The book of 3rd John is a letter from the aged apostle to his dear friend Gaius. The church in Gaius’s community was taken over by a man named Diotrephes who began to conduct himself and lead the church in a manner that did not align with the teaching of Jesus.
Catholic monk named Martin Luther had posted on a church door a list of 95 reasons that men could not be forgiven their sins by paying money to the church. This was known as the 95 Theses. The document proved to be the flame that started Protestant Reformation. The Roman Catholic world, led by Pope Leo X and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, attempted to silence Martin Luther. Their attempt failed, and the Christian world divided between Roman Catholics and Protestants. The reformers’ disagreements with the Roman Church were summed up by something we called the Five Solas of the Reformation (Five “Alones”).
Knowing his death was near and knowing the confusion, fear, and despair his disciples would experience, Jesus took time to offer them words of comfort to sooth their soon-to-be deeply troubled hearts and minds.