Book by Book · New Testament
A short, personal letter about welcoming people well and walking in the truth.
3 John is a brief note from "the elder" to a man named Gaius, written to a real person about a real situation. Gaius has been generous to traveling teachers, opening his home and helping them on their way, and the letter commends him for it. Against that it sets Diotrephes, a man who liked to be first, who would not welcome these workers and pushed out those who did. The contrast is simple and human: one man's open door, another man's closed one.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
— 3 John 1:4 (ESV)
That is the heart of it. Hospitality and truth are not two separate concerns here; they belong together. Truth is not only something to believe but something to walk in, and the test of it shows up in how people are received.
We will keep our part brief, as the letter does. It is a fitting word for anyone trying to build something that welcomes people on a church's behalf. We would rather what we built keep an open door and stay honest than impress anyone with how much it claims to know.
A short letter, warmly remembered, still worth its few verses.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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