3 John 1

CHAPTER 1 ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥΤΟΥΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΥΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗΚΑΘΟΛΙΚΗΤΡΙΤΗ[449] [449] ιωαννου ã̄ à; ιωανου ã̄ B; ιωαννουεπιστολη ã̄ C, many minusc.; ιωαννουεπιστοληκαθολικη ã̄ 101, 106; επιστολητριτητουαγιουαποστολουιωαννου L; τουαυτουαγιουιωαννουτουθεολογουεπιστολητριτη 95; επιστολητουαγιουαποστολουκαιηγαπημενουπροςγαϊονιωαννου 4. THE THIRD EPISTLE

3 John 1:1

3 John 1:1. ὁπρεσβύτερος, see Introd. pp. 159 ff. ἐγώ, see note on 2 John 1:1 ἐνἀληθείᾳ, see note on 2 John 1:1.

3 John 1:2

3 John 1:2. Cf. Law, Ser. Call, chap. vii. “ Flavia would be a miracle of piety, if she was but half as careful of her soul as she is of her body. The rising of a pimple on her face, the sting of a gnat, will make her keep her room for two or three days, and she thinks they are very rash people that do not take care of things in time.” Penn, Fruits of Solitude: “ He is curious to wash, dress and perfume his Body, but careless of his Soul. The one shall have many Hours, the other not so many Minutes.” περὶπάντων, de omnibus, with εὐοδοῦσθαικαὶὑγιαίνειν, not præ omnibus, “ above all things” .

The latter use is epic (e.g., Horn. Il. i. 287: περὶπάντωνἕμμεναιἄλλων), and prosperity and health were not the summa bona in the Apostle’ s estimation. εὐοδοῦσθαι, “ prosper” in worldly matters. Trouble tests character. “ A good knight is best known in battle, and a Christian in the time of trouble and adversity” ; and Gaius had stood the test. The hostility of Diotrephes, probably a well-to-do member of the Church, had lessened his maintenance (εὐοδοῦσθαι) and affected his health (ὑγιαίνειν), yet St. John has only admiration for the spirit he has manifested and commendation for the part he has played.

3 John 1:3

3 John 1:3. ἐχάρην, see note on 2 John 1:4. ἐρχομένων, repeatedly, not on one particular occasion (ἐλθόντων). The itinerant brethren (die reisenden Brüder) were always at work, going out from Ephesus on their missions and returning with their reports. Cf. 3 John 1:5-6. See Introd. p. 155.

3 John 1:4

3 John 1:4. Cf. Senec. Ep. xxxiv.: “ Si agricolam arbor ad fructum perducta delectat, si pastor ex fœtu gregis sui capit voluptatem, si alumnum suum nemo aliter intuetur quam adulescentiam illius suam judicet: quid evenire credis his qui ingenia educaverunt, et quæ tenera formaverunt adulta subito vident?” Ev. sec. Heb. (quoted by Jerome on Ephesians 5:4): “ Et numquam, inquit (Dominus), læti sitis nisi cum fratrem vestrum videritis in caritate” . μειζοτέραν, a double compar.; cf. ἐλαχιστοτέρῳ (Ephesians 3:8); our “ lesser” ; Germ. mehrere. τούτων: this use of the plur. (ταῦτα) rather than the sing (τοῦτο) is common. See Moulton’ s Winer, p. 201. ἵνα, epexegetic of τούτων. Cf. Luke 1:43 and 1 John 3:11. τέκνα implies that Ganius was a convert of St. John. Cf. marg. note.

3 John 1:5

3 John 1:5. The adjective πιστός is either act., “ believing” (cf. John 20:27), or passive, “ worthy to be believed,” “ trustworthy” (cf. 2 Timothy 2:2). It is passive here, and it is well explained by Œcumenius as equivalent to ἄξιονπιστοῦἀνδρός. The peculiarity is that, by a sort of hypallage, the adjective is transferred from the subjective to the objective. Transitive: “ Thou makest whatever thou workest on the brethren a believing act, a work of faith” . It was not mere hospitality but a religious service. Westcott’ s rendering: “ thou makest sure whatsoever thou doest” gives πιστόν an unexampled and indeed impossible meaning. ποιεῖς, aor. of habitual and constant hospitality; ἐργάσῃ, aor. of each particular act. καὶτοῦτο, “ and that to” ; more commonly καὶταῦτα (cf. Hebrews 9:12).

3 John 1:6

3 John 1:6. On the anarthrous ἐκκλησίας, see note on 2 John 1:10. καλῶςποιήσεις has the sense of “ please” in the Oxyrhynchus Papyri; e.g., 300, 3– 6: ἔπεμψάσοιδιὰτοῦκαμηλείτουΤαυρείνουτὸπανάριον, περὶοὗκαλῶςποιήσειςἀντιφωνήσασάμοιὅτιἐκομίσου, “ I sent you the bread-basket by the cameleer Taurinus; please let me have word again that you got it” . προπέμψας: when a Rabbi visited a town, it was customary on his departure to escort him on his way (Lightfoot, Hor. Heb., on Matthew 5:41). The gracious usage was observed in the primitive Church, and it appears to have included the furnishing of provision for the journey (cf. Titus 3:13). Cf.

Hom. Od. xv., 74: χρὴξεῖνονπαρεόνταφιλεῖν, ἐθέλονταδὲπέμπειν. “ welcome the coming, speed the parting guest” . ἀξίωςτοῦΘεοῦ, “ in a manner worthy of God,” i.e. (1) “ Since they are God’ s representatives (John 13:20), weil ihr evangelistenwerk Gottes Werk ist (Holtzm.), treat them as you would treat God” ; (2) “ Since you are God’ s representatives, treat them as God would treat them” .

3 John 1:7

3 John 1:7. τοῦὈνόματος, sc. of Jesus (cf. Acts 5:40-41). There is perhaps a reference to this verse in Ignat. ad Eph. 7:1: εἰώθασιγάρτινεςδόλῳπονηρῷτὸὄνομαπεριφέρειν, ἄλλατινὰπράσσοντεςἀνάξιαΘεοῦ. 3:1: δέδεμαιἐντῷὀνόματι. ἐξῆλθαν, sc. from Ephesus, the seat of the Apostle and therefore the headquarters of the Church in Asia Minor. Cf. Introd. p. 155. μηδέν, see note on 1 John 2:4. Winer (Moulton’ s Winer, p. 463, note 1) draws a distinction, perhaps too fine, between λαμβάνεινπαράτινος and λαμβάνεινἇπότινος, The former would have been used here had the Gentiles “proferred an acknowledgment; the latter implies exaction.

The missionaries might have accepted maintenance (Matthew 10:10), but like St. Paul they waived their right, “ that they might cause no hindrance to the Gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9).

3 John 1:8

3 John 1:8. ἡμεῖς, emphatic in contrast to the Gentiles. ὀφείλομεν, of moral obligation. See note on 1 John 2:6. ὑπολαμβάνειν, suscipere, “ receive hospitably” (cf. ὑποδέχεσθαι), “ take under one’ s protection” . Observe the Wortspiel—λαμβάνοντες, ὑπολαμβάνειν. συνεργοὶτῇἀληθείᾳ: a division of labour. If we cannot preach the Gospel ourselves, we may help others to do it. William Carey, comparing his missionary enterprise to the exploration of a mine, said: “ I will go down if you will hold the ropes” .

3 John 1:9

3 John 1:9. ἔγραψάτι, a brief letter of commendation, συστατικὴἐπιστολή (2 Corinthians 3:1), introducing and authorising a company of itinerant brethren, probably those referred to in 3 John 1:5. φιλοπρωτεύειν, “ love to be first, to be chief” (ἅπαξλεγόμενον). The noun is φιλοπρωτεία and the adj. φιλόπρωτος (Polyb., Plut). προάγειν (2 John 1:9) and φιλοπρωτεύειν denote two tempers which disturbed the Christian life of Asia Minor— intellectual arrogance and personal aggrandisement. αὐτῶν refers κατὰσύνεσιν to ἐκκλησίᾳ. οὐκἐπιδέχεταιἡμᾶς, “ doth not receive me in the person of my delegates” (cf. Matthew 10:40), i.e., “ disowneth my authority” .

3 John 1:10

3 John 1:10. ἐὰνἔλθω: the aged Apostle with his failing strength can only “ hope” (cf. 3 John 1:14) to undertake the journey. ὑπομνήσωαὐτοῦτὰἔργα, not “ remind him of his works” (contrast the “ work” of Gaius in 3 John 1:5), but “ bring his works to remembrance,” by reciting them at a meeting of the Church. St. John does not threaten excommunication or any sort of discipline, but simply that he will state the facts and let them speak for themselves. A terrible reckoning, like that of the Day of Judgment (cf. Revelation 20:12)— to hear a recital of all one’ s passionate speeches and inconsiderate actions. Contrast St.

Paul’ s threats (1 Corinthians 4:21; 2 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Corinthians 13:1-3). St. John deserved to be called “ the Apostle of Love” . φλυαρεῖν (nugari, verschwatsen), of foolish chattering. Suid.: φλύαρος· φλήναφοςκαὶλῆροςκαὶμάταιοςλόγος. The chatter of Diotrephes was not only foolish but malevolent (λόγοιςπονηροῖς). μὴἀρκ., see note on 1 John 2:4. οὔτε … καί, cf. John 4:11. κωλύει, ἐκβάλλει, pres. implying not that he actually did it but that he tried to do it. ἐκβάλλει, here not of literal ejection (cf.

John 2:15 = Matthew 21:12 = Mark 11:15) but of excommunication from the fellowship of the congregation.

3 John 1:11

3 John 1:11. A warning against evil example. The pres. participles ἀγαθοποιῶν, κακοποιῶν denote continuance in and practice of good or bad. See note on 1 John 3:6. ἐκτοῦΘεοῦ, “ a child of God” (cf. 1 John 3:10). Observe the gentleness of the Apostle: the natural antithesis of ἐκτοῦΘεοῦ would be ἐκτοῦδιαβόλου (1 John 3:8), but he says οὐχἑώρακεντὸνΘεόν.

3 John 1:12

3 John 1:12. Application of the warning against evil example: Do not imitate Diotrephes, but imitate Demetrius. Demetrius was probably the bearer (Ueber-bringer) of the epistle. There is no reason for identifying him with Demetrius the silversmith of Ephesus (Acts 19:24). B. Weiss (Einleit.), supporting the ecclesiastical interpretation of 2 John (see Introd. p. 162) and finding a reference to it in 3 John 1:9, regards Demetrius as the recipient (Empfänger) of the former— a member of the Church and a striking contrast to his fellow-member Diotrephes.

But evidently he was a stranger to Gaius and needed introduction and commendation. St. John gives him a threefold testimony: (1) that of the whole community at Ephesus (ὑπὸπάντων); (2) that of “ the Truth” (see note on 1 John 1:8): he fulfilled the requirements of the Gospel and exemplified its saving power; (3) that of the Apostle and his colleagues at Ephesus (ἡμεῖς): he has long been honoured by his community as an embodiment of the Truth (μεμαρτύρηται), and the Apostle testifies this when he is going among strangers ignorant of his past (μαρτυροῦμεν). καὶ … δὲ, see note on 1 John 1:3. οἶδαςὅτι, κ.τ.λ.: because St. John knew him so well. Demetrius belonged to the Church of Ephesus and was probably a convert of the Apostle.

3 John 1:13

3 John 1:13. γράψαι, aor. of the complete composition in the Apostle’ s mind; γράφειν, pres. of the process of putting it on paper. κάλαμος (in full κάλαμοςγραφεύς), a reed-pen, as distinguished from γραφεῖον, a sharp-pointed stilus for writing on waxed tablets. Plutarch (Dem., 29, 3) says that Demosthenes, when meditating and writing, was accustomed to bite his κάλαμος.

3 John 1:14

3 John 1:15. εἰρήνησοι, pax tibi, the Jewish greeting, ωΡΘμεΙνμΐκΘ (Judges 6:23; Judges 19:20), οἱφίλοι, those at Ephesus; τοὺςφίλους, those with Gaius. St. John knew all “ by name,” and would have named them had space permitted. He had the true shepherd’ s heart (cf. John 10:3, the only other place where κατʼ ὄνομα occurs in N.T.). Ignat., ad Smyrn., xiii. 2: ἀσπάζομαιἌλκην, τὸπαθητόνμοιὄνομα, καὶΔάφνον, τὸνἀσύγκριτονκαὶεὔτεκνον, καὶπάνταςκατʼ ὄνομα.