3 John

Author: The apostle John

Audience: Gaius, perhaps a leader of one of the churches in or around Ephesus

Date: Between ad 85 and 95

Theme: John writes this letter to commend Gaius for supporting traveling teachers and to rebuke Diotrephes for refusing to welcome them.

Introduction

Author

The author is John the apostle. In the first verses of both 2 John and 3 John the author identifies himself as “the elder.” Note other similarities: “love in the truth” (v. 1 of both letters), “walking in the truth” (v. 4 of both letters) and the similar conclusions. See Introductions to 1 John and the Gospel of John: Author.

Date

The letter was probably written about the same time as 1 and 2 John (ad 85–95). See Introduction to 1 John: Date.

Occasion and Purpose

See Introduction to 2 John: Occasion and Purpose. Itinerant teachers sent out by John were rejected in one of the churches in the province of Asia by a dictatorial leader, Diotrephes, who even excommunicated members who showed hospitality to John’s messengers. John wrote this letter to commend Gaius for supporting the teachers and, indirectly, to warn Diotrephes.

Outline

I. Greetings (1–2)

II. Commendation of Gaius (3–8)

III. Condemnation of Diotrephes (9–10)

IV. Exhortation to Gaius (11)

V. Example of Demetrius (12)

VI. Conclusion, Benediction and Final Greetings (13–14)