III John: 5-8 Supporting The Ministry.

John commends Gaius for putting into practice the command to love one another and one’s neighbour (v. 5), to which the recipients bore witness (v. 6a). Apparently his love found expression in his giving support to those travelling through his midst, “in a manner worthy of God” (v. 6b). Gaius did this because he wanted to support those who “went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles” (v. 7). By Gentiles John is referring to those outside the faith, because by this time the church was made up of both believing Jews and Gentiles (Cf. I Cor. 9:12, 15). “The obligation to welcome and encourage those who proclaim the true gospel from place to place, and the joy that comes from this, stand in contrast to the need to avoid those who proclaim a false gospel (I John 4:1-3; 2 John 10, 11)” (NGSB pp. 1997-8). “We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth” (v. 8 Cf. Mt. 10:40; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:2; I Pet. 4:9).