3 John

Introduction

To the Christians who knew him, the apostle John was not ˇ°Saint John,ˇ± but a man. For a certain Diotrephes, to whom John gave the responsibility of a community that we do not know, John was a bothersome old man. In order to better dominate his church, Diotrephes was cutting off the relationship.

John, however, in his three letters, as in the Gospel, speaks of the ˇ°communionˇ± which must exist among Christians. Any church or group must remain open to others, maintain ing constant contact with them. Paul also insists on this responsibility: to welcome in their homes all Christians coming from other places in order to strengthen the bonds of the common faith.