3 John 1

The elder had written to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, does not acknowledge our authority. Wesley: probably the church to which the brothers came; Diotrephes perhaps its pastor, who loves to govern all things according to his own will. Receiveth us not—neither them nor me. So did the mystery of iniquity already work.

Pastoral church order: first-place love that will not receive the apostle or his letter. The sin named is preeminence that refuses apostolic authority and, in v. 10, the brothers sent for the Name.

Written to the church; Diotrephes puts himself first and will not acknowledge the elder. Calvin did not comment the name; the Johannine analogue is those who will not hear the apostolic “we” (1 John 4:6) and who go out from the fellowship.

This is order in a congregation, not a brief on contemporary platforms. First-place is the diagnosis. Authority refused is the elder’s, tied to the truth of vv. 1–8. Keep the scene in that church.

If I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he is doing: wicked nonsense against us; he doesn’t receive the brothers, stops those who want to, puts them out of the church. Wesley: he prateth against us—them and me—thereby endeavouring to excuse himself.

The inverse of Gaius (vv. 5–8) and of 2 John 1:10–11: Diotrephes will not house the Name-workers and punishes those who would. That is church discipline pointed the wrong way, not a modern “cancel” parable. The elder will remember the deeds when he comes. Stay with the brothers, the nonsense, and the putting-out.

Coming, he will bring up the deeds: wicked talk, refusing the brothers, stopping welcomers, putting them out. Calvin’s pastoral match: a faithful teacher does not connive at impostures; here the imposture is a local first-man blocking apostolic workers.

Not internet blocking, not generic church-politics rant. The works are specific—slander of the elder, closed door to the strangers of vv. 5–8, coercion of the congregation. Order will be restored by the elder’s coming.

Beloved, don’t imitate that which is evil, but that which is good. Wesley: follow not that which is evil—in Diotrephes—but that which is good—in Demetrius. Whoever does evil hasn’t seen God—is a stranger to him.

Match 1 John 3: the doer shows the source. Gaius is not to copy the first-place man. Wesley’s heirs hear an either/or: doing evil is not a slight slip in a seer of God; it is the mark of a stranger. Imitate Demetrius’s good, not Diotrephes’s evil. The warning can be heeded or refused.

He who does good is of God. He who does evil hasn’t seen God. Calvin on 1 John 2:29 and 3:6–7: everyone who does righteousness is born of Him; whoever sins has not seen Him nor known Him. He that does righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous.

Match 1 John 3 holiness notes: the practice shows the birth. Reformed: “hasn’t seen God” describes the one whose life is evil, not a believer’s single fault (Calvin will not say the children of God are wholly without sin). Imitate the born-of-God pattern, not Diotrephes. Gaius must not copy what is evil. The slight fork is whether “hasn’t seen God” can describe a Christian who is imitating Diotrephes, or only the one who was never born of God.

Demetrius has a good testimony of all, and of the truth itself; yes, we also testify, and you know our testimony is true. Wesley: from the truth itself—what they testify is the very truth. Yea, we also bear testimony—I and they that are with me.

Close the commendation. Demetrius is the good to imitate (v. 11), likely one of the workers Diotrephes would not welcome. No extra fight. Triple witness: everyone, the truth, the elder.

Good testimony of all, and of the truth itself; yes, we add ours, and you know it is true. The truth is not a vague vibe; it is the same truth Gaius walks in (vv. 3–4).

The two readings stand together on this line. Demetrius is commended so Gaius has a face for “that which is good.” The elder’s record matches 1 John’s “we”—apostolic testimony Gaius already knows to be true.

Match 2 John 12: the needful things are on the page; the rest waits for presence.

Close the letter. No extra fight. Ink is enough for Diotrephes, Demetrius, and the ought of vv. 5–8.

Much to write; rather not with pen and ink. Same close as 2 John 12.

Both traditions agree there is nothing more to dispute here. What had to be said about first-place, the brothers, and the good example is written. Presence will finish it.

Hope to see you soon. Then talk face to face. Wesley’s 2 John parallel: not minded to write only these needful things when coming is better.

There is nothing here to argue over. Face to face is how the elder will also “remember” Diotrephes’s deeds (v. 10). Joy and order both wait on the visit.

The coming of v. 10 and the talk of v. 14 are one visit: presence for Gaius, and presence that will not leave Diotrephes’s deeds unspoken.

Both readings: close like 2 John. Paper is stopgap. No extra fight.

Greet the friends by name. Wesley: salute the friends by name—in the same manner as if I had named them one by one. The word friend does not often occur in the New Testament, being swallowed up in the more endearing one of brother.

Close the letter like 2 John 12–13. Named people, peace, no extra fight. The household of the truth has names.

Peace to you; friends greet; greet the friends by name. Calvin did not comment the line. The close is personal, as 2 John ended with the elect sister’s children.

Both traditions take this line the same way. Peace is the last word over a letter that had to name Diotrephes. By name keeps the church a set of faces, not a machine.