Free Bible Commentary
“3 John 1:9-10”
Categories: Third John11-11-2017 – 3 John 1:9-10
“I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church.”
After a sterling commendation for Gaius’s service as a disciple of Jesus Christ, John now directs his attention to a man whose name is not easily forgotten – Diotrephes. Paul says that he had written something that Diotrephes had dealt with treacherously. It is very likely, given the heavy emphasis on practicing hospitality toward traveling evangelists, that Paul’s letter was in fact a letter of commendation (cf. 2 Corinthians 3). Such a practice in the early church was common and practical because much like in our world today, there were very real and present dangers abroad and at home. Letters of commendation would make “loving strangers” much easier and set a man and his household more at ease.
One thing that doesn’t come across is that the very name Diotrephes attested to the depravity of the man. The name was exceedingly unique and was primarily found in noble and ancient Greco-Roman families. It means “Zeus-nursed”. It is likely that his background inflamed his predisposition to pride and caused this disciple of Jesus to return to a fleshly attitude – he “loves to be first among them.” He had exalted himself over the church and preferred his headship at the local group to Jesus’. He favored personal aggrandizement to glorifying God. He failed to heed the warning of Jesus against ambition and the desire to rule over others (Mark 10:42-45; 1 Peter 5:3). A factor that may have further played in to this is the early heresy involving local church leadership. Ignatius of Antioch, in 115 AD, attests to the exaltation of one elder over another in this development of “monarchial episcopasy” very early in the church. The situation here in 3rd John may be an even earlier and inspired accounting of this early heresy and provide an antidote to such exaltation of men in the local assemblies of Christ.
Not only did Diotrephes reject the letter of the inspired Apostle, but he went several steps further in his rebellion. And rebellion is an exact description of the type of attitudes and actions in which Diotrephes was engaged. Paul planned an open condemnation of such behavior (compare his open rebuke of Peter in Galatians 2). He unjustly accused the Apostles and those affiliated with them with wicked words. The King James Version reads: “prating against us with malicious words”. Or as one writer put it, he spoke nonsense against John and his fellow workers. While it may have been fluent, it was nonetheless completely devoid of any substance. All of this because Diotrephes loved the preeminence, something belonging exclusively to Christ! (Colossians 1:18) Compounding all of this, Diotrephes had closed the door on those engaged in the labor of the Lord. What Gaius was doing, Diotrephes was actively refusing; what Gaius is commended and encouraged regarding, Diotrephes was scoffing. This sinner was puffed up and John was riding hard to deflate him. How would he have had such authority? It may have been as an elder in the church or perhaps simply that the church met in his home. And think of the impact of Diotrephes’ actions! If this letter is indeed written at the end of the first century, persecution was rampant and only growing worse at the turn of the century. Diotrephes’ rejection might result in the torture or even death of these traveling workers for the Lord! This man needed the son of thunder to make an appearance and John was coming in righteous indignation against this enemy of the truth.
As if personal rebellion were not enough, Diotrephes as the local self-appointed demagogue excommunicated brethren who desired to serve God in providing hospitality to God’s people. One wonders what impact this had on Gaius and what impact it may have played in Demetrius’ life once he got there with the letter. The impact of a Diotrephes is cataclysmic in proportion. John R.W. Stott in the Tyndale New Testament commentary on these letters writes: “Diotrephes slandered John, cold-shouldered the missionaries and excommunicated the loyal believers because he loved himself and wanted to have the pre-eminence. Personal vanity still lies at the root of most dissensions in every local church today.” No doubt you have seen such devastation by one not walking in the truth and in love. It impacts and negatively affects all whom it touches. Such a scourge on the early church and today can only be engulfed by the examples of zealous devotion that God’s soldiers demonstrate as they serve the living God, boldly exposing the deeds of darkness of wicked men. F.F. Bruce writes in his commentary: “Twenty centuries of church history have witnessed many of [Diotrephes’] successors: the lust for power, from whatever form of inner insecurity it may spring, is always a curse, and pre-eminently so in the realm of religion.” Daniel King in the Truth Commentary series concurs and writes: “There is an important lesson for us in this. If it was possible for men to oppose the apostles of the Lord when they still lived and walked among the sons of men, it out not to shock us today when some of those who claim to be the disciples of Jesus seem to care so little for the writings of the apostles and prophets. Like Diotrephes of old, they will have their own way despite the Spirit’s admonitions on the pages of the Sacred Scriptures....How does a man like Diotrephes rise to preeminence? How does he maintain his ascendency over others? Why is he not removed from power by the force of the majority? The answers to these questions are not easily determined. But some factors are undoubtedly present. On the one hand there is the fact that he is usually a person who is aggressive and abrasive in dealing with others. The result is that some people genuinely fear him. Because of his caustic manner, he is able to bully people who do not have the courage to stand up to him. In the second place, he is brought to power and kept there by his enablers. These are folks who genuinely respect him because they count him as a fearless soldier of the cross. he is their hero. They consider his harsh methods as necessary under the 'mitigating' circumstances of the present. They make excuses for him and justify his actions. For them he can do no wrong. Finally, there are the weak and spineless who allow him to work his evil because they are not going to cause any waves no matter what happens. They will never stand up against any evil at any time. They are the ultimate enablers. They are the spiritual cowards in the war between evil and good. They view themselves as followers and not as leaders. And followers they are. They will follow the Devil himself into hell. This represents the largest number of those who fall in line to follow someone like Diotrephes. They know that what he does and says is wrong, but they will never have the intestinal fortitude necessary to say so, or if they do say it they will do so in whispered tones, and deny it if you repeat what they say. Again, they are the ultimate enablers, and there are far more of them than any of us would ever like to admit." (Daniel H. King, Sr. "The Three Epistles Of John" in Truth Commentaries. Bowling Green, KY: Guardian of Truth Foundation, 2004. pages 234-235.)”
We turn to the positive example of Demetrius and wrap up this brief fifteen-verse letter in our next reading. Please read 3 John 1:11-15 for tomorrow!
Be blessed!
