What Kind of Book? Letter
The primary purpose of this letter seems to be to encourage one who had proven true to Christ, but was in the midst of a corrupted church. Perseverance in truth and love. Truth is commended and encouraged, while the evil deeds of the opposition are mentioned to make certain their rejection by the workers of truth.
| Who wrote it? | While it's not stated flat out, it seems reasonable to believe John the apostle wrote this. The style matches his own, and the concerns are those that always seem to top his list. |
| Who was it written to or for? | Gaius. There is a Gaius mentioned as having come from Macedonia to Ephesus with Paul (Ac 19:29), where he was dragged off before the magistrate. He is noted as being from Derbe (Ac 20:4), and - as such - must have been travelling with Paul for some time before that. (Derbe is east of Ephesus. This would have been Paul's 4th trip, in which he had gone through Macedonia (northern Greece) into Greece, and back again before coming to Ephesus.) This places Gaius as one who was there when Paul revived the fallen Eutychus, and Paul's return to Jerusalem. He is also noted in Ro 16:23 as hosting the church in the place where Erastus was city treasurer. There is also a Gaius noted in 1Co 1:14, but he seems to have been of the Corinthian church, and so would seem to be a different person. If the Gaius to whom John writes is in Ephesus, it seems likely he is the same who accompanied Paul, and was perhaps there with Timothy. |
| Why was it written? | The letter is sent as a brief encouragement to Gaius, as well as an announcement of John's intent to visit soon. It also appears to have been sent to make Gaius aware of a previous, more general correspondence which had not been given the church as intended. |
| When was it written? | No clear idea. However, it would have to have been after Paul's journeys. |
| What was happening in the world at that time? | Rome would still have been in control of the region, and remained the dominant force in the world. |
| What was happening to God's people at that time? | Heresies were threatening from all sides, and strife was evident even in the church. The fathers were kept busy trying to establish discipline and orthodoxy amongst the scattered church. Persecutions may or may not have been a problem at the time. More likely than not. |
| What was happening to the author at that time? | No clear indication, although he was apparently politically and physically free to travel, as he planned to visit. |
Read some Background - 3rd Pass (Add some authors)
Harper's:
It cannot be determined whether this Gaius is any or all of the others mentioned. It's possible that the earlier letter referred to is 2John, which would put the writing of the two at the same place, but different times. [It occurs to me, however, that if one letter was to a person, the reasons for thinking the other not to be so are reduced. Part of the reasoning behind calling 2John a church letter was that fear of persecution required secrecy. Why then the blatant naming of names in 3John?]
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Hebrew-Greek Key:
The Gaius mentioned in Romans and in 1Corinthians is the same man. A footnote suggests that all the references are to one man, whom Paul baptized in Corinth, stayed with on his third journey, and was accompanied by on his fourth. [This doesn't seem right, if he was from Derbe. Hmm]
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Matthew Henry:
No comments.Read some Background - 3rd Pass (Add some authors)
Adam Clarke:
Many place the writing between 80 and 90 AD. Adam suggests it might be pre-70, for reason of the destruction of Jerusalem not being noted.
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Barnes' Notes:
Nothing is known of the recipient or the time and place of writing beyond conjecture.
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Wycliffe:
The date of all three letters can be supposed to come after the writing of the gospel (85-90 AD), but before the persecutions under Domitian (95 AD). Tradition places the location as Ephesus.
J,F & B:
Gaius of Macedonia, of Corinth, and of Derbe are seen as 3 distinct people. A fourth - bishop of Pergamos - is noted as a likely addressee, being a convert of John's. Eusebius notes that John returned from exile after the death of Domitian (post-95 AD), and took some missionary tours. This would set these letters after the writing of Revelation, and the place near Ephesus.
