And now I urge you, dear lady—not as a new commandment to you, but one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.
We come now more into the design and substance of the epistle; and here we have, I. The apostle's request: Now, I beseech thee, lady. Considering what it is that he entreats, the way of address is very remarkable; it is not any particular boon or bounty to himself, but common duty and observance of divine command.
Commenting on 2 John 1:5-6
And now I beseech thee, lady,.... Or "Kyria", which word the Syriac and Arabic versions retain, as if it was a proper name: the apostle having finished the inscription, salutation, and congratulation in the preceding verses, passes to an exhortation and entreaty to observe the commandment of love to one another, which is not a new commandment, but what was from the beginning: not as...
Verse 5. And now I beseech thee, lady. Or, "And now I entreat thee, Cyria" (κυρια.) See Intro. & 2. If this was her proper name, there is no impropriety in supposing that he would address her in this familiar style. John was probably then a very old man; the female to whom the epistle was addressed was doubtless much younger.