The shortest book in the Bible by word count is 3 John. It is a personal letter John wrote to Gaius to encourage him in the faith. Though it is small and tucked away toward the end of the New Testament, let us not neglect the great lessons it teaches.
John’s epistles tie in with one another touching on similar themes, but while the other two address specific doctrinal errors—e.g., denying that Jesus had come in the flesh (1 John 4:3; 2 John 7)—3 John addresses specific people, calling the names of those who do well or who have a sinful attitude. We may be uncomfortable with the latter, but God has seen fit to call names in His Word for all to read for the rest of time (cf. 1 Tim. 1:20; 2 Tim. 2:17). The Bible is honest about problems in the church; it confronts the realities of the Christian life—the good, the bad, and the ugly. By inspiration, the apostle John dealt with personalities in contrasting prideful leadership with humble Christ-like character.
In verses 9-14, John contrasts two men—Diotrephes and Demetrius—to show the difference between destructive self-centeredness and dependable service. The reason 3 John is a personal letter to Gaius is that the previous letter to the church was refused by Diotrephes (3 John 9). While the apostle John made it clear we must not endorse those who are spreading false doctrine (2 John 9-11), the opposite—rejecting those who preach the truth—is also wrong. Gaius had done well in receiving traveling evangelists (3 John 6-8), but Diotrephes would not “receive the brethren” (3 John 10); thus, he stands as a warning to be avoided. However, Demetrius stands as an example of pursuing a life marked by truth and goodness. “Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true” (3 John 12).
We cannot know for certain all the details of the relationship between Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. That Gaius was part of the same congregation where Diotrephes was attempting to be a dictator as one “who loveth to have the preeminence among them” (3 John 9) makes sense. Demetrius may have been the bearer of the letter of 3 John and, thus, in it the apostle gave his recommendation of him (3 John 12; cf. Rom. 16:1). Demetrius may also have been a traveling missionary, possibly even one of the those which previously had been rejected by Diotrephes. We just do not know.
What we do know is the place of preeminence in the church has already been filled by Jesus Christ. “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18). He will continue to occupy that position until “the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24). Diotrephes caused so much trouble because he wanted to be first; he tried to sit in the place of preeminence in the church that only Christ occupies.
We must beware of this temptation. A desire to be first arose even among the apostles (Luke 22:24). The apostle John’s mother, Salome, asked for her sons to sit at places of honor, at the right and left of Jesus when He came into His kingdom (Matt. 20:20-24). Jesus lived and taught humble, sacrificial service as the way to truly be great (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:5-11).
The pride of Diotrephes caused division in the church. John is likely referring to the apostles when he said of Diotrephes he “receiveth us not” (3 John 9). Diotrephes rejected apostolic instruction; he would not allow the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42) to hold sway in the church because he wanted to control things. In that time, apostolic authority was asserted in the living, inspired apostle John who was writing to them. Today, apostolic authority has been preserved by the Holy Spirit for us in the New Testament (1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37; 2 Thess. 3:4).
Diotrephes’ rejection of John was at a personal rather than a doctrinal level. While churches do split because of doctrinal error, sometimes splits occur due to personal rivalry. A doctrinal issue may just be the smokescreen for one who desires to be first. I have observed some congregations of the Lord’s church which have started to set in order the things that are lacking, particularly appointing elders (Titus 1:5), but have been split because a modern-day Diotrephes wanted to have control. Such a person will start to find reasons why men who are being considered for the eldership should be withdrawn from. A Diotrephes is either going to rule the congregation or else he will ruin it.
Diotrephes did not stop at refusing John’s instruction; he went further to slander the apostle. John stated that the deeds of Diotrephes included “prating against us with malicious words” (3 John 10). Gossip may involve sharing private truths, but what Diotrephes spread were utter falsehoods. The devil does this through his agents. They called Jesus a glutton and a winebibber (Matt. 11:19). Some slandered Paul by saying he preached, “Let us do evil that good may come” (Rom. 3:8). Here Diotrephes slandered John.
We ought to be “fellowhelpers to the truth” (3 John 8) as Gaius was (3 John 5). Diotrephes not only refused traveling missionaries who preached the truth, he also prohibited others from doing so; he even attempted to cast people out of the church who wished to help them (3 John 10). He drew his own lines of fellowship. Anyone who did not observe his rules was also rejected.
But the Lord is the one who adds the saved to the church (Acts 2:47). Our fellowship with others is based on fellowship with God. God is light; if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another (1 John 1:5-7). “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).
When we are confronted with evil, divisive individuals like Diotrephes who desire to be above all others—to the point that they are willing to attempt to dismantle the church for which our Lord died (Acts 20:28)—we must stand with God. Remember also the good spiritual examples of men like Gaius and Demetrius. “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” (3 John 11).
–Mark Day