Third John: Third John 7-8-John Gives Gaius Three Reasons Why He Should Continue to Aid Itinerant Communicators of the Gospel

3 John 7 It was for the sake of the Name that they went out, receiving no help from the pagans. (NIV84)

3 John 7 Because for the sake of the Name, they went out while accepting absolutely nothing from the heathen. (Pastor’s translation)

Verse 7 presents the reason for John’s last statement recorded in verse 6 in which he assures Gaius that he will act correctly by sending itinerant communicators of the gospel on their way in a manner of the one and only God.

“The Name” is the noun onoma (ὄνομα), which refers to the Lord Jesus Christ indicating that these communicators of the gospel whom Gaius demonstrated great hospitality to in the past were representing the Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming His death and resurrection.

In 3 John 7, the noun onoma (ὄνομα), “the Name” has a five-fold sense.

First of all, it refers to the “Person” of the Lord Jesus Christ who is undiminished deity and true humanity in Person forever and thus the unique theanthropic Person of history and creation.

Secondly, the noun onoma (ὄνομα) refers to the character of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It also refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s life’s work during His First Advent where He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Mosaic Law, destroyed the works of the devil, redeemed the entire human race from the slave market of sin, propitiated the Father’s righteous demands that every sin in history be judged, reconciled the entire human race to God.

He did all this through His voluntary substitutionary spiritual and physical deaths on the Cross and also alludes to His resurrection, ascension and session at the right hand of the Father.

The noun onoma (ὄνομα), “the Name” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s reputation before mankind as the Savior of the world and Redeemer of all mankind and Sovereign ruler of history.

Lastly, the word refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s standing before the Father as righteous and holy and as His beloved Son.

These pastor-teachers and evangelists were serving on behalf of or for the sake of the Name, i.e. the Lord Jesus Christ.

“The pagans” refer to unregenerate human beings, non-Christians, heathen or we could say pagans who possess no relationship with the triune God and were never used by the apostolic church as a source of financial and material aid to support the ministries of these communicators of the gospel.

John teaches Gaius that he will act correctly by sending itinerant communicators of the gospel on their way in a manner of the one and only God because they went out for the sake of the Name, while accepting nothing from the heathen, i.e. non-believers.

These communicators of the gospel went out for the sake of the Name while accepting absolutely nothing from the heathen, i.e. non-Christians.

In the first century apostolic church evangelists and pastor-teachers normally received financial and material support from other Christians (cf. Acts 20:35; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-9) or they sometimes supported themselves (cf. Acts 18:3).

They never solicited support from non-Christians (cf. Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:14; 1 Thessalonians 2:9).

3 John 8 We ought therefore to show hospitality to such men so that we may work together for the truth. (NIV84)

3 John 8 Therefore, we are obligated to make it our habit of supporting such individuals in order that we would become co-workers on behalf of and in association with the truth. (Pastor’s translation)

The contents of 3 John 8 are the direct result of an inference from John’s statements in 3 John 7.

“We” is emphasizing a strong comparative contrast between non-Christians and Christians and is an “inclusive we” meaning that John is referring to all Christians with this word, without exception, all are under obligation to support itinerant communicators of the gospel.

“To show hospitality” is the verb hupolambanō (ὑπολαμβάνω), which means “to take someone under one’s care, to receive as a guest” and refers to demonstrating Christian hospitality to itinerant communicators of the gospel by receiving them as a guest in one’s home as well as supporting them financially and materially.

The present tense of the verb is a customary present used to signal a habitual action indicating that every Christian without exception is obligated to “make it their habit of” supporting or helping itinerant communicators of the gospel.

As was the case in 2 John 2, the truth here in 3 John 8 is a reference to the Trinity since each member of the Trinity indwells the Christian permanently and each as to their nature is truth.

Each member of the Trinity permanently indwells the Christian (Father: Ephesians 4:6; 1 John 4:15; Son: Romans 8:10; Colossians 1:27; Spirit: Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19-20).

Therefore, when John speaks of truth here in 3 John 8 he is saying when Christians support itinerant communicators of the gospel they become coworkers on behalf of and in association with the Trinity since each member of the Trinity is truth and permanently indwells the Christian.

In particular it is the Holy Spirit who is working through these evangelists and pastors when they communicate the gospel to their audiences.

The church in the twenty-first century is to follow the example of the early first century apostolic church and provide financial and material support for those who communicate the gospel.

By Christians supporting such men, they would be good stewards of the finances God has given them.

John informs Gaius that the purpose of supporting these men is that the Christian would become coworkers on behalf of and in association with the truth, and specifically the Trinity who as to their nature are truth.

Christians become coworkers with God and in particular the Holy Spirit when they support itinerant evangelists and pastor-teachers.

By supporting itinerant communicators of the gospel, the Christian would be a good steward with their time, talent, treasure and truth.

Four areas of stewardship: (1) Time: Galatians 6:9-10 (2) Talent: 1 Peter 4:10 (3) Treasure: Luke 6:38 (4) Truth: Colossians 4:5-6.

The Christian’s stewardship in these four areas will be evaluated at the Bema Seat Evaluation of the church which occurs immediately after the rapture or the resurrection of the church.

A steward is one who manages the property of another and is not an owner; he is a manager.

Everything that we are and possess as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, both spiritually and materially, namely, our time, talent and treasure are in fact, trusts given to us by God which we are to invest for God’s kingdom and glory (1 Peter 1:17; 2:11; 4:10-11; Luke 19:11-26).

Good stewardship stems from recognizing our relationship to Jesus Christ, but it also means recognizing our partnership in Christ’s enterprise on earth.

By supporting itinerant communicators of the gospel, Gaius would be experiencing fellowship with these traveling evangelists and pastor-teachers.

He would be taking part in the companionship, stewardship and partnership aspects of Christian fellowship by supporting these men financially and materially and giving them a place to rest their feet.

Christian fellowship is a relationship and partnership with God and His royal family and involves sharing His objective of advancing His kingdom on earth by caring for and working together with the royal family in this endeavor.