2 John 1:8

Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. LOOK TO YOURSELVES - amidst the widespread deception, so many being led astray. So Christ's warning, Matthew 24:4; . WE LOSE NOT ... WE RECEIVE. 'Aleph (') A B, Vulgate, read, 'that YE lose not, but that YE receive.' WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT. So B. 'Aleph (') A, Vulgate, Irenaeus, Lucifer, read, 'which YE have wrought.' "We" being the more difficult reading, is less likely to have been a transcriber's alteration. Look that ye lose not the believing state of "truth and love," which WE (as God's workmen, ;...

7-11 The deceiver and his deceit are described: he brings some error concerning the person or office of the Lord Jesus. Such a one is a deceiver and an antichrist; he deludes souls, and undermines the glory and kingdom of the Lord Christ. Let us not think it strange, that there are deceivers and opposers of the Lord Christ's name and dignity now, for there were such, even in the apostles' times. The more deceivers and deceits abound, the more watchful the disciples must be. Sad it is, that splendid attainments in the school of Christ, should ever be lost. The way to gain the full reward is, to abide true to Christ, and constant in religion to the end. Firm cleaving to Christian truth unites us to Christ, and thereby to the Father also; for they are one. Let us equally disregard such as abide not in the doctrine of Christ, and those who transgress his commands. Any who did not profess an...

Verse 2 John 1:8. _LOOK TO YOURSELVES_] Be on your guard against these seducers; watch, pray, love God and each other, and walk in newness of life. _THAT WE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT_] That we apostles, who have been the means of your conversion, may not be deprived of you as our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. Instead of the _first person plural_, απολεσωμεν, c., WE _lose_, c., many MSS., _versions_, and _fathers_, read the whole clause in the _second person_ plural, απολεσητε, YE _lose_, c. _Take heed to_ _yourselves that_ YE _lose not the things which_ YE _have wrought, but_ _that_ YE _receive a full reward_. This reading is more consistent and likely, and is supported by at least as good evidence as the other. We find that if these persons d

LOOK TO YOURSELVES - This seems to be addressed to the lady to whom he wrote, and to her children. The idea is, that they should be particularly on their guard, and that their first care should be to secure their own hearts, so that they should not be exposed to the dangerous attacks of error. When error abounds in the world, our first duty is not to attack it and make war upon it; it is to look to the citadel of our own souls, and see that all is well guarded there. When an enemy invades a land, the first thing will not be to go out against him, regardless of our own strength, or of the security of our own fortresses, but it will be to see that our forts are well manned, and that we are secure there from his assaults. If that is so, we may then go forth with confidence to meet him on the open field. In relation to an error that is in the world, the first thing for a Christian to do is t...

LOOK TO YOURSELVES,.... This is an exhortation to the elect lady, and her children, to look about them, and take care of themselves, and beware of these deceivers, and their doctrines: THAT WE LOSE NOT THOSE THINGS WHICH WE HAVE WROUGHT; or as the Alexandrian copy, and many other copies, and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, "that ye lose not those things which ye have wrought"; in embracing the Gospel, making a profession of it, walking in it, showing a zeal, and contending for it, expressing a love both by words and actions to the ministers of it, and suffering much reproach on the account of it; all which would be lost, and in vain, should they at last drop the Gospel, and embrace the errors of the wicked; see Galatians 3:4. Moreover, such who do not go such lengths, as to let go the head, Christ, but retain him as the foundation, and the fundament

VER. 2 JOHN 1:8 avpole,shte … avpola,bhte {A} Superior manuscript evidence supports the second person verbs, which are also congruent with ble,pete e`autou,j. See also the following comment....

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

EXHORTATION AND WARNING. The commandment of love given by Christ to His Church from the beginning must be faithfully observed. Loyalty to Christ meant that His followers must beware of the false teachers, the embodiment of Antichrist, who denied the reality of His Incarnation. Ground already won for the faith might be lost. Those who, under the lure of advanced thought, sought to beguile others from Christ's teaching, were not Christians, and must receive neither countenance nor hospitality. 2 JOHN 1:4. In some way, possibly through a visit from some travelling evangelists belonging to the church addressed, John had ascertained the fidelity to the truth which many of its members exhibited. 2 John 1:5 f. 1 John 2:7

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

LOOK TO. App-133. WE. The texts read "ye" in both occurances. LOSE. Greek. _apollumi._ See John 17:12. HAVE WROUGHT. i.e. the truth and love resulting from John's teaching. REWARD. Greek. _misthos._ In John's writings only here, John 4:36 (wages), and Revelation 11:18; Revelation 22:12....