Lesson#22

1,2&3John

Part2

11,2,3John,Part2

A"erthearrivaloftheHolySpiritthegospelmessagespreadthroughouttheRomanEmpirethroughthemissionaryworkoftheApostlesandothers.Bytheendofthe1stcenturyhundredsof“church”communiBeshadtakenrootthroughouttheRomanEmpireintheveryferBlesoilofthegospelmessage.ButtheRomanEmpirewasanextraordinarilydiversepopulaBon,incorporaBngamulBtudeofcultures,languages,customsandreligiousbeliefs.Consequently,althoughthecoregospelmessagewasthesame,eachcommunityexperiencedandunderstoodthatmessagedifferently.

DissenBonandconflictinevitablyemerged,asautonomouscommuniBescontrastedtheirunderstandingofthepersonandworkofChristwithotherautonomouscommuniBes.Indeed,conflicteruptedevenwithincommuniBes,fracturingthemintoopposingfacBons,eachinsisBngonthe“truth”oftheirunderstanding.

InLesson#21weexplored2John,alePerfrom“thePresbyter”tothe“chosenLady,”inwhichJohnwarnsaboutteacherswhoare“deceivers.”

21,2,3John,Part2

InLesson#22weexamine3John,anotherlePerfrom“thePresbyter,”thisBmetoamannamedGaius,encouraginghimtoshowhospitalitytoauthenBcteachersandmissionaries,whilewarninghimabout“deceivers,”inparBcularamannamedDiotrephes,astaunchcriBcof“thePresbyter’s”teachingandleadership.

Like2John,3JohnisabrieflePerwhichgetsstraighttothepointandclosesbysayingthattheauthorhopestovisitsoonandconBnuetheconversaBon.

31,2,3John,Part2

Inourpreviousstudyof2JohnweexaminedtheconflicttakingplacewithintheJohanninecommunity,theconflictthatcausesJohntowritehiscorrespondencetobeginwith.

Welearnedthatopinionsdifferedonanumberofkeytheologicalissues,especiallythoseconcerningthepersonofChrist,ofwhoheisandwhathedid.

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Some,liketheApostleJohn—the“beloveddisciple”—whocarriedtheauthorityofaneyewitnesstoJesus’publicministryandwho,asthelastlivingApostle,hadconsiderableinfluenceoverthechurchcommuniBeswithinhissphere,insistedthatJesuswas,isandalwayswillbe,God.InJohn’sgospelhewrote:

“InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWordwaswithGod,

andtheWordwasGod...

andtheWordbecameflesh

andmadehisdwellingamongus.”

(John1:1,14)

1,2,3John,Part2 5

Toothersthiswasabsurd.GnosBcismanditsmoreextremeform,DoceBsm,viewedrealitythroughabifurcatedlens,arguingthatthematerialworldofmaPer,fleshandBmeisflawed,imperfectandevil,whileassociaBngthespiritualworldwithGod,thesoulandperfecBon.

Insuchaworldview,Godcouldnot“becomeflesh”andliveamongus.Rather,thoseinfluencedbyGnosBcismbelievedthatJesuswaslikeanyotherman,butathisbapBsm“Christ”cameuponhimintheformofthe“Spirit”anddepartedfromhimatthecrucifixion.

1,2,3John,Part2 6

AndreadelVerrocchioandLeonardodaVinci.TheBapGsmofChrist(oilonpanel),c.1475.UffiziGallery,Florence.

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DoceBsmwentevenfarther.Forthem,thechasmbetweenthematerialworldandthespiritualworldwassogreatthatGodcouldnotpossiblysoilhimselfbybecomingaman.Consequently,Christ’sbodycouldnothavebeenhumanatall;rather,itwaseitherpurecelesBalsubstanceoranillusion,aphantasm.

Forthosewhofollowedthislineofthinking,Jesusonlyappearedtobehuman;onlyappearedtobenailedtothecross;onlyappearedtosuffer.

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Notme.

1,2,3John,Part2

Andit’swhyonthecrossJesus

said,“MyGod,myGod,whyhaveyouforsakenme?”

InwhichcasetherewasnolasBngunionofthedivinewiththehumaninJesus;noreal,lasBngincarnaBonasJohn’s

gospelclearlystates!

9

ThisistheteachingJohnwarnsabout,callingthosewhoproclaimtheseGnosBcandDoceBcviews“deceivers”and“anBchrists”whospreadnottruth,butlies.

FortheJohanninecommunitywhoseselfidenBtyisrootedinunityandlove,suchfundamental,divergentviewsweredifficulttounderstandandimpossibletoassimilate.APempBngtodosowouldfracturethecommunity,leadtospiritualschizophreniaandresultinanger,hosBlityandmutualexcommunicaBon.

Hence,JohnisemphaBcthatsuchteachingnotbetoleratedinhiscommuniBesandthatthosewhoprofessitnotbewelcomed.

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In3Johnwewitnessthesameconcerns,andwefindoutwhosomeofthekeyplayersare.

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121,2,3John,Part2

Soonceagain,let’shavealookatourtext!

3 John

“The Presbyter to the beloved Gaius whom I love in truth. Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. I rejoiced greatly when some of the brothers came and testified to how truly you walk in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers, especially for strangers; they have testified to your love before the church. Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey. For they have set out for the sake of the Name and are accepting nothing from the pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth . . .

131,2,3John,Part2

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to dominate, does not acknowledge us. Therefore, if I come, I will draw attention to what he is doing, spreading evil nonsense about us. And not content with that, he will not receive the brothers, hindering those who wish to do so and expelling them from the church.

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God. Demetrius receives a good report from all, even from the truth itself. We give our testimonial as well, and you know our testimony is true.

I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink. Instead, I hope to see you soon, when we can talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends greet you; greet the friends there each by name.”

141,2,3John,Part2

Aswith2John,wedon’tknowtowhatchurch3Johnisaddressed.Itcouldbeoneofthe7churchestowhomlePersarewriPeninRevelaBon.TheyarecertainlywithinJohn’ssphereofinfluence,andtheyareimportantchurchesinAsiaMinortowardtheendofthe1stcentury.

ButthatisonlyspeculaBon.

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161,2,3John,Part2

EPHESUS!

PATMOS

SEVENCHURCHESOFREVELATION

Aswithhis2ndlePer,Johncomposeshis3rdlePerina4-part,standardepistolaryform:

1.   AddressandgreeBng(1-4)2.   Topic#1:

Encouragementtosupportthebrothers(5-10)

3. Topic#2:EncouragementtoconBnuedoinggood(11-12)

4. FinalwordsandgreeBngs(13-15)

171,2,3John,Part2

1.   AddressandgreeBng(1-4)2.   Topic#1:

Encouragementtosupportthebrothers(5-10)

3. Topic#2:EncouragementtoconBnuedoinggood(11-12)

4. FinalwordsandgreeBngs(13-15)

181,2,3John,Part2

3 John

“The Presbyter to the beloved Gaius whom I love in truth. Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. I rejoiced greatly when some of the brothers came and testified to how truly you walk in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers, especially for strangers; they have testified to your love before the church. Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey. For they have set out for the sake of the Name and are accepting nothing from the pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth . . .

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• OnceagainJohnbegins,“ThePresbytertothebelovedGaiuswhomIloveintruth.”ThisisverysimilartohisgreeBngin2John:

“ThePresbytertothebelovedGaiuswhomIloveintruth...”(3John1)

“ThePresbytertothechosenLadyandtoherchildrenwhomIloveintruth...”(2John1).

• “Thepresbyter,”presbuvteroß [pres-bu’-ter-os]is“theelder,”whoseidenBtyiswellknowntotheLadyandtoGaius.

• AndaswiththeLady,the“Presbyter”lovesGaius[ajgapavw ,ag-a-pa’-o]in“truth”[ajlhvqeia ,a-la’-tha-a],thebasicdichotomythatdominates2&3John:“truth/decepBon.”

201,2,3John,Part2

Notme.

1,2,3John,Part2

IthinkI’veheardthatnamebefore

inScripture!

ButwhoisGaius?That’saverycommonGenBlenamein

the1st-centuryRomanEmpire.

21

• Yes,youhave!Thereare5mennamedGaiusinScripture:

• Acts19:29menBonsGaiusfromMacedonia,oneofSt.Paul’stravelingcompanions:“Soonthewholecity[ofEphesus]wasinanuproar.ThepeopleseizedGaiusandAristarchus...andallofthemrushedintothetheatertogether.”

• InActs20:3-4,GaiusfromDerbeisamong7menwhotraveltoMacedoniawithPaul:“[Paul]wasaccompaniedbySopatersonofPyrrhusfromBerea,AristarchusandSecundusfromThessalonica,GaiusfromDerbe,Timothyalso,andTychicusandTrophimusfromtheprovinceofAsia.”

• In1Corinthians1:14,GaiusofCorinthisoneoftwopeoplebapBzedbyPaul:“IthankGodthatIdidnotbapGzeanyofyouexceptCrispusandGaius.”

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• InRomans16:23PaulsendspersonalgreeBngsto29peopleheknowspersonallyinRome,andheaddsthat“Gaius[ofEphesus],whosehospitalityIandthewholechurchhereenjoy,sendsyouhisgreeGngs,”aswell.

• Andfinally,itisGaiustowhomPauladdresses3John:“Theelder,tomydearfriendGaius,whomIloveinthetruth.”

Itispossible,ofcourse,thatsomeofthesemennamedGaiusmaybethesameperson.

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3John’s“greeBng”includesaconvenBonalwishforgoodhealth,andasin2JohnourauthoremphasizesthegoodnewshehasheardconcerningtherecipientofhislePer:

“Ihopeyouareprosperingineveryrespectandareingoodhealth,justasyoursoulisprospering.IrejoicedgreatlywhensomeofthebrotherscameandtesGfiedtohowtrulyyouwalkinthetruth.Nothinggivesmegreaterjoythantohearthatmychildrenarewalkinginthetruth.”

(3John2-4)

AndnoBceonceagainJohn’semphasison“truth.”

241,2,3John,Part2

1.   AddressandgreeBng(1-4)2.   Topic#1:

Encouragementtosupportthebrothers(5-10)

3. Topic#2:EncouragementtoconBnuedoinggood(11-12)

4. FinalwordsandgreeBngs(13-15)

251,2,3John,Part2

3 John

“The Presbyter to the beloved Gaius whom I love in truth. Beloved, I hope you are prospering in every respect and are in good health, just as your soul is prospering. I rejoiced greatly when some of the brothers came and testified to how truly you walk in the truth. Nothing gives me greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Beloved, you are faithful in all you do for the brothers, especially for strangers; they have testified to your love before the church. Please help them in a way worthy of God to continue their journey. For they have set out for the sake of the Name and are accepting nothing from the pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such persons, so that we may be co-workers in the truth . . .

261,2,3John,Part2

• Gaiusiswell-knownforhissupportofthebrothers,astheytravelthroughouttheRomanEmpiredeliveringthegospelmessage.Indeed,manyhavetesBfiedinJohn’shearingtoGaius’generousactsofcharitablelove,andPaulurgesGaiustoconBnueofferingthetravelingmissionarieshissupport.

• Theword“pagans”isejqnikovß [eth-nee-kos’],perhapsbePertranslated“outsiders.”Wegetourword“ethnic”fromejqnikovß.

• InsupporBngthetravelingevangelists,onebecomesaco-workerwiththem.

271,2,3John,Part2

ThetravelingevangelistsJohnmenBonsstandinsharpcontrasttoSt.Paul,whoaswelearnedinourstudyoftheActsoftheApostles,didnotrelyonsupportfromlocalchurchcommuniBes.

Recallhisargumentin1Corinthians9:3-11,ashedefendshisapostleship:

281,2,3John,Part2

“My defense against those who would pass judgment on me is this. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a Christian wife, as do the rest of the apostles, and the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? Or is it only myself and Barnabas who do not have the right not to work? Who ever serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating its produce? Or who shepherds a flock without using some of the milk from the flock? Am I saying this on human authority, or does not the law also speak of these things? It is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain” [Deuteronomy 25: 4]. Is God concerned about oxen, or is he not really speaking for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher in hope of receiving a share. If we have sown spiritual seed for you, is it a great thing that we reap a material harvest from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?

Yet, we have not used this right. (1 Corinthians 9: 3-12)

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“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to dominate, does not acknowledge us. Therefore, if I come, I will draw attention to what he is doing, spreading evil nonsense about us. And not content with that, he will not receive the brothers, hindering those who wish to do so and expelling them from the church.

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God. Demetrius receives a good report from all, even from the truth itself. We give our testimonial as well, and you know our testimony is true.

I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink. Instead, I hope to see you soon, when we can talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends greet you; greet the friends there each by name.”

301,2,3John,Part2

• The2ndsecBonofPart1offersasharpcontrasttotheacBveloveandsupportofGaius.Here,JohntargetsDiotrephes,amemberofthecommunitywhoopposesJohn.

• Diotrephesnamemeans“nourishedbyJupiter,”anamethatRaymondBrownobserves“isnotaparBcularlycommonname”(AnIntroducGontotheNewTestament,p.403).

• InaddiBontobeingambiBous,proudanddisrespecsul,DiotrephesisspreadingmaliciousgossipaboutJohn,refusestowelcomehimandencouragesothersnottowelcomehimeither.

• Johnsaysinnouncertaintermsthatwhenhearrives,hewillopenlyconfrontDiotrephes.

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Notme.

1,2,3John,Part2

Wow!Theearlychurchwasa

contenBousplace.Notmuchhaschanged!

Thissoundsliketheflipsideof2John,inwhichJohnencourages“theLady”nottoofferhospitalityto“falseteachers,”andnotto

evengreetthem!

32

1.   AddressandgreeBng(1-4)2.   Topic#1:

Encouragementtosupportthebrothers(5-10)

3. Topic#2:EncouragementtoconBnuedoinggood(11-12)

4. FinalwordsandgreeBngs(13-15)

331,2,3John,Part2

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to dominate, does not acknowledge us. Therefore, if I come, I will draw attention to what he is doing, spreading evil nonsense about us. And not content with that, he will not receive the brothers, hindering those who wish to do so and expelling them from the church.

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God. Demetrius receives a good report from all, even from the truth itself. We give our testimonial as well, and you know our testimony is true.

I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink. Instead, I hope to see you soon, when we can talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends greet you; greet the friends there each by name.”

341,2,3John,Part2

• MovingtoJohn’s2ndtopic,hecontrastsGaius’acBonswiththatofDiotrephes’,andheurgesGaiusnotto“imitateevilbutimitategood,”forthosewhodowhatisgoodareofGod,whilethosewhodoevildonotknowGod.

• JohnthenintroducesDemetriusincontrasttoDiotrephes.JohnhasheardnothingbutgoodthingsaboutDemetrius,anothermemberofthecommunity,andJohnaddshispraiseofDemetriustothatofothers.

• So,onceagainJohnhighlightsthecollisionofoppositesthatwehaveseenthroughouthisgospelandhis2ndlePer.

• TheJohannineworldviewisblack&white:good/evil,truth/lies;love/wickedness.

351,2,3John,Part2

1.   AddressandgreeBng(1-4)2.   Topic#1:

Encouragementtosupportthebrothers(5-10)

3. Topic#2:EncouragementtoconBnuedoinggood(11-12)

4. FinalwordsandgreeBngs(13-15)

361,2,3John,Part2

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to dominate, does not acknowledge us. Therefore, if I come, I will draw attention to what he is doing, spreading evil nonsense about us. And not content with that, he will not receive the brothers, hindering those who wish to do so and expelling them from the church.

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does what is good is of God; whoever does what is evil has never seen God. Demetrius receives a good report from all, even from the truth itself. We give our testimonial as well, and you know our testimony is true.

I have much to write to you, but I do not wish to write with pen and ink. Instead, I hope to see you soon, when we can talk face to face. Peace be with you. The friends greet you; greet the friends there each by name.”

371,2,3John,Part2

381,2,3John,Part2

Thatsoundsfamiliar!

Johncloseshis3rdlePerinthesameconvenBonalfashionasheclosedhis2ndlePer:Ihavemuchtowritetoyou,butIdonotwishtowritewithpenandink.Instead,Ihopetoseeyousoon,whenwecantalkfacetoface.Peacebewithyou.Thefriendsgreetyou;greetthefriendsthereeachbyname.”

(3John13-14)

AlthoughIhavemuchtowritetoyou,Idonotintendtousepaperandink.Instead,Ihopetovisityouandtospeakfacetofacesothatourjoymaybecomplete.ThechildrenofyourchosensistersendyougreeGngs.”

(2John12-13)

391,2,3John,Part2

2and3Johnillustratevividlythediversityofthoughtinthe1st-centurychurch,adiversitythato"enmanifesteditselfnotinconstrucBvediscussion,butinanBpathy,condemnaBonandexclusion.

Onlythroughtheeffortsoftheecumenicalcouncils,beginninginA.D.325withtheCouncilofNicaea,didconsensusbegintoemerge.

Today,theprocessconBnues.

401,2,3John,Part2

1.   Inreading2and3John,doyouspotanysenseofironyinthetwolePers?

2.   WhatdoesGaiusdothatelicitspraisefromJohn?

3.   WhatfactorsplayaroleinDiotrephesanBpathytowardJohn?

4.   WhataresomeoftheepistolaryconvenBonsusedbyJohninhistwolePers?

5.   WhatdoJohn’stwolePerssuggestabouttheearlychurch?

411,2,3John,Part2

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421,2,3John,Part2