How does 3 John 1:6 emphasize the importance of hospitality in Christian practice? Full Text “They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.” (3 John 1:6) Historical–Cultural Background Traveling teachers depended on local patrons. Inns were scarce, costly, and notoriously immoral (cf. Strabo, Geogr. 16.2.45). The early church filled this gap: inscriptions in catacombs list donors who opened homes to itinerant preachers; the 3rd-century house church at Dura-Europos contains a large guest space, suggesting intentional accommodation. Biblical–Theological Context 3 John belongs to a long biblical arc: • OT precedents—Abraham entertains three strangers (Genesis 18); Rahab shelters spies (Joshua 2). • Jesus models hospitality by eating with “sinners” (Luke 15:2) and commands it in kingdom parables (Matthew 25:35). • Epistolary exhortations parallel 3 John: “Share with the saints in their needs; practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13), “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2), “Be hospitable to one another without complaining” (1 Peter 4:9). Scripture’s unity underscores hospitality as a covenant expectation, not a cultural option. Missional Imperative John elevates hospitality to gospel strategy. By supporting itinerant workers, believers become “fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 1:8). The church’s global expansion rested on such networks; archaeological finds of first-century Christian house inscriptions in Corinth and Ephesus corroborate a pattern of domestic mission bases. Practical Application 1. Assess: Is your home, budget, and schedule arranged “in a manner worthy of God”? 2. Act: Contribute lodging, meals, transportation, or digital resources to present-day missionaries. 3. Advance: Hospitality multiplies ministry; recipients become senders, mirroring the cycle in 3 John. Summary 3 John 1:6 turns hospitality from courtesy into covenant duty. Rooted in agapē, measured by God’s worth, authenticated by manuscript precision, and confirmed by archaeology and social science, the verse summons every believer to active, sacrificial support of gospel servants. |
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