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7 Key Bible Verses From The Book of 3 John

7 Key Bible Verses From The Book of 3 John

Last updated on: May 24, 2016 at 9:45 pm by Jack Wellman

7 Key Bible Verses From The Book of 3 John 2016-05-24T21:45:56-05:00 Jack Wellman

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Here are seven important Bible verses form the Book of Third John.

Third John 1:1-2 “The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth. Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”

Gaius was apparently an elder in the church and John knew him well enough to say that he was a man he loved in truth. Either John was saying, truly I love Gaius like a brother or they both were lovers of the truth and that is naturally, the teachings of Jesus Christ and found in the New Testament. Indicating that John often thought of the church, he wrote that he prays for them, particularly their soul.

Third John 1:3-4 “For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

Either between the first (1st John) and the second letter (2nd John) or after the second letter (2nd John) he John wrote that he received a report back from the church, perhaps from his trusted friend, Gaius. There was apparently more than just one bringing the good news because John heard it first hand from “the brothers” who came and testified firsthand about how things were going in the church. To John, there wasn’t any greater joy that he could receive than hearing that the church was doing well and for John, doing well meant “walking in the truth.”

Third John 1:7-8 “For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”

Who were these “fellow workers for the truth” that John spoke about? I believe they are those who are sent by John because he writes of their being welcomed by the church, writing, “it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God” (3rd John 1:5-6). In John’s mind, to receive them is to receive him. They might have been strangers to the church at first, but not to John, and apparently the church trusted John enough to receive these whom John had sent.

Third John 1:9-10 “I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.”

Here is the only sore spot in the church report and it was the bad report of Diotrephes. He apparently liked to put himself in a preeminent position in the church; over and above everyone and if someone doesn’t agree with him, he “puts them out of the church.” Even worse, “he refused to welcome the brothers,” perhaps meaning those whom John had sent. Diotrephes didn’t recognize or acknowledge John and elder Demetrius or any of the others who John sent.

Third John 1:11 “Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.”

John instructs the church to not imitate the evil that they see in the world but imitate those good things they see, perhaps in the church. The Apostle Paul liked using the idea about imitation, as he wrote “I urge you, then, be imitators of me” (1st Cor 4:16) and so “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1st Cor 11:1). What this really means is “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:9).

Third John 1:12 “Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself. We also add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true.”

Demetrius was apparently sent to report back to John and from his report, John saw that it was good because the truth was being taught and that truth was likely some of the Apostle Paul’s letters, the Apostle Peter’s letters, John’s letters, and perhaps even the gospels as they had been written by this time. They were known to have been circulated among the churches.

Third John 1:13-14 “I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.”

In closing, once again the Apostle John writes is if longing to see them, face to face, which in his life, he wasn’t able to do, but closes on a hopeful note were he says, “I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face” (3rd John 1:13-14), and in his customarily gracious manner, he closes by writing, “Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name” (3rd John 1:15). These friends may have been those who brought the good report of the church to John. It could be those friends who were with John. John points out that they even greeted them, “each by name,” indicating a glowing report of those who were mentioned.

Conclusion

The last letter written before the Book of Revelation is a touching letter to the church. One where John expresses his love for the church, where he writes about the joy he received when he heard that they were walking in the truth, and that John’s desire is still to see them face to face someday. That did happen…but not on this side of heaven.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

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