Notice that the Elder addresses Gaius as Beloved (3John 1:5)! He also does this in the beginning of his letter: “The Elder to the beloved Gaius…” (3John 1:1). Actually, this epistle can be divided into three sections, each beginning with Gaius being addressed as Beloved (3John 1:2, 5 and 11). So, this is the second section of the letter and it deals with acting faithfully in the midst of opposition. The Elder begins this section by commending the faithfulness of his beloved Gaius in encouraging his brethren, namely, the traveling evangelists, and, although they were strangers to him, he treated them as brethren by extending to them the hospitality of the Lord (3John 1:5, cp. John 13:20 and Matthew 25:34-40).
When the evangelists returned to the Elder and their own local church, they testified of Gaius’ love toward them as they recounted how they were treated (3John 1:6). From what we read here, it seems that the Elder’s epistle wasn’t sent immediately after the evangelists’ return, but, rather, they carried it with them on a second journey, and the Elder encouraged Gaius to repeat the hospitality he had already offered the group, and not only so, but to support their efforts in preaching the Gospel, which may have meant to provide a central location for the evangelistic work and provide for their every need such as food and funds as needed to travel elsewhere on trips that would take more than a day. So, one is able to see why the Elder had an interest in Gaius’ worldly well being (3John 1:2). One couldn’t hope for such a thing as the Elder required of Gaius, if Gaius wasn’t among the wealthy in his community. Therefore, his prosperity was essential to the work of God, and John trusted the Lord would do as he asked (cp. 1John 5:14-15).
What seems significant about this is Gaius was asked to bear the full burden of housing and feeding the evangelists and to provide for the financial needs of the work being done for the sake of the Gospel. Such a thing was quite unusual to ask of one individual. This burden was intended to be borne by the whole church community (Acts 15:3; 20:38; 21:5; Romans 15:24; 1Corinthians 16:6, 11; 2Corinthians 1:16; Titus 3:13). However, Diotrephes opposed such evangelistic endeavors, or at least those begun by others, which he might be expected to support (3John 1:9), and, not only so, but he also intimidated brethren, over whom he presumed authority, who would have supported such efforts (3John 1:9-10). Therefore, the responsibility of supporting the Gospel fell to those who were willing to stand against the pressure of intimidation and walk in truth by abiding in the love of Christ. Thus, since doing so required financial aid, the promise was that those who are willing would be provided for, as they encouraged others in the name of Christ (Luke 9:1-6; cp. Matthew 10:41-42).
When thinking of the support of the Gospel during the first century AD, we need to keep in mind that the heathen frowned upon such support (3John 1:7). They grouped evangelists with traveling philosopher wannabes who would flatter their listeners for what they might be able to get out of them. This was the intended meaning of the word “babbler” which was used of Paul in Athens:
And certain philosophers from the Epicureans and from the Stoics met him. And some said, What will this babbler say? And others said, He seems to be an announcer of foreign demons (because he preached Jesus and the resurrection to them). (Acts 17:18)
Concerning this verse, the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges has this to say:
The A.V. conceals the fact that will here signifies “means” or “wishes” to say, “What would he go on to say, if we would listen?”
The word rendered “babbler” is not found elsewhere in N. T. In profane writers it is used of birds picking up scattered grain, and then figuratively of men who pick up a living as best they may, and hence are willing to flatter for the sake of what they can get, and so are men without principle or ground in what they say.
In this context, therefore, we are able to see the wisdom in the brethren taking nothing of the heathen, as they went about doing the Lord’s work in preaching the Gospel (3John 1:7). First, one needed to disarm the prejudice, and once that was done, folks were more apt to listen to the truth. Therefore, it falls to the willing who are walking in truth (3John 1:3), whose hope is Christ (Colossians 1:27) to provide for the needs of those who labor in the Gospel, and in so doing that one becomes a co-worker with them in bringing folks to Christ (3John 1:8).
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