Matthew Henry

4

It is a blessing to all to see the next generation rising up in true religion, carrying their faith with them into the world. Seeing such blesses us as we see that the light will continue in the world when we pass on. We ought to bless those who raise up these youth, and encourage them that the fruits of their labors are showing. Our walk is true "when it is managed by the word of God."

5-6

John neither demands nor insists on conformance to his request, but rather beseeches (begs eagerly) from his love. "harsher measures are worse than needless where milder will prevail". "Love will avail where authority will not; and we may often see that the more authority is urged the more it is slighted." They are urged to love, although they already abound in love, for there is ever room to grow in Christian virtues. (1Th 4:9-10 - Paul urges the Macedonians to even greater excellence in love.) Divine commandment gives commendation to this love, and the longstanding nature of that commandment, which is as old as both the Christian and Jewish religions. Such love shows in obedience to all God's commands, not only as love to God, but love to self - our very souls. Not to obey would be to hate ourselves. Love to others requires that we encourage and engage each other in holiness, egging each other on to better adherence to God's commands. Without such general adherence to His commands, mutual love becomes meaningless, for it will not be the love God has enjoined upon us.

 

 

Adam Clarke

4

The children might be either her own, or the portion of the church that was in her care. Either way, word of their belief had come to John either by letter or by word of other evangelists who had been there. The work is not yet complete, as not all these children are yet in the truth, and many adversaries worked against their coming to that truth.

5

The commandment to love is as old as Christianity, and should be urged on all who come to that Christianity. The tone of the address adds weight to the idea that this letter was indeed written to a lady, not a church.

6

Love shows in obedience.

 

 

Barnes

4

Word of her children may have come from others or from personal contact with her children, it's not clear which. That only some of her children are noted could mean that some were known not to be true Christians yet, or that John only had knowledge of some, not all, of her children. The first seems the more likely. The good are commended in order to excite the lady to persevere in hopes of correcting the others. This goodness is in the fact that her children live as God has commanded we live.

5

If 'Kyria' is indeed her name, then John makes the plea very personal, which is in keeping with propriety as he is doubtless much older than she. The assumption is that where the Gospel is, the rule of love is understood (1Th 4:9 - for such is ever revealed by God Himself.) This has been clear since the Gospel began to be preached (1Jn 2:7 - it has been heard from the beginning, 3:11 - which all have heard as long as they've heard of Christianity at all.) This love ought to be evident amongst all Christ's disciples (Jn 15:12 - because He said to. Jn 15:17 - repeatedly.) As Christ's command, it is a favorite thought for John to dwell on in his old age.

6

Obedience to God's command is a proper expression of love to God. (Jn 14:15 - even as Jesus said: if you love Him, you'll keep His commandments. Jn 14:21 - and in keeping them, will be loved also by the Father.) This is the greatest commandment to the Church, that which distinguishes them from the world. (Jn 13:34-35 - This was the reason Jesus gave for the commandment, that such mutual love would reveal men to man as His disciples.)

 

 

Wycliffe

4

What John found regarding her children continued to be true in every activity of their life (1Jn 1:7 - just as walking in the light involves every activity of our life.) Their lives fully conformed to the tenets of Christianity.

5

Having noted his pleasure at some of her children, John moves to his concerns regarding the rest. The request he makes is personal, being that the mutual love of Christianity be evident.

6

The command is to love, and to love is to obey. Either love without obedience, or obedience without love would be unbalanced. Love needs to be more than emotions, but must be active in doing the loved one's will.

 

 

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

4

John may have met her children on one of his tours of the Asian churches. (3Jn 10, 3Jn 14 - to which tours he refers.) He found some of these children to be true to the Gospel and the Father's commandments (which are the standard of truth).

5

The beseeching is done with implication of authority. (1Jn 5:16 - as we would do when praying for a brother in sin.) The command of love is both old and new; old as the Gospel message, and new in its clarity as presented by Jesus. "Love fulfills both tables of the Law, and is the end [point, purpose] of Law and Gospel alike." (1Jn 2:7-8 - The command is as heard from the start, yet new in the light of Christ.) The urging to join John in mutual love - being restricted to the lady and non-inclusive of the children - tends to indicate a church as being addressed, as it would not be apostolic to address a lady in such a way, no matter how pure the motive.

6

"'Love is the fulfilling of the law,' and the fulfilling of the law is the test of love." For love sums up all other commandments in itself.

 

 

New Thoughts

"Our walk is true 'when it is managed by the word of God.'" "'Love is the fulfilling of the law,' and the fulfilling of the law is the test of love." There it is. The point of the whole thing, and not just this letter, but the whole book. The entirety of the Law was and is intended to bring us to this love. The soul purpose of Jesus in all He did - and the reason the Gospel message has gone out ever since - is to bring us to this love. Real love. Not emotional games, or pleasurable strokes on our pride, but real love. Love that has compassion. Love that will do the necessary thing, even if it's unpleasant to us or to our loved one. This is a hard love to maintain, but it's the love we really ought to have in ourselves, in our families, in our other relationships, and in our walk with God. The order here may not be quite right, but I'm really trying to move from the lesser to the greater in this. Certainly our love for God largely has to come first in sequence, for without that, we haven't yet learned how to love.
I wrote earlier of my desire to be true. I thank Mr. Henry for providing the key in that first quote above. I must come to that place where I am managed by the word of God. That's a hard thing, perhaps more so for a man than a woman. It's hard to let go of the reins, but God, that's what I need to do. How do I give You full control? How do I bring this flesh and soul into submission to You? All I know to do is to offer it to You, and pray that You would indeed come and manage my walk. I've certainly made a mess of it when I've tried to manage it, so I give it over to You. Please fix it, make it right. Show me how to love as You intend. Help me to show that love to myself, and to my family. That's a start. God, work with me there, train me in the fields You have provided, so that I can grow from there to truly love those You place around me.