The Elect Lady
We have taken a look at the writing of John and seen how he often uses objects and relationships in his writing to give more details and clarification.
In 1st John over and over again John uses the term children, little children and my little children. In 1 John 5:2 it is defined what John means. He is talking about the children of God.
Calling Christians children is a way of bringing to mind and adding the meaning of the Heavenly Father and child relationship to the topic at hand. God’s love for His children and how we are to obey the Father are brought into the topic John is writing about by just adding one word. Children. And sometimes he uses little children, reminding us how small we are and how much growing we still need to do.
John uses this method a lot. We see it again with another word in the first verse of 2nd John.
2Jn 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;
2Jn 1:2 For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
2Jn 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
There are those who will argue that John is writing to a specific lady and her biological children. They do not take the time to consider how John writes. We have already looked at how John uses the word children.
But what about the idea that this was written to a specific person? Look at 3rd John.
3Jn 1:1 The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
When John writes to a specific person he uses their name.
Look at the first verse of 2 John again.
2Jn 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children
The elder is John. John never liked using his own name in his writings. The children are the children of God. Christians. So who is the elect lady?
To understand the meaning you have to look at other scripture.
Rev_21:9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
The bride is the Lamb’s wife. The lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
Rev 21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
The bride is not the city itself, but the people in the city.
Rev_22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
The bride is His children and along with the Holy Spirit we are to say to the lost come.
Joh 3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
Joh 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Joh 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
John uses the visual of the bride and the bridegroom to teach that the bridegroom is Jesus, the friend of the bridegroom is John and the bride is those that get saved.
The saved of all the ages will one day all be gathered together and at that time will be assembled into one church. Then there will be a marriage supper.
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
Rev 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
Saints is a term for people who get saved.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Man has a free will. That is absolutely true. It is also absolutely true that man cannot come to God without God drawing him.
Joh_6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Joh_12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
Every saved person was called. Not everyone called answers. But everyone who did answer was called. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Brides are female. But men also get saved. The point is the relationship. He is the groom, we are the bride. These terms are used to explain how the relationship is to work.
This is explained in Eph 5.
Paul gives instructions on the husband and wife relationship and then he says.
Eph 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Paul says I am really talking about Jesus being the groom and the church being the bride. Men and Women that get married are supposed to be an object lesson to others about the relationship of Jesus being the groom and we being the bride.
Most husbands and wives get it wrong more often that right. The husband is to be the head showing the picture that Christ is the head of the church.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
The wife is to be subject unto the man to show the picture that the church is subject to Christ.
Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Husbands are to sacrificially love to show the picture of Christ’s love for the church and to show the picture that Jesus put our needs first. He gave it all.
Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Eph 5:27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph 5:28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.
The whole thing is really about Jesus is the groom and we are the bride and what that means. So back to 2nd John.
2Jn 1:1 The elder unto the elect lady and her children,
Who is the lady? A church. John is writing to a local body of believers and he calls that church Lady. With that one word John is pulling into his writing all the truth about Jesus being the head and we are subject to Him. And His great sacrificial love for us, and the wonderful future ahead when we are joined with Him.
See more lessons from 1st 2nd 3rd John