3 John 1

3 John 1:1

The letter is marked throughout by personal circumstances, and is broken up into short paragraphs which are severally suggested by these. After the salutation (v. 1) St John (1) expresses in general terms his joy at the tidings of Gaius which he hears (2—4); and (2) specially approves his hospitality towards missionary brethren (5—8). In contrast with this generosity (3) he condemns the ambitious self-assertion of Diotrephes (9, 10); and then (4) gives his witness in favour of Demetrius (11, 12); and so (5) concludes (13—15).

1. The salutation.

The salutation stands in contrast by its brevity with the salutations in the other personal letters of the New Testament. The wish of blessing is transposed in another form to the following verse.

¹ The Elder to Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth.

1. ὁ πρεσβύτερος] 2 John 1 note.

Γαίῳ τῷ ἀγ.] The name ‘Gaius’ (Caius) occurs Acts xix. 29 (a ‘Macedonian’); xx. 4 (‘of Derbe’); 1 Cor. i. 14 (a Corinthian); Rom. xvi. 23 (a Corinthian). There is nothing to identify this Gaius with any one of these. Another is mentioned as having been made bishop of Pergamum by St John (Const. Ap. vii.

46). The position which Gaius occupied in the church to which he belonged is not shown by the letter. The epithet ‘beloved’ is afterwards used as a title of address (vv. 2, 5, 11). It occurs several times in salutations of St Paul: Rom. xvi. 12; Philem. 1 (’the beloved’); Rom. xvi. 5, 8, 9, (‘my beloved’); 2 Tim. i. 2 (‘my beloved child’).

ὃν ἐγὼ ἀγ.] The emphatic personal pronoun (2 John 1) seems to point to some gainsayers with whom the apostle contrasts himself. Compare ’thou’ (σύ) in v. 3.

ἐν ἀληθ.] Comp. 2 John 1 note. ἐν ἀληθείᾳ ἀγαπᾷ ὁ κατὰ Κύριον ἀγαπῶν (Ecumen.).

3 John 1:2

2. The teacher’s joy (2—4).

St John, having much ground for sorrow and disappointment, begins with the expression of joy (comp. 2 John 4). Some of his own children (comp. 2 John l.c.), Gaius among them, were loyal to the Truth. He could wish him nothing better than that all his circumstances should correspond to his spiritual progress.

The salutation is completed, after the common model, in v. 1. The second verse adds what corresponds to the fuller Christian greeting (2 John 3).

² Beloved, I pray that in all things

[2, 3, 4]

² Ἀγαπητέ, περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή. ³ ἐχάρην γὰρ λίαν ἐρχομένων ἀδελφῶν καὶ μαρτυρούντων σου τῇ ἀληθείᾳ, καθὼς σὺ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ περιπατεῖς. ⁴ μειζοτέραν

3 ἐχάρην γάρ ABC me syr.: om. γάρ ℵ vg the. μαρτυρούντων: μαρτυρούν Β (at the end of a line). καθὼς σὺ: om. σὺ A.

thou mayest prosper and be in good health even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced (rejoice) greatly when brethren came (come) and bore (bear) witness to thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth. ⁴ I have no greater grace than these tidings, that I may hear of mine own children walking in the truth.

2. Ἀγαπητέ carissime V. (vv. 5, 11). For the use of the plural see 1 John ii. 7 note.

περὶ π. εὔχ. σε εὐοδ…] de omnibus orationem facio prospere te ingredi V. In all things I pray that thou mayest be prosperous… The phrase περὶ πάντων is remarkable. It may go with εὐοδοῦσθαι or with the sentence generally (comp. 1 Cor. xvi. 1). The sense ‘above all things’ is not justified by any parallel in the N. T. or lxx.; and the context points to a contrast between ’the soul’ and other things. The thought appears to be of the public and social work of Gaius as distinguished from his personal progress, though ὑγιαίνειν may point to some illness.

εὔχομαι] The word is rare in N.T.: 2 Cor. xiii. 7, 9; Acts xxvi. 29; xxvii. 29.

εὐοδ. καὶ ὑγιαίνειν] The elements of progress and vigour are combined. For εὐοδοῦσθαι see 1 Cor. xvi. 2; Rom. i. 10. In St Paul ὑγιαίνειν is always used metaphorically of sound doctrine; but it occurs in the literal sense of sound health in St Luke: v. 31, vii. 10, xv. 27.

καθὼς…ψυχή] sicut prospere agit anima tua V. ψυχή expresses here the principle of the higher life (‘soul’)

(Hebr. vi. 19, x. 39, xiii. 17; 1 Pet. ii. 11, iv. 19). The nearest approach to this sense elsewhere in St John’s writings is John xii. 27 (x. 24). In other places he uses it only of the principle of the ’natural’ life.

3 John 1:3

3. ἐχάρην γάρ…] Comp. 2 John 4. The joy which the apostle felt at the tidings of the action of Gaius is given in explanation of his far-reaching wish for his welfare, and not only as an assurance of his spiritual well-being. The words evidently point to some difficulties from false teaching which Gaius had boldly met, though as yet the issue of his work was uncertain.

ἐρχομ. ἀδ.] when brethren came not on one occasion only (ἐλθόντων) but from time to time, though all these visits belonged definitely to the past (ἐχάρην) when the apostle wrote. The words give a vivid picture of continued troubles even in the apostolic church.

ἀδελφῶν] vv. 5, 10. Comp. 1 John iii. 14 addit. note.

μαρτ. σ. τῇ ἀλ.] testimonium perhibentibus veritati tua V., bore witness to thy truth, attested the perfect and sincere loyalty with which you maintain the fulness of the Christian faith in life. Christian thought and Christian action are inseparable.

καθὼς σὺ…] even as thou walkest in truth, truly. Comp. 2 John 4. The emphatic pronoun (σί) suggests a contrast with others as (for example) Diotrephes. Gaius walked not only in word but really (ἐν ἀληθ. 1 John iii. 18) according to the standard of the Christian revelation (ἐν τῇ ἀλ. ‘in the Truth’). The clause seems to

5]

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be one of those personal comments in which St John pausing on what is written, as it were, thinks aloud: ‘They witnessed to thy truth; yes, and when the vision of vain professions rises before me I know that thou at least livest indeed as thou teachest.’

3 John 1:4

4. μειζοτέραν…χάριν, ἵνα…] majorem horum non habeo gratiam quam ut…V. I have no greater grace —favour from God—than these tidings, that I may hear… The plural τούτων ’these things’ does not refer to what follows (’that I may hear’) but to what precedes, the manifold testimonies which St John received of the courageous resolution with which Gaius maintained the Truth in the face of difficulties. The end assured by such tidings was the open acknowledgment of the fidelity of disciples (’that so I may hear’). Even if St John had himself no doubt of the fact, it would be a joy to know that it was also observed by others. For the construction see John xv. 13 note.

For the form μειζότερος compare ἐλαχιστότερος Eph. iii. 8.

ἔχω χάριν] The use of χάρις is remarkable; but χάρις makes the ‘joy’ (χαρά) of the common text itself a divine gift. The word is very rare in St John (2 John 3 note). Here it expresses the divine favour in a concrete form. So it is used of the gracious gift of men: 1 Cor. xvi. 3. ‘To have grace’ (or ‘a grace’) here corresponds with ‘giving’ (Rom. xii. 6, &c.) and ‘receiving’ grace (Rom. i. 5). Ἔχειν χάριν is used elsewhere in different constructions and senses: Ἔχειν χάριν τινί Luke xvii. 9; 1 Tim. i. 12; ἔ. χ. πρὸς τινα Acts ii. 47.

τὰ ἐμὰ τ.] mine own children

(Philem. 10), not simply τὰ τέκνα μου. Those Christians to whom the apostle had been the human author of spiritual life: 1 Cor. iv. 14, 17; 1 Tim. i. 2, &c.; 2 John 1, 13. Τεκνία, the title of affection, would be used of all to whom he at present stood in the position of father: 1 John ii. 1, note.

ἐν τῇ ἀλ. περιπ.] The phrase is not found elsewhere in N. T. Comp. ἐν τῷ σκ. (ἐν τῇ σκ.) π. 1 John i. 6; ii. 11; ἐν τῷ φωτὶ π. 1 John i. 7; ἐν αὐτῇ (τῇ ἀγάπῃ) π. 2 John 6. For the image see 1 John i. 6, note.

3 John 1:5

3. The duty of generosity to the brethren (5—8).

Gaius appears to have incurred the displeasure of some in his Church by entertaining strange brethren. St John emphatically approves what he had done, and enforces such hospitality as a Christian duty.

In this brief notice we have a vivid sketch of the work and of the difficulties of the first ‘Evangelists’: Eph. iv. 11. Compare Doctr. of App. 11 ff.

⁵ Beloved, thou makest sure whatsoever thou doest unto the brethren and strangers withal, ⁶ who bore witness to thy love before the church; whom thou wilt do well to help forward on their journey worthily of God; ⁷ for they went out for the Name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. ⁸ We therefore ought to welcome such that we may be fellow workers with the truth.

5. πιστὸν π.] fideliter facis V. The phrase is commonly interpreted: ’thou doest a faithful work,’ a work which answers to thy faith: so Œcum. ἄξιον πιστοῦ ἀνδρός. No parallel is quoted in support of such a sense of πιστός. The more natural rendering is rather

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’thou makest sure’; that is, such an act will not be lost, will not fail of its due issue and reward (Apoc. xxi. 5). This sense falls in well with the context (comp. Apoc. xiv. 13), and explains the use of the two verbs, ποιεῖν, ἐργάζεσθαι, which are combined also in Col. iii. 23.

ὁ ἐὰν ἐργ.] The indefinite form (ὁ ἐὰν as contrasted with ὁ) marks the variety of service. For ἐργάζομαι see John vi. 28, ix. 4; and for ἐργ. εἰς, Matt. xxvi. 10.

καὶ τοῦτο ξ.] et hoc in…V., and strangers withal. The fact that this detail is emphasised in the commendation of the hospitality of Gaius seems to imply that it had been made the occasion of unjust blame. For καὶ toῦτο compare 1 Cor. vi. 6; Phil. i. 28; Eph. ii. 8. Viewed rightly the fact that these brethren were strangers gave them a more pressing claim upon the common ties of brotherhood. Comp. Hebr. xiii. 2 note.

3 John 1:6

6. οἱ ἐμαρτ…] Those who in one particular case experienced the habitual hospitality of Gaius bore open testimony to his character in a public assembly of the church where the writer was, gathered together, as it may seem, to receive their report: comp. Acts xiv. 26 ff. For ἐνώπιον ἐκκλ. (not τῆς ἐκκλ.) compare ἐν ἐκκλ. 1 Cor. xiv. 19, 35: ἐν συναγωγῇ John vi. 59, xviii. 20. Doctr. Ap. iv. 14 ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐξομολογήσῃ τὰ παραπτώματά σου.

οὐς κ. π. προπέμψας] quos beneficiens deducens beneficis duceus V. Those who had before found help from Gaius now again required it for a special work. The future implies a wish which, it is assumed, will at once be fulfilled. Comp. Rom. vi. 14. For προπέμψας see Acts xv. 3; Tit. iii. 13. The latter passage suggests that the word includes some provision for the journey as well as sympathetic attendance: Acts xxi. 3. St John regards the act in its completeness (προπέμψας) and not in process (προπέμπων). This makes the combination of the aor. and fut. natural. For προπ. compare Polyc. Phil. 1 συνεχάρην ὑμῖν…προπέμψασιν ὡς ἐπέβαλεν ὑμῖν tous ἐνειλημμένους τοῖς ἀγιοπρέπει δεσμοῖς.

καλῶς ποι.] Acts x. 33; James ii. 8 (19); 2 Pet. i. 19; 1 Cor. vii. 37 f.; Phil. iv. 14.

ἀξ. τ. θ.] worthily of their dedication to the service of God: John xiii. 20. Comp. 1 Thess. ii. 12; Col. i. 10 ἀξ. τοῦ κυρίου.

3 John 1:7

7. ὑπὲρ γὰρ τ. ὄν.] pro nomine enim V., for the Name’s sake, that is, to make the Name better known: Rom. i. 5.

‘The Name’ is used absolutely Acts v. 41 (comp. r. 40 ἐπὶ τῷ ὄν. Ἰησοῦ). Comp. James ii. 7. It is also found in the letters of Ignatius: ad Eph. 7 τὸ ὄνομα περιφέρειν: ad Philad. 10 δοξάσαι tὸ ὄνομα. Comp. ad Eph. 1 δέδεμαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ κοινοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ ἐλπίδος: id. 3 εἰ…δέδεμαι ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι οὔπω ἀπήρτισμαι ἐν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ. From the contexts it is evident that ’the Name’ is ‘Jesus Christ’ (’the Lord Jesus’), or, as it is written at length, ‘Jesus Christ, the Son of God’ (John xx. 31; 1 John iv. 15). This ‘Name’

8]

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is in essence the sum of the Christian Creed (comp. 1 Cor. xii. 3; Rom. x. 9).

When analysed it reveals the triune ‘Name’ into which the Christian is baptized, Matt. xxviii. 19. Compare also 1 Pet. iv. 16 ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ i.e. Christian.

With the absolute use of ’the Name’ may be compared the absolute use of ’the Way’; Acts ix. 2, xix. 9, 23, xxiv. 22.

See Additional Note.

ἐξῆλθαν] profecti sunt V., they went forth from some Church, well known to the apostle and Gaius, on a mission of Truth, as others went forth on a mission of error (2 John 7; 1 John ii. 19). Comp. Acts xv. 40.

μηδὲν λαμβ…] taking nothing as their habitual rule. This trait is given not as a simple fact (οὐδὲν λαμβ.), but as a mark of character. These teachers refused to receive hospitality from Gentiles who were unconverted. Many reasons may have recommended such a rule. St Paul alludes frequently to difficulties which arose even from that reasonable provision by the Church which St John here claims: 1 Thess. ii. 6 ff.; 1 Cor. ix. 14 f.; 2 Cor. xii. 16 ff. For λαμβ. ἀπὸ see Matt. xvii. 25.

ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνικ.] a gentilibus (gentibus) V., from the Gentiles to whom they carried the Gospel. The form used (ἐθνικός) describes character rather than mere position: Matt. v. 47, vi. 7, xviii. 17. It does not seem to be found in the LXX.

Additional Note on v. 7. The Divine Name.

The idea of the ‘Name’ (שָׁם, ὄνομα) has a far deeper significance in Biblical language than in our own. As applied to God it expresses that which has been made known of Him; or, more exactly to distinguish the two factors in the revelation, that which He has made known of Himself, and which man can apprehend as addressed to him. Thus the Name of God does not represent His Essence as He is in Himself but the manifestation of Himself which He has been pleased to give: that view of His Being and Character by which it is His will to be known, and under which He authorises man to address Him (comp. Gen. xvi. 13, xxxii. 29; Ex. vi. 3). And as applied to men the new name symbolises a new state, a new work and new powers for its fulfilment (Apoc. ii. 17, iii. 12, xxii. 4).

Under this aspect the Name of God is used in two ways. It may express some particular revelation, expressed by one definite title (El-Shaddai, Jehovah, Father), or the whole sum of these manifold revelations taken together as one supreme revelation (ὁ θεός, God).

Hence it comes to pass that the ‘Name’ often stands for God Himself so far as it brings Him before man: Ex. xxiii. 21 (my Name is in Him, i.e. the Angel of the Covenant); 1 K. viii. 29 (the place of which Thou hast said: My Name shall be there); Is. xxx. 27 (Behold the Name of the Lord cometh from far).

‘To blaspheme the Name’ was the same as ‘blaspheming the Name of the Lord’ (Lev. xxiv. 11, 16), that is blaspheming God as He had revealed Himself through Moses to His people (comp. Ex. vi. 3). And in the Acts (iii. 13, 16) it is said that the Name of ‘Jesus, the Servant of the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob’ gave strength to the lame man (comp. Acts iv. 30, 12).

It follows as a natural consequence that the Divine Names in the Bible give in a broad outline the course of revelation.

There is first the general name El, Elohim, which expresses man’s feeling after God, apart from any special revelation.

Then follows the patriarchal title El-Shaddai, which indicates the exercise of the sovereign might of God for the fulfilment of His counsel.

Then the covenant name Jehovah, which is developed in the titles ’the Holy One,’ ’the Lord of Hosts.’

Then follows a silence, when the Divine Name is unspoken.

At last the revelation of the Father is given: ‘ὁ πατὴρ μου καὶ πατὴρ ὑμῶν καὶ θεός μου καὶ θεός ὑμῶν’ (John xx. 17).

Two names present the two main views of God in the O.T., Elohim and Jehovah. The former, the generic name, gathers up what St Paul speaks of as τὸ γνωστὸν τοῦ θεοῦ… ἡ ἀίδιος αὐτοῦ δύναμις καὶ θεώτης (Rom. i. 19 f.), all that man is made to recognise little by little from the study of his own constitution and the world without. The latter, the proper name, gathers up all that God made known of Himself in His dealings with His people during the discipline of the first Covenant. Speaking generally

The Divine Name in the N. T.

Elohim describes the God of Nature, Jehorah the God of revelation. The former includes the ideas of the creation, preservation, and general fixed government of finite things: the latter, the idea of living, progressive intercourse with men, of whom Israel were for the time the representatives. The great confession of the chosen people was to declare that the God of revelation is the God for Whom man’s soul craves, One in His infinite perfections: Deut. vi. 4 ‘Jehorah our Elohim (or is our Elohim), Jehorah is One’ (comp. 1 John v. 20).

Not to dwell in detail here upon the Divine Names in the O. T. it must be noticed that the idea of ’the Name’ is no less prominent in the N. T. Thus the Lord characterises His own Mission as a ‘Coming in the Name of His Father’ (John v. 43); and the Mission of the Holy Spirit as a Mission in His Name (John xiv. 26 ὁ πέμψει ὁ πατήρ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου). He glorified His Father and manifested His Father’s Name to men (John xvii. 4, 6); and it is the work of the Holy Spirit to glorify Him, and to take of His and declare it to His disciples (John xvi. 14). In the one case, if we may so speak, the Name of the Father was completely shewn: God was made known perfectly in this relation by the fact of the Incarnation. In the other case the Church is learning little by little the Name of the Son.

The most complete expression of the Divine Name is that given in Matt. xxviii. 19 τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, but the essence of this Name so written at length is the simple Name ‘Jesus Christ’ or ’the Lord Jesus,’ or even ‘Jesus’ alone, when the context determines the office attached to it: ὄν. Ἱ. Χρ. (Acts ii. 38, iii. 6, iv. 10, viii. 12, x. 48, xvi. 18; ὄν. τοῦ κυρίου Ἱ. Acts viii. 16 (ix. 14) (xv. 26), xix. 5, 13, 17, xxi. 13; ὄν. Ἱ. iv. 18 (30), v. 20, ix. 27, xxvi. 9).

In the Epistles the Name of revelation, the Lord’s Name, occurs in several forms: ’the Name of Christ’: 1 Pet. iv. 14 (16); ’the Name of the Lord’: James v. 14 (? contrast r. 10); ’the Name of our Lord Jesus’: 2 Thess. i. 12; ’the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ’: 1 Cor. i. 2, 10; (v. 4, vi. 11); Rom. i. 5; Eph. v. 20; (Col. iii. 17); ’the Name of Jesus’: Phil. ii. 10. Compare Additional Note on 1 John iii. 23.

The phrase ’the Name of God’ is found in the Epistles only in 1 Tim. vi. 1, besides quotations from the LXX. (Hebr. vi. 10, xiii. 15), and the context explains its use. In the Apocalypse it occurs xvi. 9 (comp. iii. 12).

The characteristic Name of God in the N. T. is ’the Father’ (Matt. vi. 9; John xii. 28; comp. Additional Note on i. 2).

From what has been said the full force of the phrases ’to believe in the name’ (πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ ὄν. 1 John v. 13 note), ’to ask in the name’ (John xiv. 13 note), ’to be gathered in (into εἰς) the name’ (Matt. xviii. 20), ’to have life in the name’ (John xx. 31) becomes evident. In every case the Name brings before the mind that aspect of the Divine Person which is realised by faith in each action of the spiritual life.

In close connexion with the idea of the Divine Name is that of the Divine Glory (Introd. to Gosp. of St. John pp. xlvii. ff.). The Name expresses the revelation as it is apprehended and used by man. Man is called by the Name and employs it. The Glory expresses rather the manifestation of the Divine as Divine, as a partial disclosure of the Divine Majesty not directly intelligible by man (comp. Ex. xxxiii. 18 ff.). In this relation it is of interest to notice that while St John’s Gospel is, in one aspect, a record of the unfolding of the Divine Glory in Christ, there is no mention of Glory in his Epistles. This is the more remarkable since the idea of Glory is found in the Apocalypse and in all the other Epistles except that to Philemon.

3 John 1:8

8. ἡμεῖς οὖν…] We therefore, as fellow Christians, ought (are bound, 1 John ii. 6 note) to receive (support) such. The word ὑπολαμβάνειν (suscipere V.) gives the notion of welcoming with hospitable support.

ἵνα συν. γιν. τῇ ἀλ.] ut cooperatores simus veritatis V. The phrase is ambiguous. The fellowship may be either with the teachers: ’that we may be fellow-workers with them in support of the truth’; or with the truth, the substance of their teaching: ’that we may help the truth which is effective through them.’ The word συνεργός is not used elsewhere in the N. T. or LXX with the dat. It is used with the gen. of the person with whom the worker cooperates (e.g. Rom. xvi. 21 ὁ συν. μου, 1 Cor. iii. 9 θεοῦ συνεργοί), and with the gen. of the object, 1 Cor. iii. 9 συνεργοὶ τῆς χαρᾶς, 1 Macc. xiv. 5. It is also used with εἰς (Col. iv. 11 συν. εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν) and πρὸς (2 Macc. viii. 7 πρὸς τὰς…ἐπιβουλάς συν.) of the object. The verb is used with the dat. of that which is helped, James ii. 22 συνήργει τοῖς ἔργοις, 1 Macc. xii. 1; and this construction is sufficient to support the connexion of συν. with τῇ ἀλ.

3 John 1:9

4. The temporary triumph of ambition (9, 10).

As yet St John had not succeeded in removing the opposition from which Gaius suffered; but he makes it clear that the issue cannot be doubtful.

⁹ I wrote a few words to the Church; but he that loveth to have the preeminence among them, Diotrephes, doth not receive us. ¹⁰ For this cause, if I come I will call to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating of us with evil words; and, since he is not content therewith,

[9, 10]

⁹ Ἔγραψά τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἀλλ’ ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων αὐτῶν Διοτρέφης οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς. ¹⁰ διὰ τοῦτο, ἐὰν ἔλθω, ὑπομνήσω αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ποιεῖ, λόγοις πονηροῖς φλυαρῶν ἡμᾶς, καὶ μὴ ἀρκούμενος ἐπὶ τούτοις

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neither doth he receive the brethren himself and them that would he hindereth and casteth out of the Church.

9. Ἔγραψάτι scripsissem forsitan V., I wrote a few words. The use of τι to express ‘something of importance’ is foreign to the N. T. and unsuitable to the context. St John treats his letter lightly. The letter, which may be regarded as the type of a class, has not been preserved. To escape from the difficulty supposed to be involved in the loss of an apostolic letter several early authorities introduced ἂν (as V.).

τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ to the Church to which Gaius belonged, as well as now to Gaius himself. St John had by this time heard that his letter had for the present failed. This is the only passage in his Epistles (r. 6 is different) in which St John speaks of ‘a Church.’ The word ἐκκλησία does not occur in his Gospel. In the Apocalypse (as here) ’the Church’ is always used of the special society in a particular place (comp. Apoc. xxii. 16 ἐπὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις); so that St John nowhere gives a distinct expression to the thought worked out in Eph. i. 22, v. 23 ff.; though he records the gift of its new life, John xx. 21 ff.

ὁ φιλοπρ…Δ.] is qui amat primatum genere in iis D. V., he that boreth to have the preeminence among (or over) them… The word φιλόπρωτος occurs in late Greek (Polyb. Plut.), but φιλοπρωτεύειν is not quoted from any other passage. The idea of πρωτεύειν governs the gen. αὐτῶν, which answers to ἡ ἐκκλησία (comp. 1 Cor. i. 2 τῇ ἐκκλ., ἡγιασμένοις). It is of interest to compare the two sources of failure noticed in the two Epistles, προάγειν (2 John 9) and φιλοπρωτεύειν, the undue claims to intellectual progress and to personal authority. There is nothing to indicate that Diotrephes held false opinions: his ambition only is blamed. Comp. Herm. Tim. viii. 7, 4 ἔχοντες ζῆλόν τινα ἐν ἀλλήλοις περὶ πρωτεύων καὶ περὶ δόξης τινός: id. 7.

οὐκ ἐπιδέχ. ἡ.] In r. 10 the word is used of the literal welcome of visitors: here it is naturally understood of the recognition of the apostle’s wish as authoritative. Comp. 1 Macc. x. 1 ἐπεδέξαντο αὐτόν (as sovereign); xii. 8, 43; x. 46 ἐπεδ. λόγους; Eclus. vi. 26 ἐπεδ. παιδείαν. By the use of ἡμᾶς (contrast ἔγραψα r. 1 ἐγώ) St John removes the question from a personal issue. He identifies himself with the society (cc. 8, 12 ἡμεῖς, 1 John iv. 6; v. 14 f.).

3 John 1:10

10. διὰ τοῦτο…] St John implies that his personal presence will be decisive. By using the form ἐὰν ἔλθω there is no doubt thrown on the main fact of his coming (r. 14). Comp. 1 John ii. 28.

ὑπομ. αὐτ. τ. ἔ.] commoneam ejus opera V., I will call to remembrance his works. I will bring them to his notice and to the notice of others. Ὑπομιμνήσκειν is used with the acc. of the person (2 Pet. i. 12) and of the thing (2 Tim. ii. 14), and of both (John xiv. 26).

λ. πον. φλ. ἡ.] verbis malignis garrisons in nos V., prating of us with

11, 12]

¹¹ Ἀγαπητέ, μὴ μιμοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθόν. ὁ ἀγαθοποιῶν ἐκ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστίν· ὁ κακοποιῶν οὐχ ἐώρακεν τὸν θεόν. ¹² Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτύρηται ὑπὸ πάνβουλομένους: ἐπιδεχομένους C the. ἐκ τῆς ἐκκλ.: om. ἐκ Ν. 11 ὁ κακοπ.: ὁ δὲ κακοπ. S me.

evil words (Matt. v. 11; Acts xxviii. 21). The adj. φλύαρος occurs 1 Tim. v. 13.

μὴ ἀρκ. ἐπὶ τ.] quasi non ei ista sufficient V., and since he does not rest content therewith… Ἀρκεῖσθαι is used with the simple dat. Luke iii. 14; Hebr. xiii. 5; 1 Tim. vi. 8.

οὔτε…καί…] nec…et… V. John iv. 11.

κωλύει…ἐκβάλλει] The verbs do not necessarily express more than the purpose and effort: comp. John x. 32 (Matt. iii. 14). It is difficult to realise the circumstances of the case. It may perhaps be reasonably conjectured from ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων that Diotrephes regarded the reception of the brethren as an invasion of his authority.

ἐκβάλλει] Luke vi. 22; John ix. 34 f.

5. The witness to the faithful disciple (11, 12).

Self-seeking may have its tempting successes, but they rest on no secure foundation. The faithful are supported by many converging testimonies.

¹¹ Beloved, imitate not that which is evil but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God; he that doeth evil hath not seen God. ¹² Demetrius hath witness borne to him by all and by the truth itself: yea we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true.

3 John 1:11

11. Ἀγαπητέ…] The transition lies in the thought of the power which Diotrephes had won by wrong means.

μὴ μιμοῦ] noli imitari V. Comp. 2 Thess. iii. 7, 9; Hebr. xiii. 7. The noun μιμητής occurs several times: e.g. 1 Cor. iv. 16; Eph. v. 1.

τὸ κ…τὸ ἀγ…] malum…quod bonum est V. Rom. xii. 21.

ἀγαθ…κακοπ…] Mk. iii. 4; Luke vi. 9; 1 Pet. iii. 17.

ἐκ τοῦ θ. ἐ…οὐχ ἑώρ. τ. θ…] The two stages of divine relationship correspond with the two characters. He who does good proves by his action that his life springs from God as its source (εἶναι ἐκ τ. θ. Addit. Note on 1 John iii. 1): he who does evil has not made the first step towards participation in the Divine Nature (1 John iii. 6 note). In one sense the vision of God (the Father) in Christ (John xiv. 9) is the condition of fellowship with Him: in another sense the vision of God as God lies beyond the power of man (John i. 18).

It is likely that here, as elsewhere, St John points to men who professed to have deeper insight into truth and disparaged the importance of virtuous action.

3 John 1:12

12. Δημητρίῳ μεμαρτ.] From the unfaithful St John turns to the faithful: from the ’evil’ to the ‘good.’ It is likely from the context that Demetrius was the bearer of the letter. For μαρτ. τινί see John iii. 26; Luke iv. 22; Acts xv. 8; and in pass. Acts vi. 3; x. 22; xvi. 2; xxii. 12; 1 Tim. v. 10, &c.

St John appeals to a threefold witness given in favour of Demetrius (1) ὑπὸ π. by all, that is the general witness of men arising out of the experience of life; (2) ὑπ’ αὐτ. τ. ἀλ. by the Truth itself, so far as the ideal of Christianity was seen to be realised by

[12—15]

¹³ Πολλὰ εἶχον γράψαι σοι, ἀλλ’ οὐ θέλω διὰ μέ- λανος καὶ καλάμου σοι γράφειν· ¹⁴ ἐλπίζω δὲ εὐθέως σε ἰδεῖν, καὶ στόμα πρὸς στόμα λαλήσομεν. ¹⁵ Εἰρήνη σοι. ἀσπάζονταί σε οἱ φίλοι. ἀσπάζου τοὺς φίλους κατ’ ὄνομα.

12 τῆς ἀληθείας: τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῆς ἀλ. C: τῆς ἐκκλησίας A* (?). οἶδας: οἶδατε 5. ἡ μαρτ. ἡ. ἀλ. ἐστ.: ἀλ. ἡ. ἐστ. ἡ μαρτ. C. 13 γράψαι σοι: γράφειν 5. οὐ θέλω: οὐκ ἐβουλήθην A (2 John 12). σοὶ γρ. NBC: γρ. σοι A vg me the syrr. γράφειν: γράψαι 5. 14 σε ἰδεῖν ABC vg: ἰδεῖν σε 5N me. πρὸς: πρὸ B*. 15 οἱ φίλοι: οἱ ἀδελφοί A. ἀσπάζου: ἄσπασαι N.

him; (3) καὶ ἡμ. δὲ μαρτ. yea and we also bear witness: St John and those with him spoke with the authority of the Church.

For the combination μεμαρτ., μαρτυροῦμεν see John v. 33, 36. The witness given in the past was still effective while it was also complete: the witness of St John came with present fresh force.

ὑπὸ π.] by all. It is possible that these words are to be taken quite generally: 1 Tim. iii. 7; though it is not necessary to extend them beyond the circle of Christians.

καί…δέ…] See 1 John i. 3.

καὶ οἶδας] The words in John xxi. 24 sound like an echo of this sentence.

This verse serves the purpose of ‘a commendatory letter’ (συστατικὴ ἐπιστολὴ 2 Cor. iii. 1).

6. The conclusion (13—15).

¹³ I had many things to write to thee, howbeit I will not write to thee with ink and pen; ¹⁴ but I hope to see thee shortly, and we will speak face to face.

Peace be to thee: the friends salute thee: salute the friends by name.

3 John 1:13

13. εἶχον] The writer goes back to the time when the letter was begun. See 2 John 12. The variations in form are worth notice: ἔχων οὐκ ἐβουλήθην, εἶχον ἀλλ’ οὐ θέλω—ὑμῖν γράφειν, γράψαι σοι—διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέ- λανος, διὰ μέλανος καὶ καλάμου—γενέ- σθαι πρὸς ὑ., εὐθ. σε ἰδεῖν—λαλήσαι, λαλήσομεν. If the second Epistle was addressed to a Church it would not be difficult to shew that there is a fitness in the subtle differences in tone.

3 John 1:14

15. εἰρήνη σοι] Peace be to thee: 1 Pet. v. 14. As a formula of greeting: Luke x. 5; xxiv. 36; John xx. 19, 21, 26. And so (in combination with other words) in epistolary salutations: 2 John 3 note.

οἱ φίλοι] our friends. The word does not occur again in the Epistles in this connexion. Comp. Acts xxvii. 3. It gives a faint glimpse of personal relationships. Comp. John xv. 13 ff.

κατ’ ὄνομα] per nomen V. Comp. John x. 3 (xx. 16). Polyc. Phil. 13 ἀσπάζομαι…πάντας κατ’ ὄνομα.