Chapter 24
3 John 1:1-4
3 John 1:1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. 2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
Even though this book bears a number of similarities to 2 John it is arguably John’s most personal letter. This epistle contains fewer Greek words but has two more verses.
In 2 John we are warned about being hospitable to the wrong people, namely false teachers, one might call it a negative perspective on hospitality or what not to do. In John’s 3rd epistle he now addresses a more positive aspect regarding hospitality, essentially what we should do, however, he will also address some potential concerns as well.
It should not surprise any of us to see that this letter fully embraces the concept of truth, God’s truth. John uses the term to not only to reflect the truth of God’s Word, he uses it to refer to the truth as it is applied in our lives. To know the Word of God is important, however we must also apply this knowledge and use it in our lives. In other words, we are to do more than learning and talking, we are to be active in the truth.
In this letter John will mention four different people: himself (the elder in verse one and and the one who testifies in verse twelve); Gaius (the recipient of the letter and the one who will also be commended in verses 5-8, we might want to call him the letter’s protagonist); Diotrephes (an arrogant Christian, we might want to call him the antagonist); and Demetrius (who John endorses, who may not be the silversmith mentioned in Acts 19:24, 38 even though this Gaius was there too).
The name ‘Gaius’ was a fairly common name in this time period. The name can be found a total five times in the New Testament, here are the other four:
Due to his association with another Christian named ‘Aristarchus’ many scholars believe that these four references of ‘Gaius’ may actually be the same person. However, we do not know if he is the same ‘Gaius’ (5th one) John is referring to here.
The book of 3 John can easily be broken into five basic sections: a greeting (verses 1-4); a commendation regarding Gaius’ hospitality (verses 5-8); a condemnation of Diotrephes (verses 9-10); an endorsement for Demetrius (verses 11-12); and a closing that includes a desire to meet face-to-face (verses 13-15). In this short letter we are given two Christian models to follow and one to reject.
We see that the greeting is very similar to the greeting John wrote in 2 John. This similarity allowed us to use 3 John to help us understand the personal nature of 2 John. The letter opens again with John simply referring to himself as, “the elder.” Using the same format as 2 John, the letter’s writer is identified first, followed by the letter’s recipient, whom John loves in truth (remember that this is the ‘active’ practice of God’s truth, see also 1 John 3:18 and 2 John 1).
The word ‘beloved’ in the Greek is ‘agapetos’ (used twice here in verses one and two and then twice more later in verses five and eleven), which is considered a word that is typically used by New Testament writers to greet fellow believers that are loved by the community of believers at large. John adds that he prays that all may go well with that beloved person. The word translated here as ‘well’ (Greek word ‘evodoō) is a wish that encapsulates a desire for the individual to be granted prosperity and that their journey be successful. John desires that Gaius have good health and for things to be well with his soul (Greek word ‘psychē’) or put in a slightly different way, he is wishing that everything to be good on the outside (no injuries, ailments or other infirmities) as well as the inside (no problems spiritually, emotionally, or mentally). This is not an endorsement of the modern-day corruption of God’s Word that encourages believers to seek prosperity and good health, as we are not promised these (read 1 Timothy 6:3-11).
The word ‘psychē’ is derived from the word that means breathing or to breathe. From an ancient man’s perspective, life was observed through the process of breathing, they saw that if someone stopped breathing they are no longer alive, thus the body, the part that is associated with the soul is dead. However, we understand that the physical body is only one aspect of life (some call this the “material part” of man) while the soul and spirit (Greek word ‘pneuma’, which also means, “to breathe” or simply to refer to air in motion) can refer to the “immaterial part,” of course a lot depends on how you interpret Scripture since both the dichotomy (body and soul) and trichotomy (body, soul, and spirit) of man points of views appear to be Biblically valid. If you are up for a challenge, examine how these two words are used throughout the New Testament.
3 John 1:3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.
John was overjoyed when he had heard from fellow believers (translated here as brothers, but the term can also apply to all believers regardless of gender) that Gaius was indeed walking according to the truth. The term walking is the same term John used in 2 John (Greek word ‘paripatēo’). They testified (Greek word ‘martyreō’ meaning to affirm positively) that Gaius understood and took his discipleship with Jesus seriously as seen through his actions. We might ask ourselves, do others say the same about us? Are we truly following Jesus? In 2 John we are reminded in verse six, “And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.” (ESV) John is calling us to be active, moving in alignment with God’s will for our lives. He continues in verse seven, “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.” (ESV) Note that the deceivers, “have gone out” implying that the enemy is actively moving. The only way to combat a moving enemy is to be active and moving (advancing, not retreating) ourselves.
3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
John shares that there is no greater joy (Greek word ‘chara’, see also 1 John 1:4 and 2 John 12) than to hear that his children are walking according to God’s Word. Calling a student or a follower a ‘child’ is nothing new in the Bible, Paul often referred to people he mentored or taught as his children (see 1 Corinthians 4:14-15; Galatians 4:19; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4 and Philemon 10).
As a teacher, I can certainly relate to John’s comment as I have watched many lives change as the direct result of God’s Word and Holy Spirit. There should be no greater joy in our lives than to help people find the truth and see how they grow and mature to the point that they know God for themselves (not just know of Him). Only by working together in the truth can our joy be truly complete!