Exhorting Hospitality

3 John 1:11-12

Exhorting Hospitality

Although Gaius had treated missionaries well in the past, John felt the need to exhort him to continue to do so. As to the phrase, "what is evil . . . what is good, John's chief concern was that Gaius and others not imitate Diotrephes' evil treatment of missionaries, but follow what they knew to be good.

The body of the letter closes with a commendation of Demetrius, the bearer of the letter, as a faithful Christian. Such commendation by name, like the naming of the addressee, was necessary to ensure that the letter was neither suppressed nor misused by those who, like Diotrephes, wanted to disrupt the unity of the congregation (3 John 1:9). See WLC 144; WSC 77.

John commends Gaius’ right behavior and right belief. It is clear that Gaius knows God (v. 11). John wants him to keep doing what he has been doing. John also commends Demetrius, talking about how trustworthy he is (v. 12)

Doing good

imitate… does good… does evil. This is related to what John says elsewhere, that doing right is the mark of those who are from God (see notes on 1 Jn. 3:7-10). However, doing right and doing good are not the same thing. In 1 John, doing right has to do with obeying God’s commands, the opposite of sinning or lawlessness. In 3 John, doing good has to do with giving hospitality. In this context, doing good is providing hospitality to the travelling missionaries, and doing evil is failing to take care of the missionaries.

Demetrius

Demetrius… testimony. See WLC 144; WSC 77. This is a recommendation for Demetrius from John and the rest of his churches. For more on letters of recommendation, see note on 2 Cor. 3:1. The case here may be that no one in Diotrephes’ house church will help Demetrius, so John is asking Gaius to take care of him. In Paul’s case, there were sometimes fake letters that had to be uncovered (see note on 2 Thess. 2:2). Not only this, but letter carriers sometimes had to explain Paul’s letters. It is possible that Demetrius is going to play this role for John, so John gives Gaius reasons to listen to him. The local church has endorsed Demetrius (see notes on Acts 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; Heb. 11:2, 4, 5, 39). He is also endorsed by the truth itself and by the apostles (see notes on Jn. 19:35; 21:24)

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