Third Epistle of John - Composition

Composition

Indications within the letter suggest a genuine private letter, composed to Gaius to commend a party of Christians led by Demetrius, who were strangers to the place where he lived, and who had gone on a mission to preach the gospel (verse 7). The purpose of the letter is to encourage and strengthen Gaius, and to warn him against the party headed by Diotrephes, who refuses to cooperate with the presbyteros who is writing.

Regarding the letter addressee Gaius: the same name occurs in four New Testament texts. Thus, the question naturally arises whether the Gaius of 3 John is the same man mentioned in any of the others contexts. First, a Christian Gaius is mentioned in Macedonia as a traveling companion of Paul, along with Aristarchus(Acts 19:29). One chapter later, a Gaius from Derbe, is again named as one of Paul's seven traveling companions who waited for him at Troas (Acts 20:4). Next, a Gaius is mentioned residing in Corinth as being one of only a few people there (the others being Crispus and the household of Stephanas) who were baptised by Paul, who founded the Church in that city (1 Corinthians 1:14). Lastly, a Gaius is referred to in a final greeting portion of the Epistle to the Romans (Romans 16:23) as Paul's "host" and also host of the whole church, in whatever city Paul is writing from at the time. In all likelihood, this was Corinth.