2 John 1:1-2 The elder to 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;… Some love for pleasure. Isaac loved Esau because venison was his delight. An adulterer loves an harlot for the satisfying of his filthy lust. Some love for profit: they love their friends as they do their cows, horses, and grounds — for the benefit they reap by them. Some love for beauty: so Shechem loved Dinah. Some love for honour and promotion, in hope to be preferred by such a great man. All these stand upon a tickle ground; pleasure vanisheth, and that quickly too, then love vanisheth together with it. When Amnon had gotten his pleasure of Tamar he hated her more than before he loved her. Riches betake themselves to their wings, as Solomon speaketh, and fly away, then love flies away too. If a rich man become a poor man we set not much by him. Honour is mutable: the nail that is now aloft is in the dirt, as it fell out with Haman, then he is little regarded of any of his followers. Beauty fades away like a flower, then love fades away too; love for the truth's sake, for Christ's sake, for the gospel's sake, and that will be a permanent love. (W. Jones, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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; |
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