In the Bible passage of today often is spoken about the truth. In some places I think a different translation would have been more appropriate. In the first verse, for example, it would have been clearer translated by ‘Whom I sincerely love.’
The apostle John - who was already a very old man when he wrote this letter – rejoiced, because he had heard that Gaius was a sincere man of whom believers had testified that he was faithful to the truth.
Already in those days, sanctimony began to be felt in the church. Thirst for power and the need for recognition drove people to the ambition to be first.
But Gaius was different. He did not desire to be first, he wanted to serve the Lord. And whoever wants to serve God, is good and faithful towards everyone. Gaius helped strangers, as befits someone who wants to serve God. Here his sincerity is demonstrated clearly.
How totally different was Diotrephes! He did not long to serve at all; he wanted to be the most important. He did not tolerate anyone beside him, and he stopped those who wanted to welcome the brothers from other places, and he put them out of the church. Furthermore, he attempted to justify himself by spreading malicious nonsense about John. Well, maybe he had a lot of knowledge, there must have been something which made him so important… But what a terrible deception this is.
Walking in the truth is worth much more than having knowledge of the scripture. Actually, John did not write ‘in the truth’, but ‘in truth’, which means: in sincerity. This is the reason why John wrote his letter not to Diotrephes, but to Gaius. Let us question ourselves as to whom John would have sent his letter today. To us, maybe?