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3 John Commentary
The Three Men Of Third John (1-14)
I. THE THREE MEN OF THIRD JOHN
A. GAIUS -- A MAN WHOM JOHN WOULD HAVE PROSPER (1-8) 1. A dear friend of John, whom he prayed would prosper physically as well as he did spiritually - 3 Jn 1-2 2. John so loved and prayed for Gaius, because he was a man who... a. Had a good reputation - 3 Jn 3a b. Walked in the truth - 3 Jn 3b c. Gave John great joy when hearing of his faithfulness - 3 Jn 4 d. Was hospitable toward all - 3 Jn 5-6a e. Was encouraged to continue supporting gospel preachers - 3 Jn 6b-8 B. DIOTREPHES -- A MAN WHO WOULD BE PREEMINENT (9-11) 1. A description of Diotrephes' character... a. Self-promoter -- he strove to be first - 3 Jn 9a b. Insubordinate -- he would not receive the [authority of] apostles - 3 Jn 9b c. Slanderous -- He spoke nonsense, and slandered - 3 Jn 10a d. Vindictive -- He would not receive certain brethren, and cast out other brethren - 3 Jn 10b 2. Diotrephes' character serves as a warning: "he who does evil has not seen God" - 3 Jn 11b C. DEMETRIUS -- A MAN WHO WOULD BE A PATTERN (11-12) 1. John encourages Gaius to imitate what is good, for he who does good is of God - 3 Jn 11 2. Demetrius appears to be offered as a pattern for Gaius, for Demetrius had a good report... - 3 Jn 12 a. From all the brethren b. From the truth itself ("Demetrius lived according to the mandates of God's Word so that his life showed clear evidence of the truth" - Kistemaker) c. From John and the apostles [Thus we have these pen portraits of three men preserved in this letter, giving us some insight into the life of the early church.There were some good men (Gaius, Demetrius), but sadly there were somebad as well (Diotrephes). Not much different today, is it? That being the case, then perhaps we should remember these...] II. LESSONS FROM THIRD JOHN
A. CHRISTIANS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SHOULD BE... 1. We may have to serve in the face of opposition from other brethren 2. Will we allow this to effect our service? 3. Will we allow this to effect our salvation? B. CHRISTIANS OFTEN IMITATE OTHER CHRISTIANS... 1. John says to imitate what is good for two reasons: a. Those who do good are of God b. Those who do evil do not know God 2. What example are we setting in the local church? Who are we imitating? 3. Gaius had the example of Diotrephes and Demetrius. Who do you suppose he would seek to imitate? C. CHRISTIANS OFTEN ALLOW THE "SPIRIT OF DIOTREPHES" TO REIGN...
1. Diotrephes was successful because some of the members... a. Allowed Diotrephes to dominate b. Would not take a stand for the truth c. Would not support those who took a stand for the truth 2. Diotrephes was successful because there was a certain climate of complacency and cowardice within the local church 3. NOTE: That Diotrephes was able to get away with his domination strongly suggests to me that Gaius and Diotrephes were not members of the same congregation, but in different congregations CONCLUSION
1. We will consider some more truths that can be gleaned from this epistle in the next couple of lessons 2. But I hope that this introduction to this epistle and a brief look at "The Three Men Of Third John" will stimulate our thinking... a. What kind of example are we setting? b. If John had written a letter in which your name was mentioned, what would he have said about you? 1) Would he have prayed for your prosperity? 2) Would he have condemned your desire for prominence? 3) Or would he have set you up as a pattern for others to follow? c. If we will but "walk in the truth" like Gaius, we will have a good "testimony" from all like Demetrius! NOTE: A special thanks to Chris Reeves (CHREEVES@aol.com) and his
Expandable Outlines #37 (THREE MEN OF THIRD JOHN), from which Iborrowed heavily in preparing this outline.
Spiritual And Material Prosperity (2-4)
INTRODUCTION
1. We saw in our previous study that Third John is an epistle addressed to Gaius, a man whom John would have prosper: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be inhealth, just as your soul prospers" - 3 Jn 2
2. In this verse, John alludes to two kinds of prosperity: a. There is spiritual prosperity ("just as your soul prospers") b. And there is material prosperity ("that you may prosper in all things and be in health") 3. The manner in which John mentions and compares these two kinds of prosperity is interesting, and raises several questions worth considering: a. What are the signs of spiritual prosperity? b. What is the propriety of praying for material prosperity? c. Would we want John to pray such a prayer for us? [These questions we shall attempt to answer in this lesson. Beginningwith the first question, we need go no further than the context of Third John...] I. THE SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
A. THE TRUTH IS ABIDING IN YOU... 1. John rejoiced greatly when he heard from others of how the "truth" was in Gaius - 3 Jn 3a 2. That the "truth" was in Gaius was one indication that his soul was prosperous 3. What does it mean to have the "truth" in you? Two possibilities: a. It could refer to the abiding of Jesus in one's soul, as He is the truth - cf. Jn 14:6 b. It could refer to the incorporation into our very heart and soul the teachings and principles of the gospel of Jesus -- It pretty much means the same thing, for the latter brings about the former - cf. Jn 14:21-23; 1 Jn 3:24 4. A prosperous soul, then, is one in which... a. One's heart and mind has opened itself up to receive all that Jesus taught b. One is feeding daily upon the Word of God, whereby spiritual growth is possible - 1 Pe 2:2 B. YOU ARE WALKING IN THE TRUTH... 1. John could also joyfully write of Gaius "walking in the truth" - 3 Jn 3b-4 2. In a sense, there is a mixing of metaphors here a. The truth abides in Gaius b. Gaius walks in the truth -- Perhaps that simply illustrates the limitation of human language to describe spiritual realities 3. The point to be made, however, is this: for there to be prosperity, there must be progress a. It is not enough to simply sit and say "I have the truth in my soul" b. One must be acting upon it, living according to it, as illustrated by Jesus in His sermon on the mount - cf. Mt 7:24-27
c. True blessedness comes in being a "doer" and not just a "hearer" - Ja 1:22-25; Jn 13:17 [Spiritual prosperity occurs as one feeds upon the truth of God foundonly in His Son Jesus Christ, and lives his or her life in harmony withthat truth. So Gaius prospered in his soul, and so can we! Gaius' need was not spiritual prosperity, it evidently was materialprosperity. This brings up the question of...] II. THE PROPRIETY OF PRAYING FOR MATERIAL PROSPERITY
A. JOHN'S PRAYER FOR GAIUS... 1. John thought it proper to pray for things other than spiritual needs - 3 Jn 2 a. "that you may prosper in all good things" b. "and be in good health" 2. Whether it be family, business, or personal health, it is proper to pray that God might bless us in these areas B. JOHN WAS FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE SET BY OTHERS... 1. The example of the Psalmist - cf. Ps 144:12-15 2. The example of our Lord - Mt 6:11 ("Give us this day our daily bread") C. THE CHALLENGE IS KEEPING IT IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE... 1. If our desire for material prosperity is for personal gain, then we should not expect God to answer favorably - cf. Ja 4:2-4
2. But there can be altruistic reasons for praying for material prosperity: a. We can pray for health, that one might live longer to serve the Lord in this life b. We can pray for success in business, that we might have the means to help others c. We can pray for peace, that we might further the spread of the gospel 3. Of course, it is much easier to pray with prosper perspective when it is others we are praying for, and not ourselves (as is the case in our text!) [That brings us to a few final observations I would like to make concerning...] III. MATERIAL PROSPERITY IN RELATION TO SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY
A. "...JUST AS YOUR SOUL PROSPERS" 1. John prays that Gaius prosper materially just as he does spiritually 2. In view of Gaius' spiritual prosperity (the truth abides in him, he walks in the truth), this prayer if answered would be a blessing to Gaius 3. Would we want God to answer such a prayer in our behalf? To the degree that our souls prosper... a. Would we want Him to bless our physical bodies? b. Would we want Him to bless our families, our homes, our jobs, our nation? 4. I dare say that in light of the spiritual condition of some Christians, such a prayer answered in their behalf would be a curse, not a blessing! B. MATERIAL PROSPERITY IS GOOD, BUT SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY IS ETERNAL 1. As Paul writes, godliness has "promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" - 1 Ti 4:7-8; 6:6-7 2. We can't take material prosperity with us, and it takes spiritual prosperity on our part (i.e., wisdom from God) to properly use the material blessings we have - 1 Ti 6:8-10,17-19
CONCLUSION
1. So while we may certainly pray for our material prosperity, may we never lose sight of the fact that our greatest need is spiritual prosperity which lasts forever 2. Concentrate your efforts on prospering spiritually, and may the Lord in His Divine wisdom and grace bless you in all other ways accordingly! Are you walking in the truth? Is the truth abiding in you? Heed thecall of the gospel today if you have not already... - cf. Mk 16:15-16;Ac 2:36-38
Supporting Ministers Of The Gospel (5-8)
INTRODUCTION
1. In writing to Gaius, John has referred to his joy of hearing that Gaius is "walking in the truth" - 3 Jn 3-4 2. An area of Gaius' life in which this was especially true was in showing hospitality to traveling ministers - 3 Jn 5-8 3. In Second John, we saw the "danger" of receiving and supporting those teachers who do not proclaim the doctrine of Christ - cf. 2 Jn9-11
4. But here in Third John, we learn of the "good" that can be done when we receive and support those involved in the spreading of the gospel 5. In this study, we shall consider... a. The scriptural authority for supporting ministers of the gospel b. The reasons given by John for why we should be willing to do so [Going outside of our text to other portions of Scripture, consider what we learn about...] I. THE SCRIPTURAL AUTHORITY FOR SUPPORTING MINISTERS
A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS... 1. Jesus Himself was dependent upon others for support as He went about preaching - Lk 8:1-3 2. In sending out the twelve disciples, He taught that "a worker is worthy of his food" - cf. Mt 10:5-10 3. In sending out the seventy, He said "the laborer is worthy of his wages" - cf. Lk 10:1-8 B. AS TAUGHT BY PAUL... 1. Though for personal reasons he generally chose not to accept it, Paul defended the right of supporting ministers - 1 Co 9:3-14
a. Just as soldiers are not expected to support themselves - 1 Co 9:7a b. Just as farmers and shepherds enjoy the fruits of their labors - 1 Co 9:b c. Just as the Law illustrated with the command not to muzzle the ox that treads out the grain - 1 Co 9:8-10 d. From the principle of reasonableness: if one sows spiritual things, is it a great matter to reap material things? - 1 Co 9:11 e. From the example of those serving in the temple who could partake of the offerings on the altar - 1 Co 9:13 f. Even the Lord commanded: "Those who preach the gospel should live of the gospel" (perhaps a reference to Mt 10:10 and Lk 10:7) - 1 Co 9:14 g. NOTE: Paul chose not to receive such support under normal circumstances for the following reasons... 1) It was one of the few areas in which he could boast - 1 Co 9:15 2) He could not boast in preaching the gospel, for he had been divinely commissioned - 1 Co 9:16-17 a) He must do it as a steward of Christ b) He had no choice if he were to be saved c) Such is not the case of those who preach today; unless the Lord appeared to us and commanded us to preach (as He did with Paul), it is something we do willingly and thereby have a reason to boast 3) But, that Paul might have a reason to boast, a reward, he freely gave up his right (authority) to receive support in _most_ cases - 1 Co 9:18 (however cf. 2 Co11:7-9; Ph 4:10-16)
2. Another passage by Paul suggesting the scripturalness of supporting teachers - Ga 6:6 [With the approval of Jesus and His apostle Paul, there should be noquestion about the scripturalness of supporting ministers of the gospel. As we return to our text (3 Jn 5-8),we find that John gives us sixreasons that ought to motivate us to do so...] II. SCRIPTURAL MOTIVATION FOR SUPPORTING MINISTERS
A. IT IS A TESTIMONY TO OUR FAITHFULNESS... 1. John wrote of Gaius: "Beloved, you do faithfully..." - 3 Jn 5 2. When we show hospitality to brethren (and ministers), it demonstrates our faithfulness to the teachings of Christ and His apostles B. IT IS A TESTIMONY TO OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER... 1. John said of those who had received Gaius' hospitality that they "...had borne witness of your love..." - 3 Jn 6a 2. We demonstrate that we are keeping that "new" commandment first given to us by the Lord Himself - cf. Jn 13:34-35 3. In light of the value of such love ("by this all will know..."), we ought to be grateful for opportunities to bear witness of our love for the brethren C. IT HONORS GOD... 1. John makes reference to sending such ministers on their journey "in a manner worthy of God" - 3 Jn 6 2. "worthy of God" means "as befits God" 3. Thus the way in which we support ministers of God can be a reflection upon God Himself a. If we do not consider His faithful ministers worthy of support, what do we think of God? b. If we honor and support those servants who faithfully proclaim His Word, it is because we honor and respect the One they serve! D. IT IS A TESTIMONY TO THE LOST... 1. The ones Gaius was encouraged to support were those who were "taking nothing from the Gentiles" - 3 Jn 7 a. This likely means they would not solicit support from the unsaved b. Depending instead upon their brethren 2. When ministers of the gospel solicit help from those lost souls they are trying to save, it sends a bad message a. Perhaps the ministers are in it just for the money... b. If what they taught was worth anything, why don't their own followers support it? 3. When the gospel is offered free of cost, being supported whole-heartedly by those who know it best, it can be a powerful testimony of the value _we_ place on it! E. IT OBEYS GOD... 1. John, by inspiration of the Spirit of God, tells us "We therefore _ought_ to receive such" - 3 Jn 8a 2. Thus, supporting ministers of the gospel is not only an opportunity, but an obligation! a. Exhorted by Paul in Ga 6:6 b. Exchange of material things for spiritual things considered reasonable by Paul in 1 Co 9:11; cf. also Ro 15:26-27 F. IT MAKES ONE A FELLOW WORKER FOR THE TRUTH... 1. As John concludes in verse 8: "that we may become fellow workers for the truth" 2. When we support a teacher, we become co-workers in what they do a. If we support teachers of error, we share in their evil deeds - 2 Jn 10-11 b. But when we support teachers of the gospel, we have fellowship in their work - Ph 1:3-5; cf. 4:15-16 3. As co-workers, we will one day enjoy the same rewards - cf. Mt 10:40-42 CONCLUSION
1. So we not only have scriptural authority for supporting ministers of the gospel, but many reasons to do so! 2. The rapid spread of the gospel and growth of the early church was facilitated by such people as Gaius, along with... a. Aquila and Priscilla, who allowed the churches to meet in their homes - Ro 15:3-5a ; 1 Co 16:19 b. Philemon, who let the church meet in his house, and could be called upon without hesitation to provide lodging for the apostle Paul - Phile 1-2, 22 3. Today, as walls tumble down that once stood preventing the free course of the gospel, there is still a need to support those who preach the gospel May the spirit and liberality of Gaius fill the hearts of those Christians and churches who would be fellow workers for the truth!
The Spirit Of Diotrephes (9-10)
INTRODUCTION
1. In our study of Third John, we have noticed the commendable spirit found in Gaius... a. The truth was in him - 3 Jn 3 b. He walked in the truth - 3 Jn 3-4 c. He demonstrated love and hospitality towards the brethren and for strangers - 3 Jn 5-6 2. Unfortunately, another man mentioned in this letter did not possess the spirit of Gaius... a. His name was Diotrephes b. And John felt it necessary to relate what Diotrephes had done, and what he (John) would have to do in response - 3 Jn 9-10 3. While there are many people today who possess the spirit of Gaius, and bless the Lord's church accordingly, it is not uncommon for "The Spirit Of Diotrephes"... a. To be found in some churches b. To tear apart the love and unity that ought to prevail in every congregation 4. That we might be on guard against "The Spirit Of Diotrephes", in this lesson we shall... a. Identify exactly what characterized the spirit of Diotrephes b. Consider how it was so contrary to the principles taught by our Lord and His apostles [We begin, then, by noticing that "The Spirit Of Diotrephes" was oneof...]