There has been much speculation as to who the original recipients of 2 John were. Thank you to all who contributed. It, like his third epistle, is simply a short personal letter from the Apostle. On the one hand at the beginning, the elect Lady is St. Mary and it is the Church on v. 13. More women church leaders in the New Testament here. 30:23; Isa. (My grandmother Bailey had a bunch of those! If the church met in her home, she would have been the one to say who was or was not welcome there. Lucitis Dexter, in his “Chronicle,” says that this lady’s original proper name was Drusia. Do you think he knows the "chosen lady?" WHO WAS THE CHOSEN LADY? The Second Epistle of John is among the most neglected books of the New Testament. There is little doubt that the Apostle John was the author, but there are a number of conjectures as to whom it was written: someone called "the Elect Lady." Her spiritual offspring greatly outnumbered her nine biological offspring.) Revelation consistently uses the “Babylon” metaphor for Rome. More about this here. 2 John 1:6 - And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. It appears that this is a personification of a church and not a literal lady. 2 John 1:13 "The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Spencer raises this objection. I want to take issue with just a few points you raise. 2 John 1:1 ABP_Strongs (i) 1 G3588 The G4245 elder, G1588 to the chosen G2959 lady, G2532 and G3588 to G5043 her children, G1473 G3739 whom G1473 I G25 love G1722 in G225 truth, G2532 and G3756 not G1473 I G3441 alone, G235 but G2532 also G3956 all … [7] One such person is German theologian, Johann Benedict Carpzov II (1639–1699). In the context of 2 John, the word probably denotes a woman who was in a place of authority or leadership. Presuming that John the apostle is the author of 2 John, he would not have written a letter to a housemate if she was still alive. 2nd John 1-13. The basic meaning of the word is “authority” or “master.” It is very unlikely that kuria (feminine form) is a proper name. Some people believe that the chosen lady was Mary the mother of Jesus. There is clear evidence within the New Testament and mounting evidence from other sources that women served alongside men in prominent places of leadership in the early church. Thanks Christine. I stumbled upon your blog today while doing some research on 1 John 5. 2 because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us for ever. Posted by Marg | Jan 29, 2011 | All Posts on Equality, Bible Women, Equality in Ministry, Women in Ministry | 32, John’s second letter in the New Testament is addressed “to the chosen (or elect) lady and to her children” (eklektē kuria kai tois teknois autēs). . “thee/thy”) and the plural (pl) “you” (i.e. I couldn't help but wonder whether that was really true. It is not unusual for the Scripture to do so (EPHESIANS 5:22f; II CORINTHIANS 11:2; etc.). And yet, having to live with the clouds of legitimacy, and other doctrinal issues, over her firstborn. We do not know the identity of the “beloved comrade” Paul addresses in Philippians 4:3, but no one suggests that he is a metaphor for a church! Most movies about Jesus have middle-aged actors playing the disciples, but the real disciples were probably in their late teens and early twenties during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Who is the lady? Thanks for your comment Matthew. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. One thing did bother me in your writing however. uncritically assumes that the chosen lady and her chosen sister (2 John 13) should be taken as metaphors for churches. The word kyrios means “lord” and often refers to God; however the Greek word for “God”, strictly speaking, is theos. Why would John write this letter to a church? 1 From: The Elder To: The chosen lady and her children, whom I love in truth — and not only I but also all who have come to know the truth — 2 because of the Truth which remains united with us and will be with us forever: 3 Grace, mercy and shalom will be with us from God the Father and from Yeshua the Messiah, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. The chosen lady may have been a widow. In John 14:17, the Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth. The letter is addressed to the chosen lady and to her children. We have no known example in the New Testament or in early Christian literature of the term kuria being used in a clearly metaphorical sense. The “Elect Lady” is loved “by all they that have known the Truth”(v.1). If St. Mary had already passed away before the coining of the second letter of John, how can we refer to this chosen, elect lady as St. Mary? 1 The older man* to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I truly love, and not only I but also all those who have come to know the truth, 2 because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. Do you think God has a message for me? [2] BDAG refers to A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd Edition, by Walter Bauer, revised and edited by F.W Danker (University of Chicago Press, 2000). 10 If there come any unto you (pl), and bring not this doctrine, receive (pl) him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: [5] Others, such as James Strong (who collated Strong’s concordance), also believe that Kyria was a proper name. We have the New Testament image of the church as the bride of Christ. When we read the letters that make up the greater part of our New Testament, we are reading someone else’s mail. That is to say: a church is a group or assembly of people. Jesus appeared to James after His resurrection. (I particularly dislike this “gospel” and think it says fanciful things, indeed terrible things, about Jesus. Paul clearly teaches us in 1 Timothy 5:1-2 that men and women can work together as colleagues in ministry without any hint of impropriety. She was a gracious and loving person. The use of the term “leader” is inappropriate as used by the religious industry. As shown by the contexts of Ephesians 5:32 and Revelation 12, the church is sometimes referred to … A tendency toward pride could certainly have been her most serious challenge: the most blessed of all women who had ever walked the earth! Thecla is also referred to as a kuria in The Acts of Paul and Thecla (para. More about the chosen lady in 2 John here. Just as there have been good and bad male leaders, there were good and bad female leaders. And so I can’t help wondering if you left your comment without reading the article carefully. 5:17; Gal. By the time John writes this letter he is about 80 years old! 2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us forever. Paul calls Euodia and Syntyche his “fellow-workers”—the same term he elsewhere applies to Timothy—and says that they “shared his struggle in the Gospel.” Karen Jo Torjesen cites evidence that we have from the post-apostolic age: A Mosaic in the Basilica of Sts. Perhaps the chosen lady was one of Philip’s daughters, and the “chosen sister” another daughter. Certainly, there were people still living in Philippi who knew him by name, but Luke does not tell us that name. 1 The elder, To the lady chosen by God and to her children, (let’s stop right there. 2 We love you because of the truth that lives in us and will be with us forever. 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