AUTHENTICITY.--That these two Epistles were written by the same author appears from their similarity of tone, style, and sentiments. That John, the beloved disciple, was the author of the Second and Third Epistles, as of the First Epistle, appears from IRENÆUS [Against Heresies, 1.16.3], who quotes 2Jo 1:10,11; and in [3.16.8], he quotes 2Jo 1:7, mistaking it, however, as if occurring in First John. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA (A.D. 192) [Miscellanies, 2.66], implies his knowledge of other Epistles of John besides the First Epistle; and in fragments of his Adumbrations [p. 1011], he says, "John's Second Epistle which was written to the virgins (Greek, "parthenous"; perhaps Parthos is what was meant) is the simplest; but it was written to a certain Babylonian named the Elect lady." DIONYSIUS OF ALEXANDRIA (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 7.25]) observes that John never names himself in his Epistles, "not even in the Second and Third Epistles, although they are short Epistles, but simply calls himself the presbyter, a confutation of those who think John the apostle distinct from John the presbyter. ALEXANDER OF ALEXANDRIA cites 2Jo 1:10:11, as John's [SOCRATES, Ecclesiastical History, 1.6]. CYPRIAN [Concerning the Baptism of Heretics], in referring to the bishops at the Council of Carthage, says, "John the apostle, in His Epistle, has said, if any come to you" (2Jo 1:10); so that this Epistle, and therefore its twin sister, Third John, was recognized as apostolic in the North African Church. The MURATORI fragment is ambiguous. The Second and Third Epistles were not in the Peschito or old Syriac version; and COSMAS INDICOPLEUSTES in the sixth century says that in his time the Syriac Church only acknowledged three of the Catholic Epistles, First Peter, First John, and James. But EPHREM THE SYRIAN quotes the Second Epistle of John. EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History,] reckons both Epistles among the Antilegomena or controverted Scriptures, as distinguished from the Homologoumena or universally acknowledged from the first. Still his own opinion was that the two minor Epistles were genuine, remarking, as he does in Demonstration of the Gospel [3.5], that in John's "Epistles" he does not mention his own name, nor call himself an apostle or evangelist, but an "elder" (2Jo 1:1 3Jo 1:1). ORIGEN (in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 6.25]) mentions the Second and Third Epistles, but adds, "not all admit (implying that most authorities do) their genuineness." JEROME [On Illustrious Men, 9] mentions the two latter Epistles as attributed to John the presbyter, whose sepulcher was shown among the Ephesians in his day. But the designation "elder" was used of the apostles by others (for example, PAPIAS, in EUSEBIUS [Ecclesiastical History, 3.39]), and is used by Peter, an apostle, of himself (1Pe 5:1). Why, then, should not John also use this designation of himself, in consonance with the humility which leads him not to name himself or his apostleship even in the First Epistle? The Antilegomena were generally recognized as canonical soon after the Council of Nicea (A.D. 325). Thus CYRIL OF JERUSALEM, A.D. 349, enumerates fourteen Epistles of Paul, and seven Catholic Epistles. So GREGORY NAZIANZEN, in A.D. 389. The Councils of Hippo, 393, and Carthage, 397, adopted a catalogue of New Testament books exactly agreeing with our canon. So our oldest extant Greek manuscripts. The Second and Third Epistles of John, from their brevity (which ORIGEN notices), and the private nature of their contents, were less generally read in the earliest Christian assemblies and were also less quoted by the Fathers; hence arose their non-universal recognition at the first. Their private nature makes them the less likely to be spurious, for there seems no purpose in their forgery. The style and coloring too accord with the style of the First Epistle.

TO WHOM ADDRESSED.--The Third Epistle is directed to Gaius or Caius; whether Gaius of Macedonia (Ac 19:20), or Gaius of Corinth (Ro 16:23 1Co 1:14), or Gaius of Derbe (Ac 20:4), it is hard to decide. MILL believes Gaius, bishop of Pergamos [Apostolic Constitutions, 7.40], to be the person addressed in 3Jo 1:1.

The address of the Second Epistle is more disputed. It opens, "The elder unto the Elect lady" (2Jo 1:1). And it closes, "The children of thy elect sister greet thee" (2Jo 1:13). Now, 1Pe 1:1,2, addresses the elect in Asia, &c., and closes (1Pe 5:13), "The Church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you." Putting together these facts, with the quotations (above) from CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, and the fact that the word "Church" comes from a Greek word (kyriake) cognate to the Greek for "lady" (kyria; "belonging to the Lord," kyrios); WORDSWORTH'S view is probable. As Peter in Babylon had sent the salutations of the elect Church in the then Parthian (see above on CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA) Babylon to her elect sister in Asia, so John, the metropolitan president of the elect Church in Asia, writes to the elect lady, that is, Church, in Babylon. NEANDER, ALFORD, and others, think the Greek "kyria" not to mean "lady," but to be her proper name; and that she had a "sister, a Christian matron," then with John.

Summary of John's Third Epistle

By H. A. (Buster) Dobbs

I.  Introduction.
    A.    The author of the letter (1:1).
        1.   John refers to himself as the elder--the aged apostle (1:1).
    B.    The letter was written to Gaius (1:1).
        1.   Three persons named Gaius are mentioned in the New 
            Testament (Rom. 16:23; Acts 19:29; Acts 20:4).
            a.  We cannot be sure John refers to any of the three.
            b.  Gaius was a common name in the first century.
        2.   The Gaius to whom John wrote was known to and loved by 
            John in the truth (truly or sincerely) (1:1).
    B.    John's prayer for Gaius (1:2).
        1.   Gaius would have material abundance and good health (1:2).
            a.  It is not wrong to want worldly possessions, but we must 
                guard against trusting in them (Luke 12:15).
            b.  It is not wrong to want good health, but it is wrong to 
                want it so much we cannot be content (Phil. 4:11).
        2.   John knew Gaius was firm in faith and rich in virtue, 
            enjoying an abundant and complete life, and asked of God 
            that Gaius might be as affluent in money and health as he was 
            in spirit and truth (1:2).
II.  Hospitality in Support of Truth (1:3-12).
     A.    The good report concerning Gaius (1:3-4).
         1.   John learned Gaius was walking in the truth (1:3).
             a.  Walking in the truth is equivalent to walking in the light 
                 (1 John 1:7).
             b.  Walking in the light of truth brings freedom from sin, and 
                 therefore, liberty from panic and alarm (John 8:32).
         2.   John's greatest joy was hearing his disciples were faithful 
             (1:4).
             a.  John considered spiritual prosperity to be more important 
                 than wealth and health (1:4).
             b.  John thought of Gaius as his child in the faith--John was 
                 responsible for the conversion of Gaius (1:4).
     B.    John's request of Gaius (1:5-8).
         1.   John commends Gaius (1:5).
             a.  Gaius sheltered and supported true teachers of the word 
                 (1:5).
             b.  Gaius was helpful to brethren and strangers (1:5).
             c.  The brethren were members of the church known to both 
                 John and Gaius. The strangers were also members of the 
                 church, previously unknown to Gaius, but for whom he 
                 provided (1:5).
         2.   Those who has been helped by Gaius reported it to the 
             church from which they went out (1:6).
             a.  John congratulates Gaius for his continued help of these 
                 brethren and strangers (1:6).
             b.  This was done in a manner worthy of God (1:6).
         3.   The workers Gaius helped on their journey went among the 
             Gentiles preaching the gospel, but taking no financial support 
             from the Gentiles (1:7).
             a.  Gentiles would later be taught to give material aid to their 
                 spiritual teachers (1 Cor 9:11-14; Gal. 6:6).
             b.  When Gentiles were first converted, they were not asked 
                 to give money to advance the preaching of the word lest 
                 the motive of the teacher be in doubt (1 Cor. 9:15).
             c.  These preachers faced many dangers and accepted 
                 hardship to teach the Gentiles (1:7).
         4.   John says when we help such people we are fellow workers 
             for the truth (1:8).
             a.  By supporting those who leave the comforts of home and 
                 face peril to teach the word, we please God by advancing 
                 truth (1:8).
             b.  We are credited with the good done by agents we have 
                 commissioned (1:8; John 4:1-2).
     C.    Diotrephes and Demetrius (1:9-12).
         1.   John had either written to the church of which Gaius was a 
             member, or would have written, to give this same counsel 
             (1:9).
             a.  Diotrephes, a ruler in the church of which Gaius was a 
                 member, loved power and ran rough-shod over the church 
                 (1:9).
             b.  Diotrepehes received not John as an apostle (1:9).
         2.   John intended to visit the church and remember the deeds 
             of Diotrephes (1:10).
             a.  John claims to be superior to Diotrepehes. He will call the 
                 trouble maker to account and punish him.
             b.  This is not a personal matter, but Diotrepehes was 
                 forbidding disciples to receive the brethren and strangers, 
                 and those who did receive them were cast out of the 
                 church. He interfered with the free course of truth--a 
                 religious offense (1:10).
             c.  Diotrepehes also attacked the apostle John with malicious 
                 words (1:10).
         3.   John tells Gaius to follow good and not evil (1:11).
             a.  He who does good is of God (1:11).
             b.  He who does evil has no right knowledge of God (1:11).
         4.   John commends Demetrius (1:12).
             a.  All men praised Demetrius.
             b.  The truth praised Demetrius because his conduct was 
                 according to the rules of the gospel (1:12).
             c.  The apostle John also sincerely praised him (1:12).
             d.  His example was worthy to be followed (1:11).
III.  Conclusion (1:13-14).
      A.    John hoped to speak with Gaius face to face (1:13).
      B.    "Peace be unto thee. The friends salute thee. Salute the 
          friends by name" (1:14).
          1.   John uses the word "friend" as a synonym for disciple, or 
              believer, or Christian.
             a.  They were friends of Christ and therefore friends of one 
                  another, and friends of all who know and love truth (John 
                  15:13-15).

John -

THE APOSTLE, brother of James the "Greater" (Matt. 4:21; 10:2; Mark 1:19; 3:17; 10:35). He was one, probably the younger, of the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 4:21) and Salome (Matt. 27:56; comp. Mark 15:40), and was born at Bethsaida. His father was apparently a man of some wealth (comp. Mark 1:20; Luke 5:3; John 19:27). He was doubtless trained in all that constituted the ordinary education of Jewish youth. When he grew up he followed the occupation of a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee. When John the Baptist began his ministry in the wilderness of Judea, John, with many others, gathered round him, and was deeply influenced by his teaching. There he heard the announcement, "Behold the Lamb of God," and forthwith, on the invitation of Jesus, became a disciple and ranked among his followers (John 1:36, 37) for a time. He and his brother then returned to their former avocation, for how long is uncertain. Jesus again called them (Matt. 4: 21; Luke 5:1-11), and now they left all and permanently attached themselves to the company of his disciples. He became one of the innermost circle (Mark 5:37; Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Mark 13:3). He was the disciple whom Jesus loved. In zeal and intensity of character he was a "Boanerges" (Mark 3:17). This spirit once and again broke out (Matt. 20:20-24; Mark 10:35-41; Luke 9:49, 54). At the betrayal he and Peter follow Christ afar off, while the others betake themselves to hasty flight (John 18:15). At the trial he follows Christ into the council chamber, and thence to the praetorium (18:16, 19, 28) and to the place of crucifixion (19:26, 27). To him and Peter, Mary first conveys tidings of the resurrection (20:2), and they are the first to go and see what her strange words mean. After the resurrection he and Peter again return to the Sea of Galilee, where the Lord reveals himself to them (21:1, 7). We find Peter and John frequently after this together (Acts 3:1; 4:13). John remained apparently in Jerusalem as the leader of the church there (Acts 15:6; Gal. 2:9). His subsequent history is unrecorded. He was not there, however, at the time of Paul's last visit (Acts 21:15-40). He appears to have retired to Ephesus, but at what time is unknown. The seven churches of Asia were the objects of his special care (Rev. 1:11). He suffered under persecution, and was banished to Patmos (1:9); whence he again returned to Ephesus, where he died, probably about A.D. 98, having outlived all or nearly all the friends and companions even of his maturer years. There are many interesting traditions regarding John during his residence at Ephesus, but these cannot claim the character of historical truth.

The Second and Third Epistles were probably written soon after the First, and from Ephesus.