House Visual Study Bible

General Information
Name	This is the third letter written by John.
Author and Date	As with 2 John, the author of this letter identifies himself as "the Elder" (see discussion in 2 John). The style of the letter matches John's other two letters. 3 John was written before John's death in about A.D. 100, but it is unclear whether he wrote it before, in the middle of, or after his other two letters.
Audience	Also unlike John's other letters, the recipient of 3 John is specifically identified by name - Gaius.
Message and Occasion	The message of 3 John is very specific: Gaius is called to continued generosity and hospitality and to stand against the influences of someone named Diotrephes, who was doing "evil" things. John must have received word that this Diotrephes had blocked a letter from John to whatever church it was sent to, and that he was kicking people out of the church. He wanted to put an immediate stop to this, but was unable to come at the moment, so he wrote to a trusted and probably prominent member of the same church to represent John's interests there until he could come deal with Diotrephes himself.

Key Information
Key Verses	Vs. 5 "Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church." Vs. 11 "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."
Key People	The Elder: As with 2 John, the Elder clearly loves his recipient, Gaius. Gaius: Nothing is known of who this was, except that John called him "the beloved" and trusted him with the important work of blunting the influence of a divisive person in the church. He must have also been financially stable - able to host "brethren" and "strangers" - and prominent enough in the church that people would listen to him. Diotrephes: John says this man "who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.” Demetrius: Nothing is known about this man other than the Apostle John said he has "a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself" (vs. 12). It has been suggested that Demetrius was the bearer of the letter to Gaius. If so, John was making sure his recipient knew he could trust Demetrius and the letter he was bearing.

Key Information

Key Verses

Vs. 5 "Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, who have borne witness of your love before the church."

Vs. 11 "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God."

Key People

The Elder: As with 2 John, the Elder clearly loves his recipient, Gaius.

Gaius: Nothing is known of who this was, except that John called him "the beloved" and trusted him with the important work of blunting the influence of a divisive person in the church. He must have also been financially stable - able to host "brethren" and "strangers" - and prominent enough in the church that people would listen to him.

Diotrephes: John says this man "who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”

Demetrius: Nothing is known about this man other than the Apostle John said he has "a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself" (vs. 12). It has been suggested that Demetrius was the bearer of the letter to Gaius. If so, John was making sure his recipient knew he could trust Demetrius and the letter he was bearing.

Introduction to 3 John

General Information

Key Information

General Outline

Greeting (Vss. 1-2)

Rejoicing (Vss. 3-4)

Instructions (Vss. 5-12)

Farewell (Vss. 13-14)