| 3Jo 1:1 | The elder unto the wellbeloved Gaius whom I
love in the truth.
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ELDER- Presbuteros
"John the Elder" Elder = Bishop.
This is the seal and authority of
John's Apostleship as the Bishop
of the First C. Church's foundation
in the Beloved, Jesus Christ, Our
Savior, Adonai Eluhanu. Ha Shem,
whose ineffible name became
flesh.
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John, once the Youngest Apostle,
who sat on the right hand of Christ, at the
Last Supper, he was now the ELDER.
Greek for 4245 Presbuteros {pres-boo'-ter-os} x67
|           | 1) elder, of age, a) the elder of two people b) advanced
in life, an elder, a senior (1) forefathers (2) a term of rank
or office a) among the Jews (1) members of the great council
or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people,
judges, etc., were selected from elderly men.) (2) of those
who in separate cities managed public affairs and administered
justice b) among the Christians, those who presided over the
assemblies (or churches) The NT uses the terms "Bishops," "Elders," and "Presbyters" INTERCHANGEABLY. c) the 24 members of the heavenly Sanhedrin or court
seated on thrones around the throne of God.
| | elder 64, old man 1, eldest 1, elder woman 1 |
He had a short urgent message, that
he sent, to also announce he would
be visiting the churches, personally.
As we read in Jude, there were false
teachers, and infiltrators who were
sowing treacherous doctrine, even
of lasciviousness and blasphemy.
He addressed Gaius, the wellbeloved.
Who was he?
Act 19:29 And the whole city was filled with confusion :
and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia,
Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord
into the theatre.
Act 20:4 And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of
Berea; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and secundus;
and Gaius of Derbe, and Timotheus; and of Asia, Tychicus
and Trophimus.
Rom 16:23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church,
saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city
saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. .
1 Cr 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you,
but Crispus and Gaius;
3 Jo 1:1 The elder under the wellbeloved Gaius,
whom I love in the truth.
Greek for 1050 Gaios {gah'-ee-os} x
|    Gaios | Gaius = "lord" 1) A Macedonian who accompanied Paul
in his travels. 2) A man from Derbe who went with Paul
from Corinth in his last journey to Jerusalem 3) A man
of Corinth who was his host in his second sojourn in that
city. 4) An unknown Christian to whom John's third epistle
is addressed.
| Gaius (of Corinth) 2, Gaius (of Macedonia) 1,
Gaius (of Derbe) 1, Gaius (a Christian) 1; 5 |
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Wellbeloved- Agapetos
Greek for 27 agapetos {ag-ap-ay-tos} x62
|  | 1) beloved, esteemed, dear, favorite, worthy of love
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Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven saying, This
is my beloved 27 Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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Acts 15:25 It seemed good unto us, being assembled
with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with
our beloved 27 Barnabas and Paul.
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Rom 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved 27 of God,
called [to be] saints : Grace to you and peace from
God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
| | beloved 47, dearly beloved 9, well beloved 3, dear 3; 62 |
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The Churches in Turkey were established
on the Spice and Trade Route, so travelling
to them was easy. Because of the audience
of Diana and Pantheon disciples, Paul, John,
and the other Apostles had a ready-made
amphetheater to Prophecy, Preach, and
Convert. It's like Billy Graham giving a
sermon, in the 1960s, in a sports arena.
LOVE
John is affectionately known as the
"Apostle of LOVE."
I could never expound on the topic
as perfectly as C.S. Lewis, in "The
Four Loves":
 THE GOOD SHEPHARD
Love is an imperative command,
and John is endeared, and endearing. He is
someone who loved and was loved by our
Lord
Greek for 25 Agapao {ag-ap-ah'-o}
|  | 1) of persons a) to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly 2) of things a) to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing. ________________________________
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love 25 your enemies, bless
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and
persecute you;
Mat 22: 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love 25the Lord
thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind.
Mat 22: 39 And the second [is] like unto it, Thou shalt
love25 thy neighbor as thyself.
| | love 135, beloved 7; 142 |
I ME MY: EGO
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Truth- Aletheia| Greek for 225 al-ay'-thi-a}Aletheia {Al-ay'-thi-a} |   | 1) objectively a) what is true in any matter under consideration
(1) truly, in truth, according to truth (2) of a truth, in reality,
in fact, certainly b)what is true in things appeartaining
to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth
(1) in the greatest latitude (2) the true notions of God which
are open to human reason without his supernatural
intervention c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion,
respecting God and the execution of his purposes through
Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to
the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of
Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false
teachers even among Christians. (2) subjectively a)
truth as a personal excellence (1) that candor of
mind which is free from affection, pretence,
simulation, falsehood, deceit.
| | truth 107, truly + 1909 1, true 1, verity 1; 110 |
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 The mystical 12 Apostles were unique, as elders.
They are patterned after the 12 sons of Jacob.
This was a unique dispensation, meant only
for the First Century, to set up the Prebytery,
and design of God's church. It resembled the
Mystical Sannheidren, which was likened to
the court of the LORD, dispensing his LAW.
First Century Christianity was unique to
Christianity. We speak fondly about it, but, we
don't have their appointment, we have our own
glorious legacy in the Kingdom of God, through
Jesus Christ.
Many interpret the 12 of the 24
Elders who preside with Christ,
are the 12 original apostles, and
the 12 original brethren...
If the Apostles are the 12, then did
the Apostle John, when describing
their participation, in Revelation, see
himself?
That's why we can't say for sure
who the 24 Elders are, the Presbytery
in Heaven, before the Throne
of God...
*****(All of these thoughts are my own, not of any set
doctrine.**** but, these things interest me.)
The First Century Authority of the
Apostles and Christ, was necessary,
to build the foundation in Christ.
Even though it appears that Christ's
own brothers impacted the church by
their ministries, no direct discendant
of Christ would be available to exploit
or tempt in a false royal church, even
though it happened anyway in Europe.
 Se' (Cathedral), E'vora- Portugal ... The 12 Apostles
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By the date of these Apostolic letters, by
John, and Jude, which cap the Epistles,
probably between 60 - 80 AD, Christians
were being hunted and killed, turned out
by their pagan, or Jewish families.
Only John survives, to write Revelations,
in approx. AD 90, to close the First Century.
__________________________
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|
| 3Jo 1:2 | Beloved, I wish above all things that thou
mayest prosper and be in health, even as
thy soul prospereth.
PROSPER -
SOUL- psyche (psuche) (This word pairs up nicely
with the Hebrew Ruwach.)
Greek for 5590 psuche {psoo-khay'}x 105
|   psuche / soul
| 1) breath a) the breath of life (1) the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in
breathing a) of animals b) of men, of life
c) that which there is life (1) a living being,
a living soul (2) the soul a) the seat of feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul, etc.) b) the human soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of
the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end
and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life c) the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)
| soul 58, life 40, mind 3, heart 1, heartily + 1537 1, not tr 2; 105
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Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not
able to kill the soull 5590: but rather fear him which is able to
destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life 5590 shall lose it: and
he that loseth his life 5590 for my sake shall find it.
Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for
I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest
in your souls 5590.
|
|
| 3Jo 1:3 | For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and
testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou
testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou
walkest in the truth.
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Greek for 5463 chairo {khah'-ee-ro}Rejoice x 74
| chairo / rejoice x 74
| 1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly
3) to well
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
| rejoice 42, be glad 14, joy 5, hail 5, greeting 3, God speed 2,
all hail 1, joyfully 1, farewell 1; 74 |
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|
| 3Jo 1:4 | I have no greater joy than to hear that my children
walk in truth.
_JOY
-___Greek for 5479 Chara {khar-ah'} x 59
| Chara / Joy
| |
| 1) joy, gladness
a) the joy received from you b) the cause or occasion of joy
(1) of persons who are one's
joy
| joy 51, gladness 3, joyful 1, joyous 1, joyfulness 1,
joyfully + 3326 1, greatly 1; 59 |
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________________
|
| 3Jo 1:5 | Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest
to the brethren, and to strangers;
|
| 3Jo 1:6 | 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:
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|
| 3Jo 1:7 | Because for his name's sake they went forth, taking
nothing of the Gentiles.
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|
| 3Jo 1:8 | We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be
fellowhelpers.
Th 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God,
and our fellowlaborer 4904 in the gospel of Christ, and to
establish you, and comfort you concerning your faith.
1 Cr 3:9 For we are labourers together 4904 with God: ye
are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's husbandry, [ye are] God's
building.
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|
| 3Jo 1:9 | I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth
to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us
not.
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|
| 3Jo 1:10 | 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.
|
| 3Jo 1:11 | 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.
|
| 3Jo 1:12 | 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.
|
| 3Jo 1:13 | I had many things to write, but, I will not
with ink and pen write unto thee:
_____________________
_____________________
|
| 3Jo 1:14 | 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.
This verse has disparate distinct parts, and seems
to be encoded..
This 3 Epistle of John, the Elder, the
Apostle, the Revelator, is personal to
his dear friend Gaius, who helped the
Apostles immeasurably, from their
implied testimony.
In any event, he may have been
influential, as a Macedonian, to
be a go-between, to Romans,
and Roman soldiers.
All messages were for our edification, but, not
necessarily for the same purposes.
John travelled with Mary, his mother,
and mother of the Lord, so, it was coded
for their own safety, perhaps? Lots of
coded possibilities.
For a delightful classic sermon and teaching
on 3 John: Ray Steadman's "A Tale of
Three Men"
Steadman's exposition of the
usurpory self-serving leadership
of individuals, is stated beautifully:
"We will come back to verses seven and eight in a moment, but first
let us look at this man Diotrephes: I have written something to the church; but Diotrephes,
who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my
authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing,
prating against me with evil words. And not content with
that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and
also stops those who want to welcome them and puts
them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate evil
but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who
does evil has not seen God. {3 Jn 1:9-11 RSV} This is the first example in the New Testament church of a
church boss -- someone who tries to run the church. He may
have been an elder or a deacon or perhaps a pastor, it is difficult
to tell. But it was someone who conceived of his role as that of
telling everyone else in the church what to do. Now the early
church apparently had some kind of a membership roll, and
if Diotrephes did not like somebody, he would scratch his name
off the list, and put him out of the church. And John objects to
that. John indicates here that Diotrephes was guilty of four
particular wrong attitudes and actions. For one thing, John says
that this man was guilty of slandering the apostle,
"prating [preaching] against me with evil words."
He refused the authority of the Apostle John.
We know from other letters that the apostles had a unique role
in the history of the church. They were to lay the foundations of
the church, and were given the authority to settle all questions
within the church. It is this apostolic word that is passed along
to us in the New Testament, which is why the New Testament
is so authoritative to Christians. So here was a man who not only
disregarded the authority of the Apostle John, but he even spoke
against him. He said slanderous, evil things against the apostle.
Furthermore, he says that Diotrephes is refusing to welcome the
brethren who came, when these traveling ministers who went
about from place to place, speaking the truth of God, came to
this congregation. Diotrephes would have nothing to do with
them. He turned them aside and refused to allow them to
speak in the church.
A third thing is that he also puts people out of the church who
would have taken these men in. He indulges in what we would
call today "secondary separation." He not only objected to the
men who came, but he objected to those who would have
received them. This has been one of the curses of the church
ever since. Because of this tendency to refuse fellowship to
someone who likes someone you do not like, a wide divisiveness
has come into the church, doing injury and harm beyond recall.
But of those three offenses, none was as severe as the thing
John puts first. The most serious problem Diotrephes had was
that he put himself first. He loved to be first, which is a dead
give-away that he was acting in the flesh. This is always the
philosophy of the flesh -- me first. Me first, and the devil take
the hindmost. In doing that, he was robbing the Lord Jesus
of his prerogative. It is he who has the right to pre-eminence;
he should be first, but here is a man who put himself first, and
that is the really serious thing.
Unfortunately, there are plenty of men like Diotrephes in the
churches today, and they are always characterized by this
attitude. They want to be first. They want part of the glory.
They rob God of his inheritance, stealing that which alone
belongs to the Almighty. I remember reading some years ago
that Dr. H.E. Robertson, an outstanding leader among the
Southern Baptists and a great Greek scholar, once wrote an
editorial in the denominational magazine about Diotrephes.
Later, the editor reported that twenty-five deacons wrote
to cancel their subscriptions, feeling personally attacked.
Now let us see what John's counsel is in this situation. Notice
that he does not advice Gaius to organize a split away from the
church. Rather, he says, Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who
does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God.
{3 Jn 1:11} In other words, do not follow these men who want the
preeminence. If you see somebody who is always jockeying
for position in Christian relationships, always wanting to be
in the public eye, do not follow him. He is following his own
way and not that of God.
There is, finally, a third generation mentioned here,
Demetrius, and all we know of him is what John says: Demetrius has testimony from every one, and from
the truth itself; [a widely accepted and honored man]
I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.
{3 Jn 1:12 RSV} He is speaking here as an apostle with the gift of discernment.
Now He says, "I want to underscore what everybody thinks
about Demetrius. Here's a man you can trust. He is a man
of the truth. He has borne testimony from all that he is to be
trusted." Evidently, Demetrius was the bearer of this letter
to Gaius, and was probably one of those missionaries who
traveled from place to place. I reserved verses seven and
eight until now to comment on Demetrius, because they
describe the kind of man of which he was a sample: More on Ray Steadman's great sermons:
Raymond Charles Stedman
October 5, 1917 - October 7, 1992 |
3John is usually dated in the AD 90 range, by scholarly sources,
THE GOOD SHEPHARD
The mystical 12 Apostles were unique, as elders.
Se' (Cathedral), E'vora- Portugal ... The 12 Apostles
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