Study in 3 John

1. Study in 3 John Presentation 01

2. Encouragement And Hospitality Chap 1v1-7 Presentation 01

3. Introduction There is no doubt that this letter is addressed to an individual. Three others named Gaius are mentioned in the N.T.; in Acts 19v29, of Macedonia; Acts 20v4, of Derbe; Rom.16 v23 and Cor.1v14, of Corinth. We cannot say with any certainty if any of these individuals is the Gaius addressed here. Origen says this Gaius was first Bishop of Thessalonica, and connects him with the writings to Thessalonica. A C4th tradition says the epistle was sent to Gaius of Derbe. As to the content of the latter, 2 John mainly contained warning, while 3 John contains both commendation and warning on the subject of hospitality, a subject of some importance in the N.T. Presentation 01

4. The Apostle’s Prayer We have the same phrases which are found in 1 John and 2 John. Gaius is the ‘beloved’, who is loved in the truth. After a second affectionate greeting, the writer prays above all things that he prospers. This tells us a good deal about the bond between these two, and of the writer’s knowledge of the one to whom he writes. He knows that he prospers spiritually, and prays for his physical, emotional and psychological health as well. The Christian faith presents us with an integrated view of life; nothing ascetical, there is no room for self-conscious or ultra-pious cynicism regarding the blessings of a balanced, body-and-soul contentment. Presentation 01

5. The Apostle’s Prayer We know that in this present evil world there will be tribulations for those who seek the kingdom - Acts 14v22. That said it is surely good that, engaged on a pilgrimage towards a life of perfect happiness, we should not become warped by fear of what we may suffer before we enter into it. Jesus was a happy man, as was the apostle Paul; and we should be too, whatever our troubles, if we are truly in a fellowship with the Creator and Source of all perfection. Presentation 01

6. The Apostle’s Prayer How is it that John knows that Gaius’s soul prospers but is not as aware of his general condition? Because brothers coming to John shared news of the integrity of Gaius’s life. There is no evidence that they brought news of his physical health, domestic situation or circumstances. Not that there would have been anything wrong in doing so; but the quality of the total ‘walk’ [that is the original word] of Gaius’s life was what had impressed itself upon them and it was news of this, apparently, that the travellers, brought to John. Presentation 01

7. The Apostle’s Prayer With this adequate amount of information John rejoiced, and even if he longed to know other things about his dear brother, at least he could assume that being in the will of God and walking in his truth, the Lord would care for him. He could leave his entire welfare in Higher Hands. And so we have this picture of one faithful and aged servant of God receiving intelligence of the service of another, presumably younger servant of God, in another place and recognising the same quality of life in him and in his work. Presentation 01

8. The Apostle’s Joy Knowing that the authentic life of Christ is being produced through the service of others in other places should be tremendously encouraging. It is a healthy corrective to thinking, like Elijah in his depression, that we are the only faithful believers who are left! Local fellowships when they hear of what God is doing in other parts of the world are encouraged to wait with growing faith and hope to hear of the ripening of the harvest. Already word is brought to John of the fruitfulness of Gaius’s ministry, so that the two things are put together once more, truth and love: Gaius is living the life, the Christ-like quality is there, and the fruit is on John’s doorstep telling how warmly they were received [v.5-6] by him. Presentation 01

9. The Apostle’s Joy John has no greater joy, than when he hears that his children are walking in truth. Commenting on John’s rich experience the following can be observed. First, he is in a spiritual state to appreciate these things. Many parents today, would be appalled by such news, fearing that their children had become too serious, too extreme in their religion. Their counsel would be, “Go out into the world and enjoy yourself, you are young only once!” But John had quite different expectations and longed to see his spiritual children growing in maturity of knowledge, truth and wisdom, and so safe from making shipwreck of their lives or falling into Satan’s pitfalls. Presentation 01

10. The Apostle’s Joy Indeed, it had cost John everything faithfully to instruct his spiritual children on the importance of the truth, not only in the head but in the heart and in daily life. Having equipped them and sent them out, he remembered them faithfully in prayer that they might remain faithful to the teaching they had received and have the necessary strength to stand for the truth and propagate it. Gaius had not disappointed John. We read much in the N.T. about the disappointment of the apostles with those they had taught and had left in various local churches, how refreshing to come across someone like Gaius. Presentation 01

11. The Apostle’s Encouragement There is a beautiful balance of truth and love in John’s writing. Here in v5 love seems to overflow. This is the second time in five verses he calls Gaius, ‘beloved’, weakly translated as ‘dear friend’ in the NIV. Four times in five verses John uses the word ‘agape’, the word the N.T. uses for the highest conception of love; not ‘eros’ [carnal love], nor ‘phile’ [natural human affection] but ‘agape’ [the down-coming love of God]. Of course the word ‘agape’ did not have this particular meaning in secular Greek. The Holy Spirit seems to have selected it and allowed the apostles to invest in it a quality that is unique to God. Presentation 01

12. The Apostle’s Encouragement John commends Gaius for his ‘faithfulness’ towards the brethren and especially to strangers. This is important, in our care for the flock of God there is a particular obligation to entertain strangers, before one knows who they are. The writer to the Hebrews exhorts his readers, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares,” Heb. 13v2. Some do fail to entertain angels unawares, possibly because they have no idea of what angels/messengers look like! They fail to recognise that ‘angels’ do not fit their stereotype, and so they miss the opportunity to give hospitality to someone important to God and distinguished in his service. Presentation 01

13. Hospitality More important, they may miss the blessing which the messenger could bring to the fellowship, or alternately may miss a vital opportunity to do good to a particularly needy one. And so God will find others to serve his needy child. This is how he blesses his people, he finds the right one to minister to their need. If we only knew the elaborate system of communication that God has with his people for mutual help we would be staggered! Whenever and wherever he hears an authentic cry of need, then from some quarter he will find someone to help - if not a human angel - he has plenty heavenly ones! Presentation 01

14. Hospitality Gaius received and entertained these strangers, and they returned to John’s fellowship where they took the opportunity to witness to the loving reception they had received at Gaius’s hands. Now, it is interesting to find in the epistles introduction that which may initially appear a general statement but which takes the drift of our thinking into the substance of the apostles thought. As here, the apostle is going to teach on the importance of hospitality in the body of the letter but in these opening verses he leads the mind of his readers to grapple with the issues at hand. Presentation 01

15. Hospitality The trouble in Gaius’s fellowship was a man called Diotrephes, who was in the church for what he personally could get out of it. It was his market for selling his wares, which were principally himself as a Great Indispensable One. He seemed to want to establish a religious clique who would be at his beck and call, and also exclude any who might ask, “Who is this fellow with the loud mouth and full of his own importance”? So, by his manner, if not his words, Diotrephes would have conveyed to the rest of the fellowship the necessity of being suspicious of strangers - who might expose him for the fraud that he was. Presentation 01

16. Hospitality We must not judge people until we learn something of them. We may be put off by appearance, but appearances can be very deceptive . The first thing to do with any stranger, however they appear, is to receive him. Reserve, caution and better judgment can be exercised later on! John’s point in v6 is that if Gaius accepted Diotrephes’ advice and refused to entertain strangers, he would have no opportunity to minister to the needs of godly folk from elsewhere. The Church is international as well as local, and we are to expect the Lord to send believers from afar to share his blessings amongst us, to receive blessing, and to be sent on their way encouraged by the local church. Presentation 01

17. Hospitality John commends Gaius not only for receiving strangers, but for being such a means of blessing, and helping them on their way that they returned to John with good news of the quality and character of the man and the work he was doing. They probably realised that Gaius was acting graciously even in the face of opposition from Diotrephes. Perhaps they saw him scowling at them, or they may have been on the receiving end of his cold shoulder! Those who do not visit other churches often have little idea just how sensitive strangers can be towards the warmth of welcome they receive from a church fellowship. Presentation 01

18. Hospitality On the other hand it is hard for those receiving visitors to adjust their manner to the many different types of person who may enter or leave a church in the rush of a few moments. Some people want no more than a formal welcome without inane pleasantries. Others want to be fussed over, or they will go away thinking unkind things. What are those on door duty to do? It ought not to be left to one or two, the whole Christian family ought to conspire to give strangers a welcome; at the door, once they are seated inside and at the close of the service before they leave. Presentation 01

19. Hospitality Some people are natural welcomersand make people feel instantly at home, others are shy, uncertain, and therefore awkward. Our behaviour reflects the degree of out-goingness we have attained. If, we desire to win others for Christ, or share him with those who also have found him, then the opportunity to do so is found in the worship setting, even if it is an effort! And if our hearts are bathed in the grace of God, our happiness to be in the company of strangers will be reflected on our faces. However, it is hard to keep grinning if one doesn’t feel like smiling, to smile when one is happy is easy and natural, it does not need to be exaggerated, nor is it sour or dry. Presentation 01

20. Hospitality Perhaps the office-bearer who sets out from home to take up his door duties at church ought to ensure that he is as much in the Spirit as the minister in the pulpit or the musicians who lead worship. It is the responsibility of every Christian, to work together to bless all who attend. In a church where meeting consists of more than worship and includes social fellowship afterwards, a visitor can be blessed as much through the humblest member as through the preacher. We ought innocently to compete with each other in showing regard to strangers. Then people will come to us because they know they are welcome, and we are looking out for them. Presentation 01

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