Biblical Theology LX: 3 John

The Third Epistle of John is written to a man named Gaius, who seems to be one of a few elders at this church. The other two seem to be the other men he mentions, Diotrephes and Demetrius. I say this because Diotrephes evidently has the power to excommunicate others and Demetrius is spoken of by John as though he is a judge on these ecclesiastical matters. Likewise, Gaius is praised for receiving the brothers sent to the church and is assumed to have some authority in these matters as well. If this is true, it shows that this early local church had multiple elders, not one (giving further evidence to the idea that multiple, not singular eldership is the New Testament ideal). Diotrephes, however, has become apostate, and excommunicates people who receive the teaching of the apostles or recognize their authority. John argues that Demetrius, however, has had the truth testified to him. John, then, writes to a church with a leadership that has been divided due to apostasy and the desire for self-advancement. 

Gaius’ love is evidenced by his walking in the truth, which John says is his greatest joy to hear. Representatives of the church at which John currently resides have come out to Gaius’ church and were received well as strangers. John argues that such men involved in ministry should be financially supported and have no need to get their support from pagans. By supporting them, these Christians partake in their work and become fellow workers with them for the sake of Christ and His kingdom.

John, once again, argues that the rejection of the apostolic witness is apostasy, and those who do so are characterized, as in the previous letters, as those who do evil rather than good. They are not righteous, but wicked. Hence, Deotrephes not only rejects their witness, but then slanders them, so that he can bring them down and lift himself up. Hence, John says that his motivation is that “he loves to be first among them” (v. 9). The motive is not the glory of God through lifting up the truths of Jesus Christ taught to his apostles, but rather a desire to be respected as most important among the people. This sort of self-exaltation is not only wicked in itself, but leads to the further evils of slandering representatives of Christ, as well as rejecting the true interpretation of Christianity given to the apostles.

This sort of evil must be called out in the open, and not just privately dealt with.

It is interesting that excommunication is always done by one of both sides of a dispute. Apostates think that they are in the right, and so excommunicate the faithful, either officially or through a personal disassociation with the person. It almost as though everyone knows that one who does or believes evil should be shunned, but it is only those with the truth who are right in doing it. The wicked who believe themselves to be right are actually doing yet another wicked thing to add to their large pile of sins. 

The letter is short, and so John merely wants to scratch the surface apparently due to his desire to come and settle these matters face to face.