Adam Clarke

“ Is partaker of his evil deeds - He that acts towards him as if he considered him a Christian brother, and sound in the faith, puts it in his power to deceive others, by thus apparently accrediting his ministry. No sound Christian should countenance any man as a Gospel minister, who holds and preaches erroneous doctrines; especially concerning the Lord Jesus. Nor can any Christian attend the ministry of such teachers without being criminal in the sight of God. He who attends their ministry is, in effect, bidding them God speed ”

“ This epistle is more remarkable for the spirit of Christian love which it breathes than for any thing else. It contains scarcely any thing that is not found in the preceding; and out of the thirteen verses there are at least eight which are found, either in so many words or in sentiment, precisely the same with those of the first epistle. The most remarkable part of it is the tenth and eleventh verses, ( [13] , [14] ) relative to the orders concerning the heretical teacher; and from them we see how such teachers were treated in the apostolic Church. ”

“ The usual salutation among friends and those of the same religion in the east is, Salam aleekum, "Peace be to you;" which those of the same religion will use among themselves, but never to strangers, except in very rare cases. ”

“ John says here does not mean that we should deny such the common offices of humanity, charity, and mercy. No. In these offices we are equally bound to all men; far less does it intimate that we should persecute such on account of their heretical or heterodox sentiments. ”

“ From the time that the language, sentiments, and doctrines of these two epistles were critically examined, no doubts were entertained of their authenticity; and at present they are received by the whole Christian Church throughout the world; for although they are not in the ancient Syriac version, they are in the Philoxenian; and concerning their authenticity I believe the Syrian Churches have at present no doubts.
Dr. Lardner observes that the first epistle was received and quoted by Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, contemporary with the apostle ”

“ And shall be with us - For God will preserve not only the Christian religion but its truth, all its essential doctrines for ever. And they that abide in the truth shall go whither that truth leads, i.e. ”

“ Chronological Notes Relative to this Epistle - Year of the Constantinopolitan era of the world, or that used by the Byzantine historians, and other eastern writers, 5593. - Year of the Alexandrian era of the world, 5587. - Year of the Antiochian era of the world, 5577. - Year of the world, according to Archbishop Usher, 4089. - Year of the world, according to Eusebius, in his Chronicon, 4311. - Year of the minor Jewish era of the world, or that in common use, 3845. - Year of the Greater Rabbinical era of the world, 4444. ”