The Pulpit Commentary — 3 John — Section 7

lato conformity with the truth believed. St. John quite as earnestly insisted upon prnctising tho truth 88 upon holding it. "He that doeth good is of God; he that doeth evil hnth not eeen God" (ver. 11; and 1 John iii. 7, 10). Let us, like Oaius, hold the truth, make it our own; and also live the truth, walk in it day by day. Oultivnte a true faith and B holy life. II. TESTIMONY TO SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY, "Brethren came and bare witnes~ unto thy truth," etc. 'l'hese brethren were probably those who had been commended to the Ohurch by the apostle, rejected through the influence of Diotrephes (ver. 9), and then entertained by Gaius. They probably presented this report on their return to the Ohurch of which St. John was pastor, and from which they had been sent forth ( vere. 5, 6). 1. It is a pleasure to good men to testify to the excellence of others. 2. It is gratifying to a good man to 'receive the commendation of good men. " A good name is better than precious ointment." "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches." III. THE INFLUENCE OF SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY UPON THE GOOD. "Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children," etc. 1. The tender relation here mentioned. "My children." It seems that Gaius had been converted through the ministry of St. John. He was the sviritual child of the apostle; his "true child in faith; " bis "beloved child," as St. Paul says of Timothy. 'l'his relationship is very close, tender, and sacred (cf. 1 Cor. iv. 14, 15). 2. The great foy here spoken of. "Greater j0y have I none than this," etc. Every genuine Christian rejoices to find men walking in the truth; but the apostle had the additional joy which arose from the dear and holy tie by which he and Gaius were united. The success of a young man in temporal things is a great joy to bis parents. To Christian parents it is a. far greater joy when their children give their hearts to God, and walk in truth. And to the Christian minister, and the Sunday school teacher, the spiritual prosperity of those whom they have led to the Saviour is a. source of deep and pore rejoicing. Such prosperity is a proof that we have not laboured in vain; it is a disting11ished honour conferred upon us by God; and it gives a foretaste of the grand final reward," Well done, good and faithful servant," etc. To hear of or to behold such fruits of our Christian work both humbles and rejoiceij us. Christian brethren, let u11 aim both to appropriate and to exemplify Christian truth. -W.J. Vere. 6, 6.-'-Hospitality. "Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren," etc. ·We have here- !.. HosPITALITY •EXERCISED. "Beloved, thou doest a faithful work in whatsoever thou doest toward them that are brethren and strangers withal." 1. The persons towards whom it had been exercised. (1) "Strangers." We mention this first because it is involved in the Greek word for "hospitality," t/),71.o{.,,{a. i.e. kindness to strangers. Entertaining our friends is not properly hospitality. This virtue, says Barnes, "springs up naturally in countries thinly settled, where the sight of a stranger would be there- fore peculiarly pleasant; . . . and where the population was too sparse, and the travellers too infrequent, to justify inn-keeping as a business. From these causes it has happened that there are, properly speaking, no inns or taverns in the region around Palestine. It was customary, indeed, to erect places for lodging and shelter at suitable distances, or by the side of springs or watering-places, for travellers to lodge in. But they are built at the public expense, and are unfurnished. Each traveller carries his own bed and clothes and cooking utensils, and such places are merely designed as a shelter for caravans. It is still so; and hence it becomes, in their view, a virtue of high order to entertain, at their own tables and in their families, such strangers as may be travelling." But these strangers wore also: (2) "Brethren." 'l'hey were fellow- Ohristia.ns. Hospitality should not be limited to them, but it should be shown to them :first and ohiefly. The New Testament teaches that kindness should begin at home (1 Tim. v, 8; Gal. vi. 10). The apostles were to "begin at Jerusalem." Chris- tian people have sometimes supplied the wants of the drunken, the indolent, and the wasteful, and neglected their own sober, industrious, and thrifty poor in their need. It seems to us that in such ministries the rule should be-our own home first, our own Ohuroh and oongregation next, other Christian brethren next, and then the irreligions. 8 THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN. [1-H,