3 John

Introduction and Thanksgiving

1:1 From the elder, to Gaius my dear brother, whom I love in truth.

Gaius was a personal friend and dear fellow Christian brother of John, so he already knew that John was an apostle. Therefore, John introduced himself as an elder. John was an elder of the church of Ephesus. He was also an elder in age, being around 90 years old when he wrote this letter. John loved Gaius in truth, meaning that Gaius was strong in Bible doctrine.

1:2 Dear friend, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.

John wished for his brother-in-Christ to be well in health and soul. Believers are to take care of their bodies, because it is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The physical body is the instrument that the Holy Spirit uses to spread the gospel. John also desired that the soul of Gaius would be healthy. The soul of the believer becomes healthy by the intake of Bible doctrine daily as its spiritual food.

1:3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, just as you are living according to the truth.

 Many of the evangelists and missionaries gave John a good report about Gaius. The truth was the Bible doctrine that was handed down from Christ to the apostles to the rest of the world.

1:4 I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth.

 John was a pastor in Ephesus. It brought him great joy that many of his converts were living to the truth of the teachings of the apostles.

The Charge to Gaius

1:5 Dear friend, you demonstrate faithfulness by whatever you do for the brothers (even though they are strangers).

Gaius was commended for taking the Christian evangelists and preachers into his home. The elect lady of 2 John was doing the opposite. She was giving hospitality to those who taught false doctrine. John corrected her for this doctrinal infraction.

1:6 They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.

The evangelists would stand in front of the church and give testimony of their mission works. During these testimonies, they would inform the mother church that they were given good hospitality by Gaius. 

1:7 For they have gone forth on behalf of “The Name,” accepting nothing from the pagans.

The evangelists went forth on their missionary journeys, trusting Christ to pave the way. They would not accept hospitality or finance from unbelievers. Local churches today should not accept donations from unbelievers. The church can send information to them, but God will not bless the gifts of an unbeliever.

1:8 Therefore we ought to support such people, so that we become coworkers in cooperation with the truth.

 John taught the elect lady in John 2 that she was not to support heretical teachers. Now, he tells Gaius that it is good for believers to support evangelists who teach sound doctrine.

Diotrephes the Troublemaker

1:9 I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.

Diotrephes would not open his house to Christian brothers who the apostle John had recommended. Notice that just as Paul pointed out the evilness of Alexander the Coppersmith by name, John did the same. 

1:10 Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to the deeds he is doing – the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church!

Diotrephes was criticizing his pastor-teacher, who was the Apostle John.. He used his position to hinder the gospel. He used his words in an attempt to completely destroy the effectiveness of the pastor-teacher. John calls this evil. When a member speaks against a pastor-teacher who is teaching sound doctrine, then it is pure evil. Satan has placed men like Diotrephes in many modern local churches. What should a pastor-teacher do when he is teaching sound doctrine, but some of the members inside the church are criticizing him, attempting to destroy his effectiveness?

“Silence is golden, but sometimes it is yellow.” John was not a seeker-friendly pastor who ignored sin in his church. He boldly exposed evil when he saw it, and he did it by name.

Moses was meek, but he spoke with the authority that God gave him. Jesus was meek, but He went in and cleansed the temple. When John returns to the church, he is going to use his apostolic authority to settle the matter. 

1:11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God.

John commanded Gaius to continue to perform divine good works. Only believers can perform divine good works. The one who does not perform divine good works is not of God.  

Worthy Demetrius

1:12 Demetrius has been testified to by all, even by the truth itself. We also testify to him, and you know that our testimony is true.

The works of Demetrius proved that he was not of God. 

Conclusion

1:13 I have many things to write to you, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink.

John was going to visit the church and give them more complete face-to-face instruction.

1:14 But I hope to see you right away, and we will speak face to face. Peace be with you. The friends here greet you. Greet the friends there by name.

Face-to-face teaching by a gifted pastor-teacher is the teaching method of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Ephesians 4.