Demetrius - 3 John 1:12
Demetrius… testimony. See
WLC 144;
WSC 77. This is a recommendation for Demetrius from John and the rest of his churches. For more on letters of recommendation, see note on 2 Cor. 3:1. The case here may be that no one in Diotrephes’ house church will help Demetrius, so John is asking Gaius to take care of him. In Paul’s case, there were sometimes fake letters that had to be uncovered (see note on 2 Thess. 2:2). Not only this, but letter carriers sometimes had to explain Paul’s letters. It is possible that Demetrius is going to play this role for John, so John gives Gaius reasons to listen to him. The local church has endorsed Demetrius (see notes on Acts 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12; Heb. 11:2, 4, 5, 39). He is also endorsed by the truth itself and by the apostles (see notes on Jn. 19:35; 21:24)
Final Greetings - 3 John 1:14
see you soon. See note on 1 Jn. 12. John adds his concern for
peace here (v. 15).
friends. This word is only used here in the NT to talk about believers. At the same time, Jesus called his disciples his
friends (see notes on Jn. 15:13-15). Jesus’ friends are those who obey his commandments. It is possible the early Christians called themselves
the friends, but that is not clear. If
friends here have to do with a group of Christians, it probably has to do with the Christians who are at the place where John is. These Christians could have borrowed the title
friends from the Epicureans, who had philosophical communities that were made up of “friends.
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