3 John 1:7

Because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. HIS NAME'S SAKE - Christ's. WENT FORTH - as missionaries. TAKING NOTHING - refusing to receive anything as pay, or maintenance, though justly entitled to it: as Paul at Corinth and at Thessalonica (1 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Corinthians 9:15; 1 Thessalonians 2:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:9). GENTILES. As Caius was a Gentile convert, "the Gentiles" must mean the converts just made from the pagan, the Gentiles to...

1-8 Those who are beloved of Christ, will love the brethren for his sake. Soul prosperity is the greatest blessing on this side heaven. Grace and health are rich companions. Grace will employ health. A rich soul may be lodged in a weak body; and grace must then be exercised in submitting to such a dispensation. But we may wish and pray that those who have prosperous souls, may have healthful bodies; that their grace may shine where there is still more room for activity. How many professors there are, about whom the apostle's words must be reversed, and we must earnestly wish and pray that their souls might prosper, as their health and circumstances do! True faith will work by love. A good report is due from those who receive good; they could not but testify to the church, what they found and felt. Good men will rejoice in the soul prosperity of others; and they are glad to hear of the g...

Verse 3 John 1:7. _FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE THEY WENT FORTH_] For the sake of preaching the Gospel of the grace of God, and making known JESUS to the heathen. _TAKING NOTHING OF THE GENTILES._] Receiving no emolument for their labour, but in every respect showing themselves to be truly disinterested. Sometimes, and on some special occasions, this may be necessary; but _the labourer is worthy of his hire_ is the maxim of the author of Christianity. And those congregations of Christians are ever found to prize the Gospel most, and profit most by it, who _bear all expenses incident to it_, and _vice versa_. But some construe εξηλθον, _they went out_, with αποτωνεθνων, _from the Gentiles_, or rather _by the Gentiles_, and give the passage this sense: _They went out_, i.e., were _driven out by the Gentiles,_...

BECAUSE THAT FOR HIS NAME’S SAKE - The word “his” here refers to God; and the idea is, that they had undertaken this journey not on their own account, but in the cause of religion. THEY WENT FORTH - Or, “they have gone forth” - ἐξῆλθον exēlthon - referring to the journey which they had then undertaken; not to the former one. TAKING NOTHING OF THE GENTILES - The term “Gentile” embraced all who were not “Jews,” and it is evident that these persons went forth particularly to labor among the pagan. When they went, they resolved, it seems, to receive no part of their support from them, but to depend upon the aid of their Christian brethren, and, hence, they were at first commended to the church of which Gaius and Diotrephes were members, and on this second excursion were commended particularly to Gaius. Why

BECAUSE THAT FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE THEY WENT FORTH,.... From Judea; either of their own accord to preach the Gospel, or being drove out by the unbelieving Jews, for professing the name of Christ; and be it which it will, there was good reason why they should be regarded, and especially since they did as follows, TAKING NOTHING OF THE GENTILES; even of those who were converted, though their preaching the Gospel, to whom they ministered, for of others, the unconverted Gentiles, they could not expect to receive; and this they did, as the apostles before them, because they would not be chargeable to them, and lest it should be thought they sought their own worldly interest, and not the good of souls and glory of Christ, and so a stumblingblock be laid in the way of the Gospel, to hinder the progress of it. The Ethiopic version reads this in the singular number, "and I went forth for his name'...

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)...

BECAUSE THAT. For. FOR, &C. = on behalf of (App-104.) His name. HIS. The texts read "the". TAKING. receiving. NOTHING. Greek. _medeis._ OF. App-104. GENTILES. Greek. _ethnos._...

Gaius praised for his Hospitality: Its special Value 5. _Beloved_ The affectionate address marks a new section (comp. 3 John 1:3_; 3 John 1:11_), but here again the fresh subject grows quite naturally out of what precedes, without any abrupt transition. The good report, which caused the Apostle such joy, testified in particular to the Christian hospitality of Gaius. _thou doest faithfully_ So the Vulgate; _fideliter facis_: Wiclif, Tyndale, and other English Versions take the same view. So also Luther: _du thust treulich_. The Greek is literally, _thou doest_ A FAITHFUL (THING), _whatsoever thou_ WORKEST (same verb as is rendered -wrought" in 2 John 1:8) unto the brethren