This letter is the elderly apostle John’s personal response to a faithful brother, Gaius, experiencing a serious crisis in the local assembly he belonged to. Many people are mentioned in this letter and the interplay of relationships is quite instructive. Some are named, some not, but most, if not all, will be in glory with us after the rapture.
The fact that John was intending a visit in person with the nominal local assembly indicates the situation was not yet “cast in concrete” so to speak. There was still hope of resolution and repentance or he would not need to come. On the other hand, what if they refused his appeal and admonitions?. He, being an apostle, was fully empowered to seal the fact that Gaius was still in fellowship with him and all the other assemblies on earth. If they continued to regard Gaius as put away, they would no longer be considered to be linked with John or any other assemblies on earth. If they chose to continue remembering the Lord in His death there would be two assemblies gathering in the Lord’s name in the same locale but not “in fellowship” with each other. Yet John did not speak to that possibility. But looking about us today we see this situation is common..
First of all, we should avoid taking up speculations as to which, if any, local gathering has the Lord in their midst. He knows all of us fully.
2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
He will be in the midst of whatever gathering He chooses. All that He determines meets His criteria of holiness and devotion. He is sovereign, but not capricious. The Lord may choose to honor some assemblies with His presence even if not in fellowship with each other. He is Lord! But our job is to be where He can comfortably be, and to fellowship with such.
Decades before, John had forbidden one he observed casting out demons in the Lord’ name. The Lord had admonished “he that is not against us is for us”.
Luke 9:46 “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest. 47 And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a child, and set him by him, 48 And said unto them, Whosoever shall receive this child in my name receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me receiveth him that sent me: for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great. 49 And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. 50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”
Given the often numerous “Christian” gatherings and denominations in many locales some might seek to determine in which the Lord is in the midst. But this is not a basis for a decision where to gather to remember the Lord. The criteria for a Christian Assembly is simply to gather according to scripture. If so, He will be there.
But the enemy delights to stir up and nurture trouble. Don’t help him!
If an unjust action has been taken, as in the case of a Diotrephes, what is to be done? There are no living apostles, though we have their inspired Epistles and the Holy Spirit in us to apply the word to whatever our current needs. Scripture never made provisions for an official hierarchy in the church. Instead, in response to prayer, the Holy Spirit works among the local saints to point to and apply the scriptures that apply. If a question or a dispute arises, prayer and fasting by all is called for. If the assembly’s action is considered by one or more to be in error after diligent humbling and diligent self examination, an appeal becomes necessary. The appeal regarding an action that appears to be wrong is to a neighboring local assembly. (Engaging these others in the situation should normally parallel the Lord’s instructions for an individual brother who sins, or harms another, or is overtaken in a fault, Matthew 18:15-16; Galatians 6:1-2.) One can also expect the Lord to move those He has gifted as pastors to advise the assembly.
Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness,
with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Ephesians 4:11 “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Normally the elders in a nearby local assembly would become engaged in resolving the difficulty.”
[While normally an elder/overseer’s range of responsibility and care is more or less confined to the local assembly where he resides, the Lord may choose him to visit another assembly on special mission like this. He would be filling the role as an ambassador representing the local assembly and the Head. Interestingly, the Greek word for elder (respected man) was also used to denote a secular ambassador from one government to another, Luke 14:32; 19:14. John “the elder” models this for us.]
Ultimately, if not resolved, the final authority to actually sever the link rests with the neighboring local assembly. It might choose to consult with other nearby assemblies for various reasons, exhausting all possible avenues for resolution. Once such an act is completed, all others would respect that act as bound in heaven. It is done while gathered unto the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, He in the midst. Simple notification is all that is necessary.
In this case, 3John was that notification. If the assembly repented John would then write another notice of it like this. (If it did, it is not preserved in the inspired scriptures.) The fact 3John is included in the inspired scriptures indicates John considered the process presented far more important that the outcome. John and those who had custody of His epistles most likely knew the outcome. But, curious as we are of the outcome, the Lord does not want us to miss the lesson.
But conducting a world wide hearing over any issue is not only unnecessary, but would be a gross denial of the Headship of Christ and the unity of the body of Christ.
Requiring review or ratification of any local assembly’s action by every other assembly would also deny His Headship and the Unity of His body. Each local assembly gathered unto His Name is. While not autonomous it has the Lord in the midst and all the resources and authority (and responsibility) necessary to act righteously in His name. Of course one or more local assemblies raising a genuine question regarding a specific action by another assembly is perfectly acceptable, as in Acts 15. In fact, the liberty to do so actually acknowledges the Headship of Christ and the unity of the body of Christ world wide, while respecting the autonomy of each local assembly. Otherwise all the assemblies would be independent rather than interdependent. The idea of independent autonomous assemblies is, in principle, a gross denial of the Headship of Christ and the unity of the body of Christ. Each assembly has local responsibility and authority to make decisions and to take action under His direction in His Name. This authority and responsibility applies to all situations that arise in or come to that local assembly. The Lord in His wisdom allows certain specific situations to come before an assembly or assemblies and empowers them to spiritually diagnose, evaluate, and determine the Lord’s mind on how to deal scripturally with them. He certainly will not give conflicting guidance to other assemblies regarding a given matter. He cannot deny Himself.
On closing John includes others who he refers to as “friends” (from the same Greek word, phileo, usually translated “brotherly love”). They were clearly in agreement with the letter. He adds his greetings to the friends with Gaius and asks him to greet them by name. Clearly John’s appeal is an example of that of an elder to another elder, not of an Apostle to a local Assembly. The two men were old friends and their mutual respect and love is obvious.
What about poor Diotrephes? He apparently was quite self confident and an experienced and capable manager. Was he a believer? The Lord knows. Note, he did not bother to change his name as some did when they became believers. “Diotrephes” means nourished by Zeus. Zeus was chief of the mythological “gods” of the Greeks. Keeping that name was, on the face of it, a direct affront to the Lord Jesus Christ as Son of God.
Demetrius was one of the traveling brethren carrying the gospel world wide and ministering Christ to the believers he came upon. Believers like Gaius welcomed him and “grubstaked ” him for further travels. We do that today, don’t we? But with wisdom, as John admonished the gracious lady addressed in his second epistle.