Whistle-Stop Scripture Study: 3 John (Conclusion)

"God hath but three things dear unto Him in this world, His saints, His worship, and His truth; and it is hard to say which of these is dearest to Him."  - Thomas Goodwin  (1600 -1680)

Welcome to the final study of The Epistles of John. We will now examine the third and last chapter or The Third Epistle of John (3 John). This particular book has the distinction of being the second-shortest book in the Bible!

Third John is a brief letter (only one chapter) from John to Gaius, a fellow believer. The main theme here is "truth." The believer, Gaius, is commended for his dedication to Christian service. In the meanwhile, John chastises Diotrephes, a member of the church who is causing problems therein.

After declaring the good reputation of someone named Demetrius, John ends his letter with high hopes of seeing Gaius in person. This impending meeting may be the reason for the shortness of this letter. 

During your reading, you may want to ask yourself, "What was the early church like?" There is considerable information about its early leaders (think: the apostles Paul and Peter), but not alot about the typical Christian (e.g., their religiousness, problems in the church, etc.)

The intent of John's letter is directed toward the three men who were mentioned earlier: Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius. The purpose being:

• To confirm that Gaius was correct in supporting those teachers who came his way, encouraging him to continue this hospitality - 3 John 5-8
• To convey his criticism of Diotrephes for rejecting John and others whom he should have received - 3 John 9-10
• To encourage Gaius to emulate what is good, praising Demetrius' good example - 3 John 11-12

As usual, let's briefly revisit the questions given at the end of 2 John. The answers provided are not meant to be regarded as exact, nor as the final word. They have been provided as a comparison and self-evaluation tool only!

Compare your answers below*:

Reading Questions:

1. What are the main points of 2 John? 

• Greetings. 
• Walking in truth and love.
• Beware of deceivers and false teachers.
• Farewell

2. What four phrases related to truth does John use in his greeting? 

• Love in truth, know the truth, truth which lives in us, in truth and love

3. What caused John to rejoice? What did he ask? 

• The children of the "lady" were walking in the truth.
• That they love one another.

4. How is love defined by John? 

•  We are to walk according to His commandments.

5. Who does John describe as "a deceiver and an antichrist?" 

• Those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. 

6. Why did John advise we self-examine ourselves? 

• That we do not lose what we have worked for, but that we may be fully rewarded.

7. What happens if one sins and does not keep to the doctrine of Christ? 

• They do not have God.

8. What phrase challenges the Oneness doctrine of the Godhead?

• "...both the Father and the Son"

9. How should you respond to someone who does not follow the teaching of Christ? 

• Do not take them into your house or welcome them.

(Erratum: question # 8; corrections have been completed in 2 John)

*see verses for the questions in the previous lesson.

Here is a short synopsis of 3 John to help you with your reading and study:

John greets Gaius, praying for his prosperity and health, rejoicing to hear that he is walking in truth (vv. 1-4). John approves his hospitality toward brethren and strangers, especially those serving the Lord (vv. 5-8). John rebukes the actions of Diotrephes (vv. 9-10), praises the testimony of Demetrius (vv. 11-12), and finishes with a hope to see Gaius soon (vv. 13-14).

Objectives of this lesson: 

After completing this lesson (including reading the selection), you should be familiar with:

• The joy of seeing one's converts growing in Christ
• The importance of hospitality in the spread of the gospel
• The contrast between spirituality and carnality among Christians

Before beginning our study, let us pray: "Dear Lord, send the grace of your Holy Spirit to strengthen me that I may learn well the subject I am about to study. Amen."

The questions provided below are to help you get the most out of the chapter study. The numbers enclosed in parentheses are the verse numbers relating to that particular question. 

I encourage you to read the chapter thoroughly as many times as needed. Afterward, take your time answering the questions, making sure you understand each one before moving on. 

Reading Questions:

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

2. To whom is this epistle addressed to? - (v. 1)

3. What does John pray for on Gaius' behalf? - (v. 2)

4. What provided John his greatest joy? - (v. 4)

5. What does John praise Gaius for?- (vv. 5-7)

6. How do we profit by supporting those who serve the Lord? - (v. 8)

7. What was Diotrephes guilty of? - (vv. 9-10)

8. What encouragement does John give to Gaius? Who does he praise? - (vv. 11-12)

This now concludes our study of 1, 2 and 3 John. These studies were intentionally created to be concise in order to accommodate most busy daily schedules. Even so, they contain enough content to promote actual learning.

I invite you to join me again for another future study. Until then, I hope this "whistle-stop" for Scripture study will become an established point of departure as you set out on your journey with Jesus Christ!

Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to seeing you soon!

Scripture: Job 34:12; Psalm 15:1-2; Proverbs 12:17; John 8:46; Ephesians 4:21

 

Prayer: "All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant." Amen.  - Psalm 25:10

May God richly bless you always,

Leia