2 Beloved, I desire that in all things thou shouldest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospers.
As his divine power has given to us all things which relate to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that has called us by glory and virtue, through which he has given to us the greatest and precious promises, that through these ye may become partakers of [the] divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But for this very reason also, using therewith all diligence, in your faith have also virtue, in virtue knowledge, in knowledge temperance, in temperance endurance, in endurance godliness, in godliness brotherly love, in brotherly love love: for these things existing and abounding in you make [you] to be neither idle nor unfruitful as regards the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ; for he with whom these things are not present is blind, short-sighted, and has forgotten the purging of his former sins.
{To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.} Jehovah answer thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob protect thee; May he send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion; Remember all thine oblations, and accept thy burnt-offering; Selah. Grant thee according to thy heart, and fulfil all thy counsels. We will triumph in thy salvation, and in the name of our God will we set up our banners. Jehovah fulfil all thy petitions!
For I rejoiced exceedingly when [the] brethren came and bore testimony to thy [holding fast the] truth, even as *thou* walkest in truth. I have no greater joy than these things that I hear of my children walking in the truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully [in] whatever thou mayest have wrought towards the brethren and that strangers, (who have witnessed of thy love before [the] assembly,) in setting forward whom on their journey worthily of God, thou wilt do well;
remembering unceasingly your work of faith, and labour of love, and enduring constancy of hope, of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father; knowing, brethren beloved by God, your election. For our glad tidings were not with you in word only, but also in power, and in [the] Holy Spirit, and in much assurance; even as ye know what we were among you for your sakes: and *ye* became our imitators, and of the Lord, having accepted the word in much tribulation with joy of [the] Holy Spirit, so that ye became models to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia: for the word of the Lord sounded out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place your faith which [is] towards God has gone abroad, so that we have no need to say anything; for they themselves relate concerning us what entering in we had to you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to await his Son from the heavens, whom he raised from among the dead, Jesus, our deliverer from the coming wrath.
having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and the love which ye have towards all the saints, on account of the hope which [is] laid up for you in the heavens; of which ye heard before in the word of the truth of the glad tidings, which are come to you, as [they are] in all the world, [and] are bearing fruit and growing, even as also among you, from the day ye heard [them] and knew indeed the grace of God, in truth:
hearing of thy love and the faith which thou hast towards the Lord Jesus, and towards all the saints, in such sort that thy participation in the faith should become operative in the acknowledgment of every good thing which is in us towards Christ [Jesus]. For we have great thankfulness and encouragement through thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother.
But Timotheus having just come to us from you, and brought to us the glad tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have always good remembrance of us, desiring much to see us, even as we also you; for this reason we have been comforted in you, brethren, in all our distress and tribulation, through your faith, because now we live if *ye* stand firm in [the] Lord. For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice on account of you before our God,
And for this cause we also give thanks to God unceasingly that, having received [the] word of [the] report of God by us, ye accepted, not men's word, but, even as it is truly, God's word, which also works in you who believe. For *ye*, brethren, have become imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judaea in Christ Jesus; for *ye* also have suffered the same things of your own countrymen as also *they* of the Jews,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 3 John 1
Commentary on 3 John 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
3Jo 1-14. Address: Wish for Gaius' Prosperity: Joy at His Walking in the Truth. Hospitality to the Brethren and Strangers the Fruit of Love. Diotrephes' Opposition and Ambition. Praise of Demetrius. Conclusion.
1. I—emphatical. I personally, for my part. On Gaius or Caius, see my Introduction before Second Epistle.
love in the truth—(2Jo 1). "Beloved" is repeated often in this Epistle, indicating strong affection (3Jo 1, 2, 5, 11).
2. above all things—Greek, "concerning all things": so Alford: in all respects. But Wahl justifies English Version (compare 1Pe 4:8). Of course, since his soul's prosperity is presupposed, "above all things" does not imply that John wishes Gaius' bodily health above that of his soul, but as the first object to be desired next after spiritual health. I know you are prospering in the concerns of your soul. I wish you similar prosperity in your body. Perhaps John had heard from the brethren (3Jo 3) that Gaius was in bad health, and was tried in other ways (3Jo 10), to which the wish, 3Jo 2, refers.
prosper—in general.
be in health—in particular.
3. testified of the truth that is in thee—Greek, "of" (or 'to') thy truth": thy share of that truth in which thou walkest [Alford].
even as thou—in contrast to Diotrephes (3Jo 9).
4. my children—members of the Church: confirming the view that the "elect lady" is a Church.
5. faithfully—an act becoming a faithful man.
whatsoever thou doest—a distinct Greek word from the former "doest": translate, "workest": whatsoever work, or labor of love, thou dost perform. So Mt 26:10, "She hath wrought a good work upon me."
and to strangers—The oldest manuscripts, "and that (that is, and those brethren) strangers." The fact of the brethren whom thou didst entertain being "strangers," enhances the love manifested in the act.
6. borne witness of thy charity before the church—to stimulate others by the good example. The brethren so entertained by Gaius were missionary evangelists (3Jo 7); and, probably, in the course of narrating their missionary labors for the edification of the Church where John then was, incidentally mentioned the loving hospitality shown them by Gaius.
bring forward on their journey—"If thou (continue to) forward on their journey" by giving them provisions for the way.
after a godly sort—Greek, "in a manner worthy of God," whose ambassadors they are, and whose servant thou art. He who honors God's missionary servants (3Jo 7), honors God.
7. his name's sake—Christ's.
went forth—as missionaries.
taking nothing—refusing to receive aught by way of pay, or maintenance, though justly entitled to it, as Paul at Corinth and at Thessalonica.
Gentiles—the Christians just gathered out by their labors from among the heathen. As Gaius himself was a Gentile convert, "the Gentiles" here must mean the converts just made from the heathen, the Gentiles to whom they had gone forth. It would have been inexpedient to have taken aught (the Greek "meden" implies, not that they got nothing, though they had desired it, but that it was of their own choice they took nothing) from the infant churches among the heathen: the case was different in receiving hospitality from Gaius.
8. We—in contradistinction to "the Gentiles" or "heathen" referred to, 3Jo 7.
therefore—as they take nothing from the Gentiles or heathen.
receive—The oldest manuscripts read, "take up." As they "take" nothing from the Gentiles, we ought to take them up so as to support them.
fellow helpers—with them.
to the truth—that is, to promote the truth.
9. I wrote—The oldest manuscripts add "something": a communication, probably, on the subject of receiving the brethren with brotherly love (3Jo 8, 10). That Epistle was not designed by the Spirit for the universal Church, or else it would have been preserved.
unto the church—of which Gaius is a member.
loveth … pre-eminence—through ambition. Evidently occupying a high place in the Church where Gaius was (3Jo 10).
among them—over the members of the Church.
receiveth us not—virtually, namely, by not receiving with love the brethren whom we recommended to be received (3Jo 8, 10; compare Mt 10:40).
10. if I come—(3Jo 14).
I will remember—literally, "I will bring to mind" before all by stigmatizing and punishing.
prating—with mere silly tattle.
neither doth he … receive the brethren—with hospitality. "The brethren" are the missionaries on their journey.
forbiddeth them that would—receive them.
casteth them—those that would receive the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his influence, as a leading man (3Jo 9) in it, enabled him to do. Neander thinks that the missionaries were Jews by birth, whence it is said in their praise they took nothing from THE Gentiles: in contrast to other Jewish missionaries who abused ministers' right of maintenance elsewhere, as Paul tells us, 2Co 11:22; Php 3:2, 5, 19. Now in the Gentile churches there existed an ultra-Pauline party of anti-Jewish tendency, the forerunners of Marcion: Diotrephes possibly stood at the head of this party, which fact, as well as this domineering spirit, may account for his hostility to the missionaries, and to the apostle John, who had, by the power of love, tried to harmonize the various elements in the Asiatic churches. At a later period, Marcion, we know, attached himself to Paul alone, and paid no deference to the authority of John.
11. follow not that which is evil—as manifested in Diotrephes (3Jo 9, 10).
but … good—as manifested in Demetrius (3Jo 12).
is of God—is born of God, who is good.
hath not seen God—spiritually, not literally.
12. of all men—who have had opportunity of knowing his character.
of the truth itself—The Gospel standard of truth bears witness to him that he walks conformably to it, in acts of real love, hospitality to the brethren (in contrast to Diotrephes), &c. Compare Joh 3:21 "He that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God."
we also—besides the testimony of "all men," and "of the truth itself."
ye know—The oldest manuscripts read, "thou knowest."
13. I will not—rather as Greek, "I wish not … to write" more.
14. face to face—Greek, "mouth to mouth."
Peace—peace inward of conscience, peace fraternal of friendship, peace supernal of glory [Lyra].
friends—a title seldom used in the New Testament, as it is absorbed in the higher titles of "brother, brethren." Still Christ recognizes the relation of friend also, based on the highest grounds, obedience to Him from love, and entailing the highest privileges, admission to the intimacy of the holy and glorious God, and sympathizing Saviour; so Christians have "friends" in Christ. Here in a friendly letter, mention of "friends" appropriately occurs.
by name—not less than if their names were written [Bengel].