Alex Goshu, Ethiopia
Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.
Anyone who does what is good is from God.
Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.
3 John 11
In the book of 3 John, Diotrephes is a church leader who was exercising dictatorial power in God’s house. In other words, this man was one who built his own kingdom in God’s Kingdom. He must have had need to lead the church of God, not in love, but by power and considerable influence, since he was able to exclude people from the church fellowship.
He is mentioned in verses 9 and 10 as a self-seeking troublemaker in a local church. From John’s description, we can assume that Diotrephes was a leader, or at least an influential member, in the local church where Gaius was a member. Diotrephes was clearly abusing his position of authority. For some reason, he was jealous of the apostles and refused to allow them in his church. Instead of following the command for a pastor to be hospitable and not quarrelsome as stated in 1 Timothy 3:2–3, Diotrephes was inhospitable and pugnacious. Instead of seeking to be the servant of all, he loved to be in charge.
In just two verses, we find six troubling characteristics written about him:
- He loved to be first
- He refused to welcome the apostles into the church
- He maliciously spread gossip about men of God
- He withheld hospitality from other believers
- He required others to follow his poor example
- He excommunicated anyone who crossed him
We Christians need to be in the continual practice of doing good, not merely doing occasional good deeds. As Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” So, believers, love for fellow Christians and for other people is crucial. We need to lead in loving God’s people, but not by power. Care for others and love of Christians also need not be by emotion, but by love in action.
Do we imitate Diotrephes by refusing to aid the spread of God’s word? Church pastors are responsible for rebuking these kinds of leaders. We men and women of God should have no place for power-hungry, jealous, slanderous men who reject the apostles’ teaching. Rather, true ministers of the Gospel must be hospitable, self-controlled, upright, disciplined, and love what is good.
We must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught. So, may we identify those in the church who have the spirit of Diotrephes and be wary of any semblance of that spirit in ourselves.