by God

Chosen therefore loved by John

• The loving spoken of here is not flighty

• But rather deeply and “in truth”

• A real love

• A whole love

• A meaningful love

• An agape love (as opposed to eros or philia)

Chosen therefore loved by us too

• ESV 2 John 1:1 The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all who know the truth,

• Agape love lays itself down for the local church

• If you have a revelation of the truth you have a revelation of the “chosen lady”

If you love the “chosen lady”

• You wont run her down in speech • 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 16 Do you not

know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

• You will give your time, talents and treasures to build her up

Chosen as in select & chosen with a purpose too

• 1 Timothy 3:15 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.

• the vehicle / agent of “the truth” (note esv leaves out the article)

What have we learnt• Bible study (including some Greek) is important• The chosen lady is not the elder• The chosen lady is not the universal church• The chosen lady is a local church• Chosen as select and precious• Chosen and therefore loved in truth• Chosen and loved by the truth• Chosen and loved by those who know the truth• Chosen in the sense of purpose too• His choice for intimacy “bride”• Worthy of our attentions• His choice: therefore to be treated with respect and care.