An outline for III John:

1. Commendation of Gaius (hospitality, servanthood) (verses 1-8).
2. Condemnation of Diotrephes (haughtiness, selfishness) (verses 9-14).

III John - Fellowship Encouraged

• III John offers a stark contrast among three men who respond in different ways to the itinerant teachers sent out by the apostle: Gaius generously gave to others, Demetrius loved the truth, and Diotrephes looked out for himself.
• III John is a personal letter written by the Apostle John to a man in the church named Gaius.
• It is not known for sure where Gaius lived, but it is thought that he belonged to a church somewhere in an area that is now known as western Turkey.
• In those days, traveling Christian preachers and teachers would turn to the local church for hospitality.
• The problem was that some of the people seeking room and board were phonies who just pretended to be true prophets to get free hospitality.
• John was appealing to Gaius for hospitality for Demetrius (v. 12) who was evidently a traveling preacher.
• It appears that the church was dominated by a man named Diotrephes who did not extend a welcome to traveling brethren. In fact, he even sought to excommunicate from the church those who offered such men their hospitality.
• Fellowship is the theme of I, II, and III John:

1. Fellowship with God needed-I John.
2. Fellowship forbidden with false teachers-II John.
3. Fellowship with Christian brothers encouraged-III John.

• This letter gives us a glimpse into the kind of frank and personal correspondence that the Apostle John had with other great Christian leaders.
• This book should cause us to reflect on Christ’s values in our relationship with others and the opening of our lives and homes to touching others with His love.