6. These brethren and ftrangers, have borne an honourable teftimony to thy benevolence in the prefence of the church here, whom if thou help forward on their second journey, by entertaining them and fupplying them with neceffaries, in a manner worthy of God, who reckons what is done to his diftreffed fervants as done to himself, thou wilt do well. 7 Becaufe, for making the name of Christ as the Son of God known among the Gentiles, they went forth, and received nothing on the fcore of maintenance from the Gentiles to whom they preached, that their preaching might be the more acceptable. 8 We therefore, who do not undertake expenfive journies for the fake of preaching the gospel, ought to entertain in our houses those who do so, that in this manner we may be joint labourers with them in fpreading the gospel. perfons in want, there was no reafon for their not receiving affistance from the Gentiles, whether converted or unconverted. 2. Receiving nothing from the Gentiles. It is not clear whether the apostle meant the converted, or the unconverted Gentiles, or both. I am of opinion that he meant both; because if the brethren and the ftrangers were preachers, they may have prudently refolved to receive neither entertainment nor money from the Gentiles, left it might have marred the fuccefs of their preaching among them, when they found the reception of the gospel attended with expence. This at leaft was the confideration which determined the apostle Paul to preach the gospel gratis.-The commentators who think thefe brethren and ftrangers were fimply poor Chriftians who had been driven from their homes by their perfecutors, fuppofe that they received nothing from the unconverted Gentiles, left it might have given them occafion to fay that there was no charity among the Chriftians. Ver. 8. We therefore ought to entertain fuch. See Luke xv. 27. Galat. iv. 5. where Aroλaubava, fignifies, fimply to receive, which, in the language of the New Teftament, means to lodge and entertain a perfon in one's houfe; to keep company with him, as one whom we esteem. Wherefore the apoftle's fentiment in this precept is, that M 2 fuch fuch of the brethren as had not devoted themselves to the preaching of the gofpel, but followed their ordinary occupations at home, were bound to contribute according to their ability toward the maintenance of those who went about preaching the gofpel. And to render his exhortation the more acceptable to them, he included himself in the exhortation: We ought to entertain fuch.- Benson thinks Caius was a Jewish Chriftian, and that the apoftle's exhortation was directed particularly to Jewish believers, who if they contributed towards the fupport of thofe who preached the gospel to the Gentiles, would thereby fhew their earnest defire of the converfion of the Gentiles. Ver. 9.-1. I would have written to the church. Eygala ty exxλnoia. Six or feven MSS. read here sygala av, which is followed by the Vulgate; fcripfiffem. The fecond Syriac likewife and the Coptic verfions follow that reading, which I fuppofe is genuine; because if the common reading is retained, the particle a muft be fupplied; as is plain from what follows, where the apoftle, in apology for not writing to the church, adds, But Diotrephes, who loveth to rule them, doth not receive us; doth not acknowledge me as an apostle.-The letters which the apoftles wrote to the churches were all fent to the bishops and elders in these churches, to be by them read to the people in their public affemblies. See Eff ii. page 73. If Diotrephes was a bishop or elder of the church to which John would have written, he might fufpect that that imperious arrogant man would have fuppreffed his letter: confequently to have written to a church of which he had ufurped the fole government, would have answered no good purpose. -The tranflation of this claufe in our English Bible reprefents the apoftle as faying that he had written a letter, which is now loft. This to fome may appear a difficulty. But the tranflation I have given, which is fupported by feveral MSS. and by the Vulgate verfion, obviates that difficulty. 9 I would have written the fame exhortation to the church, of which thou art a member: But Diotrephes who loveth to rule them according to his own humour, doth not acknowledge my authority as an apostle of Chrift. 10 For this caufe, when I come I will bring his deeds to his remembrance; I will punish him for his deeds; which he practifeth, prating against me with calumnious fpeeches, as if I were no apostle, but had affumed that office. And not content therewith, he doth not himself fhew kindness to the brethren in their journey to the Gentiles, and forbiddeth them who are dif posed to entertain them; and cafleth them out of the church, when they do fo contrary to his orders. 2. But Dintrephes who loveth to rule them, namely, who are members of his church. From Diotrephes's loving to rule the church of which Caius was a member, many have fuppofed him to have been the bishop of that church. Beides, they think if he had been a private perfon only, he could not have hindered any letter which the apoftle might have written to that church from being read in it, and from having its due effect. See the preface to this epittle, Sect. 3 paragr. 3. from the end. 3.. Doth not receive us. On this circumftance Benfon founds his opinion that Diotrephes was a bigotted Judaizing teacher. For he thinks the perfons who denied John's authority as an apoftle, were the Judaizers only, and not the Gentile teachers. Ver. 10.-1. I will bring his deeds to remembrance which he practifeth. Younow properly fignifies to bring another to the remembrance of a thing; and it is fo tranflated Jude, ver. 5.-In thus fpeaking, the writer of this epiftle fhewed himself to be Diotrephes's fuperior. It is therefore highly probable that the writer of the third epiftle of John, was not the perfon called by the ancients John the prefbyter, but John the apolle. Heuman and Lardner are of opinion, that the apoftle only meant that he would put Diotrephes in mind of his evil deeds, and endeavour to perfuade him to repent of them by mild admonitions. But there is no occafion to give a mild fense to the apostle's words. For allowing that John threatened to punish Diotrephes for his infolence in prating against him with malicious words, and for his uncharitablenefs in refufing to entertain and affift the brethren and the strangers, his threatening did not proceed from re M 3 OF TEX fentment, fentment, but from zeal for the interefts of religion, in which he is to be commended; because as Whitby remarks on this verse, "Private "offences against ourselves must be forgiven, and forgotten; but "when the offence is an impediment to the faith, and very pre"judicial to the church, it is to be oppofed, and publicly re"proved." 2. He doth not himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them who would, and cafteth them out, &c. Because Caius, who fhewed great kindness to the brethren and the ftrangers, doth not feem to have been cast out of the church by Diotrephes, Heuman contends that the perfons who were caft out of the church, were not those who shewed kindness to the brethren and to the ftrangers, but the brethren and ftrangers themfelves, whom he obliged to leave the church, by denying them relief himself, and by hindering others from relieving them. In fupport of this interpretation, it is but fair to obferve that the relative pronoun often expreffeth, not the near, but the remote antecedent, Eff. iv. 63. Yet I doubt that Heuman's interpretation doth not give the true meaning of the paffage.-Some Commentators, by Diotrephes's cafting the perfons fpoken of, out of the church, underftand his excommunicating them; a fenfe of the phrafe which is fuitable to Diotrephes's infolent and arrogant difpofition, and agreeable to the fuppofition that the perfons whom he caft out of the church, were those who relieved the brethren and the ftrangers. Ver. 11.-1. Beloved, do not thou imitate what is evil, but what is good. Having reprobated the temper and behaviour of Diotrephes, the apostle naturally cautioned Caius againft the pernicious influence of his bad example; and exhorted him to imitate another member of 11 Beloved, do not thou imitate what is evil in the behaviour of Diotrephes, but imitate rather what is good in the behaviour of Demetrius, knowing that he who doth good works is begotten of God: But he who behaveth uncharitably to the fervants of Christ in their ftraits, hath no right knowledge of God, 1 John iii. 10. 12 Praise is bestowed on Demetrius by all who know him, on account of his benevolence, his meeknefs, and his humility; and by the gospel itself, his temper and conduct being conformable to its precepts. And I alfo praife him highly. And ye know that my praife is always well founded. 13 I have many things to write concerning the affairs of your church, and concerning Diotrephes. But I do not incline to write them to thee with pen and ink, left my letter fhould fall into hands who might make an im proper use of it. his own church named Demetrius, who in character and conduct was the direct reverfe of Diotrephes, and therefore was highly praised by all good men, and among the reft by the apostle himself 2. He who doth good is of God. Εκ τε Θε8 εςιν. Is begotten of God. For fo this phrafe fignifies 1 John iii. 10. See 1 John iii. 12. note 1. Ver. 12.-1. Teflimony is borne to Demetrius by all men. By bearing teftimony to a perfon, the Jews meant the praising of him for his good qualities and actions. Thus it is faid of Jefus, Luke iv, 22. All bare him witness, that is, praised him. In like manner Paul speaking of David faith, Acts xii. 22. To whom God bare witness faying, I have found David, &c. - See what is faid concerning Demetrius, Pref. Sect. 3. laft paragr. 2. And ye know that our witness is true. This expreffion is twice ufed by John in his gospel, chap. xix. 35. xxi. 24. which is a clear internal evidence that this epiftle was written, not by John the presbyter, but by John the apoftle. Ver. 13. I have many things to write, &c. the elect lady and her children, 2 Ep. ver. 12. verfe. John faid the fame to |