3 John 1
Woods3 John 1:1-4
ADDRESS AND
1 The elder unto Gaius the beloved, whom I love in truth. The author is thus the same as the writer of the second epistle, “the elder,” i.e., the apostle John. (See the Introduction to the Second and Third Epistles of John.) The missive was addressed to Gaius. The name occurs in Acts 19:29 20:4; Romans 16:23 ; and 1 Corinthians 1:14, but inasmuch as it was a common name in the Roman Empire of the time, we are not justified in inferring that it was one of those thus referred to. The description, “the be-loved,” reveals the esteem in which Gaius was held by those who knew him. “Whom I love in the truth” was John’s specific affir-mation of regard, in addition to that in which the disciple Gaius was generally held. For the significance of the phrase “in truth,” see the comments on 2 John 1:1.
2 Beloved, I pray that in all things thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.–Four times, in this brief letter, the word “beloved” occurs, viz., verse 1, here, and in verse 5 and 11. This verse thus contains an address of affec-tion; it reveals that John was praying for his beloved friend and brother in the Lord; informs us that that for which he prayed was that Gaius might (a) prosper (financially); and (b) be in health; that such should be to the extent that his soul prospered. Here, incidentally, is the standard by which to determine how rich one may safely become: just so long as the soul prospers! So long as one enjoys soul prosperity, his riches bless and benefit not only himself, but others; when they impair spiritual health, the interests of the soul demand, as in the case of the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17 31) that a surgical operation be performed and they be severed from us!
It would appear from the apostle’s petition that Gaius’ health was not good and that he was also not a prosperous man. It is possible his soul health was better than either his physical or finan-cial health, hence the prayer that these might equal that. On the other hand, it may be that the prayer was a simple petition for the welfare of Gaius without any implication that either his finan-cial condition or physical health was good or bad, but that they might be as good as his soul already was. In either view, the principle is the same: a recognition of the superior importance of the interests of the soul. The apostle was speaking in the spirit of his Master’s admonition when he said: “But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33.) Having put first things first, it was entirely in order that Gaius should have health and pros-perity. It is a lesson so sorely needed among us today. We should ever remember to subordinate the material to the spiritual, and never allow the world to gain precedence in our thoughts and lives.
3 For I rejoiced greatly, when brethren came and bare wit-ness unto thy truth, even as thou walkest in truth.–The apostle rejoiced-; the occasion of his joy was the witness which the brethren brought of the faithfulness of Gaius that he walked in truth. The verbs, “came,” and “bear witness,” are present participles, (erchomenon, marturounton), and thus suggest repeti-tive action, i.e., “brethren are constantly coming, and continually bearing witness to me of thy truth.” The clause, “even as thou walkest in truth,” is not an independent one by which the apostle added the testimony of his own to that of the brethren; but is epexegetical of the former, and gives the substances of the testi-mony which they brought.
The brethren who bore this testimony regarding Gaius to John are not certainly known, though they may well have been those to whom the apostle refers in verse 5. These brethren had carried a letter of recommendation to the church, which John had written, and though entertained by Gaius and given hospitality by him. had been rejected by the church through the influence of Dio-trephes. (Verse 5-11.) These would, therefore, be able to testify of the kindness and faithfulness of Gaius, in contrast with the un brotherliness of Diotrephes. It seems reasonable to assume that these bearing witness particularly referred to here were indeed the brethren whom the apostle had sent. The final clause of verse three, rendered, “Even as thou walkest in truth,” has, in the origi-nal text the pronoun “thou” in emphatic position: “Thou (in con-trast with Diotrephes), walkest in truth.”
From verses 5 and 6, it appears that Gaius’ faithfulness con-sisted not only of devotion to the cause of the Lord, but in liber-ality, hospitality and good works. In these matters that disciple continued; and this, John described as walking in truth! Again, there is emphasized here, that which is repeatedly taught through-out the Bible: it is not possible to separate theory and practice in genuine Christianity. “What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he bath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked and in lack of daily food, and one if you say unto them, Go in peace, be ye warmed and filled; and yet we give them not the things needful to the body ; what dothprofit?Evensofaith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, Thou bast faith, and I have works show me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will show thee my faith. Thou believest that God is one; thou doest well: the demons also believe, and shudder.
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith apart from works is barren? Ye see that by works a man is justified, and not only by faith.” (James 2 14-20, 24.) There is thus no genuine faith without works, nor are works of value without faith, or such as are produced by faith. It is only when the two are united that the practice of genuine Christianity results.
4 Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.–“Greater,” here (meizoteran), is a double comparative, and thus a term of great emphasis. Compare the “more better” of Paul in Philippians 1:23. These forms are of frequent occurrence in both biblical and classical Greek. In Ephesians 3:8, there is a comparative on a superlative: “Unto me whom am less than the least of all saints . . .” In this manner did the apostle indicate the tremendous satisfaction he derived from the knowledge that his children (those whom he converted to the truth, or with whom he had been closely associated in the work of the Lord), walked in truth. That which brought joy to the apostle’s heart is likewise a source of much satisfaction to all faithful gospel preachers today. To know that those we have been instrumental in leading to the truth are continuing stedfastly in faith and good works warms the heart and stirs the emotion of all true teachers of the word.
3 John 1:5-8
NEW LAW OF
5 Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal; –In verse 4, John had commended Gaius for the fact that he walked in truth. Here, he makes particular mention of the acts in which Gaius had exhibited faithfulness: he had supplied hospitality for the “brethren,” and “withal” (and that also) to “strangers.” This faithful disciple had not limited his bounty to those known to him; he had extended it to the strangers who came, i.e., to brethren personally unknown to him. Missionaries, properly ac-credited, were certain to find a welcome at his house, whether he had previously known them or not. From what follows in the Epistle, we may infer that Gaius had been sharply criticised by Diotrephes (a domineering church boss) for what he had done ; and John carefully put the stamp of apostolic approval on his work in emphatic fashion. To provide for those who were bearers of the message of salvation was a faithful work; and the apostle urged Gaius to continue in it.
6 Who bare witness of thy love before the church:–The antecedent of “who” is both the brethren and the “strangers” of verse 5. Though strangers, they were brethren, but brethren formerly unknown to Gaius. These testified to the church of Gaius’ faithfulness and acts of love. The congregation before which they appeared and bore this witness is not stated, though we may infer that it was the church in Ephesus, since here, accord-ing to reliable tradition, John lived when, it is believed, his Epistles were written. That it was before the public meeting of the church when Gaius was commended, follows from the fact that the article does not appear before the word “church” in the text. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 14:35, en ekklesiai, “in church.”) The commendation was uttered, so we believe, in the midst of a report being made to the church of their evangelistic activities.
Whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God:–From this it would appear that this same group of missionaries were contemplating another visit to that re-gion, and would need the aid of Gaius; and the apostle, therefore, admonished him that he would “do well” to continue to evidence his faithfulness by setting them forward on their journey in a man-ner worthy of a follower of God. The custom then prevailed to start a guest on his journey by accompanying him for some dis-tance, by providing money and food for the trip, and by bidding him Godspeed on the way. To this gracious custom Paul refers in Romans 15:24, and Titus 3:13. The phrase, “to set forward on their journey,” means thus not only to accompany one a portion of the way, but also to supply the ordinary means for such a journey. (Cf. Acts 21:5.)
7 Because that for the sake of the Name they went forth. –The name for which these missionaries went forth was the name of Jesus Christ. (Cf. Acts 5:4; James 2:7’; 1 Peter 4:16.) Thus early in the history of Christianity, the name represented all that Christ was and taught and did. When the shadow of Dark Ages descended upon the world, the word became a passport in dangerous places, serving as an introduction and protection to those who accepted the Lord’s standard. When the agents of persecution came to ferret out the martyr, and when civil and papal edicts shut the door of sympathy, occasionally help could be ob-tained by knocking at the door of others, and whispering, “In the Name!” As the name in the Old Testament stands for Jehovah so in the New Testament, it is the synonym for Christ.
These words explain why the hospitality which Gaius accorded the missionaries which came his way was so essential and im-portant. They “went forth,” not in their own name, or by their own authority, but “in the name of,” (by the authority of) Christ, to bear his message to the lost. They were thus entirely worthy of the bounty bestowed upon them, the shelter and food which they received.
Taking nothing of the Gentiles.–It would have been un-seemly for these who carried the message of salvation to depend for support on those to whom they preached. Such would have exposed them to the charge that they sought material advantage for themselves, and that their preaching was merely a pretext to obtain that. There is nothing which so quickly wins men to a sympathetic hearing as the realization of complete unselfishness on the part of those who bear the message to them: and it is abso-lutely requisite that in all missionary efforts, the missionaries be wholly independent financially and materially of those to whom they preach. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 11:3.)
8 We therefore ought to welcome such, that we may be fellow-workers for the truth.–That missionaries are not to receive support from the heathen or unbelievers to whom they go, does not mean that they are not worthy of support, or that the church is released from the obligation to provide for them. On the contrary, “we” (who are children of God) “ought” (are morally obligated) to “welcome such,” (hupolambanein, present active infinitive), keep on welcoming such, as a regular practice in life, in order that we may be fellow-workers for the truth. As those who welcome and support those who preach false doc-trines become partakers with them (2 John 1:9), so those who re-ceive and maintain those who preach the truth, become fellow-workers for the truth. The word “welcome,” is translated from a word which, in the first century, signified the reception of people into one’s house, the association which attends such receptions ; the fellowship which obtains; and the readiness with which, under such circumstances, provisions are supplied them.
3 John 1:9
JOHN’S
9 I wrote somewhat unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. –Apparently, John had written a brief letter to the church in which Gaius held membership; perhaps it had been sent along by the missionaries which had come their way; but it had been suppressed and destroyed by Diotrephes, a man of prominence and leadership in the congregation, perhaps an elder or preacher. Because he loved to have the “preeminence,” he refused to ac-knowledge John’s apostleship, or the missionaries in the fellowship of the apostle, and, hence, received them not. This personal letter to Gaius was a warning with reference to this designing man. The word “preeminence,” (philoproteuon, present active participle,) is derived from philoprotos, a fondness for being first; and is, alas, a disposition too often observable in our ranks today. The spirit manifested by this man Diotrephes is wholly foreign to the New Testament and opposed to the teaching of the Lord himself. All self-serving and personal aggrandizement must be eschewed and avoided if we would measure to the standard of primitive Christianity.
3 John 1:10
OF
10 Therefore, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his works which he doeth, prating against us with wicked words and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and them that would be forbiddeth and casteth them out of the church.–The apostle entertained the hope that he would soon be able to visit Gaius and the congregation where he worshipped, and where Diotrephes was exercising such domi-nence, and he assured the faithful Gaius that when he came he would not ignore what this church-troubler was doing. The great apostle was not intimidated by Diotrephes, and he promised that he would deal with him adequately when the opportunity presented itself. The verb “doeth,” in the phrase, “works which he doeth,” (poses), is present active indicative, “which he keeps on doing,” thus revealing a persistent course on the part of Diotrephes.
The extent of Diotrephes’ lordship over the congregation is seen in the fact that (1) he prated (phluaron, to babble, to accuse idly and falsely) against John and his associates with wicked words, (not merely idle, but actually evil words); (2) he refused to re-ceive the brethren which came from John; (3) he forbade others in the congregation to do so; (4) those who refused to bow to his will he expelled from membership in the congregation. This does not mean that Diotrephes was able actually to sever faithful members from the body of Christ; the Lord added them to the church (Acts 2:47), and it was obviously beyond the power of this ungodly man to turn them out of the body of Christ; but, exer-cising domination over the congregation, and having imposed his will and way over the saints here, he could and did expel them from membership in it. He was an ambitious, unscrupulous, church boss, opposed alike to apostolic authority and missionary work, a servant of Satan and an agent of the devil. Diotrephes’ conduct was insobordination of the most advanced type and the apostle promised to deal in summary fashion with him when he arrived. Just what course John would follow, he does not indi-cate; we may be sure that he would expose the rebellious disposi-tion characteristic of the man, exhibit the ungodliness he was mani-festing, and warn the saints against him. He would, of course, be divested of any further authority in the congregation; and if he did not repent, would be speedily excluded from the fellowship of the church.
3 John 1:11-12
OF
11 Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good.–Having shown the true nature of Diotrephes, and having warned Gaius of such conduct as he had seen in him, he then exhorted him to follow and to copy (mimou mimic) that which is good. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1.) The verb is a present active imperative, “keep on imitating that which is good.” Diotrephes afforded an example of conduct not to be imitated; Demetrius, one which Gaius might safely follow.
He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hath not seen God.–Inasmuch as God is the source of all good, he who does good is of God. This does not refer to isolated acts of good-ness which may appear in the lives of evil men, but to that of a life habitually good, good from proper motives, good because influenced from the proper source. Here, again, the verb “doeth” is a present participle, (poion), and thus denotes a settled mode of life. Con-versely, he who practices evil continually evidences that he has not seen God, i.e., has never become acquainted with him. See the comments on 1 John 3:6.
12 Demetrius hath the witness of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true.–Demetrius (in contrast with Diotrephes), was universally regarded; those who knew him did not hesitate to ascribe to him the highest possible attainment in Christian liv-ing. Moreover, the apostle and those with him also bore witness to the faithfulness of this disciple, and Gaius knew that this testi-mony was true. The phrase, “and of the truth itself,” an addi-tional testimony to Demetrius’ character is obscure, and its mean-ing not readily apparent. On the whole, the best explanation is that conformity to the truth, which was characteristic of Demetrius, was itself a public witness of the type of man he was, and thus the truth to which he adhered approved his course. As one who breaks the law is condemned by the law, so one who keeps it is approved by it. The truth itself thus becomes an independent witness to the faithfulness of those who walk in harmony with it.
3 John 1:13-14
13 I had many things to write unto thee, but I am unwill-ing to write them to thee with ink and pen:–There were many matters which John desired to communicate to his beloved brother and friend Gaius, but he was not disposed to do so with ink and pen. (Cf. 2 John 1:12.) The “pen” (kalamos), was a reed used for the purpose of a stylus; the “ink” (maw), a black sub-stance prepared from soot and oil. Ink is mentioned three times in the New Testament; here, in 2 John 1:12 and 2 Corinthians 3:3.
14 But I hope shortly to see thee, and we shall speak face to face.–The reason why John did not desire to communicate the matters he had in mind. He hoped soon to see Gaius, and to be privileged to talk with him face to face, a much more effective and satisfactory method than that of the laborous and tedious medium of writing with pen and ink.
Peace be unto thee.–A usual greeting (eirene soi). Cf. the Lord’s greeting following the resurrection. (John 20:19; John 20:26.) This greeting was especially appropriate, because peace is the sum of the divine blessings through Christ. The salutation is one which all genuine disciples extend to others. Those who are good and happy wish joy and peace to be the portion of all those about them. Peace, genuine peace, lasting peace comes only through willing service and complete obedience to the will of Christ. In disobedience there is rebellion; and where rebellion obtains between God and man, the result is a state of war and not peace. (Cf. Romans 5:1.)
The friends salute thee.–The apostle is joined, in the salu-tation, by friends of Gaius who were associated with him, per-haps in the congregation and city of Ephesus. Who these friends were does not appear; we may, however, be certain that they were faithful members of the body of Christ themselves.
Salute the friends by name.–In saluting “by name” the name of each was to be specifically mentioned. It is indeed a heart-warming experience to have people remember us, and to call us by name. The statement is reminiscent of the only other in-stance where the phrase “by name” occurs in the New Testament “To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name.” (John 10:3.) The apostle thus wanted to follow the example of his Master by his own recognition of each lamb of Christ by name! And so this brief and tender missive ends; an exceedingly short letter, compared with other New Testament Epistles, but one of great importance to us to day, in its revelation of the inner feelings of the beloved apostle, and the glimpse which it affords us of the personal life of John and those whom he knew and loved so well. From it we learn that the apostles were not always involved in written or oral discussions of profound theological themes; they did not spend all of their time in intricate and involved dissertations or subtile and learned essays such as Romans and Hebrews they had their tender and personal sides, and the world is greatly blessed by this short letter to Gaius by the apostle whom Jesus loved.