with paper1 and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak 13 face to face, that our joy may be full. The children 2 of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.

THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN.

SUBJECT.-Three portraits, or the characters of Gains, Diotrephes, and Demetrius.

1. Character of Gaius.

[Ver. 1-8. 1 THE elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the 2 truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest 3 be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced

greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth 4 that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no 5 greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the 6 brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on

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1 Διὰ χάρτου καὶ μέλανος.

made of soot, water, and gum.

Paper made of layers of the Egyptian papyrus; ink

The sister of Curia may have been dead, but her children send greetings.

3 The apostle again assumes the title belonging to all ministers of Christ, "the elder."

4 There appears to have been a Gaius at Derbe, who was with St. Paul at Ephesus, and was one of his travelling companions; and a Gaius of Corinth, who was St. Paul's host in that city, and whom he baptized (Acts xix. 29, xx. 4; Rom. xvi. 23; 1 Cor. i. 14). But whether the person here addressed was one of these, or some other converted under John's ministry, it is not easy to determine. Nor are we able to decide that he was a presbyter, or that he held any other ecclesiastical office.

He was one who had strongly commended himself to the affection of the apostle.

6 This shows the very high estimation in which the apostle held his character as a Christian. He makes the prosperity of his soul the measure of all the other prosperity he could desire for the friend he loved so well; in other words, he makes his spiritual state the standard by which he would have his well-being in all other respects graduated.

7 Gaius was a Christian well established in the faith, as evidenced by his walk, according to the report of the brethren. He walked in the truth; he was a living epistle.

He was full of activity and zeal. He was not one of the drowsy, half-way sort of men; but did faithfully whatever he undertook for strangers as well as brethren. 9 Such was his charity that even strangers joined in bearing witness to it before the church.

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7 their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the 8 Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers 2 to the truth.

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2. Second portrait: character of Diotrephes.

[Ver. 9-11.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, 3 who loveth to have 10 the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 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 11 them that would, and casteth 7 them out of the church. 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.

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3. Third portrait: or, the character of Demetrius.

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Demetrius hath good report of all 10

men,

[Ver. 12. and of the

1 These were doubtless evangelists or missionaries to the heathen.

n

By receiving such and helping them forward on their journey, Gaius became a fellow helper in their work. Not called to go in person to the heathen, he still had a distinct agency in helping the spread of the truth..

3 Diotrephes was probably a presbyter, or office bearer, in the church to which Gaius belonged. This ambitious and influential man used his office to lord it over

God's heritage. He is described as pλompwreúwv, loving to be first.

4 The apostle had addressed an Epistle to the church, but Diotrephes had refused to recognise his authority. He did not hesitate to put himself into open collision with the venerable apostolic head of the church.

This sets the man distinctly before us, and shows us what kind of a man he was; a garrulous, talkative, conceited fellow.

6 Not content with slandering the apostle, he not only himself refused reception to the brethren who went forth taking nothing of the brethren, but hindered others. 7 This seems to decide the question that he was clothed with authority or the influence of a high office in the church.

8 In this the apostle seems more than to express a doubt that Diotrephes could have been a really good man. If he had ever possessed grace, his love of power and dictation had for the time at least overmastered it.

9 He was probably the bearer of this Epistle to Gaius, and may have been one of those who went forth on their self denying work to the Gentiles. `

First, he had a

10 A threefold testimony is borne to the excellence of this man. good report of all men, that good name which is of great price, being consistent with a faithful profession of godliness.

truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true.

4. Final greetings.

[Ver. 13, 14.

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I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and 14 pen 3 write unto thee: but I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. 5 friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

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Our

1 Secondly, the Divine truth so dwelt in him as to render him a sort of image of the truth, in his conversation and character. Or the objective truth was the mirror in which the walk of Demetrius was reflected, and his form appeared in the likeness of Christ." (Alford.)

John adds his own as a third and independent testimony to the excellence of Demetrius.

3 Compare 2 John 12, where instead of xaláμov, pen, the apostle uses xáρтov, paper. The apostle means the writing reed, probably split for use. Perhaps the infirmities of age had made the use of the pen wearisome.

4 But the apostle expected shortly, in his accustomed visitations, to see his friend Gaius face to face.

5 This salutation may well remind us of the peace promised by Christ as His legacy. It is peace of conscience, peace flowing from fraternal concord, and the heavenly peace shed abroad in the heart.

6 The apostle gives neither the names of those sending salutations, nor of those to whom similar greetings are sent. So intimate were the relations between him and Gaius that Gaius would know; the friends of one were the friends of the other.

INDEX.