Revised by Elisabeth Johnson, 12/23
This letter takes its place among the three Letters of John. The letter presupposes a situation in which a number of house churches in different locations relate to one another through mutual hospitality and support. The ninth verse indicates that 3 John may have accompanied or been included with either 1 or 2 John, which deal with false teachings. Yet, in 3 John, Diotrephes is the main concern, and he is not a false teacher but a leader in a local house churchIn the early days of Christianity, the social and political climate was not always favorable to followers of Jesus and they could not meet publicly. Rather some would gather in homes of fellow Christians to break bread, give thanks to God, and sing psalms and… More who is not submitting to John’s authority. In contrast, the elder recommends Demetrius, who may have carried the letter to Gaius.
