3 John, as I look back, I think is John's 'final focusing': He gave the wide-out version in 1 John, tightened it a bit in 2 John, and here came in tight to the subject all along- this person Diotrephes.
3Jn 1:9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.
3Jn 1:10 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.
Why was he willing to finally focus in on this man? Because, like it or not, this sin is universal. A possibly apocryphal story I found said that a pastor named AT Robinson published a sermon on this book- for whatever reason, leaving the name Diotrephes out- in a Southern Baptist 'state magazine', 'and 25 Baptist deacons from various Baptist churches wrote to the editor and cancelled their subscription, contending that he was writing about them!'
So what was this universal sin? To really look at this, John uses the contrast of others- one at the beginning, and one at the end. At the beginning was the man he wrote to, Gaius- a man who had greeted brothers from other churches, and made efforts to their aid and comfort. He apparently gathered for them all they needed to continue their missionary journey, for which John praised him:
3Jn 1:5 Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are,
3Jn 1:6 who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.
At the other end, we have Demetrius- one of those whom Gaius cared for- and, I am guessing, a victim of Diotrephes' shenanigans:
3Jn 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.
Now, we aren't sure if John was defending him from Diotrephes's previous attacks, or he might be preparing them for his defense at attacks to come- perhaps Demetrius was delivering this very letter. The point of it was, John had sent him, and John was reminding Gaius that he wouldn't have sent him if he wasn't a true believer.
In the middle, we have Diotrephes. His crimes?
1- He puts himself first.
2- When someone comes in the Apostle's authority, he says, so what? Sounds like a lot of arguments I have had with people who'd rather listen to 'Church Fathers' than Paul's epistles.
3- He talks crap against true believers, even John, the last living Apostle. Apparently, the others in Gaius's church haven't yet grasped the concept of, "You will know them by their fruit". A lot of people in 'megachurches' seem to have that same problem when defending their pastor's fine car, private jet, etc.
4- He controls things by picking and choosing who can speak to, or be a member of, their church. Anyone who would cast him in a bad light (which would be about anyone with light in them), he casts out. Whether physically or by the crap he talks about them.
But the real problem here is not with Diotrephes, but with a church that allows him to get away with all this! That is why the core of his message here is this:
3Jn 1:11 Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.
Now, it is in their/our court: Are you going to recognize evil as evil, or just follow along behind 'the loudest mouth'?
Thank you for another grerat post
ReplyDeleteYou're so welcome!
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