PT-4 Intro to 3 John 9-14 (3 John 9-14)

 

EVENING SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/03/2025 8:49 PM

 

My Worship Tim                                                                          Focus: PT-4 Intro to 3 John 9-14

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                         Reference:  3 John 9-14

 

            Message of the verses:  “9 I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10 For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. 11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God. 12 Demetrius has received a good testimony from everyone, and from the truth itself; and we add our testimony, and you know that our testimony is true. 13 I had many things to write to you, but I am not willing to write them to you with pen and ink; 14 but I hope to see you shortly, and we will speak face to face. 15 Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends by name.”

 

 

            I mentioned in the last SD’s that I am going to quote from John MacArthur’s commentary’s introduction as he has made it quite long, and so I feel that is the best way for us to understand this passage.

 

            Today we will finish this introduction to 3 John 9-14, as we will be looking examples from the New Testament, whereas we have spent the last few SD’s looking at examples from the Old Testament.

 

            “In the New Testament, pompous King Herod Agrippa I decided to hold a celebration.  As he gave a speech his enraptured subjects, unable to contain themselves, ‘kept crying out, ‘The voice of a god and not of a man!’’ (Acts 12:22).  Because Herod neglected to give glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him and he died (v. 23), thus bringing an abrupt and unexpected end to the festivities.

 

            “The four Gospels describe an entire group of boastful men who sought the preeminence, namely the scribes and Pharisees.  Jesus said of them,

 

They do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.  They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men. (Matt. 23:5-7).

 

They were those who justified themselves in the sight of men (Luke 16:15), ‘for appearance’s sake offer[d] long prayers’ (Luke 20:47), ‘receive [d] glory from one another ‘(John 5:44), and ‘loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God’ (John 12:43).

 

            “Prideful ambition had an ugly presence even among Jesus’ own disciples.  In Matthew 20:20-21 ‘The mother of the sons of Zebedee cam to Jesus with her sons, bowing down and making a request of Him.  And He said to her, ‘What do you wish?’ She said to Him, ‘Command that in Your kingdom these two sons of mine may sit one on Your right and one on Your left.’’ James and John used their mother’s presumed influence with Jesus to ask for preeminent places in the kingdom.  But instead of granting their request, Jesus used the occasion to instruct His disciples concerning the importance of humility:

 

25 But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27  and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (vv. 25-28).

 

            “In this third epistle the apostle John introduces Diotrephes, another in the long line of men who sought the preeminence.  Verse 9 marks an abrupt shift in the tone of the letter.  The first eight verses praise Gaius for showing sacrificial love to missionaries who came to his church.  But beginning in verse 9, the tone is just the opposite, as John sharply rebukes a man called Diotrephes for refusing to show hospitality to the servants of the gospel, and for refusing to permit others to do so.  The apostle exposed Diotrephes’ personal ambition and perverted actions, and offered yet another man, Demetrius, as a commendable contrast to him.”

 

            So you can see that we are done with the introduction to the last verses in the 3^rd letter that the Apostle John wrote, and so tomorrow we will begin to look more intensely into these verses beginning with verse 9 “Diotrephes’ “Personal Ambition.”

 

6/3/2025 9:12 PM