INTRODUCTION

(A.D. 90)

¹The E lder (John refers to himself by this title) unto the well-beloved Gaius (could well be the same one mentioned in Acts 19:29; 20:4; Rom. 16:23; I Cor. 1:14), whom I love in the truth. (As the previous Letter was written to a wealthy woman telling her to shut her door against Preachers of a false gospel, so this Letter was written to a wealthy man to open his door to Preachers of the True Gospel.)

²Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper (refers to financial prosperity, and should be the case for every Believer) and be in health (speaks of physical prosperity), even as your soul prospers (speaks of Spiritual Prosperity; so we have here the whole Gospel for the whole man).

³For I rejoiced greatly, when the Brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you (Christian workers were always going out from Ephesus on preaching and teaching missions, and bringing reports from various Churches back to John), even as you walk in the Truth (refers to the manner of ones behavior).

⁴I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in Truth. (Quite possibly Gaius was a convert of John.)

FELLOWHELPERS

⁵Beloved, you do faithfully whatsoever you do to the Brethren, and to strangers (little did this man know that what he was doing would be heralded in the Word of God, and known all over the world for all time);

⁶Which have borne witness of your charity (love) before the Church: whom if you bring forward on their journey after a Godly sort, you shall do well (to bring forward as used here refers to standing good for the maintenance and expenses of visiting Preachers):

⁷Because that for His Names sake they went forth (it was for the sake of the Name of Jesus that these Preachers went forth), taking nothing of the Gentiles. (This refers to virgin territory regarding the Gospel, i.e., different places where they would plant Churches. In planting these Churches, they asked for no money from the new Gentile converts.)

⁸We therefore ought to receive such (to be of help to such Preachers, both prayerfully and financially), that we might be fellowhelpers to the Truth. (Through John, the Holy Spirit here proclaims the fact that Believers should give of their financial resources to help take the Truth to others.)

DIOTREPHES

⁹I wrote unto the Church (speaks of a local Church, but we arent told its location): but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, receives us not. (If it is to be noticed, John calls the name of this individual and warns against him, even as he should have done. To be sure, anyone who was not of Truth would not receive John.)

¹⁰Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words (there is no evidence whatsoever that this is said in a vindictive or vengeful spirit; and we must remember that the Holy Spirit is inspiring John to write these words; in other words, this man had to be exposed): and not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the Brethren, and forbids them who would, and casts them out of the Church. (The idea is that Diotrephes would cast those who would side with John out of the Church, or else seek to do so. Consequently, silence on Johns part would have been wrong, just as it is wrong now for Preachers to be silent regarding false Apostles and false doctrine.)

TESTIMONY

¹¹Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. (In effect, John is referring to Diotrephes as evil. At the same time, he is boldly stating that what he [John] preaches is good and, therefore, of God.) He who does good is of God: but he who does evil has not seen God. (The Holy Spirit, through John, very clearly draws the line. One cannot have it both ways.)

¹²Demetrius has good report of all men(this man was probably the bearer of this Letter to Gaius; he was a stranger to the members of the local Church of which Gaius was a member, and needed a word of commendation from the Apostle), and of the Truth itself: yes, and we also bear record; and you know that our record is true. (There could be no higher recommendation, especially considering that the Holy Spirit sanctioned these words.)

BENEDICTION

¹³I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto you (John ends this Letter in much the same way he ended his Second Epistle):

¹⁴But I trust I shall shortly see you, and we shall speak face to face. (Evidently, the Apostle planned to visit this particular Church shortly.) Peace be to you. Our friends salute you. Greet the friends by name. (This was a small Church, but yet very important, even as the Holy Spirit here proclaims.)