SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:1
¶ El anciano al amado Gayo, al cual yo amo en la verdad.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 3 John 1:1
Verse 1. The elder] See on the first verse of the preceding epistle, and also the preface. The well-beloved Gaius] gaiov Gaius, is the Greek mode of writing the Roman name Caius; and thus it should be rendered in European languages.
Several persons of the name of Caius occur in the New Testament.
1. In the Epistle to the Romans, Rom. xvi. 23, St. Paul mentions a Caius who lived at Corinth, whom he calls his host, and the host of the whole Church.
2. In 1 Cor. i. 14, St. Paul mentions a Caius who lived at Corinth, whom he had baptized; but this is probably the same with the above.
3. In Acts xix. 29, mention is made of a Caius who was a native of Macedonia, who accompanied St. Paul, and spent some time with him at Ephesus. This is probably a different person from the preceding; for the description given of the Caius who lived at Corinth, and was the host of the whole Church there, does not accord with the description of the Macedonian Caius, who, in the very same year, traveled with St. Paul, and was with him at Ephesus.
4. In Acts xx. 4, we meet a Caius of Derbe, who was likewise a fellow traveler of St. Paul. This person cannot be the Corinthian Caius, for the host of the Church at Corinth would hardly leave that city to travel into Asia: and he is clearly distinguishable from the Macedonian Caius by the epithet derbaiov, of Derbe.
5. And lastly, there is the Caius who is mentioned here, and who is thought by some critics to be different from all the above; for, in writing to him, St. John ranks him among his children, which seems, according to them, to intimate that he was converted by this apostle.
Now, whether this Caius was one of the persons just mentioned, or whether he was different from them all, is difficult to determine; because Caius was a very common name. Yet if we may judge from the similarity of character, it is not improbable that he was the Caius who lived at Corinth, and who is styled by St. Paul the host of the whole Church; for hospitality to his Christian brethren was the leading feature in the character of this Caius to whom St. John wrote, and it is on this very account that he is commended by the apostle. Besides, St. John's friend lived in a place where this apostle had in Diotrephes a very ambitious and tyrannical adversary; and that there were men of this description at Corinth is evident enough from the two epistles to the Corinthians, though St. Paul has not mentioned their names. See Michaelis.
The probability of this Caius being the same with the Corinthian Caius has suggested the thought that this epistle was sent to Corinth; and consequently that the second epistle was sent to some place in the neighbourhood of that city. But I think the distance between Ephesus, where St. John resided, and Corinth, was too considerable for such an aged man as St. John is represented to be to travel, whether by land or water. If he went by land, he must traverse a great part of Asia, go through Thrace, Macedonia, Thessaly, and down through Greece, to the Morea, a most tedious and difficult journey. If he went by water, he must cross the AEgean Sea, and navigate among the Cyclades Islands, which was always a dangerous voyage. Now as the apostle promises, both in the second and in this epistle, to see the persons shortly to whom he wrote, I take it for granted that they could not have lived at Corinth, or anywhere in the vicinity of that city. That St. John took such a voyage Michaelis thinks probable; "for since Corinth lay almost opposite to Ephesus, and St. John, from his former occupation, before he became an apostle, was accustomed to the sea, it is not improbable that the journey or voyage which he proposed to make was from Ephesus to Corinth." In answer to this I would just observe, 1. That the voyage was too long and dangerous for a man at John's advanced age to think of taking. 2. That John had never been accustomed to any such sea as the AEgean, for the sea of Galilee, or sea of Tiberias, on which, as a fisherman, he got his bread, was only an inconsiderable fresh water lake; and his acquaintance with it could give him very few advantages for the navigation of the AEgean Sea, and the danger of coasting the numerous islands dispersed through it.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. The elder unto the well beloved Gaius , etc] The elder is the writer of the epistle, the Apostle John, who so styles himself on account of his age, and office, as in the preceding epistle. The person to whom he writes is the well beloved Gaius; not that Gaius, who was the Apostle Paul's host, ( Romans 16:23), for though their characters agree, being both hospitable men, yet neither the place nor time in which they lived. The Apostle Paul's Gaius lived at Corinth, this is in some place near to Ephesus, for the apostle in his old age purposed to come and see him shortly; the other was contemporary with Paul, this with John; there were thirty or forty years difference between them: besides, the Corinthian Gaius was baptized by Paul, and was doubtless one of his spiritual children, or converts, whereas this Gaius was one of the Apostle John's spiritual children, ( 3 John 1:4); nor does he seem to be the same with Gaius of Macedonia, ( Acts 19:29), or with Gaius of Derbe, ( Acts 20:4), who seem to be two different persons by their country, though both companions in travel of the Apostle Paul; for which reason, as well as the time of their living, neither of them can be this Gaius, who was a settled housekeeper, and resided at some certain place. His name is a Roman name, and the same with Caius, though he seems to have been a Jew, as he might, it being usual with the Jews in other countries to take Gentile names. His character is, that he was well beloved; that is, of God, as it appears he was from the grace bestowed on him, from the prosperous estate of his soul, and from the truth that was in him, and his walking in it; and of the Lord Jesus Christ, for the same reasons; and also of all the brethren and saints that knew him; he being a person not only truly gracious, and of faithfulness and integrity, but of great liberality and beneficence, which must gain him much love and esteem among them; and he was well beloved by the Apostle John; and so the Syriac version renders it, to my beloved Gaius: though his love to him is expressed in the following clause, whom I love in the truth ; as being in it, or for the sake of it, or truly and sincerely; (see Gill on 2 John 1:1).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Those who are beloved of Christ, will love the brethren for his sake Soul prosperity is the greatest blessing on this side heaven. Grace an health are rich companions. Grace will employ health. A rich soul ma be lodged in a weak body; and grace must then be exercised i submitting to such a dispensation. But we may wish and pray that thos who have prosperous souls, may have healthful bodies; that their grac may shine where there is still more room for activity. How man professors there are, about whom the apostle's words must be reversed and we must earnestly wish and pray that their souls might prosper, a their health and circumstances do! True faith will work by love. A goo report is due from those who receive good; they could not but testif to the church, what they found and felt. Good men will rejoice in the soul prosperity of others; and they are glad to hear of the grace an goodness of others. And as it is a joy to good parents, it will be joy to good ministers, to see their people adorn their profession Gaius overlooked petty differences among serious Christians, and freel helped all who bore the image, and did the work of Christ. He wa upright in what he did, as a faithful servant. Faithful souls can hea their own praises without being puffed up; the commendation of what is good in them, lays them at the foot of the cross of Christ. Christian should consider not only what they must do, but what they may do; an should do even the common actions of life, and of good-will, after godly sort, serving God therein, and designing his glory. Those wh freely make known Christ's gospel, should be helped by others to who God gives the means. Those who cannot themselves proclaim it, may ye receive, help, and countenance those who do so.
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 πρεσβυτερος 4245 γαιω 1050 τω 3588 αγαπητω 27 ον 3739 εγω 1473 αγαπω 25 5719 εν 1722 αληθεια 225
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. The elder. See on 2 John 1.
Gaius. The name occurs several times in the New Testament, as Acts xix. 29; xx. 4; Rom. xvi. 23; 1 Cor. i. 14. The person addressed here cannot be identified.
The well-beloved. Rev., the beloved. In the Greek order the name comes first. Gaius the beloved.
In the truth (en alhqeia). Rev., properly, omitting the article, in truth. See on 2 John 4.
