9 I wrote something to the assembly; but Diotrephes, who loves to have the first place among them, receives us not.
He that receives you receives me, and he that receives me receives him that sent me. He that receives a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold [water] only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee, with her sons, doing homage, and asking something of him. And he said to her, What wilt thou? She says to him, Speak [the word] that these my two sons may sit, one on thy right hand and one on thy left in thy kingdom. And Jesus answering said, Ye know not what ye ask. Can ye drink the cup which *I* am about to drink? They say to him, We are able. [And] he says to them, Ye shall drink indeed my cup, but to sit on my right hand and on [my] left, is not mine to give, but to those for whom it is prepared of my Father. And the ten, having heard [of it], were indignant about the two brothers. But Jesus having called them to [him], said, Ye know that the rulers of the nations exercise lordship over them, and the great exercise authority over them. It shall not be thus amongst you, but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant; and whosoever will be first among you, let him be your bondman; as indeed the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
but bind burdens heavy and hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of men, but will not move them with their finger. And all their works they do to be seen of men: for they make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders [of their garments], and love the chief place in feasts and the first seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market-places, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. But *ye*, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all *ye* are brethren.
And they remained silent, for by the way they had been reasoning with one another who [was] greatest.
And there come to him James and John, the sons of Zebedee, saying [to him], Teacher, we would that whatsoever we may ask thee, thou wouldst do it for us. And he said to them, What would ye that I should do for you? And they said to him, Give to us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and one on thy left hand, in thy glory. And Jesus said to them, Ye do not know what ye ask. Are ye able to drink the cup which *I* drink, or be baptised with the baptism that *I* am baptised with? And they said to him, We are able. And Jesus said to them, The cup that *I* drink ye will drink and with the baptism that *I* am baptised with ye will be baptised, but to sit on my right hand or on my left is not mine to give, but for those for whom it is prepared. And the ten having heard [of it], began to be indignant about James and John. But Jesus having called them to [him], says to them, Ye know that those who are esteemed to rule over the nations exercise lordship over them; and their great men exercise authority over them; but it is not thus among you; but whosoever would be great among you, shall be your minister; and whosoever would be first of you shall be bondman of all. For also the Son of man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and give his life a ransom for many.
And there was also a strife among them which of them should be held to be [the] greatest. And he said to them, The kings of the nations rule over them, and they that exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But *ye* [shall] not [be] thus; but let the greater among you be as the younger, and the leader as he that serves. For which [is] greater, he that is at table or he that serves? [Is] not he that is at table? But *I* am in the midst of you as the one that serves.
as to brotherly love, kindly affectioned towards one another: as to honour, each taking the lead in paying it to the other:
For the overseer must be free from all charge [against him] as God's steward; not headstrong, not passionate, not disorderly through wine, not a striker, not seeking gain by base means; but hospitable, a lover of goodness, discreet, just, pious, temperate, clinging to the faithful word according to the doctrine taught, that he may be able both to encourage with sound teaching and refute gainsayers. For there are many and disorderly vain speakers and deceivers of people's minds, specially those of [the] circumcision, who must have their mouths stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which ought not [to be taught] for the sake of base gain. One of themselves, a prophet of their own, has said, Cretans are always liars, evil wild beasts, lazy gluttons. This testimony is true; for which cause rebuke them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, not turning [their] minds to Jewish fables and commandments of men turning away from the truth. All things [are] pure to the pure; but to the defiled and unbelieving nothing [is] pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but in works deny [him], being abominable, and disobedient, and found worthless as to every good work.
Whosoever shall receive one of such little children in my name, receives me; and whosoever shall receive me, does not receive me, but him who sent me.
[let] nothing [be] in the spirit of strife or vain glory, but, in lowliness of mind, each esteeming the other as more excellent than themselves; regarding not each his own [qualities], but each those of others also. For let this mind be in you which [was] also in Christ Jesus;
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].