2John:1-5
Seeker Overlay ON
rwp @
2John:1:2 @{
For the truth '
s sake } (\
dia t
n al
theian \).
Repetition of the word ,
one of which John is very fond (
1John:1:6 |, "
the truth ,
as revealed by the Christ ,
and gradually unfolded by the Spirit ,
who is truth " (
Brooke ). {
Which abideth in us } (\
t
n menousan en h
min \).
See strkjv @
John:17:19 |
for "
sanctified in truth "
and strkjv @
1John:2:6 |
for abiding in Christ ,
and so it includes all who are in Christ . {
It shall be with us } (\
meth '
h
m
n estai \).
Confident assertion ,
not a mere wish .
Note the order of the words , "
With us it shall be " (\
estai \
future middle of \
eimi \).
rwp @
2John:1:3 @{
Shall be with us } (\
estai meth '
h
m
n \).
He picks up the words before in reverse order .
Future indicative here ,
not a wish with the optative (\
eie \)
as we have in strkjv @
1Peter:1:2 ;
strkjv @
2Peter:1:2 |.
The salutation is like that in the Pastoral Epistles : "\
Charis \,
the wellspring in the heart of God ; \
eleos \,
its outpourings ; \
eir
n \,
its blessed effect " (
David Smith ). {
And from Jesus Christ } (\
kai para I
sou Christou \).
The repetition of \
para \ (
with the ablative )
is unique . "
It serves to bring out distinctly the twofold personal relation of man to the Father and to the Son " (
Westcott ). "
The Fatherhood of God ,
as revealed by one who being His Son _can_
reveal the Father ,
and who as man (\
I
sou \)
can make him known to men " (
Brooke ).
rwp @
2John:1:4 @{
I rejoice } (\
echar
n \).
Second aorist passive of \
chair \
as in strkjv @
3John:1:3 |, "
of a glad surprise " (
D .
Smith ),
as in strkjv @
Mark:14:11 |,
over the discovery about the blessing of their godly home on these lads . {
Greatly } (\
lian \).
Only here and strkjv @
3John:1:3 |
in John '
s writings . {
I have found } (\
heur
ka \).
Perfect active indicative of \
heurisk \
as in strkjv @
John:1:41 |,
our "
eureka ,"
here with its usual force ,
a continued discovery . "
He sits down at once and writes to Kyria .
How glad she would be that her lads ,
far away in the great city ,
were true to their early faith " (
David Smith ). {
Certain of thy children } (\
ek t
n tekn
n \).
No \
tinas \
as one would expect before \
ek \,
a not infrequent idiom in the N .
T . (
John:16:17 |). {
Walking } (\
peripatountas \).
Present active accusative supplementary participle agreeing with \
tinas \
understood .
Probably members of the church off here in Ephesus . {
In truth } (\
en al
thei
i \).
As in verse 1 ;
strkjv @
3John:1:4 |. {
We received } (\
elabomen \).
Second aorist active (
possibly ,
though not certainly ,
literary plural )
of \
lamban \.
This very idiom (\
entol
n lamban \)
in strkjv @
John:10:18 ;
strkjv @
Acts:17:15 ;
Co strkjv @
4:10 |.
Perhaps the reference here is to strkjv @
1John:2:7f .;
strkjv @
3:23 |.
rwp @
2John:1:5 @{
Beseech } (\
er
t \).
For pray as in strkjv @
1John:5:16 |. {
Lady } (\
kuria \).
Vocative case and in the same sense as in 1 |. {
As though I wrote } (\
h
s graph
n \).
Common idiom \
h
s \
with the participle (
present active )
for the alleged reason . {
New } (\
kain
n \).
As in strkjv @
1John:2:7f .|,
which see . {
We had } (\
eichamen \).
Imperfect active (
late \-
a \
form like \
eichan \
in strkjv @
Mark:8:7 |)
of \
ech \
and note \
eichete \
with \
ap '
arch
s \
in strkjv @
1John:2:7 |.
Not literary plural ,
John identifying all Christians with himself in this blessing . {
That we love one another } (\
hina agap
men all
lous \).
Either a final clause after \
er
t \
as in strkjv @
John:17:15 |
or an object clause in apposition with \
entol
n \,
like strkjv @
1John:2:27 ;
strkjv @
3:23 |
and like verse 6 |.
rwp @
2John:1:6 @{
Love } (\
h
agap \).
The love just mentioned . {
That we should walk } (\
hina peripat
men \).
Object clause in nominative case in apposition with \
agap \,
with \
hina \
and the present active subjunctive of \
peripate \, "
that we keep on walking ." {
The commandment } (\
h
entol \).
The one just mentioned with the same construction with \
hina \
as in strkjv @
1John:3:23 |.
John changes from the first person plural to the second (\
kousate \
as in strkjv @
1John:2:7 |, \
peripat
te \)
as in strkjv @
1John:2:5 ,
7 |. {
In it } (\
en aut
i \).
Either to \
al
thei
i \ (
truth )
of verse 4 |, \
agap \
of this verse ,
or \
entol \
of this verse .
Either makes good sense ,
probably "
in love ."
With \
peripate \ (
walk )
we have often \
en \ (
1John:1:7 ,
11 |,
etc .)
or \
kata \ (
according to )
as in strkjv @
Mark:7:5 ;
strkjv @
1Corinthians:3:3 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:10:2 |,
etc .
rwp @
2John:1:7 @{
Deceivers } (\
planoi \).
Late adjective (
Diodorus ,
Josephus )
meaning wandering ,
roving (
1Timothy:4:1 |).
As a substantive in N .
T .
of Jesus (
Matthew:27:63 |),
of Paul (
2Corinthians:6:8 |),
and here .
See the verb (\
t
n planont
n hum
s \)
in strkjv @
1John:2:26 |
of the Gnostic deceivers as here and also of Jesus (
John:7:12 |).
Cf .
strkjv @
1John:1:8 |. {
Are gone forth } (\
ex
lthan \,
alpha ending ).
Second aorist active indicative of \
exerchomai \,
perhaps an allusion to the crisis when they left the churches (
1John:2:19 |,
same form ). {
Even they that confess not } (\
hoi m
homologountes \). "
The ones not confessing " (\
m \
regular negative with the participle ).
The articular participle describes the deceivers (\
planoi \). {
That Jesus Christ cometh in the flesh } (\
I
soun Christon erchomenon en sarki \). "
Jesus Christ coming in the flesh ."
Present middle participle of \
erchomai \
treating the Incarnation as a continuing fact which the Docetic Gnostics flatly denied .
In strkjv @
1John:4:2 |
we have \
el
luthota \ (
perfect active participle )
in this same construction with \
homologe \,
because there the reference is to the definite historical fact of the Incarnation .
There is no allusion here to the second coming of Christ . {
This } (\
houtos \).
See strkjv @
1John:2:18 ,
22 ;
strkjv @
5:6 ,
20 |. {
The deceiver and the antichrist } (\
ho planos kai ho antichristos \).
Article with each word ,
as in strkjv @
Revelation:1:17 |,
to bring out sharply each separate phrase ,
though one individual is referred to .
The one _par
excellence_
in popular expectation (
1John:2:22 |),
though many in reality (
1John:2:18 ;
strkjv @
3John:1:7 |).
rwp @
2John:1:8 @{
Look to yourselves } (\
blepete heautous \).
Imperative active with reflexive pronoun as in strkjv @
Mark:13:9 |.
The verb often used absolutely (
Phillipians:3:2 |)
like our "
look out ." {
That ye lose not } (\
hina m
apoles
te \).
Negative purpose with \
hina m \
and first aorist active subjunctive of \
apollumi \.
This is the correct text (
B ),
not \
apoles
men \ (
we ).
Likewise \
apolab
te \ (
that ye receive ),
not \
apolab
men \ (
we ). {
Which we have wrought } (\
ha
rgasametha \).
This is also correct ,
first aorist middle indicative of \
ergazomai \,
to work (
John:6:27f .|).
John does not wish his labour to be lost .
See strkjv @
Romans:1:27 |
for this use of \
apolamban \
for receiving .
See strkjv @
John:4:36 |
for \
misthos \
in the harvest .
The "
full reward " (\
misthon pl
r \)
is the full day '
s wages which each worker will get (
1Corinthians:3:8 |).
John is anxious that they shall hold on with him to the finish .
rwp @
2John:1:9 @{
Whosoever goeth onward } (\
p
s ho proag
n \). "
Every one who goes ahead . \
Proag \
literally means to go on before (
Mark:11:9 |).
That in itself is often the thing to do ,
but here the bad sense comes out by the parallel clause . {
And abideth not in the teaching of Christ } (\
kai m
men
n en t
i didach
i tou Christou \).
Not the teaching about Christ ,
but that of Christ which is the standard of Christian teaching as the walk of Christ is the standard for the Christian '
s walk (
1John:2:6 |).
See strkjv @
John:7:16 ;
strkjv @
18:19 |.
These Gnostics claimed to be the progressives ,
the advanced thinkers ,
and were anxious to relegate Christ to the past in their onward march .
This struggle goes on always among those who approach the study of Christ .
Is he a "
landmark "
merely or is he our goal and pattern ?
Progress we all desire ,
but progress toward Christ ,
not away from him .
Reactionary obscurantists wish no progress toward Christ ,
but desire to stop and camp where they are . "
True progress includes the past " (
Westcott ).
Jesus Christ is still ahead of us all calling us to come on to him .
rwp @
2John:1:10 @{
If any one cometh and bringeth not } (\
ei tis erchetai kai ou pherei \).
Condition of first class with \
ei \
and two present indicatives (\
erchetai ,
pherei \). {
This teaching } (\
taut
n t
n didach
n \).
This teaching of Christ of verse 9 |,
which is the standard by which to test Gnostic deceivers (
verse 7 |).
John does not refer to entertaining strangers (
He strkjv @
13:2 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:5:10 |),
but to the deceiving propagandists who were carrying dissension and danger with them . {
Receive him not } (\
m
lambanete auton \).
Present active imperative with \
m \.
For \
lamban \
in this sense see strkjv @
John:1:12 ;
strkjv @
6:21 ;
strkjv @
13:20 |. {
Into your house } (\
eis oikian \).
Definite without the article like our at home ,
to town . {
Give him no greeting } (\
chairein aut
i m
legete \). "
Say not farewell to him ."
Apparently \
chairein \
here (
present active infinitive ,
object of \
legete \
present active imperative with negative \
m \)
is used of farewell as in strkjv @
2Corinthians:13:11 |,
though usually in the N .
T . (
Acts:15:23 ;
strkjv @
23:26 ;
strkjv @
James:1:1 |)
of the salutation .
But here the point turns on the stranger bringing into the house (
or trying to do so )
his heretical and harmful teaching which seems to be after the salutation is over .
The usual greeting to a house is given in strkjv @
Luke:10:5 |.
On the other hand ,
if \
chairein \
means greeting ,
not farewell ,
here ,
it can very well be understood of the peril of allowing these Gnostic propagandists to spread their pernicious teachings (
cf .
Mormons or Bolshevists )
in home and church (
usually meeting in the home ).
This is assuming that the men were known and not mere strangers .
rwp @
2John:1:11 @{
Partaketh in his evil works } (\
koin
nei tois ergois autou tois pon
rois \).
Associative instrumental case with \
koin
nei \
as in strkjv @
1Timothy:5:22 |,
common verb from \
koin
nos \ (
partner ).
It is to be borne in mind that the churches often met in private homes (
Romans:16:5 ;
strkjv @
Colossians:4:15 |),
and if these travelling deceivers were allowed to spread their doctrines in these homes and then sent on with endorsement as Apollos was from Ephesus to Corinth (
Acts:18:27 |),
there was no way of escaping responsibility for the harm wrought by these propagandists of evil .
It is not a case of mere hospitality to strangers .
rwp @
2John:1:12 @{
I would not } (\
ouk eboul
th
n \).
Epistolary aorist (
first passive indicative ). {
With paper and ink } (\
dia chartou kai melanos \).
The \
chart
s \
was a leaf of papyrus prepared for writing by cutting the pith into strips and pasting together ,
old word (
Jeremiah:43:23 |),
here only in N .
T . \
Melas \
is old adjective for black (
Matthew:5:36 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:6:5 ,
12 |),
and for black ink here ,
strkjv @
3John:1:13 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:3:3 |.
Apparently John wrote this little letter with his own hand . {
To come } (\
genesthai \).
Second aorist middle infinitive of \
ginomai \
after \
elpiz \,
I hope . {
Face to face } (\
stoma pros stoma \). "
Mouth to mouth ."
Songs:in strkjv @
3John:1:14 ;
strkjv @
Numbers:12:8 |. "
Face to face " (\
pros
pon pros pros
pon \)
we have in strkjv @
1Corinthians:13:12 |. {
Your } (\
hum
n \).
Or "
our " (\
h
m
n \).
Both true . {
That may be fulfilled } (\
hina pepl
r
men
i \).
Purpose clause with \
hina \
and the periphrastic perfect passive subjunctive of \
pl
ro \,
as in strkjv @
1John:1:4 |,
which see .
rwp @
2John:1:13 @{
Of thine elect sister } (\
t
s adelph
s sou t
s eklekt
s \).
Same word \
eklekt \
as in verse 1 ;
strkjv @
Revelation:17:4 |.
Apparently children of a deceased sister of the lady of verse 1 |
who lived in Ephesus and whom John knew as members of his church there .
rwp @
Info_3John
THIRD JOHN ABOUT A .
D .
85 TO 90 BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION Certainly III John is addressed to an individual ,
not to a church ,
though which Gaius we do not know .
There are three friends of Paul with this name ;
Gaius of Corinth (
1Corinthians:1:14 |),
Gaius of Macedonia (
Acts:19:29 |),
Gaius of Derbe (
Acts:20:4 |),
but it is unlikely that this Gaius of Pergamum (
Findlay would call him )
is either of these ,
though the _Apostolical
Constitutions_
does identify him with Gaius of Derbe .
It is possible that in strkjv @
3John:1:9 |
there is an allusion to II John and ,
if so ,
then both letters went to individuals in the same church (
one a loyal woman ,
the other a loyal man ).
Three persons are sharply sketched in III John (
Gaius ,
Diotrephes ,
Demetrius ).
Gaius is the dependable layman in the church ,
Diotrephes the dominating official ,
Demetrius the kindly messenger from Ephesus with the letter ,
a vivid picture of early church life and missionary work .
John is at Ephesus ,
the last of the apostles ,
and with an eagle '
s eye surveys the work in Asia Minor .
The same Gnostic deceivers are at work as in the other Johannine Epistles .
Pergamum is described in strkjv @
Revelation:2:13 |
as the place "
where Satan '
s throne is ."
strkjv @
3John:1:1 @{
The beloved } (\
t
i agap
t
i \).
Four times in this short letter this verbal adjective is used of Gaius (
here ,
2 ,
5 ,
11 |).
See strkjv @
2John:1:1 |
for the same phrase here , "
whom I love in truth ."
rwp @
3John:1:3 @{
I rejoiced greatly } (\
echar
n lian \).
As in strkjv @
2John:1:4 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:4:10 |,
not epistolary aorist ,
but reference to his emotions at the good tidings about Gaius . {
When brethren came } (\
erchomen
n adelph
n \).
Genitive absolute with present middle participle of \
erchomai \,
and so with \
marturount
n \ (
bare witness ,
present active participle of \
marture \).
Present participle here denotes repetition ,
from time to time . {
To the truth } (\
t
i al
thei
i \).
Dative case . "
As always in the Johannine writings , '
truth '
covers every sphere of life ,
moral ,
intellectual ,
spiritual " (
Brooke ). {
Even as thou walkest in truth } (\
kath
s su en al
thei
i peripateis \). "
Thou "
in contrast to Diotrephes (
verse 9 |)
and others like him .
On \
peripate \
see strkjv @
1John:1:6 |
and on \
en al
thei
i \
see strkjv @
2John:1:4 |.
rwp @
3John:1:4 @{
Greater } (\
meizoteran \).
A double comparative with \-
teros \
added to \
meiz
n \,
like our "
lesser "
and like \
mallon kreisson \ (
more better )
in strkjv @
Phillipians:1:23 |.
In strkjv @
Ephesians:3:8 |
we have \
elachistoter
i \,
a comparative on a superlative .
Like forms occur in the vernacular papyri and even in Homer (\
cheiroteros \,
more worse )
as also in Shakespeare . {
Joy } (\
charan \).
B reads \
charin \ (
grace ). {
Than this } (\
tout
n \).
Ablative neuter plural after the comparative . {
To hear of } (\
hina akou \).
Object clause (
epexegetic )
with \
hina \
and \
akou \,
the present active subjunctive (
keep on hearing of )
in apposition with \
tout
n \, {
Walking in truth } (\
en al
thei
i peripatounta \).
As in strkjv @
2John:1:4 |,
which see .
By the use of \
tekna \
John may mean that Gaius is one of his converts (
1Timothy:1:1 |).
rwp @
3John:1:5 @{
A faithful work } (\
piston \).
Either thus or "
thou makest sure ,"
after an example in Xenophon quoted by Wettstein (\
poiein pista \)
and parallel to \
kaina poie \
in strkjv @
Revelation:21:5 |.
But it is not certain . {
In whatsoever thou doest } (\
ho ean ergas
i \).
Indefinite relative with modal \
ean \ (=\
an \)
and the first aorist middle subjunctive of \
ergazomai \.
See strkjv @
Colossians:3:23 |
for both \
poie \
and \
ergazomai \
in the same sentence . {
And strangers withal } (\
kai touto xenous \). "
And that too " (
accusative of general reference as in strkjv @
1Corinthians:6:6 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:28 ;
strkjv @
Ephesians:2:8 |).
This praise of hospitality (
Romans:12:13 ;
strkjv @
1Peter:4:9 ;
strkjv @
1Timothy:3:2 ;
strkjv @
5:10 ;
strkjv @
Titus:1:8 ;
strkjv @
Hebrews:13:2 |)
shows that in strkjv @
2John:1:10 |
John has a peculiar case in mind .
rwp @
3John:1:10 @{
If I come } (\
ean elth \).
Condition of third class with \
ean \
and second aorist active subjunctive of \
erchomai \.
He hopes to come (
verse 14 |),
as he had said in strkjv @
2John:1:12 | (
one argument for identifying II John with the letter in strkjv @
3John:1:9 |). {
I will bring to remembrance } (\
hupomn
s \).
Future active indicative of \
hupomimn
sk \,
old compound (
John:14:26 ;
strkjv @
2Peter:1:12 |).
The aged apostle is not afraid of Diotrephes and here defies him . {
Which he doeth } (\
ha poiei \).
Present active indicative , "
which he keeps on doing ." {
Prating against us } (\
phluar
n h
m
s \).
Present active participle of old verb (
from \
phluaros \,
babbling strkjv @
1Timothy:5:13 |),
to accuse idly and so falsely ,
here only in N .
T .
with accusative \
h
m
s \ (
us ). {
With wicked words } (\
logois pon
rois \).
Instrumental case .
Not simply foolish chatter ,
but malevolent words . {
Not content } (\
m
arkoumenos \).
Present passive participle of \
arke \
with usual negative \
m \.
For this verb in this sense see strkjv @
1Timothy:6:8 ;
strkjv @
Hebrews:13:5 |,
only there \
epi \
is absent .
John knows that the conduct of Diotrephes will not stand the light .
See Paul '
s threats of exposure (
1Corinthians:4:21 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:10:11 ;
strkjv @
13:1-3 |).
And John is the apostle of love all the same . {
He himself } (\
autos \).
That was bad enough . {
Them that would } (\
tous boulomenous \). "
Those willing or wishing or receive the brethren "
from John . {
He forbiddeth } (\
k
luei \). "
He hinders ."
Present active indicative of \
k
lu \
and means either actual success in one case (
punctiliar use of the present indicative )
or repetition in several instances (
linear action )
or conative action attempted ,
but not successful as in strkjv @
Matthew:3:14 | (
this same verb )
and strkjv @
John:10:32 |. {
Casteth them out of the church } (\
ek t
s ekkl
sias ekballei \).
Here again \
ekballei \
can be understood in various ways ,
like \
k
luei \.
This verb occurs in strkjv @
John:2:15 |
for casting out of the temple the profaners of it and for casting the blind man out of the synagogue (
John:9:34f .|).
If this ancient "
church-boss "
did not succeed in expelling John '
s adherents from the church ,
he certainly tried to do it .
rwp @
3John:1:13 @{
I had } (\
eichon \).
Imperfect active of \
ech \,
when I began to write (\
grapsai \,
ingressive aorist active infinitive of \
graph \). {
I am unwilling to write } (\
ou thel
graphein \). "
I do not wish to go on writing them . {
With ink and pen } (\
dia melanos kai kalamou \), "
by means of (\
dia \)
black (
ink )
and reed (
used as pen )."
See strkjv @
2John:1:12 |
for \
melanos \
and strkjv @
Matthew:11:7 |
for \
kalamos \,
used for papyrus and parchment ,
as \
grapheion \ (
a sharp stilus )
for wax tablets .
rwp @
3John:1:14 @{
I hope } (\
elpiz \) {--
We shall speak } (\
lal
somen \).
Literary plural really singular like \
elpiz \. {
Face to face } (\
stoma pros stoma \).
As in strkjv @
2John:1:12 |.
rwp @
Info_Epistles
-General @
GENERAL EPISTLES BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION NOT A HAPPY TITLE There are various explanations of the term catholic (\
katholikai epistolai \)
as applied to this group of seven short letters by four writers (
one by James ,
two by Peter ,
one by Jude ,
three by John ).
The Latin for \
katholikos \
is _generalis_
,
though the Vulgate terms these letters _Catholicae_
.
The meaning is not orthodox as opposed to heretical or canonical ,
though they are sometimes termed \
Epistolae canonicae \.
As a matter of fact five of the seven (
all but First Peter and First John )
Eusebius placed among the "
disputed " (\
antilegomena \)
books of the New Testament . "
A canonical book is primarily one which has been measured and tested ,
and secondarily that which is itself a measure or standard " (
Alfred Plummer ).
Canon is from \
kan
n \ (
cane )
and is like a yardstick cut to the right measure and then used as a measure .
Some see in the term \
katholikos \
the idea that these Epistles are meant for both Jews and Gentiles ,
but the Epistle of James seems addressed to Jewish Christians .
There were two other chief groups of New Testament writings in the old Greek manuscripts (
the Gospels and Acts ,
then the Epistles of Paul ).
This group of seven Epistles and the Apocalypse constitute the remainder of the New Testament .
The usual interpretation of the term \
katholikos \
here is that these seven Epistles were not addressed to any particular church ,
but are general in their distribution .
This is clearly true of I Peter ,
as is shown by the language in strkjv @
1Peter:1:1 |,
where seven Roman provinces are mentioned .
The language of strkjv @
2Peter:3:1 |
bears the same idea .
Apparently the Epistle of Jude:is general also as is I John .
But II John is addressed to "
an elect lady " (
verse strkjv @
2John:1:1 |)
and III John to Gaius (
verse strkjv @
3John:1:1 |),
both of them individuals ,
and therefore in no sense are these two brief letters general or catholic .
The earliest instance of the word \
katholikos \
is in an inscription (
B .
C .
6 )
with the meaning "
general " (\
t
i katholik
i mou prothesei \,
my general purpose ).
It was common after that .
The earliest example of it in Christian literature is in Ignatius '
Epistle to the Church of Smyrna (
VIII )
where he has "
the catholic church " (\
h
katholik
ekkl
sia \), "
the general church ,"
not a local body .
Clement of Alexandria (
_Strom_
.
IV .
xv )
applies this adjective to the letter sent to the Gentile Christians "
in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia "
from the Jerusalem Conference (
Acts:15:23 |).
rwp @
Info_James
@
RECENT BOOKS ON JAMES Baljon ,
J .
M .
S .,
_Comm
.
op de katholieke brieven_
(
1904 ).
Bardenhewer ,
O .,
_Der
Brief des hl .
Jakobus_
(
1928 ).
Bartmann ,
_St
.
Paulus und St .
Jakobus_
.
Belser ,
J .
E .,
_Epistel
des hl .
Jakobus_
(
1909 ).
Beyschlag ,
W .,
_Der
Brief des Jakobus_
.
Meyer Komm .
6 Aufl . (
1898 ).
Brown ,
Charles ,
_The
General Epistle of James_
.
2nd ed . (
1907 ).
Camerlinck ,
_Commentarius
in epistolas catholicas_
(
1909 ).
Carpenter ,
W .
Boyd ,
_The
Wisdom of James the Just_
(
1903 ).
Carr ,
Arthur ,
_The
General Epistle of James_
.
Cambridge Greek Testament .
New ed . (
1905 ).
Chaine ,
J .,
_L
Epitre de S .
Jacques_
(
1927 ).
Dale ,
R .
W .,
_Discourses
on the Epistle of James (
1895 ).
Deems ,
C .
F .,
_The
Gospel of Common Sense_
.
Dibelius ,
_M
.,
Meyer '
s Comm .
7 Aufl . (
1921 ).
Feine ,
_Der
Jakobusbrief_
,
etc . (
1893 ).
Fitch ,
_James
the Lord '
s Brother_
.
Gaugusch ,
L .,
_Der
Lehrgehalt der Jakobus- epistel_
(
1914 ).
Grafe ,
_Stellung
und Bedeutung des Jakobusbriefes_
(
1904 ).
Grosheide ,
F .
W .,
_Deuteronomy
:brief aan de Hebreen en de brief des Jakobus_
(
1927 ).
Hauck ,
F .,
_Der
Br .
d .
Jak .
in Zahn '
s Komm_
. (
1926 ).
Hollmann ,
G .,
_Die
Schriften d .
N .
T_
.
3 Aufl . (
1917 ).
Holtzmann ,
O .,
_Das
N .
T .
II_
(
1926 ).
Hort ,
F .
J .
A .,
_The
Epistle of James as far as strkjv @
4: 7_
(
1909 ).
Huther ,
J .
E .,
_Meyer
'
s Komm_
.
3 Aufl . (
1870 ).
Johnstone ,
R .,
_Lectures
Exegetical and Practical_
.
2nd ed . (
1889 ).
Knowling ,
R .
J .,
_Comm
.
on the Epistle of St .
James_
(
1904 ).
Westminster Series .
Mayor ,
J .
B .,
_The
Epistle of St .
James_
.
3rd ed . (
1910 ).
Meinertz ,
_Der
Jakobusbrief und sein Verfasser_
(
1905 ).
Meyer ,
A .,
_Das
Ratsel des Jak_
. (
1930 ).
Moffatt ,
James ,
_The
General Epistles (
James ,
Peter ,
and Judas_
) (
1928 ).
Osterley ,
W .
E .,
_The
Epistle of St .
James_
.
Expos .
Gk .
Test . (
1910 ).
Parry ,
J .,
_The
General Epistle of James_
(
1904 ).
Patrick ,
W .,
_James
,
the Lord '
s Brother_
(
1906 ).
Plummer ,
A .,
_The
General Epistle of St .
James_
.
Expos .
Bible (
1891 ).
Rendall ,
G .
H .,
_The
Epistle of St .
James and Judaic Chris -
tianity_
(
1927 ).
Robertson ,
A .
T .,
_Studies
in the Epistle of James_
.
3rd ed . (
1923 ).
First in 1915 as _Pract
.
and Social Aspects of Christianity_
.
Ropes ,
J .
H .,
_A
Crit .
and Exeget .
Comm .
on the Epistle of St .
James_
.
Int .
and Crit .
Comm . (
1916 ).
Smith ,
H .
M .,
_The
Epistle of James_
(
1925 ).
Soden ,
H .
Von ,
_Der
Brief des Jakobus_
.
Hand-Comm . (
1893 ).
Spitta ,
F .,
_Der
Brief des Jakobus untersucht_
(
1896 ).
Taylor ,
J .
F .,
_The
Apostle of Patience_
(
1907 ).
Weiss ,
B .,
_Die
Katholische Briefe_
(
1902 ).
_Der
Jakobusbrief und die neuere Kritik_
(
1904 ).
Windisch ,
H .,
_Die
Katholische Briefe .
Handbuch Zum N .
T .
_
,
2 Aufl . (
1930 ).
strkjv @
James:1:1 @{
James } (\
Iak
bos \).
Grecised form (
nominative absolute )
of the Hebrew \
Iak
b \ (
so LXX ).
Common name among the Jews ,
and this man in Josephus (
_Ant_
.
XX .
9 .
1 )
and three others of this name in Josephus also . {
Servant } (\
doulos \).
Bond-servant or slave as Paul (
Romans:1:1 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:1:1 ;
strkjv @
Titus:1:1 |). {
Of the Lord Jesus Christ } (\
kuriou I
sou Christou \).
Here on a par with God (\
theou \)
and calls himself not \
adelphos \ (
brother )
of Jesus ,
but \
doulos \.
The three terms here as in strkjv @
2:1 |
have their full significance :
Jesus is the Messiah and Lord .
James is not an Ebionite .
He accepts the deity of Jesus his brother ,
difficult as it was for him to do so .
The word \
kurios \
is frequent in the LXX for _Elohim_
and _Jahweh_
as the Romans applied it to the emperor in their emperor worship .
See strkjv @
1Corinthians:12:3 |
for \
Kurios I
sous \
and strkjv @
Phillipians:2:11 |
for \
Kurios I
sous Christos \. {
To the twelve tribes } (\
tais d
deka phulais \).
Dative case .
The expression means "
Israel in its fulness and completeness " (
Hort ),
regarded as a unity (
Acts:26:7 |)
with no conception of any "
lost "
tribes . {
Which are of the Dispersion } (\
tais en t
i diaspor
i \). "
Those in the Dispersion " (
repeated article ).
The term appears in strkjv @
Deuteronomy:28:25 | (
LXX )
and comes from \
diaspeir \,
to scatter (
sow )
abroad .
In its literal sense we have it in strkjv @
John:7:34 |,
but here and in strkjv @
1Peter:1:1 |
Christian Jews are chiefly ,
if not wholly ,
in view .
The Jews at this period were roughly divided into Palestinian Jews (
chiefly agriculturists )
and Jews of the Dispersion (
dwellers in cities and mainly traders ).
In Palestine Aramaic was spoken as a rule ,
while in the Western Diaspora the language was Greek (
_Koin
_
,
LXX ),
though the Eastern Diaspora spoke Aramaic and Syriac .
The Jews of the Diaspora were compelled to compare their religion with the various cults around them (
comparative religion )
and had a wider outlook on life .
James writes thus in cultural _Koin
_
but in the Hebraic tone . {
Greeting } (\
chairein \).
Absolute infinitive (
present active of \
chair \)
as in strkjv @
Acts:15:23 | (
the Epistle to Antioch and the churches of Syria and Galatia ).
It is the usual idiom in the thousands of papyri letters known to us ,
but in no other New Testament letter .
But note \
chairein legete \
in strkjv @
2John:1:10 ,
11 |.
rwp @
John:14:27 @{
My peace } (\
eir
n
n t
n em
n \).
This is Christ '
s bequest to the disciples before he goes ,
the _shalom_
of the orient for greeting and parting ,
used by Jesus in his appearances after the resurrection (
20:19 ,
21 ,
26 |)
as in strkjv @
2John:1:3 ;
strkjv @
3John:1:14 |,
but here and in strkjv @
16:33 |
in the sense of spiritual peace such as only Christ can give and which his Incarnation offers to men (
Luke:2:14 |). {
Neither let it be fearful } (\
med
deiliat \).
Added to the prohibition in verse 1 |,
only N .
T .
example of \
deilia \ (
rare word in Aristotle ,
in a papyrus of one condemned to death ),
common in LXX ,
like palpitating of the heart (
from \
deilos \).
rwp @
Revelation:16:13 @{
Coming out of } (\
ek \
alone ,
no participle \
erchomena \). {
Of the dragon } (\
tou drakontos \).
That is Satan (
12:3 ,
9 |). {
Of the beast } (\
tou th
riou \).
The first beast (
13:1 ,
12 |)
and then just the beast (
13:14ff .;
strkjv @
14:9 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
15:2 ;
strkjv @
16:2 ,
10 |),
the brute force of the World-power represented by the Roman Empire " (
Swete ). {
Of the false prophet } (\
tou pseudoproph
tou \).
Cf .
strkjv @
Matthew:7:15 ;
strkjv @
Acts:13:6 ;
strkjv @
1John:2:22 ;
strkjv @
4:3 ;
strkjv @
2John:1:7 |.
Identified with the second beast (
13:11-14 |)
in strkjv @
19:20 ;
strkjv @
20:10 |.
Songs:the sixth bowl introduces the dragon and his two subalterns of chapters strkjv @
Revelation:12 ;
13 | (
the two beasts ). {
Three unclean spirits } (\
pneumata tria akatharta \).
Out of the mouths of each of the three evil powers (
the dragon and the two beasts )
comes an evil spirit .
See the use of mouth in strkjv @
1:16 | (
9:17f .;
strkjv @
11:5 ;
strkjv @
12:15 ;
strkjv @
19:15 ,
21 |)
as a chief seat of influence .
In strkjv @
2Thessalonians:2:8 |
we have "
the breath of his mouth " (
the other sense of \
pneuma \).
For \
akatharton \ (
unclean )
with \
pneuma \
see strkjv @
Mark:1:23f .;
strkjv @
3:11 ;
strkjv @
5:2ff .;
strkjv @
Acts:5:16 ;
strkjv @
8:7 |.
Christ expelled unclean spirits ,
but His enemies send them forth " (
Swete ).
See strkjv @
Zechariah:13:2 | "
the false prophets and the unclean spirits ." {
As it were frogs } (\
h
s batrachoi \).
Cf .
strkjv @
Exodus:8:5 ;
strkjv @
Leviticus:11:10ff |.
Old word ,
here alone in N .
T .
Like loathsome frogs in form .
rwp @
Info_Revelation
@
EMPEROR WORSHIP AS THE OCCASION FOR JOHN '
S APOCALYPSE There is no doubt at all that the emperor cult (
emperor worship )
played a main part in the persecution of the Christians that was the occasion for this great Christian apocalypse .
The book itself bears ample witness to this fact ,
if the two beasts refer to the Roman power as the agent of Satan .
It is not possible to single out each individual emperor in the graphic picture .
Most would take the dragon to be Satan and the first and the second beasts to be the imperial and provincial Roman power .
The Roman emperors posed as gods and did the work of Satan .
In particular there were two persecuting emperors (
Nero and Domitian )
who were responsible for many martyrs for Christ .
But emperor worship began before Nero .
Julius Caesar was worshipped in the provinces .
Octavius was called Augustus (\
Sebastos \,
Reverend ).
The crazy Emperor Caius Caligula not simply claimed to be divine ,
but actually demanded that his statue be set up for worship in the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem .
He was killed in January A .
D .
41 before he could execute his dire purpose .
But the madcap Nero likewise demanded worship and blamed in A .
D .
64 the burning of Rome on the Christians ,
though guilty of it himself .
He set the style for persecuting Christians ,
which slumbered on and burst into flames again under Domitian ,
who had himself commonly termed _Dominus
ac Deus noster_
(
Our Lord and God ).
The worship of the emperor did not disturb the worshippers of other gods save the Jews and the Christians ,
and in particular the Christians were persecuted after the burning of Rome when they were distinguished from the Jews .
Up till then Christians were regarded (
as by Gallio in Corinth )
as a variety of Jews and so entitled to tolerance as a _religio
licita_
,
but they had no standing in law by themselves and their refusal to worship the emperor early gave offence ,
as Paul indicates in strkjv @
1Corinthians:12:3 |.
It was \
Kurios I
sous \
or \
Kurios Kaisar \.
On this very issue Polycarp lost his life .
The emperors as a rule were tolerant about it ,
save Nero and Domitian ,
who was called Nero _redivivus_
,
or Nero back again .
Trajan in his famous letter to Pliny advised tolerance except in stubborn cases ,
when the Christians had to be put to death .
After Nero it was a crime to be a Christian and all sorts of slanders about them were circulated .
We have seen already in strkjv @
2Thessalonians:2:3ff .|,
the man of sin who sets himself above God as the object of worship .
We have seen also in strkjv @
1John:2:18 ,
22 ;
strkjv @
4:3 ;
strkjv @
2John:1:7 |
the term antichrist applied apparently to Gnostic heretics .
One may wonder if ,
as Beckwith argues ,
in the Apocalypse the man of sin and the antichrist are united in the beast .
rwp @
Romans:15:24 @{
Whensoever I go } (\
h
s an poreu
mai \).
Indefinite temporal clause with \
h
s an \
and the present middle subjunctive (
cf .
strkjv @
1Corinthians:11:34 ;
strkjv @
Phillipians:2:23 |
with aorist subjunctive ). {
Into Spain } (\
eis t
n Spanian \).
It was a Roman province with many Jews in it .
The Greek name was \
Iberia \,
the Latin _Hispania_
.
The Textus Receptus adds here \
eleusomai pros humas \ (
I shall come to you ),
but it is not in Aleph A B C D and is not genuine .
Without it we have a parenthesis (
or anacoluthon )
through the rest of verse 24 |. {
In my journey } (\
diaporeuomenos \).
Present middle participle , "
passing through ."
Paul planned only a brief stay in Rome since a strong church already existed there . {
To be brought on my way thitherward } (\
propemphth
nai ekei \). "
To be sent forward there ."
First aorist passive infinitive of \
propemp \,
common word for escorting one on a journey (
1Corinthians:16:6 ,
11 ;
strkjv @
2Corinthians:1:16 ;
strkjv @
Titus:3:13 ;
strkjv @
2John:1:6 |). {
If first in some measure I shall have been satisfied with your company } (\
ean hum
n prot
n apo merous empl
sth \).
Condition of third class with \
ean \
and first aorist passive subjunctive of \
empimpl
mi \,
old verb ,
to fill up ,
to satisfy ,
to take one '
s fill .
See strkjv @
Luke:6:25 |.
Literally , "
if I first in part be filled with you " (
get my fill of you ).
delicate compliment for the Roman church .