1. AUTHOR. — John the Apostle.

2. DATE. — Probably near the time of the pre ceding

3. TO WHOM WRITTEN. — To a man called Gaius; it is not known, however, where he lived, nor the position that he occupied.

4. HISTORICAL OCCASION. — The apostle had already sent a letter to the church where Gaius lived, commending to its hospitality certain ones who had come among the members to preach to the Gentiles, but the letter had not been received, and the authority of the apostle had been withstood, especially by Diotrephes, an arrogant leader among them; he now sends to Gaius commending to him the brethren.

5. LEADING TOPIC. — Commendation of Gaius, urging him to further generosity, and the condemnation of Diotrephes.

6. CHIEF PURPOSE. — To show that the individual Christian should manifest his love by hospitality to those laboring for Christ.

7. GENERAL ANALYSIS.

(a) Salutation, Ver. 1-4.

(b) Approval and encouragement of hospitality, Ver. 5–8.

(c) Condemnation of Diotrephes, Ver. 9-10.

(d) Closing exhortation, Ver. 11–14.

8. SPECIAL TEACHING OF THE BOOK. — Christians should abide in the truth; haughty arrogance is condemned.

9. RELATION TO OTHER N. T. BOOKS. — Similar to the second Epistle in its application to the individual. It bears especially upon the danger of schismatic tendencies, and encourages help of those who were preaching the gospel.

10. TOPIC FOR SPECIAL STUDY. — The teaching of ”the Epistles of the New Testament concerning the obligation of the individual to secure the conversion of men.