WAS THE APOSTLE JOHN MARRIED WITH CHILDREN?
Friday – May 23, 2025
Video link: https://youtu.be/PPRxm4sjmNc
Greetings dear saints and elect of God whom I love in the Truth. This is the third week of our study of 2nd John having finished 1st John. This canonized Bible Book was written by the Apostle John, who is one of the original twelve. It is thought to have been written between the years 85-95 AD. The Apostle John is the human vessel by inspiration of the Holy Spirit also wrote the Gospel of John (big John), 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John (the little Johns), as well as the Book of Revelation. He was the Apostle of love (agapē/agapaō). Likewise, we are all called to walk in this love. If you are not sure about this kind of love (agapē/agapaō), get my book: Awake, Arise, and Triumph – Be Love. With this in mind I find it more than interesting that he is the only one of the original twelve not to die a violent death.
WHAT WILL WE LEARN TODAY?
- We will examine who the “elect lady” is and although we don’t know exactly, we do know it was someone he knew probably well and was perhaps a sister-in-law. Having said that we do not know John’s marital status from Scripture nor extrabiblical sources.
- We will start to learn about “love in the truth”. This is Godly love not worldly emotional love.
- God is love and as later lessons reveal He is also Truth; are we love and Truth in His image?
2 John 1:1 (KJV)
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;
I have spent the last two Fridays talking about the words, the ideas, the Truths associated with being an elder and an elect. Today I will move forward to explore the phrase “whom I love in the truth”. The Apostle John is writing to one he addresses as “the elect lady and her children”. Today we might say dear sister and children. Both the use of the words elect, or sister would convey the message that this one who is a Christian. There is no Biblical record of who this lady is and as I understand it no mention in Church history of her identity. Before I go further let me also point out that we do not know from Scripture or extrabiblical sources if the Apostle John was married or not. As we think about these two things, who the woman is, and whether John was married lets look at the last verse of this letter.
2 John 1:13 (KJV)
13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
He does not say thy elect sister and her children greet thee but that the children of thy elect sister greet thee. This would at least imply that the elect sister referred to has departed to Heaven. Could it be that this elect sister was Apostle John’s wife and the children his? This is a pure conjecture. Of course, it might simply be another departed woman and her children well known to both of them and the children are sending greetings.
Now, what about the phrase “love in the truth” found in our text? The Apostle John speaks much about love (agapē/agapaō) and thus I refer to him as the Apostle of love. He is the only one who tells us straight up that God is love (agapē/agapaō) (1 John 4:16). Let’s look at that before concluding for today.
1 John 4:16 (KJV)
16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
God is love (agapē/agapaō). Since we are in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26) can the same thing be said about you, about me? What does this love look like? It does not look like the world’s definitions and displays. More next week.
TAKE HOME:
- We examined who the “elect lady” is and although we don’t know exactly, we do know it was someone he knew probably well and was perhaps a sister-in-law. Having said that we do not know John’s marital status from Scripture nor extrabiblical sources.
- We started to learn about “love in the truth”. This is Godly love not worldly emotional transactional love.
- God is love and as later lessons will reveal He is also Truth; are we love and Truth in His image?
Lord willing, I will resume right here next Friday. Remember, we love you, the Lord loves you, and there is nothing you can do about either one.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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