Diotrephes
John wrote 3 John to his friend Gaius. Here is the passage mentioning
Diotrephes: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will
not welcome us. So when I come, I will call attention to what he is doing,
spreading malicious nonsense about us. Not satisfied with that, he even refuses
to welcome other believers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them
out of the church” (3
John 1:9–10).
In only two verses, we have the following statements made about Diotrephes:
1) he loves to be first;
2) he refuses to welcome the apostles into the church;
3) he maliciously spreads gossip about men of God;
4) he withholds hospitality from other believers;
5) he requires others to follow his poor example; and
6) he excommunicates anyone who crosses him.
From John’s description, we can assume that Diotrephes was a leader, or at least
an influential member, in the local church where Gaius was a member. Diotrephes
was clearly abusing his position of authority. For some reason he was jealous of
the apostles and refused to allow them in his church. Instead of following the
command for a
pastor to be hospitable and “not quarrelsome” (2
Timothy 3:2–3), Diotrephes was inhospitable and pugnacious. Instead of
seeking to be the servant of all (Mark
9:35), Diotrephes loved to be in charge.
John says that he is planning a visit to Gaius’s church, and that, when he
comes, he will publicly rebuke Diotrephes for his actions (3
John 1:10). The slander, the sectarianism, and the self-seeking would be
dealt with. The apostle would not sweep such things under the rug.
On the other hand, John commends Gaius for showing hospitality to the itinerant
preachers of the gospel who passed through his city (3
John 1:5–8). In fact, Diotrephes, with his inhospitable, self-serving
attitude, could be considered the “anti-Gaius.” John’s admonition to Gaius to
“not imitate what is evil” (3
John 1:11) is probably another way of saying “don’t be like Diotrephes.”
Those who, like Gaius, minister to preachers of the gospel honor God (3
John 3:6). Those who, like Diotrephes, refuse to aid the spread of God’s
Word are deserving of rebuke (3
John 3:10). The pastorate is no place for power-hungry, jealous, slanderous
men who reject the apostles’ teaching. “Rather, [a pastor] must be hospitable,
one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and
disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been
taught” (Titus
1:8–9).