All biblical quotes are from Revised English Version unless otherwise noted.
3 John
1 The elder to the beloved
Gaius, whom I love in truth.
This book is written to an individual. Like the books of
1&2 Timothy still there is much we can learn from it because most of the
things listed would apply to everyone unless talking about an existing
condition. We will see that in verse 2. Gaius is mentioned 5 times between Acts
and 3 John. In Acts 19 during the riot he was captured by the craftsmen. In
Acts 20 he accompanied Paul into Asia. He was with Paul when Paul wrote Romans.
In 1 Corinthians he was one of the people Paul had baptised. It is not clear if
this is the same person.
As in 2 John the word elder is either someone who is old or it
is also used a as an elder in the church sometimes called a deacon or a bishop.
Both apply to John so it could be either one.
2 Beloved, I pray that
all is going well with you and that you are in good health, just as it is
well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when brothers came and testified about
you being in the truth, even as you are walking in truth. 4 I have no greater joy than this: that I hear my
children are walking in the truth.
The following is from the REV commentary on verse 2
“I pray.” The Greek is euchomai (#2172 εὔχομαι) and expresses a prayer or a wish. Here it
describes a wish or perhaps even more accurately, a desire. That desire is
voiced in a prayer, so “pray” is a good translation, “wish” being too weak to
properly communicate the emotion in this verse.
“all.” The Greek phrase is peri panton (περὶ πάντων), and most literally means, “concerning all”
[thus, “concerning everything,” or “in respect to everything”]. It properly
goes with the first infinitive verb, “go well with you,” and not the second,
“be in health.” Thus, “Beloved, I pray that you do well in respect to
everything,” would be very literal, but more difficult to read. “I pray that
all may go well with you” catches the sense very nicely and is easy to read.
“goes well with you...well
with your soul.” “Go well,” and “is well” are both from the Greek verb, euodoō (#2137 εὐοδόω), which is a compound word from the noun hodos, “road,” and the prefix eu, “good.” Often translated “to prosper,” this word literally
means to “have a good road,” i.e., have an easy, successful path ahead of you.
Although it can apply to financial prosperity (1 Cor. 16:2), it is not
restricted to such; the term is much broader than that. It is used in Romans
1:10 in the context of things working out well, so the Apostle Paul could visit
the Romans. Here in 3 John, “prosper” is too often thought to speak of money
alone; the meaning is that John hopes things are going well for Gaius in every
category of his life.
“good health.” The word hugiaino (#5198 ὑγιαίνω) has the basic meaning “to be whole, sound, free
from error”; accordingly, when applied to the human body, its means “to be in
good physical health, be healthy” (BDAG).
“soul.” The Greek word often translated “soul” is psuchē (#5590 ψυχή; pronounced psoo-kay'), and it has a large number
of meanings, including the physical life of a person or animal; an individual
person; and attitudes, emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Here psuchē is used broadly and includes the core of one’s life, both
physically and mentally, and includes one’s attitudes, feelings, and emotions.
Do you think God would want less for you? Of course not he
wants this for all of his children.
It always brings joy to a leader to hear that someone he
taught is walking in truth.
I remember on our return trip to Ohio from Texas my then WOW
sister who is now my wife and I were able to witness and teach a guy from our
fellowship who drove us to Ohio. We taught him the word for the better part of
2 days. I saw him over the years and was always blessed because he excelled
with the word.
5 Beloved, you are doing a
faithful thing whenever you do a work for the brothers, especially when they are strangers.
During the bible times hospitality was the command of God. You
can see it in Genesis 18 with Abraham, and 19 with lot. You can see it in the
Greek scriptures as well Romans 12:13, Galatians 6:10, Hebrews 13:12, and many
more places mostly in the Hebrew scriptures.
When we were on our way to Texas there were people who let, us
stay in their homes who we didn’t know. They opened their homes and one of the
two even fed us breakfast before we left. They didn’t know us from a hole in
the ground yet they opened their home to us. Did I mention there were 28 of us?
There was a family that put us up in their home once we got to Lubbock Texas.
They let us stay till everyone found housing. All these good people will be
rewarded for their kindness to us when they stand before the bema and get their
rewards.
6 They have testified of your
love in front of the congregation. You will do well to send them on their way
in a manner worthy of God.
Here in the REV the Greek word martyreō is translated
testified both in verse 3 and again here in verse 6. In the King Jimmy it is
not. At times there may be a good reason for this most versions translate both
places the same way.
7 They went out on behalf of “The Name,” receiving
nothing from the Gentiles. 8 Therefore we have an obligation to support people like these in order to
be fellow-workers for the truth.
In verse 7 we have the figure Metonymy. You substitute
one noun for another noun and they are related. “The Name” is substituted for
Jesus Christ.
9 I wrote something to the
church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept us. 10 Therefore, if I come, I will remind them of his deeds that he does, falsely
accusing us with malicious words. And not content with that, he himself does
not receive the brothers, and he stops those who intend to receive them, and casts them
out of the church.
Even back in the first century there was division starting in
the Church of the Body. About 70 AD- 100 AD or so we know very little about
what was happening due to the Romans marching into Jerusalem and destroying the
temple.
The word love in verse nine is not agape but philoprōteuō and this is the only place it is used in
the word. It is a compound word meaning philos meaning friend and protos
meaning to be in first place. KJV is “loveth to have the preeminence” it sounds
like Pharisees.
Diotrephes was one of those that was raising contention. This
has been going on for 2,000 years and won’t stop, because there are many well-meaning
people who are being influenced, not controlled, by the devil who is very good
at his job. Jesus Christ made an open show of him. Ever since then all he’s
done is covered himself up and hid himself again.
11Beloved, do not imitate
that which is evil, but that which is good. The one who does good is of God,
the one who does evil has not seen God. 12Demetrius has been testified favorably about by everyone, and by
the truth itself, and we also testify on
his behalf, and you know that our testimony is true.
13 I have many things to write
to you, but I do not want to write them
to you with ink and pen, 14 instead I hope to see you
soon, and we will talk face to face.
Some manuscripts do not contain the last phrase of 14 and 15.
John is simply saying we need to talk alone.
Everything is not for public consumption. This is what 13 and
14 are talking about. Why is that I have no idea what John wanted to talk
about? Because the word doesn’t say why
and I don’t like to guess when it comes to the word. That is way above my pay
grade.
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