Jensens survey of the old testament adam 606

4. Why was the early church’s recognition
of the divine inspiration of 2 and 3 John
delayed?
5. What is the main point of each of the
four paragraphs?
6. Name some key words, and quote a key
verse.
XVII. FURTHER STUDY OF 2 JOHN
Topical studies on each of the three
w o r d s , grace, mercy,
and peace are
recommended.
XVIII. OUTLINE
2 JOHN: Truth and the Christian
JOHN’S GOSPEL AND FIRST EPISTLE
COMPARED
SALUTATION

vv. 1-3

WALKING IN THE TRUTH

4-6


Report

4

Appeal

5-6

ABIDING IN THE TRUTH
Warning Against False Teachers

7-11
7-9

Prohibition against Aiding False Teachers 10-11
GREETINGS

12-13

XIX. BACKGROUND OF 3 JOHN
A. AUTHOR, DATE AND PLACE WRITTEN
The author is John the apostle; date and
place are essentially the same as for 2 John:
A.D. 90, the city of Ephesus.
B. ADDRESSEE
Third John is addressed to a man, Gaius,
whereas 2 John is addressed to a woman.
There is no way to identify who this Gaius
was. The name itself was one of the most
commonly used names of the Roman


Empire. Men of the New Testament with this
name are:
1. Gaius of Macedonia (Acts 19:29)
2. Gaius of Derbe (Acts 20:4)

3. Gaius of Corinth (Rom. 16:23)
4. Gaius whom Paul baptized, who may be
the same as Gaius of Corinth (1 Cor. 1:14).
There is no reference in 3 John to Gaius’s
being an o cial in the church. We may
regard him as an active lay member, a
personal friend of John.
C. OCCASION
An immediate occasion for writing this
letter was Diotrephes’s rejection of
messengers of the gospel whom John had
sent to the church, of which Gaius and
Diotrephes were members (3 John 9-10).


XX. SURVEY OF 3 JOHN
1. First, compare the length of this letter
with that of 2 John.
2. Compare 2 and 3 John concerning:
a. salutation and conclusion
b. similar repeated words and phrases
c. tone
d. church problems
e. what is taught about God and Christ
(account for the small amount of
theological teaching in 3 John).
3. Mark your Bible to show paragraphs
beginning at these verses: 1, 2, 3, 5, 9, 13.
4. Read the letter a few times and
underline key words, phrases, and verses as

you read. What are your impressions of the