The "elect lady and her children"

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Citadel of Truth

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"THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth" (II John verse 1)

Is the writer of this epistle writing to an actual lady or was he using a metaphor for a local church?

The part that makes me, personally, think it may be a metaphor is the statement that "all those who have known the truth" love her. That would be a pretty broad statement if it were referring to an actual lady.

 
This is one of those things that's been debated over the centuries. Alternative theories:

[list type=decimal]
[*] a Christian woman of unknown identity, possibly kept anonymous to protect her from persecution
[*] literally, a woman named "Electa"'
[*] a figure of speech standing for the church in the city the letter was sent to.
[/list]

The evidence seems to favour the last. The church was often referred to in the feminine, just as it is today (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13), and "lady" comes from the Greek kuria, the feminine form of kurios, "Lord." Seems a fitting nickname for the Bride of Christ, no?
 
Ransom said:
This is one of those things that's been debated over the centuries. Alternative theories:

[list type=decimal]
[*] a Christian woman of unknown identity, possibly kept anonymous to protect her from persecution
[*] literally, a woman named "Electa"'
[*] a figure of speech standing for the church in the city the letter was sent to.
[/list]

The evidence seems to favour the last. The church was often referred to in the feminine, just as it is today (cf. 1 Pet. 5:13), and "lady" comes from the Greek kuria, the feminine form of kurios, "Lord." Seems a fitting nickname for the Bride of Christ, no?
Click to expand...

That makes sense. We often refer to "sister" churches or a "mother" church if she helped start another church. Could that be what "her children" may be referring to? 
 
Citadel of Truth said:
Could that be what "her children" may be referring to?
Click to expand...

Maybe, but it could also simply mean the individual congregants.
 
Ransom said:
Citadel of Truth said:
Could that be what "her children" may be referring to?
Click to expand...

Maybe, but it could also simply mean the individual congregants.
Click to expand...
My vote is with this interpretation.

 
Ransom said:
[list type=decimal]
[*] literally, a woman named "Electa"'
[/list]
Click to expand...

Elektra_2.jpg
 
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