Week Five: \u00a0Oct 9, 2011<\/p>\n
This week we finished the study in 3 John picking up in verse 11b. \u00a0\u00a0We also started 2 John, but I will start that in another post.<\/p>\n
11b \u2013 The person who does what is good is from God. The person who does what is evil has never seen God.<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Some see this as a tough verse.\u00a0\u00a0 While this sounds good at first, as Paul writes in Romans 3:23 \u201c\u2026all have sinned and continue to fall short of God\u2019s glory<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> and so no one would be from God and everyone would be the category of those who have never seen God. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Just how do we understand an atheist who helps the poor?\u00a0 What about Christians who do evil?\u00a0 Just what is this verse saying? As in all issues of interpretation the context is key. John has just encouraged Gaius to imitate the good, and so this is part of the exhortation to do good and not evil.<\/p>\n It is also important to keep in mind that there was tendency in \u00a0first century Jewish culture to put things in stark black and white terms.\u00a0\u00a0 For example, in John 15:23 Jesus does not talk about belief and disbelief, but says that, \u201cThe person who hates me hates the father.\u201d<\/em> <\/strong> Luke 14:26 is probably the best example of this when Jesus says, \u201cIf anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother\u2026 he can\u2019t be my disciple<\/em><\/strong>.\u201d\u00a0 Few would take this literally, and most see this as emphasizing that we must put Jesus first to be a disciple.<\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So when we come to this passage, we must understand that it is in the context of encouraging Gaius to imitate the good and is presented in black and white terms.\u00a0\u00a0 John cannot be saying that Christians never do evil.\u00a0 For he say in 1 John 1:8 \u201cIf we say that we do not have any sin, we are deceiving ourselves and we\u2019re not being truthful to ourselves.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> So what he is saying is that when looking for examples to imitate, we should look to those Christians (the context here is within the Church) whose lives are marked by doing good, and avoid those who are doing evil. <\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 So then what does this say about Diotrephes?\u00a0 One option is that this is a general statement and should be seen as an exhortation to Gaius.\u00a0 The other option is that this has a broader context and directly contrasts Diotrephes with Demetrius in the next verse. In short that Diotrephes has never seen God.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I believe this should be understood in terms of the former.\u00a0 The discussion has moved away from Diotrephes and onto Gaius. If this were a judgment of Diotrephes, it would be a severe one.\u00a0 We will see in 1 and 2 John that John is not reluctant pass judgment when needed.\u00a0 Thus if he was going to make such a judgment about Diotrephes it is more likely he would do so in a \u00a0statement directly about Diotrephes, rather than in one where the connection to Diotrephes must be inferred from a statement about how Gaius should act.<\/p>\n 12 \u2013 Demetrius has received a good report from everyone, including the truth itself. We, too, can testify to this report, and you know that our testimony is true.<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Demetrius means belonging to Demeter, the Greek Goddess of fruits and crops.\u00a0 This would indicate that he was of pagan origin. If his parents were Christian, they most likely converted after he was named. He apparently was unknown to Gaius, and thus the introduction included here. received a good report from everyone <\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong>In context, this is all Christians.\u00a0\u00a0 That this is mention abruptly following the exhortation to not imitate evil but good indicates that Demetrius is being held up as an example of the good that Gaius is to follow.<\/p>\n including the truth itself <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Exactly what John is revering to here is unclear.\u00a0\u00a0 It could refer to Truth personified, i.e., that if truth could speak, it would give a good report for Demetrius.\u00a0\u00a0 Another option is that this is a reference to God as in John 14:7 I am the Way the Truth and the Life<\/strong>.\u00a0\u00a0 Finally it could be truth as the reality of his walk with the Lord.\u00a0 In other words, that the way Gaius lives in the truth,\u00a0 as John says about Gaius, (v3) testifies about him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is hard to say which of these John intends.<\/p>\n We, too, can testify to this report<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Demetrius is personally known by John and he adds his testimony to the rest. \u00a0\u00a0This three fold testimony is an indication of the trust that could be placed in him and the importance of his mission.<\/p>\n and you know that our testimony is true<\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finally this is a subtle indication of authorship\u00a0 – see John 21:14\u00a0 \u201cWe know his testimony is true.\u201d\u00a0 This seems to be phase that John would use.<\/p>\n 13 \u2013 Although I have a great deal to write to you,1<\/sup> I would rather not write with pen and ink.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 This is a serious matter and there is a lot to do, but John does not want to write. He has already mentioned that he will be visiting soon (v10) and has probably given more detailed instructions to Demetrius.<\/p>\n 14 \u2013 Instead, I hope to see you2<\/sup> soon and speak face to face.<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Again John mentions that he is coming soon.\u00a0 I always find it interesting the way idioms change from language to language.\u00a0 This is literally: Mouth to mouth<\/p>\n 15 May peace be with you!3<\/sup> Your friends greet you.4<\/sup> Greet5<\/sup> each of our friends by name.<\/strong><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John closes with a standard greeting.<\/p>\n May peace be with you<\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Traditional Jewish greeting, which was frequently used by Christians. \u00a0\u00a0This is the greeting used by Jesus in locked room following Resurrection\u00a0 (John 20:19)<\/p>\n Your friends greet you.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gaius evidently had friends who were with John and they send their greetings<\/p>\n Greet each of our friends by name<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n –\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 John sends a personal greeting to his friends who are with Gaius.\u00a0 John want each specifically greeted, as opposed to a general greeting to all. These friends could be in Gaius\u2019 household or in his church.<\/p>\n Questions:\u00a0 The questions this week centered on the intersection of Love and Truth.\u00a0 Love asks us to be accepting.\u00a0 Truth demands that we maintain standards.\u00a0 How does one do both?\u00a0 One question concerned how this applied to the Presbyterian Church-USA ordination of a homosexual minister in Madison, Wi?\u00a0\u00a0 Clearly that church was focusing on the acceptance that stems from love.\u00a0 But what about truth?\u00a0 The Bible\u2019s position on homosexuality may not be politically correct, but it is clear.\u00a0\u00a0 But this goes to a deeper problem concerning the authority of God\u2019s word.\u00a0 Will we follow what the Bible says, or will we follow the current trends of political correctness?<\/p>\n Those opposed to the message of the word of God, frequently present such issues as conflict between reason and\/or science and faith, where faith seems to be defined as that which is false.\u00a0 But this is far from the case.\u00a0 In fact the evidence, while frequently ignored, is pretty clear.\u00a0 The closer that one follows the teaching of the Bible the happier and more fulfilled will be their lives and longer they tend to live.\u00a0 For the Christian, this is not too surprising.\u00a0 The Bible is not an arbitrary document.\u00a0 It rules were not given so that we could be punished.\u00a0\u00a0 Like the Sabbath, the Bible was given for help us.\u00a0 The primary message concerns the reconciliation with God and our eternal life, but much of the Bible also deals with how we can life better lives here and now.<\/p>\n Some of the Bible consists of thou shall, and thou shall not.\u00a0 But not all the instructions of the Bible are as clear cut as you should not murder or you should not steal.\u00a0 Much of the teachings of the Bible consist of balancing competing interests.\u00a0 That is the one of the focuses of John\u2019s letters, just how do we balance competing interests of Truth and Love.<\/p>\n Again I will have a follow up Post to start 2 John.<\/p>\n Next week we will start in 2 John 3<\/p>\n If you have question about the class, feel free to send me an email at elgin@hushbeck.com<\/a> and be sure to put \u201cEpistles of John\u201d in the header.<\/p>\n See here for references and more background on the class<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\nHe is almost certainly the one who delivered the letter. If Demetrius lived near Gaius, he would have been known and no introduction would have been needed. If he was traveling and not yet there, the letter would have mentioned his coming. \u00a0Some suggest that he may have been one of those rejected by Diotrephes. I see this as possible but beyond what the evidence supports. This could conflict with his being unknown to Gaius depending on the assumptions about Gaius in verse 9. \u00a0He was probably there for more than just the delivery of the letter and had been sent to help Gaius with the problem of Diotrephes until John could arrive. <\/strong><\/p>\nIII. Conclusion<\/h3>\n
a.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Final words (13-14)<\/h4>\n
b.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Greetings (15)<\/h4>\n