3 John 1:1-15

The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.  Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name. (3 John 1:1-15)

3 John is a letter from the apostle John to a man named Gaius. The letter consisted of praise for Gaio, criticism of Diodreve, and recommendation for Demedrio who delivered this letter to Gaio. However, the apostle John introduces himself as an elder (presbyterian), not an apostle, to the recipient in 3 John after John. This expression raised the question of whether the authors of 1 John and 3 John are the apostle John or the famous elder John at the time, but the elder was also used as a bishop and pastor at that time (1 Peter 5:1, Acts 14: 23). At that time, in Israel, an older leader was called an elder, so it is a common view that the authors of these two epistles are the apostle John.

 

『Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prosperet』 Gaio is a well-spirited person. Here is what a well-spirited person means. 『For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. In other words, the truth is Jesus Christ. It means that Jesus Christ died on the cross to redeem all humans from sin. And those who die with Jesus Christ become those who dwell in the truth

 

The Bible says, ``Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. "The beloved are those who seek to save the spirit. The brothers who have traveled are those who do not know God because the spirit is dead. So when it came to helping the strangers realize the truth and return to their homeland, the Bible say it is faithful.

 

The apostle John praises the fact that Gaius preached the gospel to the Gentiles, but took care of them when they visited their communities when devotional evangelists devoted themselves without regard to examples. At that time, it was the beginning of Christianity, so it would have been terrible for those who served as Gentiles for the Gospel but who served with mercy. The apostle John says that Gaius, who cared for them carefully, is the same as working for the truth.

 

Unlike Gaio's sincere care for the devoted devotees of the Gentiles, a man named Dioderebe slandered the devotee, not even accepting it, and committing an expulsion from the church that claimed to be taking care of them. The apostle John criticized Diodrebe as "the man who does evil, the one who did not come to God." The characteristics of a person like Diodrebe who does evil like this are like to be first.

In Mark 10:43-45『But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 』『Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.』 Regarding these words, it is sometimes interpreted as a relief faith that those who are saved will enjoy physical and physical blessings as well as spiritual blessings. This is a misinterpretation. The apostle John prayed that Gaius would obey the word of the Lord, treat other Saints with his material, and grant him material and health in order to continue his ministry of meeting their needs. Was not the purpose. For believers, the purpose of life is the true and true God, and all of this, held in our hands by the grace of God, is only a means to live for God.

 

Gaio had a purpose for God in life, so he used his wealth as a means to serve circuit evangelists. He was regarded as a man who did good to work with them for the truth, while Diodrebe put the purpose of life at the forefront, slandering and denying opponents who thought he could compete with him a little by means of his power. Was evaluated as a man who did evil because he lived a worldly life that kills life.