3Jo 1-14. ADDRESS: WISH FOR GAIUS' PROSPERITY: JOY AT HIS WALKING IN THE TRUTH. HOSPITALITY TO THE BRETHREN AND STRANGERS THE FRUIT OF LOVE. DIOTREPHES' OPPOSITION AND AMBITION. PRAISE OF DEMETRIUS. CONCLUSION.
1. I--emphatical. I personally, for my part. On
Gaius or Caius, see my
Introduction before Second Epistle.
love in the truth-- (
2Jo 1). "Beloved" is repeated often in this
Epistle, indicating strong affection (
3Jo 1, 2, 5, 11).
2. above all things--Greek, "concerning
all things": so ALFORD: in all respects. But
WAHL justifies English Version (compare
1Pe 4:8). Of course, since his soul's
prosperity is presupposed, "above all things"
does not imply that John wishes Gaius' bodily health
above that of his soul, but as the first object to
be desired next after spiritual health. I know you
are prospering in the concerns of your soul. I wish you
similar prosperity in your body. Perhaps John had heard
from the brethren (
3Jo 3) that Gaius was in bad health, and was tried in
other ways (
3Jo 10), to which the wish,
3Jo 2, refers.
prosper--in general.
be in health--in particular.
3. testified of the truth that is in thee--Greek,
"of" (or 'to') thy truth":
thy share of that truth in which thou walkest
[ALFORD].
even as thou--in contrast to
Diotrephes (
3Jo 9).
4. my children--members of the Church: confirming the view that the "elect lady" is a Church.
5. faithfully--an act becoming a faithful man.
whatsoever thou doest--a distinct
Greek word from the former "doest":
translate, "workest": whatsoever work, or labor
of love, thou dost perform. So
Mt 26:10, "She hath wrought a good work
upon me."
and to strangers--The oldest
manuscripts, "and that (that is, and those brethren)
strangers." The fact of the brethren whom thou didst
entertain being "strangers," enhances the love
manifested in the act.
6. borne witness of thy charity before the church--to
stimulate others by the good example. The brethren so
entertained by Gaius were missionary evangelists (
3Jo 7); and, probably, in the course of narrating their
missionary labors for the edification of the Church where
John then was, incidentally mentioned the loving
hospitality shown them by Gaius.
bring forward on their
journey--"If thou (continue to) forward on
their journey" by giving them provisions for the
way.
after a godly sort--Greek,
"in a manner worthy of God," whose ambassadors
they are, and whose servant thou art. He who honors
God's missionary servants (
3Jo 7), honors God.
7. his name's sake--Christ's.
went forth--as missionaries.
taking nothing--refusing to
receive aught by way of pay, or maintenance, though
justly entitled to it, as Paul at Corinth and at
Thessalonica.
Gentiles--the Christians just gathered
out by their labors from among the heathen. As Gaius
himself was a Gentile convert, "the
Gentiles" here must mean the converts just made
from the heathen, the Gentiles to whom they had gone
forth. It would have been inexpedient to have taken
aught (the Greek "meden" implies,
not that they got nothing, though they had desired
it, but that it was of their own choice they took
nothing) from the infant churches among the heathen:
the case was different in receiving hospitality from Gaius.
8. We--in contradistinction to "the Gentiles" or
"heathen" referred to,
3Jo 7.
therefore--as they take nothing from
the Gentiles or heathen.
receive--The oldest manuscripts read,
"take up." As they "take" nothing from
the Gentiles, we ought to take them up so as
to support them.
fellow helpers--with them.
to the truth--that is, to
promote the truth.
9. I wrote--The oldest manuscripts add
"something": a communication, probably, on
the subject of receiving the brethren with brotherly
love (
3Jo 8, 10). That Epistle was not designed by the Spirit
for the universal Church, or else it would have been
preserved.
unto the church--of which Gaius is a
member.
loveth . . .
pre-eminence--through ambition. Evidently occupying a high
place in the Church where Gaius was (
3Jo 10).
among them--over the members of
the Church.
receiveth us not--virtually, namely,
by not receiving with love the brethren whom we
recommended to be received (
3Jo 8, 10; compare
Mt 10:40).
10. if I come-- (
3Jo 14).
I will remember--literally, "I
will bring to mind" before all by stigmatizing and
punishing.
prating--with mere silly tattle.
neither doth he . . .
receive the brethren--with hospitality. "The
brethren" are the missionaries on their journey.
forbiddeth them that would--receive
them.
casteth them--those that would receive
the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his
influence, as a leading man (
3Jo 9) in it, enabled him to do. NEANDER thinks that
the missionaries were JEWS by birth, whence it is said in
their praise they took nothing from THE GENTILES: in
contrast to other Jewish missionaries who abused
ministers' right of maintenance elsewhere, as Paul
tells us,
2Co 11:22; Php 3:2, 5, 19. Now in the Gentile churches
there existed an ultra-Pauline party of anti-Jewish
tendency, the forerunners of Marcion: Diotrephes possibly
stood at the head of this party, which fact, as well as
this domineering spirit, may account for his hostility to
the missionaries, and to the apostle John, who had, by the
power of love, tried to harmonize the various elements in
the Asiatic churches. At a later period, Marcion, we know,
attached himself to Paul alone, and paid no deference to
the authority of John.
11. follow not that which is evil--as manifested in
Diotrephes (
3Jo 9, 10).
but . . . good--as
manifested in Demetrius (
3Jo 12).
is of God--is born of God, who is
good.
hath not seen God--spiritually, not
literally.
12. of all men--who have had opportunity of knowing his
character.
of the truth itself--The Gospel
standard of truth bears witness to him that he walks
conformably to it, in acts of real love, hospitality to the
brethren (in contrast to Diotrephes), &c. Compare
Joh 3:21 "He that doeth truth cometh to the light,
that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought
in God."
we also--besides the testimony of
"all men," and "of the truth
itself."
ye know--The oldest manuscripts read,
"thou knowest."
13. I will not--rather as Greek, "I wish not . . . to write" more.
14. face to face--Greek, "mouth to
mouth."
Peace--peace inward of conscience,
peace fraternal of friendship, peace supernal of glory
[LYRA].
friends--a title seldom used in the
New Testament, as it is absorbed in the higher titles of
"brother, brethren." Still Christ recognizes the
relation of friend also, based on the highest
grounds, obedience to Him from love, and entailing the
highest privileges, admission to the intimacy of the holy
and glorious God, and sympathizing Saviour; so Christians
have "friends" in Christ. Here in a friendly
letter, mention of "friends" appropriately
occurs.
by name--not less than if their names
were written [BENGEL].