3rd John
“Early Church Drama”
Introduction to 3 John
Several books of the New Testament describe the life of the early church, and this is especially true of The Third Epistle of John. It is a private letter, between “The Elder” and a Christian named Gaius. It provides portraits of three different men, and in so doing gives us a glimpse of 1st century life in local churches.
We learn that there is not much difference between people back then, andnthe church today. So this epistle is very relevant.
AUTHOR
“The Elder” (3Jo 1:1) is believed by most scholars to be the apostle John. The internal evidence for the third epistle is similar to that of the second:
• The three epistles of John utilize much the same language and ideas, similar concepts and language to the Gospel of John
• And the term “elder” would be a fitting description of John as the author, writing in his old age
RECIPIENT
The epistle is addressed to “beloved Gaius”. Gaius was a common Roman name, and appears five times in the New Testament (Act 19:29; 20:4; Rom 16:23; 1Co 1:14; 3Jo 1:1). Whether he is one of those mentioned by Luke or Paul is unknown. He was evidently a dear friend of John, known for his hospitality.
PLACE AND DATE
Ephesus is believed to be the location from which John wrote this epistle, as he was known to live there in the later years of his life. Most believe it was written around 90-95 A.D.
PURPOSE AND THEME
There is a threefold purpose for the epistle, all related to the three men mentioned:
• To confirm that Gaius did right in showing hospitality to the solid teachers who came his way, encouraging him to continue this hospitality – 3Jo 1:5-8
• To express John’s condemnation of Diotrephes for rejecting both himself and others whom he should have received – 3Jo 1:9-10
• To encourage Gaius to imitate what is good, holding up Demetrius as a good example – 3Jo 1:11-12
The overall theme of the letter based on verse 11 might be:
Do not imitate what is evil, but what is good
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Alright, let’s unpack this short but powerful letter. First:
Vs. 1-2 “1 The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth: 2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”
Some take this verse to mean all Christians should experience health and wealth, and if they don’t, there’s a problem with their faith.
But these words are a simple blessing. It’s similar to one we use all the time today, ‘I trust that this letter finds you well.’
When John says “That you may prosper – εὐοδοῦσθαι euodousthai, it’s equivalent to “have a prosperous journey;”
Or, “May your journey be blessed in every way and in all things, and may your health be good as well!”
So prosper’ here in the Greek simply means ‘to go well with you.’ It is not talking about finances as some teach. It’s like saying to someone leaving on a long, cross-country drive, “I pray God carries you there safe and sound!”
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Vs 3-4 “3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
Here again, John is thrilled to hear that his spiritual children are walking in the truth of Jesus Christ! He says like a proud papa, “I have no greater joy than to hear my children walk in truth!”
I can tell you as a pastor of many years that I routinely come across people I ministered to long ago and happily discover they are still walking with the Lord. It brings me joy!
And there are people in our congregation that have been under my leadership for many years and I’ve had the joy of watching them marry, start a home, raise kids, and they’re still walking with Jesus, bearing fruit in His name. It brings me joy!
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Next, John turns his focus to Gaius, the first of three men he will comment on. Gaius receives his commendation.
“5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.”
We see here that God notices who we bless, how we bless them, and commends us when we bless both brethren and strangers who also love the Lord.
He also takes note of who we enable to go forward in their journey. If they are serving in the Lord’s work we shall receive a blessing in return…”you will do well.”
This is why we always encourage you in your financial giving to keep in mind that you are enabling Christian ambassadors all over the world to continue in their good work. “You will do well” for it! Jesus said:
“41 If you welcome a prophet because he is a man of God, you will be given the same reward a prophet gets. And if you welcome good and godly men because of their godliness, you will be given a reward like theirs.”—Matt 10:41
So clearly, who we receive and who we send are things God cares about! John tells us that when we receive and send the right people we become “fellow workers for the truth.”
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Next, John turns his attention to our second man—Diotrophes. While Gaius was a good man, Diotrophes was not. Let’s look first at his AMBITION:
Vs 9 “9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them…”
John says, he “loves to have the preeminence” among God’s people. Preeminence is from a Greek word meaning “love of first.” It means Diotrophes loved sitting in the chief seat, being the number one and only leader. He loved dominating God’s people, lording over them. Jesus condemned this attitude:
Matthew 20:25-28 “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. 27 And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
So Diotrophes’ ambition ran directly counter to the clearly expressed teaching of Jesus!
Watch out for people who always have to be first. Those who push, pay, politic, or position themselves into places of authority.
If YOU put yourself there, YOU must fight to keep yourself there. But if GOD puts you there, it is up to God to keep you there!
Peter describes true pastors this way:
“2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;”—1 Peter 5:2-3
A true pastor is not a forced hireling, or out to get rich off of ministry, or ambitious to lord over the flock like Diotrophes was!
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Then next we see Diotrophes’ ACTIONS: “10 Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does not receive the brethren, and forbids those who wish to, putting them out of the church. Therefore, if I come, I will call to mind his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words.”
Diotrophes was actively trashing the Apostles to the people of the church he lorded over.
John uses the word “prating” which comes from the Greek word φλυαρέω (floo-ar-eh’-o). Do you hear “fluent” in the prefix? Floo-ar-eh’-o? It literally means “fluent but empty.” Words that bubble up and boil over but are empty, unfounded chatter.
Diotrophes could talk a good talk, but when you walked away you said, “What’d he say?” He slandered and gossiped against the Apostles with no proof or evidence at all for his charges!
So Diotrophes was a sower of division, not a unity builder!
Listen: Always suspect those that cause you to suspect others.
When people bring fluent, convincing sounding charges against leadership or other believers, always ask “where’s the beef?” Where’s the evidence?
Not only did he trash the Apostles, he refused to let them into the church, and also rejected other Christians that wanted to be a part of it.
This is one sign of an emerging cult. Legitimate leadership is trashed and rejected, while people deemed dangerous to the takeover are kicked out!
John sums up his mention of Diotrophes with the words,
Vs.11 “11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.”
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Then lastly, John mentions our third man—Demetrius:
Vs. 12 “Demetrius has a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true.”
Contrary to Diotrophes, Demetrius is a good man with a shining testimony from the whole church body!
Two things testify to his godly life—his common reputation (a good testimony from all) and the testimony of the truth.
As to the truth, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ witnesses for the man who witnesses FOR it and lives BY it.”