3 John 1:2 Commentary and Bible Study

The margin in the King James Version suggest ‘I pray’ rather than ‘I wish’, and that actually is a much better idea and translation of what John intended to say. ‘I pray above all things that thou mayest prosper.’ And the word for ‘prosper’ in the Greek is an interesting one – to advance well, to journey well along the road. It is a long compound word that is translated in our version ‘that thou mayest prosper’, and in our day that makes us think that John prayed that he would earn plenty of money and do well? No, John is praying that he will make a good journey along the road of life. This is in terms of health, yes, and ordinary well-being. Why did he pray for well-being for Gaius? Because he did much for the Lord, because he looked after the travelling preachers – the missionaries you might say today – and he helped them. So John is very kindly towards him. But then John adds, ‘even as thy soul prospereth’, makes good progress on the journey, is travelling well, advancing well. He did not need to pray for that, though no doubt he did, but Gaius was a shining example of somebody who travelled well spiritually, who advanced spiritually.Now you have got two departments of life here – our well-being in work and employment and family life and all the things that relate to our temporal, earthly comfort and health and strength and the well-being of our souls. John wished well for Gaius because he was of value to the people of God and to the Lord himself and accomplished much.