3 John 1:14

But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. FACE TO FACE - `mouth to mouth.' PEACE - inward of conscience; fraternal of friendship; supernal of glory (Lyra). FRIENDS. Seldom in the New Testament, as it is absorbed in the higher title, 'brother, brethren.' Still, Christ recognizes the relation of friend (John 15:13; ), based on the highest grounds-obedience from love, entailing the highest privileges-admission to the intimacy of the holy God and sympathizing Saviour: so Christians have "friends" in Christ. In a friendly letter, mention of "friends" appropriately occurs. BY NAME - no less than if their names were written (Bengel)....

13,14 Here is the character of Demetrius. A name in the gospel, or a good report in the churches, is better than worldly honour. Few are well spoken of by all; and sometimes it is ill to be so. Happy those whose spirit and conduct commend them before God and men. We must be ready to bear our testimony to them; and it is well when those who commend, can appeal to the consciences of such as know most of those who are commended. A personal conversation together often spares time and trouble, and mistakes which rise from letters; and good Christians may well be glad to see one another. The blessing is, Peace be to you; all happiness attend you. Those may well salute and greet one another on earth, who hope to live together in heaven. By associating with and copying the example of such Christians, we shall have peace within, and live at peace with the brethren; our communications with the Lo...

Verse 3 John 1:14. _PEACE_ BE _TO THEE._] Mayest thou possess every requisite good, both of a spiritual and temporal kind. Our _FRIENDS SALUTE THEE._] Desire to be affectionately remembered to thee. _Greet the friends by name_ - remember me to all those with whom I am acquainted, as if I had specified them by _name_. This is a proof to me that this epistle was not sent to Corinth, where it is not likely John ever was; and where it is not likely he had any particular acquaintances, unless we could suppose he had seen some of them when he was an exile in Patmos, an island in the AEgean Sea. For other particulars concerning John, the reader is requested to refer to the preface to his gospel. Instead of φιλοι and φιλους, _friends_, the Codex Alexandrinus and several others read αδελφοι and αδ

BUT I TRUST I SHALL SHORTLY SEE THEE ... - Notes at 2 John 1:12. OUR FRIENDS SALUTE THEE - That is, your friends and mine. This would seem rather to refer to private friends of John and Gaius than to Christians as such. They had, doubtless, their warm personal friends in both places. GREET THE FRIENDS BY NAME - That is, each one individually. He remembered them as individuals, but did not deem it proper to specify them. Practical Remarks On 3 John (1) It is proper to desire for our friends all temporal good; to wish their happiness in every respect, 3 John 1:2. The welfare of the soul is indeed the great object, and the first desire in regard

BUT I TRUST I SHALL SHORTLY SEE THEE,.... Either at Ephesus, where John was, or rather at the place where Gaius lived, see 3 John 1:10; AND WE SHALL SPEAK FACE TO FACE; freely and familiarly converse together about these things, which were not thought proper to be committed to writing: PEACE [BE] TO THEE; which was the usual form of salutation with the Jews, and John was one; John 20:19; [OUR] FRIENDS SALUTE THEE; or send their Christian salutation to thee, wishing all health and prosperity in soul and body; meaning the members of the church at Ephesus: the Arabic version reads, "thy friends"; such at Ephesus as had a particular knowledge of him, and affection for him. The Vulgate Latin version reads, "the friends": the members in general; and the Alexand

COMMENTARY ON THE SECOND EPISTLE THE THIRD EPISTLE The Third Epistle is addressed by the elder, the aged Apostle John, to a brother by name of Gaius. A Gaius is mentioned in Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4, Romans 16:23 and 1 Corinthians 1:14. It is impossible to say whether this is the same. John calls him well-beloved, whom he loved in the truth. Thus he emphasizes the truth once more as he had done before. He wishes that he might prosper in his body, in health, as even his soul prospered. He had heard from the brethren who testified of the truth in him and that he walked in the truth. He rejoiced in this and declares “I have no great

3 JOHN 1:12. COMMENDATION OF DEMETRIUS. He was probably the bearer of this letter and one of the evangelists. The name was so common that any identification with the Demetrius of Acts 19:24 is improbable. 3 JOHN 1:13. CONCLUSION. The writer adds no more because he hopes soon to visit Gaius. He sends greetings from himself and others. 3 John 1:14. the friends: this is almost a technical expression denoting an inner circle in the churches to which the writer and Gaius belonged. Those constituting each group were drawn together by moral affinities and love of the truth. Here the friends at Ephesus send a greeting to Gaius an

THE TEACHER'S JOY (3 John 1:1-4)...

TRUST. hope. I SHALL, &C. = to see (App-133.) thee, &c. SHORTLY. Greek. _eutheos._ Generally translated "immediately", or "straightway". SPEAK. App-121. FACE, &C. See 2 John 1:12. SALUTE. Greek. _aspazomai._ See Acts 18:22. GREET. Salute. Here, as in the close of so many epistles, the word _aspazomai_ is translated by two different English words in successive verses or even in the same verse. Compare Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19;...

Conclusion The marked similarity to the Conclusion of the Second Epistle is strong evidence that the two letters were written about the same time. See notes on 2 John 1:12-13....