The opening verses.....
11 John 1:1-2 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; For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
The closing verses....
11 John 1:12-13 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
11 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
So, we have the "elect lady," her "children" and the "elders." We have the body of Christ! The elders are the "elders OF THE priests" that are covered in sackcloth. That appears to say there are many priests in sackcloth and they are "her children," who are the many two witnesses but among those witnesses there are the elders..."the elders of the priests." Perhaps the elders are the apostles of end times where the man child (her children) are the prophets. Our Father dwells in the apostles and prophets as His Spirit reveals understanding to them......
11 John 1:1-2 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; For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.
The "elect lady" is "the woman" who is Israel/the church and "her children" are the "man child(ren)" (who are the very elect/saints) in the following....
Who is "the elder" that speaks to the elect? Bullinger wrote that it refers to the writer's age. I don't agree. It isn't just an elderly man writing the epistle....it is the Holy Spirit divinely inspiring the writer to use that term so I see it more as a title than description, especially when one considers other passages.
Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
Who is "the elder" that speaks to the elect? Bullinger wrote that it refers to the writer's age. I don't agree. It isn't just an elderly man writing the epistle....it is the Holy Spirit divinely inspiring the writer to use that term so I see it more as a title than description, especially when one considers other passages.
The closing verses....
11 John 1:12-13 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
John began the epistle writing as "the elder unto the elect lady" and ended with "the children of thy elect sister greet thee." He has written as both and they are one and the same. The elder(s) is/are the man child, the elders/priests which are of the woman/the church and as such are...her children. At the same time the children/man child are over her in that the Spirit speaks to them face to face.
In the first two verses we're told that truth "dwelleth in us" and is with us forever. That truth is Christ, the same that shall "come unto" us to "speak face to face." He told us.....
He speaks to us and reveals understanding as we are able to bear it...as we mature. He "comes unto us," and abides in us...walks in us, dwells in us...speaks to us face to face. Paul tells us that face to face is as looking in a mirror....
In the first two verses we're told that truth "dwelleth in us" and is with us forever. That truth is Christ, the same that shall "come unto" us to "speak face to face." He told us.....
John 16:12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
He speaks to us and reveals understanding as we are able to bear it...as we mature. He "comes unto us," and abides in us...walks in us, dwells in us...speaks to us face to face. Paul tells us that face to face is as looking in a mirror....
11 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
Those the Lord speaks to "face to face" are His prophets, those He indwells.
Deuteronomy 34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face.
Exodus 3:15-18 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Exodus 19:6-8 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Numbers 11:23-25 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
Isaiah 37:2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Exodus 3:15-18 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, the LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Exodus 19:6-8 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.
Numbers 11:23-25 And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD'S hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether My word shall come to pass unto thee or not. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
Isaiah 37:2 And he sent Eliakim, who was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests covered with sackcloth, unto Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz.
Revelation 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto My two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
So, we have the "elect lady," her "children" and the "elders." We have the body of Christ! The elders are the "elders OF THE priests" that are covered in sackcloth. That appears to say there are many priests in sackcloth and they are "her children," who are the many two witnesses but among those witnesses there are the elders..."the elders of the priests." Perhaps the elders are the apostles of end times where the man child (her children) are the prophets. Our Father dwells in the apostles and prophets as His Spirit reveals understanding to them......
Ephesians 3:5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;