THE

FAMILY EXPOSITOR ;

OR,

A PARAPHRASE

ON

THE THIRD EPISTLE OF ST. JOHN.

WITH

CRITICAL NOTES, and a PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT OF EACH SECTION.

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 Јони 1.

3 JOHN 1.

SECT

i.

THE Elder unto THE elder addresses this epistle to the beloved well belov and hospitable Gaius, whom I love in the 3John love in the truth. truth, and hold as dear in the bowels of Christ, 1

ed Gaius, whom I

Gaius.] We read of one Gaius, of to the contrary; since in the general he Corinth, Rom. xvi 23, who hospitably re- addresses_all Christians in the same tenceived the apostle Paul, when he went out der and affectionate style, agreeably to the to preach the gospel gratis; and if this sweetness of his temper, and suitably to were, as he seems to have been, the same, his advanced years. Compare Dr. Whit he was St. Paul's convert: nor is St. by in loc. 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 2 Beloved, I wish 3 John 2 mayest prosper; and particularly that thou may- above all things that thou mayest prosper est be in health; as I have reason to believe, and be in health, evthat 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 he 'thful and

brethren came and

4 I have no greater

truth.

3 prosperous as thou art good. For Irejoiced 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the Christian brethren came from greatly when the that part of the world in your neighbourhood, testified of the truth and testified concerning thy truth, as thou walk- that is in thee, even 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 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 al.] Our we should affix to and 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 Schmidius, who translates it de omnibus.

paraphrase.

That I may hear.] Dr. Whitby takes notice of it here, as an observation which many have made, that the use of the particle wa for 7 and 7 is a peculiarity in St. John's style.

:

shalt do well :

And commends him for his hospitality.

335

i.

3John

6 Which have flowing love to our common Redeemer. And SECT. borne witness of thy indeed many of the Christian strangers, who charity before the 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.

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 Tay vay may mean the believing Gentiles, as it is certain the word frequently does. Wolfius, who agrees with Beza, in referring aro Tav svav to snov, 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 λov, and the more common signification of it is to go out voluntarily. See Wolfii Cure Philolog. Vol. V. p. 334.

They went out, receiving nothing of the Gentiles : Εξήλθεν, μηδεν λαμβάνοντες από των εθνών.] Bezarefers απο των εθνών τo εξήλθον, and understands it, that the persons here spoken of, went out from their respective countries and native places, (año ræv idvav,) leaving all their worldly possessions, (under rauCavorles,) to go and preach the gospel. And in support of this construction, he bserves, that apa should have been used after λαμβανοντες, and not απο But Mat. 8 Diotrephes.] It is uncertain who he xvii. 25, 26, and 1 John ii. 27, are evident was. Grotius thinks he was a Gentile