DIDYMUS THE ALEXANDRIAN'S COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE OF DIVINE JOHN
VERS. 6. A *Et hæc est charitas, ut ambulemus secundum mandata ejus.*
The present saying is in agreement with those things which were related in the first Epistle, where he says: “And we know that he who loves God keeps his commandments,” and in the Gospels he says: “If anyone loves me, let him keep my commandments.” To walk according to the commandments is the same as to keep them. For since the virtues that are active, which are performed according to the commandments, are practical, he who does not become outside of them walks according to them. In this, therefore, walking according to them is the same as keeping them. Whence also he who ceases to work according to virtue neither keeps the commandments nor walks according to them. For he who progresses in virtue walks according to the commandments, progress in walking denoting the matured person who, after having walked according to the commandments, acts by keeping them. It is also understood in this way: he who makes progress according to virtue walks certainly according to the commandments, since to walk denotes the progress of a perfect man who, after he has walked according to the commandments, also keeps them. This saying is also in agreement with what is read in the enigma, that Adam was placed in paradise so that he might work it and keep it. Where by “working” he designates the effect of progress, and by “keeping,” the state and constancy of his perfection itself.
VERS. 9-11. *Everyone who withdraws and does not remain in the doctrine of Christ does not have God; he who remains in the doctrine, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, nor say to him, Greetings. For he who says greeting to him communicates in his evil works.*
B He truly remains in the evangelical doctrine who thinks and acts according to it, while separating himself from the one who does something to the contrary and thinks likewise. Therefore, since there is a God for someone by means of the active life, who is the creator of all, just as Abraham, to whom he said: “I am your God;” whoever is outside the right faith and the manner of life of the commandments of Jesus is without God, separating himself, nor does he have God, while that person has separated himself from the divine doctrine in the aforementioned manner. *He who remains in him has both the Father and the Son.* For to him who keeps his commandments, the Son says that the Father will come with him, that he might abide with him, when he has been made a holy temple, built by the observance of the commandments of God.
Since there is, therefore, a twofold manner of possessing God: one indeed is common to all creatures, by which it is signified that all have a creator; the other, however, indicates the manner of those who through good will appease him, according to what is read: “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, and of all the Hebrews.” Observe, indeed, that it is said here: *He who has, he says, the Son, has also the Father;* and conversely, by which it is clearly understood that they are of the same substance of divinity. For because the Father is in the Son, he who has the Son has also the Father, which is also reciprocal: for he who has the Father has the Son, who is in the Father.
If anyone, however, wishing to apply this further, should say: “He who has the disciples has also the Son; and he who has the Son has also the Father, according to what is written: ‘He who receives you, receives me, and receives my Father who sent me;’” let him know that he does not insinuate this as he ought. For these things are said concerning doctrine, that he who receives the apostles, consenting to their doctrine, receives through them at the same time the Son and the Father, whom they preach. It is also to be understood in another way, since he who remains in the doctrine has the Father and the Son. The apostles remained in his doctrine, so that they might preach it: whoever therefore receives them, since they are the temple of God, by this fact that he receives them, he has the Son and the Father dwelling within them.