DIOTREPHES: WHO WAS THIS GUY?

Most have probably never heard of Diotrephes. His legacy is not one worth remembering. Plus, he is only talked about in two verses in the very short letter of 3 John. What do we know about him? Not much. But enough. Enough to know that he was an arrogant man of corruption who thought of himself as the boss of an unnamed local group of believers in the first century.

His name means “nurtured by Jupiter.” And as far as the way he looked at Christianity, he might as well have been from outer space. He had his own brand. What he was doing looked nothing like true Christianity. He was not a real Christian, and the apostle John made that very clear in the statements that he made about him.

John did not address the letter to him, so he was not as important as he thought he was. John wrote to his friend Gaius. This is what John had to say to Gaius about Diotrephes: “I wrote to the congregation, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the focus and have first place, will not receive us. So when I come, I will expose what he is doing, spreading venemous falsehoods about us. And even that does not satisfy him, because he also turns away other believers. In addition, he stops those who want to welcome them and kicks them out of the congregation” (3 John 9-10).

Seldom in the Bible will you ever learn so much about someone about whom so little is said. Here was a man guilty of so many things that God hates. So many things that will cost one their soul. So many things that will keep you from ever being united to the Lord Jesus Christ. No matter how many “church gatherings” you attend, you cannot be a Christian if your heart is not right. Diotrephes teaches us that being “religious” and being a “church member” means nothing.

This man wanted the spotlight. He wanted the focus to be on him. He was not concerned about glorifying Christ. He was concerned that he had the preeminence. That people were thinking about him. That is the way of arrogant egotists and hypocritical religious leaders. They want your thoughts to be on them. Which is among the most selfish things a person can do.

What people think of you will not save them. Only what they think of Christ leads to eternal life. So when you want to be the center of attention, that means you care absolutely nothing about the souls of others.

Diotrephes was a gossiper. And a liar. He spread falsehoods about the people of God. Those who had dedicated their lives in service to God—he wanted to defame them. Why would he want that? Because he wanted people to think about him. He wanted to be the focus. So, by bringing others down, he obviously thought he could elevate himself. Selfishness was his driving motivation. It was all about him. When a person has that attitude, there is no room for Christ. And he was probably very jealous of the apostles.

He certainly did not respect the apostles of Christ. These men were chosen by the Lord Jesus himself. They were his friends, and they were his ambassadors. They had his authority to speak for him. If you reject them, you reject Christ (Luke 10:16). People today reject the apostles because of their arrogance. Because they want to be first. They do this by rejecting the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42). If you do not respect the teachings of the New Testament, then you do not respect Christ.

And ironically, religious people—like Diotrephes and many religious leaders today who can quote the Bible coming and going—are among the worst offenders when it comes to not obeying the apostles’ doctrine. They refuse to put the emphasis where the Bible puts it. They refuse to focus on Christ and lead others to Christ and love others in Christ.

They have convinced themselves that they are something special. That God needs them. That they have the authority. Only Jesus has the authority, and the apostles were chosen by him to explain what God wants us to do. So many people today have the same attitude toward the apostles of Christ that Diotrephes did.

We will be judged by the way that we treat God’s people. Jesus said, in Matthew 25, that whatever we do to the least of his brothers and sisters, we do to him. How we treat his people is how we treat him. Diotrephes did not want to live by this truth. He did not welcome the servants of God. Meaning, he was not hospitable to them. He did not help them. That is a terrible way to live. And God will reject you for it. The same way he rejected this man. He was not a servant. Leaders are servants in the kingdom of God. That is the only way to lead.

Jesus came to serve. If our Lord and Master serves, then we are to serve. That was his point in washing the disciples’ feet in John 13. He was teaching them—while they were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom—what greatness truly is. It is service.

Diotrephes did not want to serve. He wanted to be served. He did not care about people. He tried to make them be like him. And if they refused, he would kick them out of the church. He saw himself as the boss. Christianity today is plagued with people like this.

So John wrote to a good man, Gaius, to let him know that he was coming for Diotrephes. He was coming with apostolic power, which no one today has. That authority is found in the New Testament. John was going to deal with this man who was obviously a leader of some kind with influence over others. Perhaps a rich man. That is usually the case. And it is clear from what John said that if Diotrephes did not repent, he would be the one that would be excommunicated. John would let him know fast what serving Christ is all about and who has the authority to kick people out of the fellowship.

Diotrephes was someone to whom power was alluring. Power and control over other people is so enticing to the flesh. Only the spirit of Jesus Christ can defeat it. But those who are concerned only with themselves will not allow his power to work. And his spirit will not reside in them.

Religion is so often used to control people. That is a constant danger. Taking advantage of others and hurting them. This is why Jesus stayed in conflict with the religious leaders of his day. Diotrephes was obviously of kindred spirit to the scribes and Pharisees, who received Jesus’ words of condemnation in Matthew 23. Jesus said that whoever wants to be great is to be the servant of all. But what Diotrephes cared about was being in charge.

In contrast to the chastisement Diotrephes was in for—when the apostle would deal with him appropriately—Gaius was commended for being hospitable and living right. This is yet another reminder of the fact that we all have a choice to make. Diotrephes did not have to be like that. He could have been like Gaius. Gaius did not have to be like he was. He could have been like Diotrephes.

We choose the path we are going to take. Here were two men who symbolized the two roads. One leading to salvation, the other leading to condemnation. Diotrephes received words of rebuke from the apostle while Gaius was commended. You will not get away with the bad that you do and you will not fail to be rewarded for the good that you do. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time (1 Peter 5:6).

When John told Gaius not to imitate what is evil (3 John 11), it was the same as saying, “Don’t be like Diotrephes.” He would say the same to us.

Dewayne Dunaway