Gaius

 GAIUS

Gaius means “happy” or “one who rejoices,” and the men who bore that name in Scripture seem to have known the joy that comes from serving the Lord.

Gaius is the recipient of the Third Epistle of John, a letter written by John DE Apostle and Evangelist. In the letter, Gaius was praised for his faithfulness, love, hospitality (3 John 1:5–8)), walking in the truth and devotion to Christ Jesus. Gaius provides accommodations for the traveling servants of God.

On the other hand, John warns Gaius about a man named Diotrephes, who was opposing John and other church officials. Diotrephes prevented local church members from attending church meetings. Diotrephes may have held a local leadership position in the Church. Diotrephes openly opposed the Apostle John and other Church officials and even prevented local Church members who wanted to receive them from attending Church meetings (cf. 3 John 1:9–10). John encouraged Gaius to continue in goodness and said he expected to visit Gaius soon (see 3 John 1:11–14).

Gaius was a leader of one or more churches in Asia Minor. He was a wealthy man who hosted traveling preachers in his home. John de Apostle and Evangelist calls Gaius a “dear friend” and a “child” in the faith. 

John encourages Gaius to continue in goodness and says he expects to visit Gaius soon. 

 

The name Gaius appears five times in the New Testament.

Several men in the New Testament share the name Gaius, a common name in the first century. All of these men were involved in the ministry of the apostles in one way or another.

GAIUS OF CORINTH. Paul baptized a man named Gaius in Corinth—one of only two he baptized there (1 Corinthians 1:14). Later, toward the end of his third missionary journey, when Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans, he was staying in Gaius’s home, and Gaius included his greetings to the church in Rome (Romans 16:23).

GAIUS OF MACEDONIA. One of Paul’s traveling companions during his third missionary journey was named Gaius. Luke identifies him as a Macedonian in Acts 19:29—Macedonia being a region in modern-day Greece. When a riot broke out in Ephesus, Gauis was one of the men seized by Demetrius and the other silversmiths. The mob dragged Gaius to the Ephesian theater and would likely have done him violence, but for the intervention of the city clerk (Acts 19:35–41).

GAIUS OF DERBE. Another of Paul’s traveling companions on his third missionary journey was also named Gaius. Luke calls him “Gaius of Derbe” in Acts 20:4—Derbe being a city in Galatia in Asia Minor—to distinguish him from the Gaius mentioned in Acts 19. It seems this Gaius joined Paul’s group in Greece and stayed with him through his incursion into Asia (modern-day Turkey), sailing ahead of Paul, Silas, and Luke and waiting for them in Troas (Acts 20:5).

GAIUS, JOHN’S FRIEND. The Epistle of 3 John is addressed to a man named Gaius who was a member of an unnamed church that John had the oversight of (3 John 1:1). John calls this man a “dear friend” (verses 1, 2, and 11). Gaius is commended for his hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel (verses 5, 6 and 8); for his faithfulness (verse 5); for his love (verse 6); and for his walking in the truth (verse 3). According to tradition this Gaius may be the one whom John appointed as bishop of Pergamum.

Gaius had helped traveling believers promoting the gospel. There were believers who had gone out to promote the name of our Savior. Some of them had come to John with reports of how Gaius had faithfully helped them. Gaius did not know some of them personally so they are referred to here as “strangers” to him. The word of God tells us to care for believers who are away from home. Hospitality was presumed as a good person’s duty (Genesis 18:1-8, 19:1-3, 2 Samuel 12:4, Job 31:32, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 11:5, Acts 10:6, 16:15, Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:2).

Gaius is encouraged by John to continue to help send out those who promote the name of Christ. They testified that the promise of a Messiah had been fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

Early records show that those spreading the gospel and teaching believers were provided for by the Christians in each community. The Apostle Paul asked Philemon to prepare a guest room for him when he visits him probably in Colossae (Philemon 22). In the non-biblical book of First Clement 1:2 some in Corinth were praised for their hospitality. The Didache (another 1st century Christian writing — not authoritative or inspired) says, “Let every Apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord, but let him not stay more than one day, or if need be a second as well; but if he stays three days, he is a false prophet.” (Didache 11:4-5)

This shows that this practice of hospitality to traveling teachers representing the apostles was common at that time, and that some were suspected of abusing the hospitality offered.

The support and care for these traveling teachers needed to be from the believers. They were to accept nothing from the Gentiles (1 Corinthians 9), the ones who needed to hear the gospel. It’s our duty as the body of Christ to support such men.

Luke 10:7, “And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.”

1 Corinthians 9:14, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”

1 Timothy 5:17-18, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.’ ”

“You will do well” is a polite request and a wise suggestion (verse 6). Gaius was also expected to send these travelers on their way with provisions. Paul had asked a similar thing of Titus in Titus 3:13, “Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing.” They were to be provided for in a way keeping with the honor of their callings.

Gaius provided hospitality to them even when it made him unpopular. A man named Diotraphes was against giving care for these travelers for Christ’s gospel. (There is more about him in our next study.) He was making it hard for those in the church who were supporting these travelers. In contrast, Gaius showed his own strength by obeying God above the pressures of men.

His love and hospitality were an on-going practice. It’s what Gaius had done and is expected to continue to do. It served as proof, evidence, that he was walking in the truth. His love for Christ was not a mere claim. It showed in his life. He walked in a manner worthy of God. We see this evidenced in the lives of other believers in the early church.

Colossians 1:9-10, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

Philippians 1:27, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,”

1 Thessalonians 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

By sending out and supporting those promoting the gospel and other believers in their callings from God we become fellow workers with the truth. The Lord uses not only teachers, but also those who support these Kingdom workers. The Levites depended upon the lay people of Israel for producing food from the land. Israel depended upon the Levites to instruct them in the law and to lead in temple worship. The division of labor in the body of Christ demands this kind of inter-dependence.

When we do well as God’s children in Christ, we mature spiritually and God receives honor and praise.

HOW WE CAN APPLY THIS PRINCIPLE TODAY

Today we live in a different Christian culture than was common in the early days after the resurrection of Christ. Outreach ministries and full time missionaries need to be supported and helped by believers called to other occupations.

It is important for local churches to support these ministries for the spread of the gospel and for the establishing of sound churches in places where they are needed. Individual believers can also become directly involved in providing for these full-time Kingdom workers by directly giving to them or housing them when they come through their community.

Since some ministries and missions promote things that are not sound, individual believers should rely upon the leaders of their church to identify worthy missions. By this we all become workers together in these mission efforts and in the advance of God’s kingdom in Christ. In so doing we also share in the blessing of the work of Christ.

© Rev Fr Utazi Prince Marie Benignus Zereuwa

December 3 2024