In the third Epistle of John, consisting of only fourteen verses, these names—Gaius, Diotrephes and Demetrius appear. Covering the whole Epistle, there is the exhortation to follow the good and refuse the evil. “He that does good, is of God; but he that does evil, has not seen God” (v. 11). We shall find this strikingly exemplified, as we examine what is said of these three men.
John did not address his Epistle as being from an apostle, but as from an elder, writing to his well-beloved Gaius, rejoicing greatly that he was walking in the truth. How very prominent in this short Epistle are the references to the truth, since that lay very near to the heart of the writer. And well it might, for if every believer walked in the truth, what a mighty change there would be in Christendom—spiritual reality taking the place of empty ritualism and superstition; Christian brethren, finding it good and pleasant to dwell together in unity, instead of the ceaseless clash of warring tongues.
We learn from this short Epistle that the soul of Gaius was in a very prosperous condition. So much so that the Elder wished that in proportion as his soul was blessed, he might prosper in his earthly affairs, and in bodily health. One would gather from this, that the health of Gaius was not so good as his spiritual condition.
It certainly was a most unusual wish, for Scripture warns us that riches bring with them worldly temptations. “They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition” (1 Tim. 6:9). The Elder evidently had confidence that if his wishes were fulfilled, Gaius had sufficient spiritual stamina wisely to carry wealth and health for the glory of God. We have known, alas! of not a few cases where things worked the other way; that when Christians prospered in their earthly calling, and became wealthy, their spiritual vigour declined.
In contrast to this there is a story told of the late G.V.Wigram, a deeply taught and spiritually minded servant of the Lord. One evening he appeared at the weekly prayer meeting and, addressing the assembled brethren, informed them that he had just received news of a fortune being left to him, and begged them to pray earnestly for him, that this might not be a snare to him, and but that he might use it for God’s glory. Our only safety, whether we possess much or little of this world’s goods, is that we hold all as stewards to God, to whom we must give account of our stewardship at the judgment seat of Christ. How things look then will be the great test!
The Elder told of the particular way in which Gaius sought to serve the Lord. He opened his house to the Lord’s servants, showing them loving hospitality, and helping them on their way. In this happy service Gaius had the honour of being a fellow-helper to the truth (v. 8). What a blessed and holy honour!
It is interesting to note that the name of Gaius is mentioned in the Epistle to the Romans. His ministry, too, is similar to that ascribed to that mentioned in John’s third Epistle, so much so, that we have no doubt that they refer to one and the same person. The Apostle Paul wrote, “Gaius mine host, and of the whole Church, salutes you” (Rom. 16:23). Here, much later, we find Gaius exercising the same blessed ministry, evidently carrying out to his old age the exhortations, “Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9); “Use hospitality one to another without grudging” (1 Peter 4:9).
How cheering will the words sound in his ears, “Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it to Me” (Matt. 25:40). But how unutterably sad it will be, if any one of us should hear the words, “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it NOT to Me” (Matt. 25:45).
We would here venture to pass on a word of exhortation and encouragement to our young brothers and sisters who have homes of their own and would seek to exercise them on these lines. They will find in seeking to serve the Lord that, in watering others, they will themselves be watered, for we read, “The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that waters shall be watered also himself” (Prov. 11:25). In these days when the pound is seriously depreciated in value, when prices are soaring, and housekeepers are finding it difficult to make ends meet, you will feel this is not easy. Remember the barrel of meal that wasted not, and the cruse of oil that never failed in the days of Elijah the prophet (1 Kings 17:14). Surely the God of Elijah’s day is the same God we have to do with today.
Many a young Christian doing national service has testified how greatly he was blessed in receiving the hospitality of a Christian home when separated far from father and mother, or from wife and children. Many a young Christian life has possibly been saved from spiritual shipwreck through this loving hospitality, rendered in the Lord’s name at a sorely tried time.
“Who loves to have the pre-eminence” (3 John 9). In these words we have given to us the character of Diotrephes. There can be no greater condemnation than to describe a Christian in such words. To put this characteristic in plainer language, we should call it the offspring of fleshly lust, for it is certainly not of the Spirit of God. Even in worldly politics, whenever ambition is stronger than patriotism the individual so marked can only bring in confusion and sorrow, and, mark it well, in the end his own destruction. Look at the example of Napoleon the Great. Spite of immense ability, his over-riding ambition in the course of a few brief years bled his empire white, and destroyed himself. Defeated and dethroned, not much beyond middle life, he died in captivity of a loathsome disease on the lonely rock of St. Helena.
In the things of God this loving to have the pre-eminence works only sorrow and confusion in the Christian assembly. This spiritual astigmatism renders the vision distorted and unreal—everything looked at from the standpoint of self. The worth of others is determined by their attitude to this lover of pre-eminence. If they support him, they are used as tools to his own evil ends; if not, they are excommunicated and cast out ruthlessly.
Diotrephes even went to the length of refusing the Apostle John. He would be too dangerous a rival to be tolerated for a moment. The words which proceeded from his mouth, aimed at the Apostle, were poisoned by his over-weening conceit and fleshly lust for supremacy.
It was the poet, John Milton, who described Satan as preferring to be first in hell, than second in heaven. Indeed we know from Scripture that his fall came by not being content with the very high place God had assigned to him as a creature—the anointed cherub that covereth” (Ezek. 28:14). He dared to say in his hart, “I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High” (Isa. 14:13-14). What a fall was his, and his end will be most lamentable—“cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:10). Here we trace the source of the evil spirit of Diotrephes, and of all who have transgressed like him from his day to this.
What a contrast to turn from all this to the spirit of our blessed Lord, who said when here on earth, “I am among you as He that serves” (Luke 22:27); who declared, “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29); who stooped in lowly grace to wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:3-10). When the disciples of our Lord quarrelled among themselves as to who should be the greatest, our Lord rebuked them, and showed them where true greatness was to be found. “It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant. Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:26-28). The Scriptural way to be divinely great is to be little in one’s own eyes, and to have the grace of humility. “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:4).
Diotrephes was far removed from the spirit of the One he professed to own as Master. In happy and vivid contrast to his sorrowful and tragic story, we have Demetrius, who had a good report of all, and of the truth itself. The Elder was glad to give him this praise (v. 12). Only years of quiet consistent testimony, and unostentatious walk before his brethren, could have gained him such a happy report.
Would that all of us, who prize the privileges of Christian assemblies, were jealous with a holy jealousy, lest this spirit of domination should get into our midst. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1). If we find any such feeling as the loving of pre-eminence rising up within our own hearts, may we have grace to meet it with unsparing judgment in the presence of God.
We remember being greatly struck years ago by the request of a young brother in the prayer meeting, “Lord, deliver us from self-occupation, and self-pity.” How full of meaning are these seven words, and how happy to be exercised to have them realized in our own lives.
We hope this little study of the three names recorded in John’s third Epistle will be to profit, and for the glory of God.