The Harmony Chronicle and Order of the New Testament, Part 2 · 1,2,3 John
THE THREE EPISTLES OF IOHN.
Among all the Apostolick Epistles there is none about whose time of writing we are so farre to seek as we are about these. And it is neither satisfactory to remove their place, nor is it satisfactory to take their time according to their place; or to conceive them to be written after the Epistles of Peter, because they are placed after them. Any conjecture that is to be had of them may best be taken from the third Epistle.
Gaius, to whom that Epistle is directed, by that encomiastick character that Iohn giveth of him, seemeth to be Gaius the Corinthian, the host of the whole Church, Rom. 16.23. for since he is commended for entertainment and charity both to the Church and strangers, particularly to those who had preached among the Gentiles, taking nothing of them, we know not where to finde any other Gaius to whom to affix this character but only this, and we have no reason to look after any other. And upon this probability we may observe these other.
I. That that third Epistle was written when those that preached to the Gentiles and took nothing of them, were still abroad upon that imployment, for he urgeth him to bring them forward on their journey, ver. 6. Now under that expression, of taking nothing of the Gentiles, we can understand none but Paul and Barnabas and those that were of their severall companies, for the Scripture hath named none other. And if it referre to Paul and his company [for we finde not that Barnabas had any thing to do with Gaius] then we must conclude that it was written a good while before this time that we are upon: unlesse we will suppose Paul after his freedom from imprisonment at Rome, was got travelling and preaching in those parts again. But I should rather suppose that Iohn sent this third Epistle to Gaius to Corinth, by Timothy from Ephesus, who was setting away thence for Rome, upon Pauls sending for him to come to him thither, 2 Tim. 4.9, 11, 21. In which journey as we have shewed before, he was to call at Corinth, and to take Mark along with him, who was there. And of them may Iohns advice to Gaius be well understood, Whom if thou bring forward on their journey thou shalt do well: For for his sake they went out taking nothing of the Gentiles; Mark with Barnabas, and Timothy with Paul.
II. Before Iohn wrote this Epistle to Gaius, he had written another Epistle, to some Church, it may be that of Corinth, of which Gaius was. I wrote, saith he, unto the Church, but Diotrephes who loveth to have the preminence, receiveth us not. This must needs be understood of The first Epistle of Iohn: unlesse we will conceive, unwarrantably [that I may say no worse,] that any of Iohns Writings are lost.
III. Upon and with the forementioned supposall that Iohn sent his Epistle to Gaius by Timothy from Ephesus; we cannot but also suppose that Iohn spent some time in the Asian Churches, to which afterward from Patmos he writes his Epistles: And if any one be not satisfied with that interpretation that was given before, about the Epistle written from Laodicea, Coloss. 4.16. let him rather understand it of The first Epistle of Iohn as written by him from Laodicea, then think it was an Epistle written by Paul from Laodicea, and that that Epistle is lost: In both his later Epistles he intimateth his hopes and purpose shortly to come to them: from which we may construe that his intention was to travell from Asia the lesse where he now was, and from whence he wrote all his three Epistles westward into Greece, and in this journey you have him got into Patmos, Rev. 1. from whence he writes back to Asia again.
In all his Epistles he exhorteth to love, and constancy in the truth, a lesson most needfull in those divided and Apostatizing times. He giveth notice of many Antichrists now abroad, and these he sheweth to have been such as had once professed the truth, but were Apostatized from it: They went out from us, but they were not of us, &c. And this Apostacy he calleth The sinne unto death. To such he adviseth they should not so much as say God speed: foreign in their vulgar language. Jerus. Taamith fol. 64. col. 2. The Rabbins saw a holy man of Caphar Immi, and went to him and said foreign God speed, But he answered them nothing. Id. in Sheviith fol. 35.…. & 36.1. R. Chinna bar Papa & R. Samuel bar Nachman, went by a man that was plowing on the seventh year [the year of release,] R. Samuel saith to him foreign God speed. R. Chinna saith, Our master did not teach us thus: for it is forbidden to say God speed, to one that is plowing on the s…venth year.
Iohn stileth himself an Elder, and so doth Peter, 1 Pet. 5.1. not as laying aside their Apostolicall power, but as dealing with those to whom they write in a Ministeriall way: and by this very title that they assume to themselves, they closely intimate that thenceforward the extraordinary Function and gifts Apostolick must not be expected, but the Ministeriall, in the ordinary way of Elders or Ministers, as the title had been long and vulgarly known. And yet when he speaks of Diotrephes and his abusivenesse, he then threatens to shew his Apostolick power, and himself A son of thunder against him.