Caius knew to be a true testimony, because he knew that the apostle never praised any person from flattery, ver. 12.-He told him farther, that he had many things to write to him concerning the unchristian temper and conduct of Diotrephes; but he would not commit them to paper, lest his letter falling into other hands, might be shewed to that imperious man, and enrage him against Caius, ver. 13. But he hoped to visit Caius soon, and then would speak to him mouth to mouth freely concerning Diotrephes. In the mean time to testify his esteem of Caius, he gave him his apostolical benediction, together with the salutation of all the faithful who were with him; and whom he named the friends, because they were the friends of Christ, and lived in strict friendship with each other. Lastly, he desired Caius in his name, to wish health and happiness to all the faithful in his church, whom he termed the friends, because they also were the friends of Christ, and lived in the strictest friendship with each other, ver. 14.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 1 The elder to Caius the beloved of all who know him, whom I also love most sincerely.

2 Beloved, having the highest opinion of thy faith and love, I pray to God that with respect to all things thou mayest prosper, and be in health to as great a degree as thy soul prospereth in faith, and love, and every virtue.

3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren who went to the church of which thou art a member, came back, and informed me of thy holding the true faith of the gospel, and of thy walking agreeably to that true faith.

2. Thou mayest prosper. Evodxodal, signifies to go on safely and successfully in a journey. Hence it signifies to be prosperous in general.

3. And be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. From John's using the word ave, some conjecture that Caius was of a sickly constitution of body: and from his wishing him prosperity, they fancy that Caius had sustained considerable worldly losses. But I see no reason for either of these conjectures. His worldly affairs, at the time John wrote to him, were such as

4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

5 Beloved, thou dost faithfully whatsoever thou

4 Μειζοτέραν τούτων ουκ εχω χαραν, ἵνα ακουω τα εμα τεκνα εν αληθεία περι

πατούντα.

5 Αγαπητε, πιςον ποιεῖς ὁ εαν εργάση εις τους αδελ dost to the brethren, and φους και εις τους ξένους,

to strangers;

enabled him to lodge and entertain the brethren and strangers, who applied to him for relief. Perhaps also, he gave them money to defray the expenses of their journey among the Gentiles.—But be this as it may, it is evident that Caius had made himself remarkable among the Christians in that part of the world, for his many virtues. For the apostle made his proficiency in the Christian graces, the measure of that temporal prosperity and health which he wished to him, not for his own sake alone, but for the benefit of the church. Wherefore, in the apostle's wish, there was a delicate insinuation, that if Caius's riches, of which he had made so good a use, and his bodily health, were in proportion to his virtues, they would be very great, and the continuance of his life and health would be a singular blessing to the church.

Ver. 3.-1. For I rejoiced greatly. The connexion in which this verse stands with ver. 2. where the apostle told Caius, that he prayed for him, teacheth us, that the most proper expression of our joy for the happiness and virtue of our friends, is to give thanks to God for the same, and to pray that these blessings may be continued to them.

2. When the brethren came. That exoμevov is rightly rendered came, See proved, 2 John, ver 7. note 1.-The brethren here spoken of, seem to have been those mentioned ver. 5. who having been sent by the apostle, either to convert the Gentiles, or to water the Gentile churches already planted, had been hospitably entertained by Caius, and perhaps assisted by him with money: and who, on their return to the apostle, had in a meeting of the church over which he presided, given an account of Caius's perseverance in the true faith, and declared the great kindness which he had shewed to them, ver. 6. which was the more acceptable to them, as they had generously resolved to take nothing for their maintenance from the Gentiles, to whom they preached the gospel.

3. And bare witness to thy truth. The apostle emphatically terms Caius's joining works of charity, with faith in the doctrines of the gospel, his truth. For there is no true faith without good works: It always produces good works; neither are any works good, but such as proceed from faith. The two joined, constitute the truth of religion.

Ver. 4-1. I have no greater joys than those which I have. In the new translation of this clause I have supplied the words, which I have: because the plural demonstrative pronoun TT construed, as it must be, with μ

4 I have no greater joys than those WHICH I HAVE1 (iva, 199.) when I hear2 my children3 are walking in truth.

5 Beloved, thou dost faithfully1 what thou performest for the brethren, and for the strangers.2

4 I have no greater joys than those which I have, when I hear my disciples are walking in the true faith of the gospel.

5 Beloved, thou dost agreeably to the faith which thou professest, what thou performest for the brethren who are gone forth to preach the gospel, and for the strangers who assist them in that good work.

Zorepay xagav, cannot be translated without the addition of these words.Rich. Baxter's note on this verse is good. "True ministers rejoice more "for the welfare of men's souls, than in their procuring wealth and worldly "honours." See 2 John, ver. 4. note 2.

2. When I hear. So iva anova must be translated. This use of iya is thought by some a peculiarity in John's style. See however, Ess. iv. 199.

3. My children. I think John, by reckoning Caius in the number of his children, means to tell us that Caius was converted by him. Others however are of opinion, that the apostle gave to those who were under his inspection, the appellation of qua Texva my children, to express his tender affection to them, and his concern for their welfare. And in support of their opinion they observe, that the term children, is used to express affection, 1 John ii. But the terms used in that chapter are Texvia μ8, my little children, and waidia, young children, which strongly express affection. See 1 John ii. 1. note 1. Whereas here, qua Texva, my children, denotes simply the relation of children to their father.

Ver. 5-1. Beloved, thou dost faithfully. Пisov Toles. Thou dost a faithful thing a thing becoming a faithful person; or one who is a real believer.

As the

2. What thou performest for the brethren, and for the strangers. brethren are here distinguished from the strangers, the brethren I suppose were members of the church over which John presided. Accordingly it is said of them, ver. 7. that they went forth from the place of their residence, which I suppose was Ephesus or some other city of Asia where John abode, to publish the name of Christ as the Son of God to the Gentiles in those parts. And at their return from their first journey, they bare witness to the faith and love of Caius in the presence of the church from which they went forth.-But the strangers were poor Christians who, as Heuman supposes, having been driven from their habitation by their persecutors, had come to the city where Caius dwelt, in the hope of finding relief. And happening to meet the brethren there, they joined them in their first journey among the Gentiles. To shew how unfaithfully the Papists have translated the scriptures, Benson takes notice, that to give countenance to their pilgri mages, they have, in some of their versions of this passage, translated the

6 Which have borne wit

ness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:

7 Because that for his name's sake they went

6 Οι εμαρτύρησαν σου τη αγαπη ενωπιον εκκλησίας· ἐς καλως ποιησεις προπέμψας αξίως του Θεου.

7 Υπερ γαρ του ονόματος αυτου εξήλθον, μηδεν λαμ

forth, taking nothing of βανοντες απο των εθνών.

the Gentiles.

8 We, therefore, ought to receive such, that we might be fellow-helpers to

the truth.

8 Ημεις ουν οφειλομεν απολαμβανειν τους τοιούτους, ἵνα συνεργοι γινώμεθα τη αληθεια.

clause is tus eves and to pilgrims. With the same view they have translated, evodoxnoev, 1 Tim. v. 10. If she hath lodged pilgrims. See another instance, James v. 11. note.-These examples shew, of what importance, toward the faithful translation of the sacred oracles, it is to give the true literal meaning of the words, as far as it can be done with propriety.

འ

Ver. 6.-1. These have borne testimony to thy love, in the presence, Sc. Since the apostle represents the strangers, as joining the brethren in bearing witness to Caius's love before the church, from which the brethren went forth to the Gentiles; also since in ver. 7. these strangers are represented as having gone forth with the brethren to the Gentiles, it is probable, as was observed in note 2. on verse 5. that these strangers met the brethren in the city, or place, where Caius lived, and joined them in their journey to the Gentiles; and accompanied them, when they returned to the church from which they had come.

2. Whom if thou help forward on their journey. These brethren and strangers, it seemeth, proposed to undertake a second journey, or had undertaken it, for the purpose of preaching to the Gentiles. The apostle therefore requested Caius, still to assist them in executing their pious resolution by entertaining them. For in the language of scripture, to help forward on a journey, signifies, not only to accompany a person in a part of his journey, Acts xxi. 5. but also to furnish him with necessaries for his journey, Tit. iii. 13.

Ver. 7.-1. Because for his name's sake they went forth. For the different interpretations of these words given by the ancient commentators see Pref. Sect. 3. par. 4.—I think these brethren and strangers were preachers, who had gone forth among the Gentiles for the sake of making known to them the name of Christ, that is, his character as the Son of God, and his office as Saviour of the world; because, as was observed, Pref. Sect. 3. par. 4. if

6 These brethren and strangers have borne an honourable testimony to thy benevolence in the presence of the church here, whom if thou help forward on their second journey, by entertaining them and supplying them with necessaries, in a manner worthy of God, who reckons what is done to his distressed servants as done to himself, thou wilt do well.

7 Because, for making the name of Christ as the Son of God known among the Gentiles, they went forth, and received nothing on the score of maintenance from the Gentiles to whom they preached, that their preaching might be the more acceptable.

8 We therefore, who do not undertake expensive journeys for the sake of preaching the gospel, ought

to entertain in our houses those who do 80, that in this manner we may be joint labourers with them in spreading the gospel.

these strangers had been merely persons in want, there was no reason for their not receiving assistance from the Gentiles, whether converted or unconverted.

2. Receiving nothing from the Gentiles. It is not clear whether the apostle meant the converted, or the unconverted Gentiles, or both. I am of opinion that he meant both; because if the brethren and the strangers were preachers, they may have prudently resolved to receive neither entertainment nor money from the Gentiles, lest it might have marred the success of their preaching among them, when they found the reception of the gospel attended with expense. This at least was the consideration which determined the apostle Paul to preach the gospel gratis,—The commentators who think these brethren and strangers were simply poor Christians who had been driven from their homes by their persecutors, suppose that they received nothing from the unconverted Gentiles, lest it might have given them occasion to say that there was no charity among the Christians.

Ver. 8.-1. We therefore ought to entertain such. See Luke xv. 27. Galat. iv. 5. where Añoλaμlavuv, signifies, simply to receive, which, in the language of the New Testament, means to lodge and entertain a person in one's house; to keep company with him, as one whom we esteem. Wherefore