1. INTRODUCTION
Thank to each of you who is joining us in this study of John’s writing which is labelled 3 John. For those on YouTube, if you haven’t yet read this little letter, which is the only chapter of this book, please pause your playback, read the chapter, and then re-join us. Thanks.
Like always when we turn our attention to a new book of the Bible, we ask the basic questions, who wrote this, to whom, and what are the circumstances that caused the author to write this?
Who and to whom?
The language of the letter is Johanine, without question. The topics include love and truth, information given from the beginning, and false deceivers one of whom is clearly named Diotrephes. It’s all there, and those who have been with us for a few weeks, who studied John’s first letter and last week, the 2nd letter, will recognize those topics and when you read the 3rd letter will agree that it seriously sounds like the apostle of love. You are in agreement with most of the commentators out there.
John then is the author of the book, and he’s the author of the Gospel of John as well as the Book of the Revelation and the other two letters, 1 John and 2 John which we will leared. That’s five of the 27 books of the Newer Testament. Almost 20 percent… that’s significant.
Now the question of ‘to whom’ did he write this?
The recipient is an individual named Gaius. But before we conclude who this is, note the thrice-used term ‘love’ in the first two verses. A rhetorical question could be asked about the usage, but let me say, John’s heart is showing. He loves Gaius and is writing, as an old man, with deep affection. Last week I was in Kansas City and saw people who were dear to me the last 50 plus years of my life and I get it. There is one word to describe our relationship then, and dare I say now, that word is love. End of story. We loved each other then; we love each other now.
As for the circumstances of the writing, I will get to that later.
Back to my story from last weekend, when I drove over here to Tennessee, I have spent the last 48 hours with my two daughters and three of my grandsons and the business of love is real. A child doesn’t earn love; a grandchild earns even less. It’s a grandfather’s job to dote, and to express what is natural, and that is one word—love.
Back to the letter at hand. Gaius is a fairly common Roman name, meaning ‘rejoicing.’ There are three Gaius listed in the Newer Testament.
(1) Gaius of Corinth, who was baptized by Paul (Rom 16:23; 1 Cor 1:14), and was by tradition the first Bishop of Thessalonica. (2) Gaius of Macedonia, one of Paul’s companions, who suffered in the riot at Ephesus (Acts 19:29). (3) Gaius of Derbe, who travelled with Paul on his last journey through Macedonia (Acts 20:4).
Any of these could be the same Gaius.
Smalley says, “He was orthodox (cf vv 3–4), influential (vv 5), respected (vv 2, 6a) and of some means (v 6b). Possibly he was also somewhat easily led (cf v 11).”
We really don’t know which Gaius received the letter, but what we know is that he was known and loved by John. And that he had a role of influencer in his community of faith.
OK, on to our chapter Let’s dig in.
Verse 1: The elder. John is well-enough known to leave his own name out. Sounds like his use of the phrase “the disciple whom Jesus loved” in the Gospel to self-describe.
When John calls himself ‘The elder’, he’s saying I’m an authority, actually ‘the elder’ (definite article is attached) and probably the senior member of the leadership team that cares for and shepherds the community represented by Gaius.
Verse one. “Love in truth.” I really like that. In our days love is a word bandied about in social media and in bars and pubs, in the movies and relentlessly in Hallmark cards, but love ‘in truth’… that’s another matter altogether. It is not fairy floss; it is not mushy and sentimental. It implies love of truth and love in spite of the cost of truths. It cries out for sacrificial love like Yeshua demonstrated on the cross at Calvary in Jerusalem and reminds us of how he taught us that He is The Truth. Particular truth is a biblical reality.
Verse 2. This sounds like a real prayer. A prayer made by a pastor for his children. I am praying along with him for you all. That your spirit and soul and body will be good reflections of the love, the true love of God. For provision and for a good walk.
In fact, the verb εὐοδοῦσθαι (see also v 2b) means literally, “to be led along a good road,” or “to have a good journey.” Metaphorically it signifies (as in this passage) “to succeed,” or “to prosper” (cf Rom 1:10; 1 Cor 16:2).
Luke uses it to mean “to be well.” (5.31, 7.10, 15.27 (the Prodigal) I love that word. John wants us to be well. To succeed.
Verse 3: I was very glad. Whatever John had heard from travellers who came along to Gaius’ home, John was well satisfied. And glad. I hope to feel that way after 12 weeks away during this trip abroad. I want to hear of Jewish people coming to the shop. I want to know we are sharing with them the reality of Yeshua and leading some to him, day by day. I want to know that the believers are keeping up financial support and that we are sharing that properly among our staff and others in need. I want to hear that the staff and those on the inside are caring for each other in true love and trying to bring others into that sphere.
John had heard such news; and it delighted his soul.
Verse 4, he uses the term “tekna” meaning a dear child, and I wonder if Gaius was not a disciple, or even the result of John’s personal ministry of evangelism. Perhaps John was a spiritual father to Gaius personally. That would help me understand the address in this third letter.
Verse 5. Now he uses ‘brothers’ in the plural. Gaius had practiced hospitality to the many, and that is commendable. I wonder how each of us would rank in terms of welcome and making others feel welcome. That’s something we can always improve, you know?
Verses 5-8 showcases Christian hospitality. And even though John uses the term ‘Gentiles’ in verse 7, I doubt that he’s saying only Jewish believers should host others. I think he’s widening the term to mean those ‘outside the church.’
Years ago I spoke at C3, the Christian City Church, up in Lane Cove. The pastor shared with me a document they use to encourage their leadership in hosting guests in the pulpit. I share some of that historic document now. It may have been edited over time, but you will hear their heart:
Give the speaker enough time to minister. It is very frustrating for me to not have enough time to intro, get in a groove and move in the Spirit and go for souls in less than 40 minutes.
Sing one less song, three is enough. Keep announcements to a minimum. If it is a Sunday service take up your tithe boldly but keep it snappy.
Unless different arrangements are made always give your people a chance to give to the visiting ministry. Take up a love offering!
If it is an overseer or more experienced ministry, ask questions and open the door for them to speak into your life and church.
Ask if they prefer to stay in a hotel or home, give them the option.
Think minimum offering for the speaker. This can be a touchy subject but I would say a minimum for a 500 and under church, $500 per meeting is reasonable. It can go up from
there. No one leaves our church with less then $1000 per service. So it the love offering comes in short I will always top it up. This rarely happens, usually we end up giving more. Perhaps itinerants can be treated differently as they do not have a regular church
wage. The bottom line is that you want your speakers to leave blessed.”
There are many other comments in this one document, but I want you to hear the practical words from this denomination. They have always well treated me over the 20+ years I’ve served in Australia; I commend their comments to you as evidence of how this might work in our days. In John’s writing in verse 6, he might have had such a rider to explain his term “worthy of God.”
Then John turns his attention in verse 9 and following to a man of trouble. His name is Diotrophes. In the Eerdman’s Dictionary, David Rensberger wrote this,
“Presumably the host of a house church who “liked to be first” over his congregation (3 John 9-10). He refused to receive a message or messengers from the author of 3 John and expelled from the congregation those who did show such hospitality. Nothing else is known about Diotrephes, and his motives are unclear. Some suppose that he was among the heretics mentioned in 1 and 2 John, that he suspected the elder himself of heresy, or that he simply wished to keep this controversy out of his congregation. Others suggest that issues of church structure and authority were involved: e.g., that Diotrephes was an early bishop and that the elder represented an older style of authority; or that the elder held a bishop-like office and that Diotrephes resisted this innovation. In any case, uncertainties over new developments in church authority seem to be involved, particularly troublesome for the Johannine churches with their fundamentally egalitarian tradition. Issues of personal power and honor may also have played a significant part.”
John and others had conflicts with this guy. It’s the First Century. Imagine for all posterity, you have a conflict with an apostle and now the world for 2,000 years and all the billions of people who have read and studied the Bible, yes, through all that, how many people know your name in ignominy. You are ever the bad guy in the story.
By the way, his name is Dios Trephos. Dios, the Spanish name for God, comes from Zeus. Trephos means nourished by. So Diotrephes means ‘nourished by Zeus’ or even a foster child of Zeus. What a name his parents gave him to show his stature and prominence. He obviously believed in his own publicity!
Verse 11, final comments. Again, beloved. John reminds Gaius of his affection and reminds him of the two men, Diotrephes and Demetrius. Dio… no good. Avoid. Demo…all good. Loving. TRUTH bearing. Good testimony. Martyr-like.
Choose your friends. Choose your enemies. You decide who will be in your sphere of influence and in your company. If you choose your enemies well, that will help define who is in your world down the road.
I flashback to the times in the 1970s that were celebrated last Saturday night in Kansas. We had made choices—who was our Saviour? Who was our spouse? Who represented our theological views? Those choices then caused us to flourish AND gave us cause to rejoice almost 50 years later. I’m happy God gave me some Demetrius folks. And he kept me from the Diotrephes team. They looked after their own cause; Demetrius gave himself to others, and so did we. And we in 2021 need to do the same.
What are you doing to help others today? What are you thinking about viruses or vaccines that demonstrate your care for others? Love your neighbour--- better than you love yourself. Love your neighbour as Yeshua loved you and gave himself for the rest of humanity. How are you treating your next door neighbour? What does love say? That’s how you want to handle this letter in its relationship to you, today. Check in with your accountability partner or with your pastor. Talk though some of the issues you are having with others and say like Tina, “What’s love got to do with it?”
Finally, John ends 3 John as he did 2 John. I want to visit you personally; I don’t want to write you a letter only. What a beautiful sentiment and a snapshot of John’s personal relationship with these folks, headed by Gaius. And how minimal is his ‘peace’ ending? Actually it’s the Jewish summary of farewell. I wish you peace. It’s the Aaronic benediction in abbreviation.
What do we learn today?
Yeshua is the one who represents truth and who shepherded the people of God in the Older Testament and into the current age of grace. He calls others to shepherd the people of God and as such John issues a warning to the folks across the region to keep love and truth as the focus of their faith. Stay away from false teachings. Stay connected to the Lord of life and to one another.
My friends, that’s how I want to live today. And I hope you do also.
INVITATION
Dear friends, if you’d like to have the forgiveness and the fellowship about which I spoke, you can do so today. Just now you can pray and find that the God of love extends his life to you in giving you pardon for all your sins. That forgiveness will usher you into the freedoms of knowing the God of love. Isn’t that a wonderful idea?
If you’d like that, please pray and ask God to forgive you your sins and to make you born again.
Then let us know you have done this, won’t you? Write to me (bob@jewsforjesus.org.au) and tell us you have prayed for the first time. We want to send you some literature and welcome you to the family.
And if you have any questions, use that same address, ok?
And join us next as I will begin teaching the book of Jeremiah. Yes, 52 chapters in a year. I’ve never taught the book line by line, but only preached using the major themes and major sections. This is going to be rich and deep and worth your time investment. Please begin reading the book now and get through it all before we begin on 12 November. OK?
Until then, I wish you all a Shabbat shalom.
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Actual text
3John 1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
3John 2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. 3 For I was very glad when brethren came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.
3John 5 Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; 6 and 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. 7 For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers 3with the truth.
3John 9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.
3John 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.
3John 13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face.
