Placement in the Holy Bible:

• The twenty-fifth book of the New Testament

Author:

• John, a disciple of Jesus and the author of the last Gospel.

Intended Audience:

• An individual named Gaius, who may be a member of a local church, and who seeks to maintain loyalty to the apostles and true teachings.

Purpose:

• To provide believers with proper guidance and commend their good deeds.
• To support true teachers and criticize false teachers.
• To encourage believers to remain steadfast in love and Christian conduct.

Key Themes:

• Support for True Teachers: Encouraging support for true teachers and missionaries and commending their work.
• Criticism of False Teachers: Warning against false teachers and their misleading teachings.
• Love and Conduct: Emphasis on love and true Christian conduct, encouraging believers to continue in good deeds.

Major Sections:

1. Support for True Teachers (Chapters 1-8): Commendation of Gaius’ good works and advice to support true teachers.
2. Criticism of False Teachers (Chapters 9-10): Criticism of the false teacher Diotrephes and warning to avoid his deceptive influence.
3. Love and Conduct (Chapters 11-14): Emphasizing the importance of true love and Christian conduct, encouraging believers to maintain good works.

Structure:

1. Chapters 1-8: Praise for Gaius’ good works and support for true teachers.
2. Chapters 9-10: Criticism of false teachers and advice to avoid their misleading influence.
3. Chapters 11-14: Focus on love and good conduct, inspiring believers to continue doing good deeds.

Characteristics:

• Support for True Teachers: Commendation and support for true teachers and missionaries.
• Criticism of False Teachers: Warning against false teachers and their deceptive influence.
• Love and Conduct: Emphasis on the importance of love, true Christian conduct, and continuing in good works.