2 John 1:1

ὁ πρεσβύτεπος, see Introd. pp. 159 ff. ἐκλεκτῇ Κυρίᾳ, see Introd. pp. 162 f. οὕς, constructio κατὰ σύνεσιν, because τὰ τέκνα were or included sons, not “weil an Gemeindeglieder gedacht ist” (Holtzmann). ἐγώ : according to the Greek idiom, when a man speaks of himself in the third person, he passes immediately to the first. Cf. Plat. Euthyphr. 5 A: οὐδέ τῳ ἂν διαφέροι Εὐθύφρων τῶν πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων, εἰ μὴ τὰ τοιαῦτα πάντα ἀκριβῶς εἰδείην. Soph. Aj., 864 65. The construction is found in loose English; cf. Thackeray, Barry Lyndon, chap. xviii. “I was a man who never deserved that so much prosperity should fall to my share”. ἐν ἀληθείᾳ (see note on 1 John 1:8) defines the Elder's love for Kyria as fellowship in Christian knowledge and faith, in view perhaps of heathen accusations of licentiousness. His affection for her and her family was not merely personal; it was inspired by her devotion to the common cause and was shared by all the Christians in his extensive διοίκησις. Cf. 2 Corinthians 8:18 : οὗ ὁ ἔπαινος ἑν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν. τὴν ἀλήθειαν, “the Truth just mentioned”.