The 3rd epistle of John
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John names three men and their characters in this short but powerful letter that went down in history and on to our coffee tables and into our libraries even today. Let’s expore the significance.
Firstly, Gaius. He addresses Gaius in the first paragraph whom he says that he loves in the truth. This specifically lets the reader know that it is not an ungodly lust but a Godly-type of love…Agape love. This is how Jesus wanted us to love one another. There are three types of love: 1. Agape (Godly) 2. Filios/Philios (Friendship, Family) and 3. Eros (Sensual/Sexual.) The first is displayed here, praise God.ย
John goes on in the second paragraph to wish prosperity upon Gaius. He also wishes good health to him. Do we wish one another good health when speaking or do we wait until they have a bad report, a prayer request or are placed in the hospital? Don’t wait. Wish someone good health while you are chatting in the market, on the bus, at work or in church. It is a part of blessing others. Your blessings will come back pressed down, shaken and running over because you are actually giving. It is better to give than to receive. To wish for something, as we can see in this example, is not magic. God’s Blessings precede magic. Blessings are permanent, magic is temporal…it only lasts a while.ย
wishย |wiSH|verbย [ย noย obj.ย ]feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attainable; want something that cannot or probably will not happen:ย wewished forย peaceย |ย [ย withย clauseย ]ย :ย he wished that he had practiced the routines.โขย silently invoke such a hope or desire, esp. in a ritualized way:ย I closed my eyes and wished.โขย [ย withย infinitiveย ]ย feel or express a desire to do something:ย they wish to become involved.โขย [ย withย obj.ย andย infinitiveย ]ย ask (someone) to do something or that (something) be done:ย I wish it to be clearly understood.โขย [ย withย two objs.ย ]ย express a desire for (the success or good fortune) of (someone):ย they wish her every success.โขย [ย withย obj.ย ]ย (wish something on)ย hope that something unpleasant will happen to:ย I would notย wish it onย the vilest soul.
Blessing someone is to wish good success or good fortune on them. Have you blessed someone today?
blessย |bles|verbย [ย withย obj.ย ](of a priest) pronounce words in a religious rite, to confer or invoke divine favor upon; ask God to look favorably on:ย he blessed the dying man and anointed him.โขย consecrate (something) by a religious rite, action, or spoken formula.โขย (esp. in Christian Church services) call (God) holy; praise (God).โขย (bless someone with)ย (of God or some notional higher power) endow (someone) with a particular cherished thing or attribute:ย God has blessed us with free will.โขย express or feel gratitude to; thank:ย she silently blessed the premonition which had made her pack her best dress.โขย (bless oneself)ย make the Christian gesture of the sign of the cross:ย the poor parson, blessing himself, brought up the rear.โขย used in expressions of surprise, endearment, gratitude, etc.:ย bless my soul, Alan, what are you doing?ย |ย Lenore,ย bless her heart, had done just that.
John goes on to say that he takes great pleasure in hearing that those souls that he has won over to Jesus Christ are still walking in the truth. They have not backslidden but are living holy and righteous. It hurts us horribly when we see someone give up on God and go back to their old wicked ways. The bible says that when a demon/spirit comes back in a person, they bring 7 of their brothers with them. That person is worse than they were at the first. Stay with Jesus and do not backslide.
Matt 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
John tells us to do good to our brethren and strangers. We are to have a good spiritual reputation and show love/charity. “Let brotherly love continue.” Christians are not to set within four walls being religious, ceremonial, traditional, ritualistic and legal. God wants us to live by Grace. There is freedom in knowing Jesus Christ. We are to have an outreach to those who are not with or like us. Jesus said it’s easy to forgive and love someone that you know but how good to we do it to those that we don’t know?ย
Secondly mentioned is Diotrephes. John does not seem to have quite the same liking of Diotrephes as Gaius. He explains why by saying that Diotrephes loves to have preeminence and doesn’t receive the brethren as a Christian should. He lovedย surpassingย allย others;ย superiority. No one is superior but God. The rest of us are all the same….human.ย
This is one reason that I am against outcasting someone from the church too quickly. Paul says in 2 Cor 13:1 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. Matthew 18:15-17 is the holy order on disagreements among brethren. These things need to be established in our churches. Outcasting or disassociation of a member just because the pastor, etc. doesn’t like them is not Godly. That makes it a club not a church. I’m sure that Jesus wasn’t too happy about Judas either but He allowed him to stay nonetheless. Jesus showed no fear and doesn’t want us to show it either.
Thirdly, Demetrius who had a good name and lived in truthfulness as did Gaius. God recognizes those who live in spirit and in truth. God raises us up and can cast us down when He is ready. The three men, Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius had no idea that their names would go down in history. I am sure that if Diotrephes did, he would have behaved better. It’s too late now. Accept Jesus as your personal Savior if you haven’t. Get your name written on the Good Book and see the New Heaven and New Earth. Stroll along beautiful gardens and want for nothing with Jesus at your side. Live, love, be passionate about the Lord and be free!
Blessing someone is to wish good success or good fortune on them. Have you blessed someone today?
blessย |bles|verbย [ย withย obj.ย ](of a priest) pronounce words in a religious rite, to confer or invoke divine favor upon; ask God to look favorably on:ย he blessed the dying man and anointed him.โขย consecrate (something) by a religious rite, action, or spoken formula.โขย (esp. in Christian Church services) call (God) holy; praise (God).โขย (bless someone with)ย (of God or some notional higher power) endow (someone) with a particular cherished thing or attribute:ย God has blessed us with free will.โขย express or feel gratitude to; thank:ย she silently blessed the premonition which had made her pack her best dress.โขย (bless oneself)ย make the Christian gesture of the sign of the cross:ย the poor parson, blessing himself, brought up the rear.โขย used in expressions of surprise, endearment, gratitude, etc.:ย bless my soul, Alan, what are you doing?ย |ย Lenore,ย bless her heart, had done just that.
John goes on to say that he takes great pleasure in hearing that those souls that he has won over to Jesus Christ are still walking in the truth. They have not backslidden but are living holy and righteous. It hurts us horribly when we see someone give up on God and go back to their old wicked ways. The bible says that when a demon/spirit comes back in a person, they bring 7 of their brothers with them. That person is worse than they were at the first. Stay with Jesus and do not backslide.
Matt 12:43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. 44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. 45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
John tells us to do good to our brethren and strangers. We are to have a good spiritual reputation and show love/charity. “Let brotherly love continue.” Christians are not to set within four walls being religious, ceremonial, traditional, ritualistic and legal. God wants us to live by Grace. There is freedom in knowing Jesus Christ. We are to have an outreach to those who are not with or like us. Jesus said it’s easy to forgive and love someone that you know but how good to we do it to those that we don’t know?ย
Secondly mentioned is Diotrephes. John does not seem to have quite the same liking of Diotrephes as Gaius. He explains why by saying that Diotrephes loves to have preeminence and doesn’t receive the brethren as a Christian should. He lovedย surpassingย allย others;ย superiority. No one is superior but God. The rest of us are all the same….human.ย
In addition to being ambitious, proud, disrespectful of apostolic authority, rebellious, and inhospitable, the author of the letter says that Diotrephes tried to hinder those desiring to show hospitality to the brothers and to expel these from the congregation. Not even the location of Diotrephes’ church can be determined from the letter.ย
The following is the passage and notes from theย New English Translation.
John 1:9 I wrote something to the church,[4]ย but Diotrephes,[5]ย who loves to be first among them, does not acknowledge us.[6]ย 1:10 Therefore, if I come,[7]ย I will call attention to the deeds he is doing[8]ย โ the bringing of unjustified charges against us with evil words! And not being content with that, he not only refuses to welcome the brothers himself, but hinders the people who want to do so and throws them out of the church! 1:11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is bad but what is good.[9]ย The one who does good is of God; the one who does what is bad has not seen God.[10]
This is one reason that I am against outcasting someone from the church too quickly. Paul says in 2 Cor 13:1 that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. Matthew 18:15-17 is the holy order on disagreements among brethren. These things need to be established in our churches. Outcasting or disassociation of a member just because the pastor, etc. doesn’t like them is not Godly. That makes it a club not a church. I’m sure that Jesus wasn’t too happy about Judas either but He allowed him to stay nonetheless. Jesus showed no fear and doesn’t want us to show it either.
Thirdly, Demetrius who had a good name and lived in truthfulness as did Gaius. God recognizes those who live in spirit and in truth. God raises us up and can cast us down when He is ready. The three men, Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius had no idea that their names would go down in history. I am sure that if Diotrephes did, he would have behaved better. It’s too late now. Accept Jesus as your personal Savior if you haven’t. Get your name written on the Good Book and see the New Heaven and New Earth. Stroll along beautiful gardens and want for nothing with Jesus at your side. Live, love, be passionate about the Lord and be free!
Rev Esther R. Scott
ย
Blessings!