The Third Epistle of John (3 John) is the shortest book in the New Testament, with a word count of 219 words in the original Greek, though it has more verses than 2 John. It is also the only New Testament book that does not mention the word, Jesus or Christ, though it alludes to him when it uses the term Ὀνόματος (Onomatos), which means “name.” It is one of five books that tradition attributes to John the Apostle. The others are the Gospel of John, 1 and 2 John, and Revelation.
Authorship and Date
There can be little doubt that 3 John has the same author as the other two epistles that have the name, John. The author calls himself the “elder,” as the author of 2 John does, and the writing style and themes of 1 and 2 John are very similar. The similarity of the language used in 3 John and the Gospel of John also correlates.
The earliest extant references to 3 John cast doubt on its authenticity. Origen, Eusebius, and Pope Dionysius of Alexandria all had their reservations about 2 and 3 John. Jerome, however, believed the epistles of John were all written by the beloved apostle. Most contemporary scholars do not attribute authorship to the Apostle John.
Historical Context
The elder writes to a person called Gaius, who seems wealthy since the elder asks him to host some brothers, who were most likely missionaries. Gaius also hosted the local church in his house and likely served as their elder, which was why John shared his concerns with the leader of that church. Gaius may have converted under the ministry of John since the author refers to him as one of his children (3 John 4).
The Bible mentions four people called Gaius in other New Testament books. Two were companions of Paul, the first from Macedonia (Acts 19:29) and the other from Derbe (Acts 20:4). Paul mentions a Gaius who he baptized among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:14), and he sends greetings from a Gaius who hosted him and a church in his house at the end of his Epistle to the Romans (Romans 16:23). It is unlikely that the Gaius John wrote to was one of these.
John shares his concerns about Diotrephes, who had rejected the authority of John and wanted to have that status for himself. He badmouthed John and his co-workers to the local congregation and started pushing people who welcomed them out of the church. John says he will deal with the situation himself on his next visit.
According to the Apostolic Constitutions, Gaius was appointed Bishop of Pergamon. This account is a late attribution with no early documents to confirm the appointment. It is unclear what the source of the claim in the Apostolic Constitutions was.
Structure
Salutation (3 John 1-4)
John identifies himself and sends the letter to Gaius, though judging by the greeting, he meant it for public reading to all the members who gathered in his house.
Supporting missionaries (3 John 5-8)
John calls on Gaius and his house church to host missionaries who moved through their town. He also asked them to support his co-workers in their mission to spread the gospel among the Gentiles.
Warning about Diotrephes (3 John 9-11)
John felt compelled to address a controversial character in a local congregation that Gaius knew. He merely warned about the actions of Diotrephes, intending to address the matter himself later on.
Testimony about Demetrius (3 John 12)
Demetrius was likely one of the missionaries that would visit Gaius. It was customary to send a letter of recommendation about mission workers in the early church (see Romans 16:1–2, 2 Corinthians 3:1, and Colossians 4:7–8).
The Apostolic Constitutions claim that John ordained Demetrius as bishop of Philadelphia (modern-day Amman in Jordan).
Greetings (3 John 13-15)
John was hoping to visit Gaius and his church members in person shortly.
Main Themes
Support of missionaries
The church was growing at a rapid rate in the late 1st century. John requests Gaius and his fellow believers host some missionaries and support them on their journey. Local Christian communities tended to support Missionaries in their work. It was unthinkable that missionaries would have to rely on Gentile support for gospel work.
The term “name” in 3 John 7 points to Jesus Christ but has a broader implication than a first name. It speaks to character and authority as well. Thus, “for the sake of the name” implies, but is not limited to, mission, the gospel message, the Christian way of life, and faith.
Bad conduct
From the little John reveals about Diotrephes, he comes over as a narcissist. He rejected anyone who could challenge his authority in his local congregation. He controlled the congregation to the extent of expelling persons who would welcome others who may gain influence in the local faith community.
In a previous letter, John sought to address issues in the church, but Diotrephes rejected John’s authority on the matter. Some have suggested the letter was 2 John, but that is unlikely. If the warning against gnostic teaching, especially Docetism, was rejected, John would likely have mentioned it and opposed Diotrephes in much more explicit terms. The opposition was socio-political within the church leadership, not theological.
Testimonies
Testimonies about other coworkers played an important role in early Christianity. John saw fit to commend Demetrius to Gaius and his congregation. It was a way of expressing support and verifying the authenticity of their mission. It was, in essence, vouching for the legitimacy of the calling and ministry of the missionary.
Key Passages
3 John 1:1
“The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.”
The personal connection John had with Gaius is evident in his greeting. He deeply cared about the physical and spiritual well-being of converts from his ministry. He refers to them as children soon afterward, which aptly describes how he cared for them like a father would his own children.
3 John 1:5-7
“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.”
John commends Gaius and his congregation for the treatment of those who were strangers to them when they first arrived. He also calls on them to support their continuing mission as they are expected to move on to new mission fields.
3 John 1:9-11
“I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. Not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”
Diotrephes’s actions are inconsistent with a Christian character of selflessness and love, which the author highlighted in his earlier letter. He rejected “brothers,” or missionaries, likely because of their challenge to his leadership and authority in the local faith community. He seems to have been a dictator of sorts who in no way resembled what an elder in the church should be. His governance had no semblance of servant leadership. John rejects it, compares it to imitating evil, and implies that Diotrephes did not truly convert, for he “has not seen God.”
3 John 1:13-15
“I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face-to-face. Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name.”
Again, John’s care and love for the audience he wrote to becomes evident. He prefers personal connection with them face-to-face. His wish that each of his friends receive a greeting on his behalf by name says much about his character and level of care.
Contemporary Significance
3 John does not address theological matters, so what contemporary significance does it have? There are several aspects of the interactions within faith communities that 3 John speaks to.
Contemporary churches seldom display the deep care and commitment toward one another that 3 John displays. The personal connections between believers seem to have been much closer than they are today. Similarly, Christians do not always show the commitment and personal involvement in the support of missions that we see in this epistle.
Unfortunately, many churches have leaders who display authoritarian characteristics like that of Diotrephes. From John’s council, the reader can learn how to recognize flawed leadership traits and realize that it speaks of unconverted hearts.
