Rewriting Third John: A Deep Dive for Expansion and Clarity
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I [love in truth]. (1)
John, the disciple who Jesus loved. Click here to dig deep into the three John’s mentioned in the bible.
John refers to himself as an elder to Gaius and is writing this to Gaius, who John calls beloved (be like Jesus vibes land for me) and who he loves in truth. Gaius was a real man and a living believer who was a faithful follower of Christ, who walked in truth living according to the pure teachings of Yeshua, embodied and not just talking about them. He was beloved by John who loved him in truth which meant their bone was not shallow sentiment and was shared in alignment with Christ. He was generous and hospitable opening his home to traveling preachers and missionaries who proclaimed the gospel. He had a good reputation among the Christian community and supported the work o the kingdom, helping those for the sake of The Name without seeking personal gain.
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. (2)
John addresses Gaius personally, tenderly and intimately, by calling him beloved and tells Gaius he prays it goes well with him and that he would be in good health as it goes well with his soul.
The expansion for me here is the distinction between external live “that all may go well with you” which would point to circumstances, affairs, journey to be covered and prosperous and that his physical body would be well too. As it goes well with his soul points out to me that Gaius’ soul is already well, already prospering, that his soul is already and always in alignment as his soul is aligned with truth and John is praying for his health and circumstances would be in resonance with what is already going well with his soul.
For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. (3)
John rejoiced greatly when “the brothers” came and testified to Gaius’ truth as he confirmed Gaius was indeed walking in the truth.
We do not have names for “the brothers” and it has been defined as those who were brothers in the truth, so they would be truth bearers and ones who witnessed Gaius and his embodied faith which would have been spiritual integrity and would have had direct experience with Gaius to report back to John.
Seeing the distinction between walking in the truth and not walking in the truth. Also seeing this process of experiencing and testifying of peoples embodiment and proof of their embodiment modeled in this chapter.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. (4)
John refers to Gaius as his children and that the greatest joy he has is when his children are walking in the truth.
With what John expresses here positions him not only as an elder as he did in the opening line. He is also positioning himself as Gaius’ spiritual father. And what brought John the greatest joy in life was when one of his spiritual children are walking in the truth.
How John disciples, fathered, elderly Gaius and his other spiritual children stands out to me. Also Gaius who would have received this letter and been positioned under John so the positioning stands out to me to dig deeper with too.
Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, (5)
John refers to Gaius as beloved again and affirms that it is a faithful thing he is doing in all of his efforts for the brothers, who would be strangers to him bodily and brothers to him spiritually. That his efforts were faithful thing he did do which required effort. That faithfulness requires effort.
who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. (6)
It is the brothers who were strangers to him that testify to Gaius’ love before the church, who we would perceive as a gathered body of believers where John was present. Not a building or institution and a local body of faithful, truth walking believers gathered together for The Name.
John tells him he will do well to send the brothers on their journey in a manner worthy of God as in do so as if you were supporting God himself.
For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. (7)
While Gaius ethnicity is not confirmed, and his name recorded in scripture is Roman. The brothers would have gone out for the sake of the name and accepted nothing from Gentiles, who would have been seen as non-Jews and the ones who would have been part of the world system, outside of their church, considered unbelievers governed by pagan norms and not the Kingdom of God.
The brothers were relying on the faithfulness of Gaius to be sustained as well as helped them uphold spiritual integrity not diluting the embodied conviction and obedience to not accept anything from the Gentiles keeping the brothers embodied in divine alignment upholding their spiritual integrity due to the faithful effort of Gaius.
Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth. (8)
John is including himself here, that we, all of us who live and live in alignment with the truth, ought to support people like the brothers. That when we support people like “the brothers” who do not accept anything from the Gentiles we too are fellow workers for the truth with them.
This is important for me to point out as this embodiment of mine, relates to the brothers embodiment, and in this embodiment I get to discover and find those of faith. God orchestrates my life so I find those who are fellow workers of truth by not taking anything from the “Gentiles” which would be the hell matrix/empire as this allows us to find and see and build a way outside of the system to embody heaven on earth and why support is so needed and when you do support you become a fellow worker with me for the truth.
Inside of this, it points to the need for people like Gaius to support the workers for the truth. We are called to sell everything for the sake of the gospel and also we are called to support fellow workers for the truth. What position are you in and what position does God call you to. This is what is seen by me..
I have written something to the church, AND Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. (9)
There is no direct reference to know what John is referring to when it comes to what he is referencing he has written. Due to the structure of this sentence it appears the letter is about Diotrephes.
What we can gather about Diotrephes with this verse and the following one is that he puts his name first, not the name. When we are embodied for our name and not The name, our embodiment is driven by ego, power, control, and recognition. Including our name is not the issue, it’s including our name first. He rejected the authority of an apostle of Christ. He is speaking malicious lies, and withholding hospitality from the brothers and blocks others from walking in the truth.
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. (10)
John here points to that he will bring up what Diotrephes is doing if he is ever embodied in Spirit with them. He ensures he brings attention to this in this letter and will also bring it up in person if the Spirit of God aligns them to be together in person.
This is scripture used to create a “From Mary” post on why I call out those who talk wicked nonsense against us. And at this time, if you put yourself and not the name first, do not acknowledge my authority, talk wicked non-sense against me, refuses to welcome those who exist to advance the gospel and seeks to stop those who want to support those who advance the gospel and puts those people out of the church will be exposed by me.
Beloved, do not imitate evil AND imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. (11)
John refers to Gaius again as beloved and gives him a clear and direct imperative. Do not imitate evil. Imitate Good.
John is someone charged with guarding and guiding his children into truth and speaking directly with someone who is currently embodying the truth this comes as a direct command.
John makes it very clear, whoever does good is from God, whoever does evil has not seen God. This is a clear line in the sand and something we can hold onto.
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. (12)
It is said to be believed that Demetrius was the carrier of John’s letter to Gaius. He also seems to be put in contrast to Diotrephes as Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone including from the truth itself.
It is 1 John 1:6 in embodied form, if we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. Demetrius practices the truth so the truth bears witness to him. He is so embodied in truth that the nature of God testifies on his behalf as he is in union with truth so when truth see him it sees itself.
I had much to write to you, AND I would rather not write with pen and ink. (13)
John shares how he has much he wants to write Gaius and that he would rather not write with pen and ink.
I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. (14)
John shares who he hopes to see Gaius soon and to talk with him face to face.
Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, each by name. (15)
John speaks peace to Gaius and states the friends greet you. And then tells Gaius to create the friends, each by name.
The friends are said to be fellow believers in true relationship grounded in truth and love. They would be in community with John and know Gaius. They are not just general people in the church, they are intimate, relational, heart-level friendship.
The church is not a structure or body of believers it’s the coming together in friendship with the truth. They would be the beloved ones who keep the faith alive.
