1 John 2:13

“I write unto you, fathers, &c.] Not merely in age, though they might be men in years who are here intended, or only with respect to their long standing in the church, which might be the case; though persons may be in years, and of a long standing in the church, and yet be children in knowledge and experience: but here it designs such, who, in comparison of others, were perfect, and were spiritual, and judged all things; had a well informed and established judgment in divine things, and were, in understanding, men, fathers, and not babes in Christ; so the Jews used to call their men of wisdom, and knowledge, and understanding, twba, “Abot”, “fathers”. Hence there is a whole treatise in the…”

“All three classes are first addressed in the present. "I write"; then in the past (aorist) tense, "I wrote" (not "I have written"; moreover, in the oldest manuscripts and versions, in the end of Jo1 2:13, it is past, "I wrote," not as English Version, "I write"). Two classes, "fathers" and "young men," are addressed with the same words each time (except that the address to the young men has an addition expressing the source and means of their victory); but the "little sons" and "little children" are differently addressed. have known--and do know: so the Greek perfect means. The "I wrote" refers not to a former Epistle, but to this Epistle. It was an idiom to put the past tense, regarding the…”

“I write unto you, fathers - As there were special reasons for writing to children, so there were also for writing to those who were more mature in life. The class here addressed would embrace all those who were in advance of the νεανίσκοί neaniskoi, or young men, and would properly include those who were at the head of families. Because ye have known him that is from the beginning - That is, the Lord Jesus Christ. Notes, 1 John 1:1. The argument is, that they had been long acquainted with the principles of his religion, and understood well its doctrines and duties. It cannot be certainly inferred from this that they had had a personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus: yet that this might…”

“The address to spiritual fathers, young men, and little children is first proposed in this verse, wherein he says, I write to you, fathers: I write to you, young men: I write to you, little children: and then enlarged upon; in doing which he says, "I have written to you, fathers," Jo1 2:14. "I have written to you, young men," Jo1 2:14-17. "I have written to you, little children," Jo1 2:18-27. Having finished his address to each, he returns to all together, whom he again terms, (as Jo1 2:12,) "beloved children." Fathers, ye have known him that is from the beginning - We have known the eternal God, in a manner wherein no other, even true believers, know him. Young men, ye have overcome the…”

“fathers: Jo1 2:14; Ti1 5:1 because: Jo1 2:3, Jo1 2:4, Jo1 5:20; Psa 91:14; Luk 10:22; Joh 8:19, Joh 14:7, Joh 17:3 him that: Jo1 1:1; Psa 90:2 young: Jo1 2:14; Psa 148:12; Pro 20:29; Joe 2:28; Zac 9:17; Tit 2:6 because: Jo1 4:4, Jo1 5:4, Jo1 5:5; Eph 6:10-12; Pe1 5:8, Pe1 5:9 the wicked: Jo1 3:12, Jo1 5:18; Mat 13:19, Mat 13:38 little: Jo1 2:1, Jo1 2:12 ye have known: Mat 11:27; Luk 10:22; Joh 8:54, Joh 8:55, Joh 14:7, Joh 14:9, Joh 16:3, Joh 17:21; Co2 4:6 1 John 2:14”