Volume IV
The Second Epistle of John.
With John Brown’s marginal references, notes and reflections · Vol. IV, p. 507
'The Elder,' is a title derived from age, or experience as equivalent to age; and as John was now the senior apostle,—most probably the senior Christian,—the title would be peculiarly appropriate. It is also a title which John was likely to employ in preference to his own name, which he was accustomed to suppress.
'The Elect Lady.' Clemens Alexandrinus supposes to have been a Babylonian named 'Eclecta;' and the Vulgate, Boothroyd, and others, render the words 'the lady Eclecta;' Benson and others translate the inscription 'To the elect Kyria;' Cassiodorus believed the epistle to have been addressed to a particular church; others, that it was intended for the Christian church generally, comp. Is. 54. 1; Ga. 4. 24, &c. The authorized version is supported by Beza, &c.; and both the absence and use of the Greek article (ver. 1, being comp. with ver. 13) appear to decide in favour of this opinion. C.