3 John 1:1

(Ἰωάννου γ in B. and Cod. Sinait. C. adds ἐπιστολὴ, G. τοῦ ἁγίου .)

I. The Address

3 John 1:1

The elder unto the well beloved Gains, whom I love in the truth1.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

3 John 1:1. On ὁ πρεσβύτερος see Introduction § 1. It can hardly be determined whether this Gaius is one of the two or three persons of that name, who are mentioned as friends and companions of Paul in Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4; Romans 16:23; 1 Corinthians 1:14. Lücke thinks that our Gaius is identical with Gaius of Derbe mentioned Acts 20:4, Wolf, in his Curis ad. h. l., that the Gaius mentioned 1 Corinthians 1:14 is meant here. Others suppose that the Gaius, mentioned Constit. Ap. 7, 46, and appointed by John Bishop of Pergamus, is the one referred to here (Whiston); but this is also purely hypothetical. Nor can it be inferred from 3 John 1:8 of this Epistle that Gaius was a presbyter. As John adds to the address the term τῷ , so he also addresses him as ἀγαπητέ in 3 John 1:3; 3Jn 1:5; 3 John 1:11, and superadds as in 2 John 1:1, the words: ὃν ἐγὼ (Oecumenius: ὁ κατὰ κύριον ).

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Starke: Those who wish to be loved of men, must be lovable and worthy of love; this is done, if they give up the love of the world, and love God only.—Truth and love are precious jewels of Christians, which must be linked together and are more ornamental than golden chains. The one cannot exist without the other; truth without love is dead, and love without truth is blind.

Footnotes:

3 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1. [German: The presbyter to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.—M.]