3 John 1:7

Because that for his name's sake they went forth,.... From Judea; either of their own accord to preach the Gospel, or being drove out by the unbelieving Jews, for professing the name of Christ; and

Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. His name's sake - Christ's. Went forth - as missionaries.

Ver. 7,8. They went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles; it thence appears these were Jews, who went out from their own country to serve the interest of the gospel, which therefore he should serve in helping them.

7 Because that for his name’ s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. Ver. 7. They went forth] To preach and gain souls to God. And this they did gratis, as Paul, because the false apostles did so at Corinth, seeking occasion against the true teachers, 2 Corinthians 11:12.

(2 a.) (2) Beloved.—St. John’s affection is founded on the high merits of Caius as a Christian. Above all things.—This may mean “in all things.” Be in health.—An ascetic would be surprised that one of the greatest of the Apostles should be so earnest on such a point. But the better a man’s health, the more thoroughly he can do the work of God. Sickness may be allowed to chasten the erring or rebellious heart, but a Christian whose faith is firm and character established, can ill afford to despise the inestimable blessing of a sound body. Functional and organic disorder or enervation proportionately lessen the capacity for thought, resolution, and activity. Even as thy soul prospereth.—The word “prospereth” is literally makes good way, and so links on to the idea of walking, in 3 John 1:3-4. The health of the soul came first in the Apostle’s mind: when there is that, he can wish for bodily health to support it. (2 b.) (3) I rejoiced greatly.—Compare 2 John 1:4. “For” introduces the reason of the high praise in 3 John 1:2. The truth that is in thee.—The inward presence of Christ, manifested by the Christian life and consistency of Caius. Even as thou walkest in the truth.—This is an additional evidence from the brethren to show that the presence of the truth in Caius had been practically tested. Thou is emphatic in the Greek, showing that there were others, like Diotrephes, of whom this could not be said. (4) I have no greater joy.—This is a general statement arising out of the particular instance. The comparative is double—a comparative formed on a comparative; it may be only irregular, an evidence that the writer was not a classical Greek scholar, or it may be for intensity. There is a similar comparative in Ephesians 3:8, where the force is evidently intensive. My children means the members of the churches specially under the care of St. John. (5) Thou doest faithfully—i.e., worthily of a faithful man, consistently with the Christian character. It may be translated, “Thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever. . . .” Whatsoever thou doest.—Done from right motives, as unto Christ. Whatever form (it is hinted that the form would be various) the activity of Caius might take, so high was the Apostle’s opinion of his character, that he was sure it would be done wisely and well. And to strangers.—According to another reading it is, “And that, strangers,” as in 1 Corinthians 6:6, Ephesians 2:8, Philippians 1:28. Either way, the strangers would be Christians; but, according to the reading in the text, the brethren would be more or less acquaintances of their host. The duty of entertaining Christians on their travels was of peculiar importance in early times, (1) from the length of time which travelling required, (2) from the poverty of the Christians, (3) from the kind of society they would meet at public inns. The duty is enforced in Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9.

Verse 7. For his name's sake they went forth] For the sake of preaching the Gospel of the grace of God, and making known JESUS to the heathen. Taking nothing of the Gentiles.] Receiving no emolument for their labour, but in every respect showing themselves to be truly disinterested. Sometimes, and on some special occasions, this may be necessary; but the labourer is worthy of his hire is the maxim of the author of Christianity. And those congregations of Christians are ever found to prize the Gospel most, and profit most by it, who bear all expenses incident to it, and vice versa. But some construe εξηλθον, they went out, with αποτωνεθνων, from the Gentiles, or rather by the Gentiles, and give the passage this sense: They went out, i.e., were driven out by the Gentiles, taking nothing with them, i.e., leaving all their property behind, so that they were in a state of great destitution. A curious reading here, εθνικων, heathenish men, for εθνων, Gentiles, which latter might imply those who were converted from among the Gentiles, while the sense of the other term seems to be restrained to those who were still unconverted, may seem to strengthen the above interpretation; and although the construction seems rather harsh, yet it is not, on the whole, unlikely. The reading above referred to is that of the most ancient and reputable MSS. That to be driven out or expelled is one scriptural meaning of the verb εξερχομαι, see Matthew 8:32: And when they were come out, οιδεεξελθοντεςς, and when they were DRIVEN OUT. Matthew 12:43: When the unclean spirit is gone out, εξελθη, is DRIVEN OUT. See Mr 5:13; Mr 7:29: The devil is gone out of thy daughter, εξεληλυθε, is EXPELLED. Mr 9:29: This kind can come forth by nothing ενουδενιδυναταιεξελθειν, can be DRIVEN OUT by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. Lu 8:2: Mary Magdalene; out of whom went, αφηςδαιμονιαεπταεξεληλυθει, out of whom were CAST, seven demons. See also 1 John 2:19; Revelation 3:12; and Schleusner, in voc. εξερχομαι.

7. Because that for his Name’s sake] Much more forcibly the true text (ΰABCKL), For for the sake of the Name: the ‘His’ is a weak amplification in several versions. A similar weakening is found in Acts 5:41, which should run, ‘Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonour for the Name.’ ‘The Name’ of course means the Name of Jesus Christ: comp. James 2:7. This use of ‘the Name’ is common in the Apostolic Fathers; Ignatius, Eph. iii., vii.; Philad. x.; Clem. Rom. ii., xiii.; Hermas, Sim. viii. 10, ix. 13, 28.they went forth] Comp. Acts 15:40.taking nothing of the Gentiles] Hence the necessity for men like Gaius to help. These missionaries declined to ‘spoil the Egyptians’ by taking from the heathen, and therefore would be in great difficulties if Christians did not come forward with assistance. We are not to understand that the Gentiles offered help which these brethren refused, but that the brethren never asked them for help. ‘The Gentiles’ (οἱἐθνικοί) cannot well mean Gentile converts. What possible objection could there be to receiving help from them? Comp. Matthew 5:47; Matthew 6:7; Matthew 18:17, the only other places where the word occurs. There was reason in not accepting money or hospitality at all, but working for their own living, as S. Paul loved to do. And there was reason in not accepting help from heathen. But there would be no reason in accepting from Jewish converts, but not from Gentile ones.Some expositors render this very differently. ‘For for the Name’s sake they went forth from the Gentiles, taking nothing;’ i.e. they were driven out by the heathen, penniless. But ‘went forth’ is too gentle a word to mean this; and the negative (μηδέν not οὐδέν) seems to imply that it was their determination not to accept anything, not merely that as a matter of fact they received nothing. For ‘receive from’ in a similar sense comp. Matthew 17:25.

Because that for his name’s sake - The word “his” here refers to God; and the idea is, that they had undertaken this journey not on their own account, but in the cause of religion.

7. His name’s sake—Literally, for the name, they went forth; that is the name above every name, of Jesus. Went forth—As holy itinerants, commissioned by the apostle, and preaching Jesus.