THE FAMILY EXPOSITOR ; OR, A PARAPHRASE ON THE THIRD EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN. WITH CRITICAL NOTES, AND A PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT OF EACH SECTION. A PARAPHRASE AND NOTES ON THE THIRD EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN. SECT. I. The apostle John, in this short epistle to Gaius, expresses his concern for his prosperity, and his joy in the honourable character he maintained for Christian candour, hospitality, and zeal; cautions him against the ambitious and turbulent practices of Diotrephes; and recommending Demetrius to his friendship, refers what he had further to say, to a personal interview. 3 John, throughout. 3 JOHN 1. THE 3 JOHN 1. a SECT. i. HE Elder unto THE HE elder addresses this epistle to the beloved the well belovand hospitable Gaius, whom I love in the 3John ed Gaius, whom I love in the truth. truth, and hold as dear in the bowels of Christ, 1 addresses all Christians in the same ter der and affectionate style, agreeably to the sweetness of his temper, and suitably to his advanced years. Compare Dr. White by in loc. Gaius.] We read of one Gaius, of to the contrary; since in the general he Corinth, Rom. xvi. 23, who hospitably received the apostle Paul, when he went out to preach the gospel gratis; and if this were, as he seems to have been, the same, he was St. Paul's convert: nor is St. John's calling him his child an argument 334 St. John inscribes his epistle to Gaius: SECT. from a regard to the advancement and honour i. of his gospel. Beloved, I pray, that in every respect, thou 3John 2 Beloved, I wish 2 mayest prosper; and particularly that thou may- above all things that est be in health; as I have reason to believe, and be in health, evthou mayest prosper that thy soul prospereth; for I doubt not but en as thy soul prosthat religion flourishes in thy heart, and abund- pereth. antly justifies my wishing thee as healthful and 3 prosperous as thou art good. truth. For Irejoiced 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the Christian brethren came from greatly when the that part of the world in your neighbourhood, brethren came. and and testified concerning thy truth, as thou walk- that is in thee, even testified of the truth est in the truth, and adornest the gospel by an as thou walkest in 4 exemplary behaviour. For indeed I have the truth. no greater joy, than this thing gives me, that I joy than to hear that 4 I have no greater may heard my Christian friends, whether con- my children walk in verted by me, or others, whom I look upon as my dear children, are walking in the truth, and according to those directions which our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who is the Way, the 5 Truth, and the Life, has given us. And, 5 Beloved, thou dobeloved, I must declare my entire approbation est faithfully whatof thy conduct, and can openly bear my testi- the brethren, and to mony to it, that thou dost faithfully, whatsoever strangers. thou performest towards the brethren, and towards strangers; thy behaviour to thy fellow Christians known to thee, and to those with whom thou hast little acquaintance, yea, to all who have occasion to cast themselves upon thy hospitality, is much to the credit of the gospel, and I doubt not but it proceeds from a principle of true faith, and over soever thou doest to b In every respect; wept wavlov.] Our we should affix to annua in this place, English translation is, above all things. in order to avoid that tautology which Mr. Hallet would render it, above all per- there would be in the next clause, if we sons; as if he had said, you are the per- understood him here to speak of his faith son, for whose temporal and spiritual ad- in the gospel. But though it is allowed vantage I am concerned more than any that anndua may signify sincerity, yet if we other. Hallet's Notes and Discourses, Vol. suppose that to be the case here, it will 1. p. 61, 62. But the words may so justly be necessary to understand it in two dif bear the translation I have given them, by ferent senses in the same sentence; and which all manner of difficulty is removed, I think the latter clause, walking in the that I think it much preferable to either truth, may have a further idea than merely of the former. And it hath the sanction his faith, which I have expressed in the of so good an authority as Erasmus Schmi- paraphrase. dius, who translates it de omnibus. Testified concerning thy truth; or ana.] Some have supposed the apostle here means, that they bore witness to Gaius's sincerity, and that this is the idea notice of it here, as an observation which That I may hear.] Dr. Whitby takes many have made, that the use of the particle va for 7 and 7a is a peculiarity in St. John's style. And commends him for his hospitality. charity before the shalt do well : 335 3 John 6 Which have flowing love to our common Redeemer. And SECT. borne witness of thy indeed many of the Christian strangers, who i. church: whom if have been thus generously entertained by thee, thou bring forward have testified very honourably concerning thy 6 on their journey af love before the church; whom thou dost well in ter a godly sort, thou bringing forward in their journey, in a manner worthy of God, proceeding from a principle of Divine love, and correspondent to the relation 7 Because that for in which you and they stand to him. And 7 his name's sake they whatever thou dost for them, our great Lord went forth taking will take as done to himself; for it was on his nothing of the Gentiles. account, and out of zeal for his honour and interest, that they went out, abandoned their habitations, possessions, and callings, that they might spread his gospel; receiving nothing of the Gentiles, among whom they laboured; that they might take off all suspicion of those mercenary views, above which divine grace had 8 We therefore so far raised them. We ought therefore, all 8 ought to receive of us, who have any habitation of our own, such, that we might be fellow helpers to hospitably and respectfully to receive such; that, if Divine Providence do not give us an opportunity of laying ourselves out, as they do, in the ministerial office, we may become, as it were, fellow labourers with them, in the service of the truth, and through Divine grace, may be entitled to a part in their reward. the truth. 9 I wrote unto the I have lately written to the church, about 9 church: but Diotre- which I know you are so much concerned; but I sometimes fear, lest it should not be with so good success as I could wish; for Diotrephes, who affects the preeminence among them, Bringing them forward in their journey.] This may possibly be understood in a spiritual sense, of assisting them in their trav. els through this wilderness to the heavenly world. Or it may have a literal signification, and then one kind of hospitality and charity is put for the rest. But I rather prefer the former sense. They went out, receiving nothing of the Gentiles : Εξήλθον, μηδεν λαμβανοντες απο των vv.] Beza refers an Tay vay to or, and understands it, that the persons here spoken of, went out from their respective countries and native places, (amo rav vav,) leav. ing all their worldly possessions, (under rauCavovies,) to go and preach the gospel. And in support of this construction, he observes, that Tapa should have been used after λαμβανονίες, and not απο But Mat. xvii. 25, 26, and 1 John ii. 27, are evident 1 confutations of this remark. And, whereas he thinks it absurd to imagine, the unbelieving Gentiles would contribute to the support of the preachers of the gospel, it is an obvious reply, that rav rov may mean the believing Gentiles, as it is certain the word frequently does. Wolfius, who agrees with Beza, in referring aro Ta vay to λov, understands it of their being driven and forced out by the Gentiles, having been stript of their possessions; which would render them the more proper objects of kindness and hospitality. But there is nothing of this in the idea suggested by the word λer, and the more common signification of it is to go out voluntarily. See Wolfii Cure Philolog. Vol. V. p. 334. & Diotrephes.] It is uncertain who he was. Grotius thinks he was a Gentile |