Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from 3 Jn 1.1 and following. Indeed, the 2nd epistle forbade receiving those who did not bring “the doctrine of Christ”. The 3rd urges believers to receive and help those who teach it (John 13:18-20). In some respects this epistle is very similar to the second, but as for the main theme, it is the opposite, while forming a complement, as we will see. For, like the second epistle, it is a private letter, but containing, despite its brevity, an instruction of such importance that the Spirit of God has given it a place to dwell in the inspired Word, even if it is a small place. This Gaius may very well have lived to be very old, and still exercise hospitality when John was writing. If this were so, he presents us with a very happy picture of someone who has not tired of doing good.
Be that as it may, he is presented to us as a saint characterized by spiritual prosperity. John testified that his soul had prospered to the point that he could only desire that his physical health be equal to his spiritual health. There are times of the year when we express our vows and desires for each other. Do we often, in truth, make such vows? Not often, it is to be feared! We meet and inquire: “how are you?”, and considering that it goes without saying that the question concerns our body, we cheerfully answer: “very well, thank you”. If the question were, “How is your soul?” what would we answer?
John’s assurance of Gaius’ spiritual prosperity did not come from personal contact, for they were distant from each other and communicated by letter. It came from the testimony of others. Some brothers had arrived in the locality of John, and had told him about Gaius. What they had said about it bore witness to the fact that the truth remained in him, and that it was expressed in his life, for he walked in the truth. What is in us manifests itself externally in our activities. The Lord Himself had laid down the principle that “from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Mat 12. 34). Here we find another principle of life that goes with it: what remains in us characterizes our walk. If Satan’s lie dwells in us, we can only walk in a false and dishonest way towards God. When the truth is in us through the Spirit of God, we walk in the truth, even though we walk in the midst of this dishonest world. A Christian’s walk must be light in the midst of darkness, and truth in the midst of error.
Now, in the second epistle, John tells us that he was very pleased to find children of the chosen lady walking in the truth. Here he even goes a step further saying that there is no greater joy than this. Gaius seems to be included in the phrase “his children.” If this means that he was converted by means of John, it would mean that he is not one of the other Gaius mentioned in Scripture. However, here John probably uses this term in a pastoral way, as he obviously does in his first epistle. He had a paternal interest in all the Saints entering the sphere of his ministry. Peter warns the elders not to act “as dominant over inheritances” (1 Pet 5. 3). By his example, John shows us that the true attitude of an elder is that of a father filled with love and concern for his children. It would have been nice if those who exercised responsibilities among believers had followed in his footsteps.
Then we discover what had prompted the apostle to write as follows: The brethren who had come and testified of the truth that was in Gaius, were obviously humble workers in the service of the Lord, to whom he had exercised hospitality and whom he had helped to continue their journey. The love He had shown them, and the service He had rendered to them, simply because they served the Lord and had gone out in His Name, were clear proof of the truth that was in Him, especially since they were strangers to Him. It was about two classes of people: 1) brothers, and 2) foreigners. The best attested reading appears to be, however: “towards the brothers, and this [towards those who are] strangers”. It was right to serve the brothers who were well known to him; but to serve brothers who were completely unknown to him, simply because they served the same Master, was really to act “faithfully.” The truth is that the saints are one, and that the Name of the Lord Jesus binds together all those who serve together in His Name, and this love is the power that cements in the Christian circle. Gaius was true to this truth. She was in him, and he walked in her. Not only had these brothers gone out for the Name, but they were also taking a place of dependence on their Master. They took nothing from the Gentiles (or: nations), although they circulated among them and preached the word to them. They made it clear that they were not seeking any material profit for themselves, but that they were seeking to give their listeners what would be a spiritual gain for them. In this, they were imitators of the apostle Paul, who himself was an imitator of the Lord who said, “He is happier to give than to receive” (Acts 20. 33-35).
These brothers were therefore those whom Gaius had received at his home, offering them a hospitality of love, although on their arrival they were unknown to him. Not only had he provided for their maintenance, but he led them on their journey “in a manner worthy of God.” It seems, therefore, that he must have treated them with superior kindness! If he had conducted them in a manner worthy of a prince, it would have been magnificent, but he had done it in a manner worthy of God! He obviously considered them according to the true light. Even though they seemed insignificant in themselves, they were servants of Christ, identified with the Name that is above all names. Gaius received them as such. He saw them, not in the light of some personal appreciation, or lack of personal appreciation, but in the light of what they were as little servants of an illustrious Master; and Gaius thus walked in the truth, and proved that the truth remained in him. Our little epistle ends in a very similar way to the second epistle. With Gaius as with the chosen lady, one-on-one conversations were much preferable to communication by letter. But just as there was an urgency to strengthen the chosen lady against subtle approaches to evil, and this suffered no delay, it was equally urgent to confirm Gaius in his work of hospitality and support of those who were in good and in truth, precisely when others rejected them. On the other hand, the action of Diotrèphe did not lack energy: He did not receive these foreign brothers, and prevented others from doing so. He didn’t want them in the assembly. And moreover he did not want to receive the apostle, at least as to his authority, and spoke against him with malice. It is very possible that he considered his vigor to be a proof of fidelity to order and dignity. But this was only rooted in the old self-righteousness of love of position and pre-eminence. The faithful was Gaius, not him.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Gaius and the itinerant missionaries:
- Prosperity of the righteous
Gen 39:3 His master saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made all that he undertook prosper in His hands. Dt 29:9 So you will keep the words of this covenant, and put them into practice, so that you may succeed in all that you do. 2 Ch 31:21 He acts with all his heart, and he succeeds in all that he undertook, seeking his God, for the service of God’s house, for the law, and for the commandments. Neh 2:20 And I gave them this answer: The God of heaven will give us success. We, His servants, will rise and build; but you have no share, no right, no memory in Jerusalem. Ps 1.3 It is like a tree planted near a stream of water, Which gives its fruit in its season, And whose foliage does not wither: Everything it does succeeds in it.
- Members of the Family of God are called brothers
Mt 23:8 But you do not call yourself Rabbi; for only one is your Master, and you are all brothers. Luke 8:21 But he answered: My mother and brothers are those who listen to the word of God and put it into practice. John 21:23 On this, it was rumored among the brethren that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus had not told Peter that he would not die; but: If I want him to stay until I come, what does it matter to you? Rom 8:29 For those whom he knew in advance, he also predestined them to be like the image of his Son, that his Son might be the firstborn among several brethren. Rev 12:10 And I heard in heaven a loud voice that said: Now salvation has come, and the power, and the reign of our God, and the authority of his Christ; for he was precipitated, the accuser of our brethren, the one who accused them before our God day and night.
- The Madness of Self-Exaltation
Pr 17:19 He who loves quarrels loves sin; Whoever raises his door seeks ruin. Pr 25:27 It is not good to eat a lot of honey, but seeking the glory of others is an honor. Isaiah 14:13-14 You said in your heart: I will ascend to heaven, I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mountain of the assembly, At the end of the north; 14 I will ascend to the top of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. Mt 23:12 Whoever rises will be lowered, and whoever lowers himself will be raised. Mk 10:37 Grant us, they told him, to sit one to your right and the other to your left when you are in your glory.
- Telling the truth
Pr 12:19 The truthful lip is strengthened forever, but the false tongue remains only for a moment. Za 8:16 This is what you must do: tell the truth each to his neighbor; judge in your doors according to the truth and for peace; Eph 4:25 Therefore, renounce lies, and let each of you speak according to the truth to your neighbor; for we are members of one another. Eph 6:14 Stand firm, therefore: have truth in your loins as a belt; put on the armor of righteousness;
From all the above, we note that the apostle speaks of the brothers who were with him, and of those who were with Gaius, calling them “friends.” This takes us back to John 15 where we find the Lord saying, “You are my friends, if you do all that I command you” (John 15:14); and again, “I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all that I have heard of my Father” (John 15:15). The obedient saint is introduced into this wonderful intimacy, and so he can be recognized as a friend of Christ. In contrast to the willing and disobedient Diotrephe, there were those who were indeed christ’s friends, and those were recognized as friends by the apostle and by all those who walked in the truth. In closing, each of us will do well to ask ourselves the question: If the apostle John were with us today, would he recognize me as a FRIEND? Several people are introduced to us in this short letter. Gaius, its recipient, was a beloved whose soul prospered, who walked in truth, who acted faithfully, and whose love was publicly acknowledged. Demetrius, named later, also had a good testimony (1 Tim 3. 7). On the other hand, in the same assembly, Diotrethus liked to be the first (1 Pet 5. 3), uttered wicked words against the apostle, did not receive the brethren, and drove others out of the Assembly. John also mentions brother evangelists who had “gone out for the Name” (Acts 5. 41). The Name par excellence is that of Jesus; it was enough for them as a message and order of mission. “Do not imitate evil, but good,” the apostle recommends. Examples of good and evil we find in this epistle and around us. Which ones do we imitate? Let us follow above all the Lord Jesus, in whom only good has ever been found (Mark 7. 37). To watch for the good of the Lord’s servants is to take part in the gospel. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “purpose of the letter: exhortation to fight for the faith. “
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly. David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.