14 Nov. 3 John 1:1-15

14 Nov. John praises Gaius for making itinerant preachers welcome

"From the elder
to my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
My dear friend, I know your soul is doing fine, and I pray that you are doing well in every way and that your health is good."

"I was very happy when some brothers and sisters came and told me about the truth in your life and how you are following the way of truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are following the way of truth."

"My dear friend, it is good that you help the [visiting] brothers and sisters, even those you do not know. They told the [mother] church [in Ephesus] about your love. Please help them to continue their trip in a way worthy of God."

"They started out in service to Christ, and they have been accepting nothing from non-believers. So we should help such people; when we do, we share in their work for the truth."

"I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be their leader, will not listen to us. So if I come, I will talk about what Diotrephes is doing, about how he lies and says evil things about us. But more than that, he refuses to accept the other brothers and sisters; he even stops those who do want to accept them and puts them out of the church."

"My dear friend, do not follow what is bad; follow what is good. The one who does good belongs to God. But the one who does evil has never known God."

"Everyone says good things about Demetrius, and the truth agrees with what they say. We also speak well of him, and you know what we say is true."

"I have many things I want to write you, but I do not want to use pen and ink. I hope to see you soon and talk face to face."

"Peace to you. The friends here greet you. Please greet each friend there by name."

          (3 John 1:1-15)

 

 

John's brief Third Letter was written by John shortly after his other two letters, between c.86 and 88AD. He refers to himself once again as ‘the elder’ and uses similar phrases to describe the believers (compare, for example, 3 John 1:1 & 2 John 1:1, or 3 John 1:4 & 2 John 1:4). The letter was written to Gaius, a church leader in one of the churches of Asia Minor.

In this letter, John praises Gaius for welcoming John’s messengers, and condemns Diotrephes – another leader, who has rejected the itinerant teachers sent by John.

John begins by sending personal greetings to Gaius and commends him for welcoming the ‘Christian brothers’ sent by John to teach the truth. He praises Gaius for assisting the itinerant preachers sent out by John from the ‘mother church’ in Ephesus.

John then rebukes Diotrephes for refusing to pay any attention to what John has written to the church in an earlier letter – perhaps John’s First Letter. Diotrephes has even tried to drive those who have welcomed John’s messengers out of the church.

John promises to come and expose Diotrephes and his lies. On the other hand, John supports Demetrius, who is sticking to the truth. (see 3 John 1:9-12)

John says he hopes to see Gaius soon, and closes by sending greetings from Gaius’s friends in the ‘mother church’ at Ephesus.

The photo shows an early Christian baptistery amongst the Roman shops at Sardis - one of the churches John wrote to in Asia Minor.

You can read more from John's three letters @ https://www.thebiblejourney.org/…/1…/the-3rd-letter-of-john/

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