Most of scripture can be interpreted using other scripture, for the Bible is its own best commentary. However, there are other portions of scripture that we cannot interpret, but must speculate on. The apostle John’s second epistle is a letter written to a woman called the Elect Lady. I think it is so much fun to feel the wonder of scripture and speculate as to who John is writing to.
Many Bible scholars believe the Elect Lady is a local church and that the children he references in verse 1 are the members of the church. I see it a little differently. Could it be the Elect Lady John is writing to is Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ? There are a few reasons I think this is a likely possibility. For one, we are not children of the church. We are children of God. When John refers to her children in verse one, this could be a reference to the brothers and sisters of Christ. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that Mary was a perpetual virgin, but yet Mark 6:3 & Matthew 12:46 teach that Mary went on to have other children. It makes sense that the reference to her children were the physical brothers and sisters to Christ.
I believe the reason John does not address Mary by her name is because he wrote Second John after his exile to the Isle of Patmos where he penned the book of Revelation. It would make sense that he would want to keep her identity secret knowing his letters could be confiscated and face further persecution by the Roman government. The most compelling reason why I believe John is writing to Mary is because of the words of Jesus is John 19:25-26. As Christ was dying upon the cross, the only disciple who was at the foot of the cross was the one whom Jesus loved, John. According to verses 26 & 27, he was consoling Mary when Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son! Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.” I believe this created an eternal bond between Mary and John.
When studying the Bible, it is important to pay attention to the smallest of details. If my argument is true that John is not using real names because of the threat of Roman persecution, and if my argument makes sense that he is writing to Mary, the mother of Jesus, pay close attention to this small detail in 2 John 1:12, “The children of your elect sister greet you.” If the elect lady is Mary and her children are the siblings of Christ, then who is her sister? Let’s go back to the cross in John 19:25, “but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister…” I think the elect sister John references is her literal, biological sister mentioned in John 19:25. What is the point of these speculations? The point is that even the smallest details of scripture matter, and if we pay attention to the small details, often they will connect the dots to show us the bigger picture.
Sign Up For Pastor Chad’s Weekly Newsletter by clicking here!
You must be logged in to post a comment.