Introduction
Overview
The context of 3 John seems to be a dispute between church members. An authoritarian leader in one of the churches has rejected traveling teachers sent out by John. John writes to correct the problem by urging believers not to imitate what is evil but to imitate what is good. [Hospitality in the Johannine Epistles]
Date, Authorship, and Audience
It seems likely that the three Johannine Epistles share the same author, due to similarities in content and style. They were probably written near the end of the first century AD. Traditionally the author is identified as “John the elder.” For a more detailed discussion of authorship, see the introduction to 1 John.
While 1 John was a circular, and 2 John was an epistle to a leader and her church, 3 John is a letter to an individual, the leader Gaius, whose community members have been denied hospitality by Diotrephes.
Occasion
The Third Epistle of John was written to address an issue that had been caused in the Christian community by a certain Diotrephes. The letter was written to Gaius to give him instructions on this matter.
The following scenario is likely. First, in response to Judaizing pressures, empire-worship expectations, and docetizing threats among the churches of Asia Minor in the last two or three decades of the first century, Diotrephes was appointed bishop of his church, receiving an endorsement from a mother church (such as Antioch) as a means of holding his community together (for more on the cultural setting of the Johannine Epistles, see the introduction to 1 John).
Then, as Johannine Christians traveled in ministry among the churches, some of these were denied hospitality by Diotrephes and his community, perhaps because some of them were suspected of association with false teachers. Diotrephes thus represents a means of dealing with the challenges of docetism and church discipline. He seeks to establish and maintain unity by structural means, including clear lines of authority and its hierarchical exercise. Perhaps Diotrephes was threatened by Johannine egalitarianism, exercise of inclusive ministry, and emphasis on the Holy Spirit’s accessibility to all believers (Jn 14–16).
In response, the elder writes to the centralizing church whence Diotrephes is deriving his authority, but Diotrephes still refuses to welcome the Johannine traveling ministers. Therefore, the elder is willing to come and reason with him personally (cf. Mt 18:15–17).
Structure
Like 2 John, 3 John is also one of the shortest letters in the NT. After his greeting, the elder praises Gaius for his hospitality and display of genuine Christian love. The elder then addresses the issue with Diotrephes, who does not show hospitality or accept the instruction of the elder. The elder then commends Demetrius, and concludes his letter stating he has more he wishes to say but will wait until they can speak face to face.
Outline
1. Greetings to the Beloved Gaius (1–2)
2. Joy at Believers’ Walking in the Truth (3–8)
3. Diotrephes the Primacy-Lover (9–10)
4. Imitate Not Evil but Good (11–12)
5. Final Greetings among Friends (13–15)