3 John 1:12

While Diotrephes sets an example to be abhorred, Demetrius sets one to be imitated. We know of him, as of Diotrephes, just what is told us here and no more. Perhaps he was the bearer of this letter. That Demetrius is the silversmith of Ephesus who once made silver shrines for Artemis (Acts 19:24) is a conjecture, which is worth mentioning but cannot be said to be probable.

Demetrius hath good report, &c. Literally, Witness hath been borne to Demetrius by all men and by the truth itself; or less stiffly, as R. V., Demetrius hath the witness of all men. See on 1 John 1:2. -All men" means chiefly those who belonged to the Church of the place where Demetrius lived, and the missionaries who had been there in the course of their labours. The force of the perfect is the common one of present result of past action: the testimony has been given and still abides.

and of the truth itself A great deal has been written about this clause; and it is certainly a puzzling statement. Of the various explanations suggested these two seem to be best. 1. -The Truth" means "the divine rule of the walk of all believers:" Demetrius walked according to this rule and his conformity was manifest to all who knew the rule: thus the rule bore witness to his Christian life. This is intelligible, but it is a little far-fetched. 2. -The Truth" is the Spirit of truth (1 John 5:6) which speaks in the disciples. The witness which -all men" bear to the Christian conduct of Demetrius is not mere human testimony which may be the result of prejudice or of deceit: it is given under the direction of the Holy Spirit. This explanation is preferable. The witness given respecting Demetrius was that of disciples, who reported their own experience of him: but it was also that of the Spirit, who guided and illumined them in their estimate. See note on John 15:27, which is a remarkably parallel passage, and comp. Acts 5:32; Acts 15:28, where as here the human and Divine elements in Christian testimony are clearly marked.

yea, and we also bear record Better, as R. V., yea, we also bear witness (see on 1 John 1:2): the -and" of A.V. is redundant. The Apostle mentions his own testimony in particular as corroborating the evidence of -all men."

and ye know that our record is true Rather, as R.V., and thou knowest that our witness is true. The evidence for the singular, οἶδας (א ABC and most Versions), as against the plural, οἵδατε (KL), is quite decisive: a few authorities, under the influence of John 21:24, read - weknow:" comp. John 19:35. The plural has perhaps grown out of the belief that the Epistle is not private but Catholic.

John 21 is evidently an appendix to the Gospel, and was possibly written long after the first twenty Chapter s. It may have been written after this Epistle; and (if so) John 21:24 may be "an echo of this sentence" (Westcott).