3 John 1:12

Demetrius, who has the witness of truth. 3 John 1:12

(3 John 1:12) It has been witnessed to Demetrius by all and by the truth itself and we also are bearing witness, and you know that our witness is true.

It has been suggested that Demetrius was the leader of the visiting delegation to whom John would have the congregation extend hospitality. Perhaps he was himself the bearer of the letter to Gaius.

It is not possible to identify him positively, Some have thought he might be Demetrius of Ephesus, the silversmith of Acts 19:21-ff. If this be true, the three-fold witness to his genuineness is necessary as was Barnabus-' intercession on behalf of Saul of Tarsus just after his conversion.

Others have thought that Demetrius is Demas mentioned by Paul in Colossians 4:14, Philemon 1:24 and 2 Timothy 4:10. Demas is a shortened form of Demetrius. Again, if this be true, the witness would certainly be necessary after what Paul had written about him.

There is no conclusive evidence that John's Demetrius is either of these.
Whoever Demetrius may have been, John is apprehensive lest the lack of aggressiveness in Gaius cause him to succumb to Diotrephes-' forcefulness and turn Demetrius and his party away. Pursuant to this end, John lists three witnesses in behalf of Demetrius.
First, Demetrius had the witness of all who know him. If he was indeed either Demetrius of Ephesus or the second Demetrius, this is significant testimony. In the case of Demetrius of Ephesus, the whole church knew by this time that he had been the leader of the opposition to the Gospel in the very area to which he now came as a missionary! If he was, on the other hand, the Demas accused by Paul of having turned away from the faith because he loved the things of the world, the church also knew of him. Testimony to his repentance was needed.
In either case, or indeed if Demetrius is neither of these, John presents as evidence of his present genuineness the witness of those who know him now.

From the Christian view point it is a man's present genuineness that is to determine his relationship to the church, not his past behavior as either a heathen or a backslider!

The second witness to the genuineness of Demetrius is the truth. A. T. Robertson suggests that the truth here refers to the Holy Spirit Himself as in 1 John 5:6. It seems more likely that the term is meant rather to refer to the truth of the Gospel as opposed to the error of gnosticism. Demetrius-' stand for the truth in the face of his falsehood would indeed mark him as a genuine Christian.

John is the third witness on Demetrius-' behalf. The apostle expects the elder Gaius to take his word for Demetrius-' character. It is to be hoped that now as well as then, the word of an inspired apostle is enough for any elder!