G. B. THOMPSON by G. B. Thompson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Tacoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jul 25, 1907

G. B. THOMPSON

By G. B. Thompson

Diotrephes

G. B. THOMPSON

Diotrephes is referred to but once in the Bible. The scripture which mentions him reads as follows: “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” 3 John 9, 10.

This is indeed a brief history, but it is all we have; and is all we need. A careful reading of this inspired narrative will reveal a number of very interesting and instructive things.

1. “I wrote unto the church.” That is, John, the beloved disciple, was the writer. John was a “pillar” in the church. He was one of those who gave to the great apostle Paul, and to Barnabas, the “right hand of fellowship.” He was one of the chosen apostles of the Lord, and was ordained to the work of the apostleship to which he was called. And, moreover, he had the Spirit of prophecy; he was a prophet of God. Rev. 19:10; 1:9-19. Now, in his old age, with all the years of his rich experience in the past, and the light of God shining in his soul, this apostle and prophet of God writes to Gaius concerning some worthy laborers, and bids the church receive them. It would seem that a communication from such a source would have been respected and heeded. But Diotrephes did not do this; he was a law unto himself. He was amenable to no one’s rule or counsel. Great as was John’s position in the church, he was greater—in his own estimation. The exhortation of God to “submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject to one another,” and to “obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves,” had no weight with Diotrephes. He did not believe that any one should have rule, and write directions to the church, even if the Lord had so ordained it.

2. John wrote to the church. This communication is lost, so we can not now ascertain its contents. But it was concerning the receiving of these brethren by the church. God has put order and system into his church. It is an organized body of believers to carry forward his work. It was John’s prerogative as apostle and prophet to send instruction to the church. But Diotrephes was not subject to the counsel sent to the church. While rejecting the counsel and rulership of others, though only a member, he ignored the whole body of believers.

It seems marvelous that any one should use this as an example of what true organization should be in the church. Diotrephes was not carrying out the plans of organization, but on the contrary was arrayed against the organization of which John was a “pillar.” The trouble was not with the organization, but with Diotrephes. His imperious will took precedence of all else.

And we need to exercise care, that while criticizing Diotrephes, we do not take a similar course, for there are such individuals in the church still. Organization is designed of God to hold in check and control just such unruly elements as these. Laws and regulations are not “made for a righteous man,” but for the “lawless and disobedient.” For this reason, any organization or system in the work of God will always be pronounced despotic by the Diotrepheses.

3. We do not know just who Diotrephes was, nor what official position he held in the church. Evidently, however, he had great influence in this church, and probably was a leading officer. John, however, was a leading apostle and prophet of God, and in rejecting the counsel sent to the church from this venerable seer, Diotrephes arrayed himself against the spirit of prophecy. He may have thought, as some do now, that all who have the Spirit of God have the spirit of prophecy, so he had the spirit of prophecy as well as the aged John, and he decided to follow his own. This, according to his view, would be consistent of course.

4. “Prating against us with malicious words.” Barnes tells us these words mean “to overflow with talk.” From this we gather that Diotrephes was quite a talker. Evidently he did not have brotherly love for John and the other brethren. Hatred seemed to be at the bottom of the opposition against the counsel sent the church. He was malicious. There was an old grudge somewhere. It may have been that he had been reproved by the venerable seer. A man of the make-up of Diotrephes, who loved to have the pre-eminence, would probably need correction, but it is not likely he would relish it when it came, and he would be apt to entertain feelings of animosity toward the person through whom it was sent. To his mind, doubtless, any system which would uphold the administering of any reproof to him seemed to be despotic.

5. Diotrephes did not “receive the brethren.” They visited the church with the consent and approbation of the aged prophet, who counseled the church to

receive them. But Diotrephes did not matter care for the counsel of the prophet of God. Neither the advice of John nor the wishes of the church itself were of any consequence to him. He knew best. When the brethren came to the church, fully indorsed by the body, this man deliberately set them aside. He was the despotic head of a local church. These brethren were not allowed to preach or give any counsel. There is no hint that this prohibition was the result of organization. It was caused by the despotic spirit of Diotrephes. It is a clear case of rebellion against the organized work of God in apostolic times. Instead of this being an example of the evils of organization in the church, it is an example of those who array themselves against the organization established by the Lord. The spirit of Diotrephes still lives. But its manifestation is not in the organized body of Christ, but against it.

6. Diotrephes did not believe in being under the rule of any one, for he loved “the pre-eminence.” He would rule or ruin. He was zealously opposed to any headship, unless he was the head. No doubt he could see visions of the papacy being formed all around him in any plan that would make any one a “pillar,” or leader, in the church, except himself. He was not opposed to leadership, providing he was the leader, for he loved to be first. It was so with Lucifer. He, too, loved the pre-eminence. He coveted the highest place in heaven. The Son of God having been assigned to this position by the Father, Lucifer instilled in the minds of the angels the idea that a tyranny had been enthroned, and in order to be free, they must contend for their rights, and oppose the organization of heaven. Satan would have had no contention about leadership had he been placed at the head. This spirit still works in the church of the Most High.

7. “Casteth them out of the church.” Diotrephes refused to receive these brethren, forbade others to do so, and cast them out of the church. Whether he cast out those who wished to receive these brethren, or the brethren who came to the church, we need not discuss, as the spirit of domination is the same in either case. Diotrephes, it appears, took the responsibility in this matter, and assumed the power to cast them out of the church of God. Organization prevents this spirit of despotism. Where organization prevails, if members are disfellowshipped, it is by the church itself, and not by some Diotrephes who happens to be in the church. The church—all the people—have a voice in the matter. They look prayerfully into all the facts connected with the course of the individual who may be under censure. He is labored with. One person goes to him. If this fails, one or two others are taken, who endeavor, if possible, to help the offending one. If this course fails, the matter is brought, not before Diotrephes, but before the church. The church as a body carefully considers the question, and if the unruly member refuses to reform, he is disfellowshipped by the church. But where there is no organization, there is nothing to hinder some Diotrephes having his own way, and ruling in the church with a tyrannical hand.