Our Savior Lutheran Church

Open It

1. What gives you the greatest joy in life?

2. What sort of people in your church are well thought of?

3. What famous people are presently the objects of malicious gossip in the tabloids?

Explore It

This letter begins the same as John’s second letter but immediately reveals its more personal nature. John identified himself again as “the elder”. He addressed the letter this time not to a church but to a man named “Gaius.” More information about this man is not given in the letter.

4. To whom was this letter addressed? (1:1)

Two things about Gaius are apparent from the content of the letter. First, he must have held some position in the local church. If he was not its pastor, then he was a layman with some authority. Second, he held a fond place in John’s heart. John explicitly declared his love (agape type) for him in verse 1, and later referred to him as “dear friend” (literally “beloved”) (verses 2, 5, 11). His love is “in the truth,” an identical phrase to 2 John 1, and verse 4. This seems to indicate that Gaius was a person whom John had personally helped to come to know Jesus (“my children”).

5. For what did “the elder” pray? (1:2)

John moved into the body of his letter with a prayer for Gaius (v.2) before he commended him for his faithfulness. He used an ancient customary statement to pray for his good health and general success. Although these were common words found in most letters of the time, John meant them sincerely. In the midst of this polite prayer is a word of encouragement: “Even as your soul is getting along well.” John did not pray for this specifically; he used Gaius’s spiritual growth as a standard to pray for his physical condition. John was confident in Gaius’s spiritual condition.

6. What gave the writer of 3 John great joy? (1:3-4)

After the brief prayer, John commended his walk (vv. 3-4) and encouraged his Christian hospitality (vv. 5-8), Just as some of the members of the church whom John had written in 2 John had brought “great joy” to him, Gaius’s personal spiritual walk had done the same (v.3) A few fellow Christians (“some brothers”) had visited Gaius’s church and brought back a good report to John.

They reported two things: Gaius’s continuing faithfulness to the truth in his lifestyle (v.3b) and his love (6a). These two reports combine to give a picture of a person who accepted the teachings of Christ and put them into practice through his daily behavior. For John, the “Son of Thunder” turned gentle elder, there could be “no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” (v.4).

7. In what was the recipient of this letter faithful? (1:5)

In verse 5, John commended Gaius for his past love, and specifically, for his past Christian hospitality. John described his as “faithful” in what he was doing. His worked matched his belief. He was true to his conviction, and this was seen in his treatment of the “brothers” who were “strangers” to him.

8. What information was circulating among the people in Gaius’s church? (1:6)

From verse 6 we learn that these fellow Christians had come to Gaius, and he had welcomed them and allowed them to say with him. They had reported back to John and the church about Gaius’s love.

John gave instructions to Gaius for his future hospitality and then he included a general guideline for all Christian hospitality. When Gaius sends these “brothers” on their way, he should do it “in a manner worthy of God.” (v.6b). These are God’s servants, traveling teachers, and they should be treated as such. John meant that they should be treated with kindness in attitude and probably in the giving of supplies.

9. Why were “the brothers” sent out? (1:7)

John listed three reasons why proper hospitality should be given to these traveling Christian teachers. First, they were on a mission for Christ (“It was for the same of the Name that they went out,” v.7a). This was an authentic Christian mission and the missionaries’ motives were pure.

10. Why did the elder say that believers ought to show hospitality to Christians who serve God? (1:8)

The second reason was more practical. They would need help, but they received no help from the non-Christian community. Because of this, John said, “we ought” (“we” is emphatic, v.8a) to support them (though translated “hospitality” in the NIV, the Greek word philoxenia does not appear here.) We are obligated to help our fellow Christians who are one mission for Christ. The last reason for supporting these people is “so that we may work together for the truth” (v.8b). By showing them hospitality, we cooperate in the effort of spreading the truth and doing the truth. For all of these reasons, Gaius as well as the readers of this letter must “show hospitality to such men” (v.8a).

11. What did Diotrephes love? (1:9)

Diotrephes was some type of leader in the local church to which John wrote. He may have been the pastor. Or, perhaps he was a prominent lay-person. He was the counterpart to Gaius in his character and conduct and was causing trouble in the church.

Diotrephes had rejected on of John’s earlier letters to the church (v.9a). What this letter was is unsure. It could not have been the current letter of 3 John since Diotrephes had already responded poorly to it. It could not have been 1 or 2 John because noting is mentioned in those letters about hosting authentic missionaries. So it must have been a letter that is now lost.

Why was Diotrephes such a troublemaker? John told us what Diotrephes’s problem was. It was the sin of selfish ambition. John said Diotrephes “loves to be first” (v.9). He had a problem with anyone being ahead of him, whether Christ, Gaius, or John. His selfish ambition apparently led to his bullying for position in the church.

12. What was Diotrephes doing? (1:9-10)

Diotrephes was causing trouble by doing a least four wrong things. First, he was rejecting the authority of John (he “will have nothing to do with us,” v. 9b). Second, he was spreading slanderous gossip about John (“gossiping maliciously about us,” v.10a). The Greek word for “gossiping maliciously” means “talking nonsense,” or “spreading inaccurate tales.” Third, he opposed John’s teaching by refusing “to welcome the brothers” (v.10c). Fourth, he didn’t show hospitality himself, and he stopped those “who want to do so and puts them out of the church” (v.10d).

13. What did the elder encourage Gaius to do? (1:11)

John concluded his warning about Diotrephes by instructing Gaius (“dear friend”) in verse 11. With the powerful and negative activity of Diotrephes being felt in the church, perhaps John was fearful that Gaius would slip into his ways. So he told him, “Do not imitate what is evil but what is good.” His reason for making this statement reflects back on his moral test of his first letter. The moral activity of people reveals their spiritual condition. The person who does good is a true believer (“from God”). The one who does evil is not a believer (“Has not seen God”). If John had Diotrephes in mind, he not only encouraged Gaius in his activity, but he questioned Diotrephes’s spiritual condition.

14. What is true about people who do good and people who do evil? (1:11)

15. What was commendable about Demetrius? (1:12)

As John wrote about doing good, his thoughts naturally turned away from Diotrephes and toward Demetrius. The exact identity of Demetrius and his relationship to John and the church of Gaius are not known. He may have been the person chosen to deliver the letter to its destination.

John commended Demetrius for three things. First, he had a strong reputation (he “is well spoken of by everyone”). Second, Demetrius’s reputation was justified. He was “for real.” Third, John gave his stamp of approval on his life. This was probably the strongest commendation that John could give, because John could say confidently to Gaius, “you know that our testimony is true.”

16. Why is 3 John so short? (1:13-14)

The conclusion of this letter is different from that in his second letter, but there are some similarities. John had more to say, but he wanted to speak it to Gaius rather than write it. So, he concluded with his hope to come and visit soon.

Before ending his letter, John added a closing word of greeting. “Peace to you” was a common wish in many letters, but it was especially appropriate for Gaius with Diotrephes in his church. After sending the greetings from the members of his church to Gaius, John asked Gaius to greet the members of his church by name as a personal gesture of care.

17. What did the writer of 3 John hope to do? (1:14)

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18. What does it mean to love someone in the truth?

19. If other believers were to give a report about you, how would they describe your faithfulness?

20. What about being a believer gives you joy?

21. In what area of life do you struggle to be faithful?

22. How can we show hospitality to other Christians?

23. In what situations do we love to be first, like Diotrephes?

24. What motivates people to gossip?

25. In what areas of your life do you need to do better at “imitating good” rather than evil?

26. What can you do to improve your record of faithfulness?

27. What kind of reputation do you have at your church?

Apply It

28. In what area of your life can you be more faithful this week?

29. To whom can you show hospitality this week?

30. In what way will you imitate good rather than evil today?