Epistles

Thursday, 16 July 2020

…but I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. 3 John -14

The beginning thought of this verse closely parallels what was said in 2 John -12 where John wrote, “but I hope to come to you and speak face to face.” Here, he begins the general thought with, “but I hope to see you shortly.” It is an adverb signifying “immediately.” John chose to not put in writing what he purposed to speak out in person. In this, he continues with, “and we shall speak face to face.”

As in 2 John, the Greek literally reads, “mouth to mouth.” As Paul uses the term, “face to face,” in 1 Corinthians 13:12, John’s words here should be translated as he says them, thus avoiding the confusion of having two separate thoughts translated in the same way. The conversation would be completely private and personal, hence the term “mouth to mouth.” Certainly, John would go into more depth about the issues raised in this letter as he indicated in verse 10 – “I will call to mind his deeds which he does.” Diotrephes would get his comeuppance at the arrival of John.

From there, John next says, “Peace to you.” This is the normal Jewish greeting which John now conveys in the Greek. It signifies more than just quiet, but a state of full calm, blessing, lacking nothing, and so on. It is a petition for completeness in a person. The greeting is especially well-chosen because biblical “peace” is exactly what was needed for Gaius and the church he met at.

John next adds on, “Our friends greet you.” Actually, the Greek reads, “The friends greet you.” The word “our” had been fully expressed in the Greek in John 11:11. Here it is not. There is a group who were friends in the faith, even if not friends in the flesh, and they sent their greeting on to Gaius as well. From there, John closes out the epistle with, “Greet the friends by name.”

Here, John uses a phrase found only one other time in the Bible, kat’ onoma, or “by name.” Its other use is found in John 10:3 –

“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

John was expressing that each person was to be greeted individually, recognizing them apart from all others. In this, it was understood by Gaius who was being referred to, but John withholds the names from the letter itself. It is another good indication that John is being careful to protect the identity of those in the church so that they would not later be harmed by those who had evil intent for the body of believers.

Life application: Here, we have arrived at the end of this tender and beautiful composition by the beloved apostle.

This final verse begins with a “hope” to see Gaius shortly. The particular intent of the word “hope” isn’t one of uncertainty, but rather it leads room for God’s sovereignty in the matter. Such is what James spoke of in the fourth chapter of his letter – “Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that’” (James 4:15).

One final note should be considered. When 2 John and 3 John are set side by side, we see a fuller intent being conveyed. 2 John warns of entertaining false teachers whereas 3 John reminds us to entertain those who faithfully carry out the gospel. Take time today to read these two short letters from this perspective and you will understand more fully these important issues.

Lord God, how wonderful it is to read and study the epistles of the New Testament. In them, we can come to understand the wonderful things Christ Jesus has done, and how to conduct our own affairs within the church. Thank You for including these marvelous treasures in Your word. Certainly, they help us to properly direct our conduct in the face of heresy as well as dealing with interpersonal matters that arise. Help us to be wise and to study them often, to Your glory! Amen.

Wednesday, 15 July 2020

I had many things to write, but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink; 3 John -13

John now writes a thought that closely mirrors one found in the closing of his previous epistle –

“Having many things to write to you, I did not wish to do so with paper and ink.” 2 John -12

In this letter, however, it is written in the imperfect tense. It essentially means, “I was having many things to write you when I started…” John’s mind was full of thoughts about the situation, about the direction he hoped for the church, about how to handle Diotrephes, and etc. There was a lot to discuss. However, like his previous letter, he determined that he wouldn’t merely right it out. Instead, he says, “but I do not wish to write to you with pen and ink.”

Like the translation from 2 John, the way it is translated here makes the thought appear confused – “I was having a bunch of stuff to write to you, but I don’t want to do so with paper and ink.” How else would he write it out then?

A more precise way of translating it would be, “I had many things to write, but I purposed not with paper and ink.” It shows that despite having the desire to write, he decided that putting his words to paper and ink was not the best means of conveying what he desired to say. John’s words are not confused. Instead, they show he carefully thought through the matter and made a determined purpose to hold off on writing.

There could be several reasons for this. Maybe his words would be taken wrong. People read notes and get easily offended by what is said. If John is too brief, he may be perceived as uncaring or dismissive. If he is too wordy, the content may be ignored because such a long response is too tedious to assimilate. And so on. For whatever reason, the many things that John had to convey would be better off not conveyed “with pen and ink.”

One can see the difference between 2 John and 3 John here –

with paper and ink – 2 John
with pen and ink – 3 John

Here, John replaces chartés, or “paper,” with kalamos, or “pen.” The word signifies a reed. It can be a small reed, such as is used for holding ink. In this, it is obvious that the reed is a pen. At other times, it can be inferred that it is a thin reed which is easily destroyed by even slight forces, such as a papyrus reed. This would be what is probably described by Jesus concerning John the Baptist –

“When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?’” Luke 7:24

It can also describe a hardier reed used to make a rod used for whipping (Matthew 27:30), or for lifting something up (Mark 15:36), or even as a measuring rod (Revelation 11:1). John’s change from “paper” to “pen” demonstrates that 3 John is not simply a forged copy from the writing and style of 2 John. Any forger would have stuck with the original idea. However, John would naturally write about whatever was most directly in front of him to take up his notice.

In the previous letter, he may have had either a big piece of paper and decided it was too much to write all his thoughts down, or he may have only had a small piece and thought, “I don’t want to start on another piece of paper lest I inevitably fill that up with things that should be spoken in person.”

In this letter, John was probably looking at the pen in the ink well and thinking something like, “This arthritis is killing me. I have a lot to say, but the pen will be the end of me. And what I have to say is more properly conveyed in person.”

Obviously, we can’t know the thoughts in John’s head, but whatever they were, the change provides us with a note of authenticity which would otherwise be lacking.

Life application: This verse is very similar to that of 2 John -12 and is therefore probably something that he often did; start a letter and decide to end it early and wait to talk about what was on his mind in person. Maybe he wearied of the task mentally or from bad eyesight, or maybe he just needed to vent about Diotrephes a little. Whatever the reason, he started out with a lot on his mind and ended before it was all on the paper.

Fortunately for us, regardless of what else he had on his mind, the Lord found this letter exactly right to be included in His wonderful gift to us. The Bible contains the hopes and aspirations of psalm writers, the frustrations of the prophets, the joy of Solomon and a bride, the exacting details of the priests and chroniclers of Israel’s history, and so very much more for us to think on and study. It ultimately points to Jesus Christ and our relationship with Him. In turn, this leads to our relationships with others who are also called by His name as well as those opposed to His message.

This short little letter has given us a great deal of information to think about in this respect, and if it were lacking from the Bible, we would be less able to handle the important issues he brings up. God’s word is perfect in all it contains and teaches, and we should feel blessed that John took the time to pick up “pen and ink” and write his brief thoughts.

One other thing to note is that many times the apostles had scribes to write their words as they dictated, but in the case of 2 John and 3 John, it is more than likely that they were written by his own hand. If he had a scribe, the letter would probably have included all of his thoughts. But then, it wouldn’t have been exactly what the Lord planned for His word. As you can see, even the actions of John were somehow inspired by the wisdom of God.

Lord God, it is so very wonderful to peer into the thoughts of the writers of the Bible and see the issues which filled their lives and how they are not unlike ours today. It shows us the human condition remains unchanged. The personal touches we see in their letters remind us that they were people just like all the others who have come and gone over the ages – each fulfilling his time and then being called home to You. May we also be used by You to Your honor and glory. Amen.

Monday, 13 July 2020

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. 3 John -11

John now begins a new thought, as indicated by the word, “Beloved.” This is the fourth and final time he uses this word in the letter. As with each instance, it is referring to the main addressee of the letter, Gaius. John has just referred to Diotrephes, noting his disgraceful conduct towards those he interacts with. Understanding this context, John now says, “do not imitate what is evil.”

The word mimeomai, translated as “imitate,” is seen only four times. This is its last occurrence. It is the root of our modern-day word “mimic.” Thus, the translation as “imitate” is well-founded. Gaius (and also we who apply John’s wisdom to our lives) is encouraged to not imitate what is evil. This implies that what Diotrephes was doing is, in fact, evil. The word translated as “evil,” however, is not the same as the previous verse. This word is a more universal word signifying morally bad. One can think of rot in wood which eats away at the tree.

Therefore, rather than imitating such conduct, John next says, “but what is good.” In this, Gaius needs to look no further than the example of Christ. Diotrephes had rejected that. Instead of being vibrant and healthy, his actions were rotten and in a state of decay.

John next says, “He who does good is of God.” The idea here is that the good a person does shows that he is out of, or from, God. His actions demonstrate the character, and the source of, who he is. Jesus referred to this in Luke 20 –

“For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. ⁴⁴ For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”

Understanding this, John then finishes with, “but he who does evil has not seen God.” John’s words are to be taken in a general sense. There are people who do things which are “good,” which may be even more admirable than that of Christians. And there are Christians who do things which are not so good. They may be worse than those who are not Christians. What John is conveying is a state of being similar to that found in 1 John 3 –

“Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 1 John 3:7-9

A person who is in Christ has moved from the authority of the devil to the authority of Christ. His actions are reckoned in an overall state.  Without being dogmatic on the matter, it appears that John believes Diotrephes had never truly believed in Christ. His actions are contrary to what a true believer would do. However, he does not question his salvation. He simply makes the observation that what Diotrephes is doing reflects the character of someone who has not seen God (meaning believed in what God has done in Christ).

Thus, when he comes, John indicates that he will deal with the matter. It will probably be an action similar to what Paul exhorted the Corinthians to take in 1 Corinthians 5:13. By putting him out of the congregation.

Life application: One may question, “Why would John say the words of this verse to Gaius if he had been acting in a Christian and responsible manner so far?” The answer is that just as a stone wears down to a pebble in a river by the continued slow grinding of the water and turbulence, we are equally susceptible to wearing down in our Christian conduct.

Bad company and bad examples will always bring down those around them unless they are diligent in maintaining their good behavior. This is abundantly evident in the political landscape of America. As people practicing perversion, and others with less than moral behavior, move into positions of power, those around them tend to degenerate into like-mindedness. The exceptions are belittled for their morality and defense of godliness. Eventually, only the most resolute and determined souls maintain their strong morals – usually at the expense of any true influence. This then is what John is warning against.

When he says “does good,” he is using a term which describes moral and spiritual goodness, just as mentioned in the example of those in politics above. The Greek word translated as “does evil” refers to something which lacks the necessary qualities that it should otherwise possess – like a lemon in a car lot. This was Diotrephes – the lemon on the lot, inferior and unworthy of any true value in the kingdom of God. We know this because John says that he who acts this way has not seen God in any heartfelt way which would qualify him for glorification.

Glorious and Almighty Heavenly Father – the world is a difficult place filled with perversion, wickedness, and unrighteousness. It is so very easy to become overwhelmed by the ungodly living around us. Please be our Shield and our Defender against the fiery darts which are constantly thrown at us. Keep us wholesome and healthy in our walk with Jesus. Amen.