3John 1:5-14 Beloved, thou does faithfully whatsoever thou does 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 shall 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 fellow-helpers to the truth. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, receives us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he does, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither does he himself receive the brethren, and forbids them that would, and casts them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God: but he that does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and you 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.
‘Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church’ Gaius had taken care of the visiting ministers and also Christian strangers, and had done many works of charity (3Jn. 1:5-8).
‘Taking nothing of the Gentiles’ these ministers preached for Christ, not for personal gain or advantage. By all means, they showed themselves disinterested in income (3Jn. 1:7-8).
‘Diotrephes’ who this man was is unknown. Regarding character, he is known as being proud, ambitious, exclusive, malicious, inhospitable, despotic, and rebellious against apostolic authority (3Jn. 1:9-10).
‘I will remember his deeds which he does’ this is the only threat in John’s writings, except in Revelation. He had apostolic power and threatened to use it to bring judgment on this rebel, as Paul threatened the Corinthians (1Cor. 4:16-21).
‘Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that does good is of God; but he that does evil has not seen God’ do not follow this kind of man (3Jn. 1:9-11). Do good, for this, will be proof that you are of God and know Him.
‘I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face’ in both 2John and 3John, the apostle expressed his hope of seeing the ones to whom he wrote (2Jn. 1:12).
‘Peace be to thee’ John speaks the peace of Christ over his fellow-believers as given in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you.” Jesus left the disciples with His dying legacy – peace; not the kind the world gives. Men have peace societies, temples, and plans, but arm for war all the while. They killed the Prince of Peace (Acts 4:27) and ignore Him still, so they will have no peace until He comes to reign (Ps. 2:1-12; 1Thess. 5:3; 1Cor. 15:24-28).
Living the Word 