Overview

Third John is the shortest book of the NT.¹ This brief letter is built around John’s description of three men: Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. Gaius, the recipient of the letter, is commended and serves as a positive example of faithfulness, particularly in his support of faithful traveling preachers. Diotrephes is a negative counterexample, being arrogant, rebellious, and divisive. Most likely, the behavior of Diotrephes is the primary occasion of the letter. With the mention of Demetrius, John returns briefly to a positive example before closing the letter. These are real people, but they serve as examples as well, supporting John’s call not to imitate evil but to imitate good (v. 11).

Outline

1. I. Greeting (vv. 1–4)
2. II. Body (vv. 5–12)
   1. A. Commendation for Support of Missionaries (vv. 5–8)
   2. B. Critique of Diotrephes (vv. 9–10)
   3. C. Demetrius and Imitation (vv. 11–12)
3. III. Letter Closing (vv. 13–15)