Journey Through The Bible
 Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 5-7
 New Testament Reading: 3 John

For I was very glad when fellow believers came and testified to your fidelity to the truth—how you are walking in truth. I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are walking in truth. (3 John 3-4)

The Apostle John’s third letter is the second shortest book of the Bible, being one verse longer than 2 John. Like his last letter, it’s brevity should not influence the importance of the message God has for us in these few verses.

The subject of 3 John is the same as his last letter, Christians Walking in the Truth. However, instead of being written to a dear Christian lady and her children (or a church and the members of the congregation as some Bible Commentaries interpret it). John is writing to three church leaders on this occasion.

The first leader is a man named Gaius, whom John recognizes as a man who obeyed the Word of God and Walked in the Truth. Gaius read and studied the Scriptures, meditated on them, and then practiced it in his daily life. Gaius had an excellent reputation and others spoke highly of him. He faithfully served other Christians, not only to those who he was friends with but also those who were a stranger to him. Gaius is a Godly example of what it means to be a Servant Leader.

The third leader John mentions is Demetrius, whom everyone speaks well of. Like Gaius, Demetrius was also a Godly leader who Walked in the Truth. We know little else about these two faithful servants of God.

Unfortunately, between these two examples of Godly Leadership, John writes of another leader in the church. A man by the name of Diotrephes, whom John says loves to have first place in the church. He was a dictatorial leader who insisted on being the boss. Pride motivated Diotrephes. Instead of giving the preeminence to Jesus Christ, he claimed it for himself. Like the scribes and Pharisees who love the place of honor at banquets (Matt 23:6) you can be sure Diotrephes was pushing to get the best seat, not the one washing anyone’s feet.

As John wrote about Diotrephes, his thoughts must have gone back to the time when John himself along with his brother James, asked Jesus if they could sit at His right and left hand. (Mark 10: 35-45) Jesus’ words whoever wants to be first among you will be a slave to all must have still been ringing through John’s mind.

The disciples often argued over who was the greatest of them. The dispute even came up during Jesus’ teaching at the last supper. (Luke 22:24-30) Although it took a while, John and the other disciples did learn the lesson of leadership that Jesus taught them.

Today, however, there are still many Diotrephes in the church. Sometimes it is the pastor who runs the church ‘his way or the highway’. Sometimes it is a deacon or elder, or maybe an influential member of the church who assumes dictatorial powers.

Throughout the New Testament, God makes it clear that Jesus Christ and Him alone is the head of the church and He does not need help in that position from any of us. God ordains men to positions of pastor and deacons (or elders) to work together to serve the congregation as shepherds. They are to prayerfully seek God’s direction for the church and together they are to lead the congregation in following His will. That is the example of Gaius and Demetrius, true servant leaders who Walked in Truth.