1:1-4 Who is the "elder" who wrote this letter and who is the "elect lady" (KJV) to whom it is addressed?
1:1-4 Who is the "elder" who wrote this letter and who is the "elect lady" (KJV) to whom it is addressed?
The elder is the apostle John. The subject matter of this letter is the same as 1John (CP V5 with 1Jn 2:7; 3:11and 4:7; V6 with 1Jn 5:3; V7 with 1Jn 2:18-26 and 4:1-3; V9 with 1Jn 2:23; V12 with 1Jn 1:4).
The elect lady (KJV), to whom the letter is addressed is not named. Some bible commentators believe that she is a local church leader, but that is not correct because scriptures clearly teach that women cannot be New Testament church leaders (CP 1Ti 2:8-15; 3:1-7; 3:8-13).
See also comments on Ro 16:1-2, 1Cor 14:34-35, Eph 4:11-12, 1Ti 2:8-15, 3:1-7, 3:8-13. Others interpret elect lady figuratively as a local church , and her children as its members. Thus, the reference to the elect lady's sister and children in V13 refers to a sister church, and it's members.
But again, that is not correct - nowhere in scripture is the church referred to as a woman, or a by a feminine pronoun (CP 2Jn 13 with Eph 2:15-16; 4:13; 2Th 2:7). See also comments on 2Cor 11:2, Eph 2:15-16 (B), 4:13, 5:25-32, 2Th 2:7.
We must stop looking for hidden meanings behind every scripture and take scriptures literally where they have literal meanings. The elect lady and her children in 2Jn 1:1-4 are literal people. In V12 John hoped to meet with her face to face (CP V12).
Face to face indicates a meeting between two people. It is hardly an expression John would use if he was going to visit a number of people comprising a local church. The elect lady is an unnamed Christian woman with a number of children, who with all other believers is among the elect of God, chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world (CP Ro 8:28-29; Ga 4:4; Eph 1:4-6; 1Pe 1:2-5)
The children of the elect lady's sister are her nephews and/or nieces.