3 John 1:9

After ἔγραψα insert τι with [975]1[976][977][978] against [979][980]. For ἔγραψα [981] has ἔγραψας. For τι [982]3 and Vulgate have ἄν. In the Vulgate forsitan is an obvious attempt to give a separate word to translate ἄν. See on 1 John 2:19.

[975] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles.
[976] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. All three Epistles.
[977] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles.
[978] 5th century. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it. In the National Library at Paris. Part of the First and Third Epistles; 1 John 1:1 to 1 John 4:2; 3 John 1:3-14. Of the whole N.T. the only Books entirely missing are 2 John and 2 Thessalonians.

[979] 9th century. All three Epistles.
[980] 9th century. All three Epistles.
[981] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles.
[982] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles.

9. ἔγραψά τι τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. I wrote somewhat to the Church; i.e. ‘I wrote a short letter, a something on which I do not lay much stress.’ This was perhaps an ἐπιστολὴ συστατική respecting φιλοξενία. The other reading (I would have written to the Church, ἔγραψα ἄν, scripsissem forsitan) is an obvious corruption to avoid the unwelcome conclusion that an official letter from S. John has been lost (comp. 1 Corinthians 5:9). The reference cannot be to either the First or the Second Epistle, neither of which contains any mention of this subject: though some do consider that the Second Epistle is meant. There is nothing surprising in such a letter having perished: and Diotrephes would be likely to suppress it. That the brethren whom Gaius received were the bearers of it, and that his hospitality was specially acceptable on account of the violence of Diotrephes, does not seem to fit in well with the context. ‘To the Church’ probably means ‘to the Church’ of which Diotrephes was a prominent member: that he was in authority seems to be implied from what is stated 3 John 1:10.

ὁ φιλοπρωτεύων. The expression occurs nowhere else in N.T.; but it comes very close to “whosoever willeth to be first among you” (Matthew 20:27). Φιλόπρωτος occurs in Polybius. Perhaps the meaning is that Diotrephes meant to make his Church independent: hitherto it had been governed by S. John from Ephesus, but Diotrephes wished to make it autonomous to his own glorification. Just as the antichristian teachers claimed to be first in the intellectual sphere (2 John 1:9), so the unchristian Diotrephes claimed to be first in influence and authority. This looks as if ecclesiastical government by a single official was in existence in Asia Minor in S. John’s lifetime.

οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται ἡμᾶς. Such inhospitality was unheard of: Romans 12:13; Romans 16:23; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Timothy 5:10; Titus 1:8; Acts 16:15; Acts 17:7; Acts 21:8; Acts 21:16. So also in the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles: “Let every Apostle that cometh to you be received as the Lord” (xi. 4); where ‘Apostle’ is used in the generic sense of Romans 16:7 for an itinerant Evangelist, such as are described by Eusebius (H. E. III. xxxvii. 2–4). The passage throws much light on this Epistle, as also does what follows in the Doctrine of the Twelve Apostles. ‘The Apostle is not to remain more than one day, or if need be two: but if he remains three, he is a ψευδοπροφήτης. And when he departs, he is to take nothing (μηδὲν λαμβανέτω) but bread to last him to his next night-quarters: but if he asks for money, he is a ψευδοπροφήτης.’ These precautions shew that the hospitality, universally shewn to missionaries, was sometimes abused. The chapter ends thus: “Whoever says in the spirit, Give me money, or any other thing, ye shall not listen to him; but if for the sake of others who are in want he bid you give, let no one judge him.”