2 John 1:12

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. I WOULD NOT WRITE. A heart full of love pours itself out more freely face to face than by letter. PAPER - of Egyptian papyrus. Pens were then reeds split. INK - made of soot and water, thickened with gum. Parchment was used for permanent manuscripts, in which the letters were preserved. Writing tablets were used merely for temporary purposes, as slates. FACE TO FACE - literally, 'mouth to mouth.' FULL, [ pepleeroomenee (G4137)] - 'filled full.' Your joy will be complete in hearing from me in person the joyful Gospel truths which I now defer communicating until I see you. In...

12,13 The apostle refers many things to a personal meeting. Pen and ink were means of strengthening and comforting others; but to see each other is more so. The communion of saints should be maintained by all methods; and should tend to mutual joy. In communion with them we find much of our present joy, and look forward to happiness for ever....

Verse 2 John 1:12. _HAVING MANY THINGS TO WRITE_] That is, I have many things that I might write to thee, but I think it best not to commit them to paper, because I hope to visit thee shortly, and speak fully of those matters, which will be a means of increasing the comfort both of thee and thy family, as well as my own. There is more comfort in mutual _interviews_ among friends than in epistolaty correspondence,...

HAVING MANY THINGS TO WRITE UNTO YOU - That I would wish to say. This language is such as would be used by one who was hurried, or who was in feeble health, or who hoped soon to see the person written to. In such a case only the points would be selected which were of most immediate and pressing importance, and the remainder would be reserved for a more free personal interview. I WOULD NOT WRITE WITH PAPER - The word “paper” here conveys an idea which is not strictly correct. “Paper,” as that term is now understood, was not invented until long after this period. The material designated by the word used by John (χάρτης chartēs) was the Egyptian papyrus, and the particular thing denoted was a leaf made out of that plant. The sheets were made from membranes of the plant closely pressed together. This plant was found also in Syria and Babylon, but it w

HAVING MANY THINGS TO WRITE UNTO YOU,.... Either on a civil, or on a religious account, concerning the state of the churches of Asia, and particularly Ephesus, and of private families and persons, and concerning the truths and doctrines of the Gospel; not that he had any new one, or any other than what they had heard from the beginning, to communicate to them, by word of mouth, for this he denies, 2 John 1:5; wherefore this makes nothing for the unwritten traditions of the Papists, and as if the Scriptures did not contain the whole of doctrine and of the will of God. I WOULD NOT [WRITE] WITH PAPER AND INK; any more than what was written: BUT I TRUST TO COME UNTO YOU; where they were, but where that was is not known; very likely in some parts of Asia, and it may be not far from Ephesus, since any long journey would not have been fit for the apostle to have ta

VER. 2 JOHN 1:12 h`mw/n {B} In the opinion of a majority of the Committee, the reading h`mw/n, which is supported by a K L P Y 614 _Byz Lect_ syrph, h arm _al,_ is quite in harmony with the author’s generous spirit in associating himself with his readers (cf. h`mw/n in 1 John 1:4). The reading u`mw/n, which is widely supported by several generally superior witnesses (A B 33 81 1739 vg copbo), appears to have arisen by scribal assimilation to u`mi/n and u`ma/j earlier in the sentence. Other sing

THE SECOND EPISTLE The Second Epistle is addressed by the elder unto the elect lady and her children. The word elder has the same meaning as it has in 1 Peter 5:1. Some take it that the elect lady means an assembly, and her children the members of the assembly. But this is a very strained application. The word “Kyria” (lady) excludes this meaning, besides other reasons which we do not follow here. She was a Christian woman of note generally known and beloved, having children, whom the apostle had found walking in the truth. She had also a sister with children, who seems to have been in the same place where the apostle was, probably in Ephesus. This is indicated by the last verse of the Epistle, “The children of thy elect sister greet thee.” The keynote of this message to the elect lady, unknown by name, is the word “truth.” The apostle lets them know that he loves them, as well as

THE ELECT LADY (2 John 1:1-3)...

WOULD. App-102. WITH. by means of. App-104. 2 John 1:1. PAPER. Greek. _chartes._ Only here. INK. See 2 Corinthians 3:3. TRUST. hope. SPEAK. App-121. FACE, &C. Literally mouth to (App-104.) mouth. OUR. The texts read "your". JOY. See 1 John 1:4. FULL. See 1 John 1:4....

_Having many things to write_ The First Epistle will give us some idea of what these were. _I would not write with paper and ink_ There is here no -write" in the Greek; and in the first clause -write" is almost too limited in meaning for γράφειν, which like our -say" covers a variety of methods of communication. _Having many things to say to you, I would not (say them) by means of paper and ink_. Perhaps we may here trace a sign of the failing powers of an old man, to whom writing is serious fatigue. -Paper" (χάρτης) occurs nowhere else in N.T.; but it occurs in LXX. of Jeremiah 36:23; and its diminutive (χαρτίον) is frequent in that chapter. In 3Ma 4:20 we have a cognate word (χαρτήρια), which probably, like -paper" here, means Egyptian papyrus, as distinct from the more expensive -parchment" (μεμβράναι) mentioned...