3 John 1

3 John 1:1

Andreas of Caesarea: John writes this letter to encourage some fellow believers. He writes to Gaius and testifies to his great hospitality, which he praises. He says that someone who does such good is from God. He goes on to tell him to expel Diotrephes, who has not learned to do the same thing. He also praises Demetrius for doing the same as Gaius and mentions his faith as a testimony to his virtue. His main purpose for writing is the same as it was in his second letter. — CATENA

Bede: The elder to the beloved Gaius, etc. Who and what kind of person this Gaius was, is revealed in the course of the Epistle. Because clearly he accumulated good deeds in addition to the faith in Christ which he had received, and although he was not sufficient for preaching the word himself, he rejoiced to sustain those who did preach with his resources. We believe this Gaius to be the one whom Paul mentions in the Epistle to the Romans, saying: “Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you” (Rom. XVI). For he was accustomed to be called a host both as one who receives and is received, he was the host of the entire church because he kindly received all who came to him, namely both the preachers and the hearers of the word, as the following parts of this Epistle clearly declare. Hence, John also loves him in the truth, that is, he appears to love him only with the view of eternal goods, not for the sake of temporal benefits. But it seems that Gaius was in Corinth, from the fact that Paul, having stayed in that city, wrote the Epistle to the Romans, whom he greets in his name. And also in the Epistle to the Corinthians, he mentions Gaius as a citizen of Corinth, saying: “I thank my God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that you were baptized in my name” (I Cor. I). — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Oecumenius: To the beloved Elder Gaius, whom I love in truth. It has been said in the preceding letter about such a greeting: and now to repeat explaining the same things over the flow would be excessive, “whom I love in truth.” He loves in truth who loves with affectionate love according to the Lord: as has also been frequently stated above. — Commentary on 3 John

Richard Challoner: St. John praises Gaius for his walking in truth and for his charity, complains of the bad conduct of Diotrephes and gives a good testimony to Demetrius.

3 John 1:2

Bede: Beloved, I pray that in all things, etc. He says, I frequent prayers to the Lord, that you may complete well what you do well. And just as now your soul, that is, the internal intention of your mind prospers, that is, advances in abundant works of alms, and the liberality of a bountiful mind, and the resources of money which you share with the needy, so may you always be able to lead a life full of virtues with the Lord’s help. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Hilary of Arles: Things are going well for Gaius because his soul is carrying on in good works as the will of his mind directs him. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

Oecumenius: Dearly beloved, I wish that you may prosper in all things and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. “just as your soul prospers.” It acts prosperously, namely in the state that is according to the Gospel. — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:3

Hilary of Arles: The truth of Gaius’s life was seen in the perfection of his works. He was a man who went about without any guile in thought, word or deed. Instead of that, he followed the commandments of God to the best of his ability. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

Oecumenius: I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and bore witness to your truth, as you walk in the truth. “you walk in the truth.” He walks in truth who walks in the righteous simplicity of the Gospel. However, to walk does not refer to the motion of limbs, since such steps, passing from one place to another, are common to all animals that have feet; but it signifies an ordered and measured progress according to the keen affection of the mind, which few attain, even among those who are not lacking in understanding. — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:4

Bede: I have no greater joy than this, etc. That is, that I recognize those whom I have begotten to God by preaching or baptizing, observing the truth both of right faith and good operation. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Oecumenius: I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. “no greater joy than.” The term “greater” (µειζοτέραν) according to the practice of the Greek language is not a suitable comparative expression, but it is placed as if seeking a more fervent exaggeration, and thus the comparative is formed from the comparative. — Commentary on 3 John

Richard Challoner: No greater grace: that is nothing that gives me greater joy and satisfaction.

3 John 1:5

Bede: Beloved, you act faithfully in whatever you work for the brethren, etc. You act faithfully, he says, as if he said: Just as you are truly faithful, so you act, showing your faith by your works. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Oecumenius: Dearly beloved, you faithfully do whatever you work for the brothers and for the guests, who have borne witness to your love in the sight of the Church; if you have led them to God worthily, you will benefit. For they went forth for His name, taking nothing from the Gentiles. “you faithfully do,” this is what befits a faithful man. — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:6

Hilary of Arles: Visitors praised Gaius to the rest of the church because of his generous hospitality to those who were in God’s service. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

3 John 1:7

Bede: For they went out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. When it says for the name, it is to be understood as of the Lord Jesus Christ. For the ancients spoke in this manner. And for two reasons, they went out for the name of the Lord, either to preach, evidently coming of their own accord in the name of Him, or because of the faith and confession of the holy name, they were expelled from their homeland by their fellow citizens or relatives. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Hilary of Arles: This means that the servants of God have accepted no assistance from those who are not believers. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

Richard Challoner: Taking nothing of the Gentiles: These ministers of the gospel are commended by St. John, who took nothing from the Gentiles, lest they should seem to preach in order to get money by it.

3 John 1:8

Andreas of Caesarea: John teaches us that we should not wait for such needy people to come to us but should rather go out and look for them, for that is what Lot and Abraham did. — CATENA

Bede: Therefore, we ought to support such men, etc. The blessed John, who had left all things for Christ, aligns himself with the person of believing rich men, so that he might make them more eager to have compassion on the poor and strangers: nor should it be doubted that he could have truly said what we read Paul to have said: “You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by so laboring you must help the weak, and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said: It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20). But he calls them co-workers of the truth, because he who provides temporal support to those who have spiritual gifts, becomes a co-worker in those spiritual gifts themselves. For since there are few who have received spiritual gifts, and many who are rich in temporal things, by this the rich incorporate themselves into the virtues of the poor, while they share their riches with these holy poor. Hence the Lord also says: “Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward” (Matthew 10). — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Gregory the Dialogist: Hence it is said to Gaius through John concerning certain traveling brothers: “For they went forth for the name of Christ, taking nothing from the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such persons, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” For he who provides temporal assistance to those who have spiritual gifts becomes a fellow worker in those very spiritual gifts. For since few are those who receive spiritual gifts, and many are those who abound in temporal things, through this the rich insert themselves into the virtues of the poor: by providing comfort to those same holy poor from their riches. — 40 Homilies on the Gospels, Homily 20

Oecumenius: Therefore, we ought to receive such as these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. “we ought to receive.” ᾽Απολαμδάνειν is taken for ἀναλαμδάνεσθαι, that is, to receive as when it is said: “They received me like a lion ready for prey.” (Ps. 17:12) Moreover, this instructs us not to wait for the needy until they come to us, but rather to run to and follow them: like Abraham and Lot. (Gen. 8) — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:9

Bede: I would have written to the church, but he who loves to have the preeminence among them, etc. Diotrephes, it seems, was an arch-heretic of that time, someone proud and insolent, preferring to usurp the preeminence of knowledge by teaching new doctrines, rather than humbly listening to the commands of the ancient holy Church, which John preached. Hence, aptly, Diotrephes is humorously derided, or interpreted as “mad elegance,” to signify with his name even the perfidy of his heart. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Hilary of Arles: This verse teaches us that we ought to bear the abuse of those who insult us with equanimity, but sometimes we have to protest it because if we do not do so, these people will corrupt the minds of those who might otherwise have heard something good about us. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

Oecumenius: I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not receive us. Therefore, if I come, I will bring to light the works he is doing, gossiping wickedly about us. And not content with that, he not only does not receive the brothers himself, but also forbids those who want to receive them and expels them from the congregation. “I will bring to light the works he is doing.” If it is commanded that evil should not be repaid with evil (Rom. 12:17), what is it that he now threatens? Therefore, we say that this command is so that we do not repay evil to him who has sinned only against ourselves: For if it is a sin against us, and it brings an obstacle to faith, it should be referred to such, as Paul did to Elymas who was perverting the ways of the Lord. (Acts 13:10) “gossiping wickedly.” That is, throwing insults and cursing. — Commentary on 3 John

Richard Challoner: Diotrephes, who loveth: This man seemeth to be in power, but not a friend to the faithful; therefore this part of the letter might be an admonition to him from the apostle.

3 John 1:10

Bede: For this reason, if I come, I will bring up his deeds. That is, by openly reproving, I will bring his works to the knowledge of all. Just like the apostle Paul said: “What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod?” — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Bede: He acts, talking against us with malicious words. It should be noted that we should not arouse the tongues of detractors by our fault, lest they perish, but we should equally bear those that are incited by their own malice, so that merit may increase for us; sometimes, however, we should also curb them, lest while they disseminate evil about us, they corrupt the hearts of the innocent who could have heard good things. Hence John reproved the tongue of his detractor, lest those who could have listened might not hear his preaching and remain in their wrong ways. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

3 John 1:11

Bede: Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He reveals that he desires him to imitate what is good by adding: — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Didymus the Blind: Light has nothing in common with darkness, and there is no agreement between Christ and Belial. The person who does good has Christ, the true light, and not darkness or Belial. But the person who does evil is from Belial and darkness and has not seen God or had any knowledge of him. — CATENA

Oecumenius: Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. “do not imitate what is evil.” Since there is no unity of light with darkness, nor any unity between Christ and Belial (2 Cor. 6:14), it is not appropriate for one who has been illuminated by the knowledge of Christ to mix with darkness through the imitation of the wicked, or through their lustful and shameless works. For just as he who does good is from God, and has composed the eye of his understanding in the light of that knowledge, and thus is wholly light, and sees God, who is true light, and is seen by others as a luminary in the world (Phil. 2:15), sustaining the Word of life; so also he who does evil, walking in darkness, cannot see God, that is, cannot do the things that are of God, nor can he be seen by others, if he rebukes or corrects anyone: but all hate and abominate him, according to that wise oracle: “I have hated iniquity and have abominated it.” (Ps. 118:163 LXX) — Commentary on 3 John

Tertullian: And if I glance around at their examples-(examples) of some David heaping up marriages for himself even through sanguinary means, of some Solomon rich in wives as well as in other riches-you are bidden to “follow the better things; " and you have withal Joseph but once wedded, and on this score I venture to say better than his father; you have Moses, the intimate eye-witness of God; you have Aaron the chief priest. — On Monogamy

3 John 1:12

Andreas of Caesarea: In my opinion this Demetrius is the same man who made silver idols of Artemis and who once led a riot against the apostle Paul. — CATENA

Bede: Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone. That is, he himself welcomed the weak and supported the needy for the sake of the truth. Therefore, Gaius should also imitate him, so that he too may be worthy of the praise of all. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles

Hilary of Arles: Demetrius was highly regarded by everybody because of his virtue. Some people take this verse to mean that he was criticized by everyone, but I cannot see how such an interpretation is possible. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

Oecumenius: Demetrius has been testified by all, and by the very truth itself: but we also bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true. “by all:” say those who keep the truth. “and by the very truth itself:” which is the effectiveness of speech. For there are some to whom virtue bears witness, but it is frustrated by ineffective speech or lacking in deeds. If someone accepts the part “by all,” even from the unfaithful, because “all” comprehends everyone, he would not be wrong to take the speech in a good sense. It commands the Jews and Greeks and the Church of God to strive, just as I, John says, please all in all things.” (1 Cor. 10:35) — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:13

Oecumenius: I had many things to write, but I do not want to write to you with ink and pen. However, I hope to see you soon, and we will speak in person. Peace be with you. Your friends greet you. Greet your friends by name. Similar things have been said and interpreted at the end of the preceding letter; therefore, it would be unnecessary to repeat the same things again. The end, with divine assistance favoring, of the third Catholic letter of John. — Commentary on 3 John

3 John 1:14

Clement of Alexandria: Do not let quarrelsomeness with its love of empty victory creep into our midst, for our aim is the elimination of all discord. Surely this is the meaning of the expression “Peace be to you.” — The Instructor Book 2

Hilary of Arles: John means by this that he still has many commands to give them. — INTRODUCTORY COMMENTARY ON 3 JOHN

3 John 1:15

Bede: Peace to you. The friends greet you, etc. He sends greetings of peace and health to friends, showing by this that Diotrephes and other enemies of the truth are foreign to your peace and salvation. — Commentary on the Catholic Epistles