THE THIRD EPISTLE OF

JOHN.

Encouragements to a Beloved Friend in his Piety and Hospitality, and rebukes of the Unfaithful Brother who was perverting the Church to his Personal Advantage.

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THE elder to the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth. Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest pros3 per and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the 4 truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. s Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the 6 brethren, and to strangers; which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on 7 their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: because that for his name's sake they went forth, taking nothing of the

prises and apostolic journeys from city to city and country to country. Gaius had earned an honorable repute, not only for what he had so faithfully done to the brethren, but even to strangers, and in furthering them on their way as entertaining them hospitably while detained. Because that for his name's sake they went forth, etc. This is a grand missionary motto, and it embodied in words fit and few the animus and faith of all who go forth in behalf of the gospel and because of humanity. That name had become so familiar that it was not necessary to say whose name

Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might 8 be fellow-helpers to the truth. I wrote unto the church: but 9 Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his 10 deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but 1 that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. I had many 13 things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee : But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to 14 face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

it
was, for it had been borne so often
in prison and in martyrdom, in perse-
cution and death, in dungeon and cata-
comb, that it was best uttered in ex-
pressive silence. Taking nothing of
the Gentiles. These were supposed to
be Jewish teachers, converted to Chris-
tianity, who went out as missionaries
to the Gentiles, but exacted nothing of
them for their maintenance. Fellow-
helpers to the truth, is given in some of
the most important MSS. as "fellow
helpers to the church."

9-11. I wrote unto the church. The leading MSS. change this phrase to, "I wrote something to the church." Diotrephes. What was precisely the office or standing of this individual is a matter of pure guess. At any rate he was some officer or influential person, who converted the church into the instrument of his own ambition, indulged in malicious slanders, withstood the apostle's authority, acted in a perverse manner in the church and followed that which was evil and not good. But he that doeth evil hath not seen God. No clear vision of the Heavenly One has descended into his nature who is bent on evil. Like seeks its like, evil evil, and good good.

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12-14. Demetrius hath good report of all men. On the dark background of the moral ugliness of Diotrephes, he draws the fair picture of the good Demetrius, the excellent reputation he had among men; a reputation that had the witness of the truth itself and to which the writer could add his own testimony and substantiate it as genuine. Ye know. The three MSS. read, "and thou knowest." I had many things to write, to which Tischendorf under the best authorities adds,

unto thee." The same thought is expressed in 2 John 12. Ink and pen, or as 2 John has it " paper and ink." The paper was made of papyrus, the pen was a calamus or reed for writing, and the ink was a black dye or liquid made of soot and water with some gum to give it consistency and permanence. I trust I shall shortly see thee, etc. A repetition of 2 John 12. sonal intercourse would be better than written correspondence. Our friends salute thee. The Alexandrian MS. reads, "the brethren salute thee."

Per

The three MSS. add at the close the subscription "the third of John."

THE GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE.

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

GENERAL EPISTLE OF JUDE.

THE Sinaitic and Vatican MSS. give as the title "of Jude" and the Alexandrian MS. "the epistle of Jude."

AUTHORSHIP.

Critics are unable to identify with certainty either the Jude or the James spoken of in the introductory verse; whether both were apostles, or neither of them belonged to the apostolic band, ́ is in doubt.

Eusebius in his Ecclesiastical history says, in reference to the Epistle of James "thus far touching James whose epistle that is reported to be, which is the first among the universal epistles. Yet have we to understand that the same is not void of suspicion for many of the ancient writers make no mention thereof, like as neither of that under the name of Judas, being one of the seven called universal, yet notwithstanding we know them to be publicly read in the Christian churches." Also he says, "and among the contradicted but yet well known to the most are that called the epistle of James and that of Jude and the 2 Peter and 2 John and 3 John." Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, and Origen quote from the epistle of Jude. It is not contained in the ancient Syriac version, nor the genuine portions of the Muratorian canon, A. D. 200. Bleek says, "the authenticity of the epistle has indeed sometimes been called in question but without any good ground." He also adds, "but apart from all external testimonies its authenticity may be regarded as firmly proved by its whole character." He supposes the Jude or Judas and James