4 Persons:
Group A: John and Gaius
John: v.1 作長老的 v.9 我曾略略地寫信給教會，但那在教會中好為首的丟特腓不接待我們。10 所以我若去...v.12 低米丟行善...就是我們也給他作見證。你也知道我們的見證是真的。
該猶: v.1, 亲爱的该犹，就是我在真理中所爱的 (Chinese New Version), v.2, 5 親愛的兄弟, v.3b 你按真理而行, v.4 我的兒女們, v.5-6 5 親愛的兄弟啊，凡你向作客旅之弟兄所行的，都是忠心的。6 他們在教會面前證明了你的愛。
5 親愛的兄弟啊，凡你向作客旅之弟兄所行的，都是忠心的。6 他們在教會面前證明了你的愛。你若配得過神，幫助他們往前行，這就好了
你若配得過神in a manner worthy of God (呂振中)請以對得起上帝的方式、好好地給他們送行；=(BKC) Nothing less than such generosity would be “worthy of God,” who expressed His supreme generosity in the giving of His Son.
這就好了=(BKC) The words “you will do well” are idiomatic in the original and virtually equal to “please.”
幫助他們往前行= (BKC) The verb for “send … on their way” (propempsas) no doubt carried in general usage the connotation of making adequate provisions for one’s guests, both while they stayed and at the time of their departure. The force of the apostle’s words was to enjoin on Gaius an openhanded generosity toward the traveling brethren.
(NET) Now the author, after commending Gaius for his faithful service to the traveling missionaries in the past (see 3 John 5), now requests additional assistance at the present time (send them on their way in a manner worthy of God). Apparently the missionaries are on their way to visit the area where Gaius’ church is located a second time. They had been there once already and had returned with a good report of how Gaius had assisted them. It is entirely possible that they themselves carry with them the present letter as a letter of introduction. Along these lines it has been suggested that Demetrius (see 3 John 12) is one of these traveling missionaries, perhaps the leader of the delegation, and the author is formally introducing him to Gaius, since when he was there the last time he was a stranger (v. 5) but Gaius assisted him anyway
Main point:
(BKC) the apostle’s love for Gaius was in the truth, that is, it was genuine and in accord with God’s truth. In the same way Gaius was to express his Christian love by a hospitality that supported the truth (cf. v. 8). As in John’s two earlier epistles, the thought of this letter is dominated by concern for truth and love in Christian experience (“truth”: vv. 1, 3 [twice], 4, 8, 12; “true”: v. 12; “love”: vv. 1, 6).
Reflection: Here we saw 2 generation of love. Gaius' love was a example of what John taught. Love in truth. Do we love in truth? Do my love affect another generation of Christian to do so? Why can John do that?
Gaius' love also express in action. Do my love have action? Do I help stranger missionary over and over again (even though they are strangers)? Do I help them generously like God? How much do I care about God's truth (Gospel)?
Extra:
2 親愛的兄弟啊，我願你凡事興盛，身體健壯，正如你的靈魂興盛一樣。
(NET) The author affirms that Gaius is indeed well off spiritually, and he prays that Gaius’ physical health would match his spiritual health, i.e., that Gaius would be as well off physically as he is spiritually. It is the spiritual health which is to be the standard by which one’s physical health is measured, not the other way round.
Group B: Diotrephes and Demetrius
Good work testified that their genuine faith
9 我曾略略地寫信給教會，但那在教會中好為首的丟特腓不接待我們。10 所以我若去，必要提說他所行的事，就是他用惡言妄論我們。還不以此為足，他自己不接待弟兄，有人願意接待，他也禁止，並且將接待弟兄的人趕出教會。
丟特腓: (NET) (himself) The description of Diotrephes as one who loves to be first suggests he is arrogant, and his behavior displays this: He refuses to acknowledge the written communication mentioned by the author at the beginning of v. 9 (and thus did not recognize the author’s apostolic authority), and furthermore (v. 10) refuses to show any hospitality to the traveling missionaries (welcome the brothers) already mentioned by the author
(his reaction to John)我曾略略地寫信給教會 in 3 John 9 he explicitly indicates a prior written communication which Diotrephes apparently ignored or suppressed. 不接待我們The verb ἐπιδέχομαι can also mean “accept” in the sense of “acknowledge someone’s authority” (BDAG 370 s.v. 2) and such a meaning better fits the context here: Diotrephes has not accepted but instead rejected the authority of the author to intervene in the situation of the traveling missionaries (perhaps because Diotrephes believed the author had no local jurisdiction in the matter).
(what he has done) 他用惡言妄論我們(1) Diotrephes is engaged in spreading unjustified charges against the author with evil words; 不接待弟兄(2) Diotrephes refuses to welcome the brothers (the traveling missionaries) himself; 有人願意接待，他也禁止(3) Diotrephes hinders the others in the church who wish to help the missionaries; and 將接待弟兄的人趕出教會(4) Diotrephes expels from the church (throws them out) people who aid the missionaries. (Diotrephes himself may not have had supreme authority in the local church to expel these people, but may have been responsible for instigating collective action against them.)
低米丟: 11 親愛的兄弟啊，不要效法惡，只要效法善。行善的屬乎神，行惡的未曾見過神。12 低米丟行善
(NET) Johannine theme of behavior as an indication of genuine faith, found in 1 John in 3:6, 10; 4:7, 20
6 凡住在他裡面的，就不犯罪；凡犯罪的，是未曾看見他，也未曾認識他
10 從此就顯出誰是神的兒女，誰是魔鬼的兒女。凡不行義的就不屬神，不愛弟兄的也是如此。
7 親愛的弟兄啊，我們應當彼此相愛，因為愛是從神來的。凡有愛心的，都是由神而生，並且認識神。
20 人若說“我愛神”，卻恨他的弟兄，就是說謊話的；不愛他所看見的弟兄，就不能愛沒有看見的神。
Demetrius is apparently someone Gaius would have heard about, but whose character was not known to him. Thus the author is writing to Gaius to attest to Demetrius’ good character. It appears that Demetrius is coming to Gaius’ church and needs hospitality and assistance, so the author is writing to commend him to Gaius and vouch for him. It is difficult to know more about Demetrius with any certainty, but the author is willing to give him a powerful personal endorsement (We testify to him too).
Reflection: Do we show our genuine faith in action? Do I imitate people who do so? Can people testified to us?
Do I not acknowledge God's servant's authority because I love to be first? Do I refuse to help those who is doing God's work and hinders other to do so? Do I use my limited responsibility to hinder God's work?
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