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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 3Jn_1:9-10
9I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. 10For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them our of the church.
3Jn_1:9 "I wrote something to the church" This may refer to I or 2 John or to a lost letter; in all probability it refers to 2 John. See Special Topic: Church (Ekklesia) at 3Jn_1:6.
▣ "Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them" This is a present active participle. This is a compound term "love" (phileô) and "to hold first rank" (prôteuô). It is used only here in the NT, but the second term is used in Col_1:18 of Christ's premier rank. This man is the first recorded "power-broker" or "church boss." We do not know if he was the pastor or simply a significant layman. However, this does show his motives. This kind of egotistical individual has been present in the church in every age! Whether he was also a Gnostic is uncertain and unstated, but possible.
James Dunn, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament, p. 392, sees Diotrephes as an example of "early catholicism."
"In particular, John's individualism is very plausibly to be understood precisely as a protest against the kind of institutionalizing trends so evident in Pastorals (above pp. 129f., cf. again Hebrews and Revelation - §§31.2, 3). Likewise the Johannine writings seem if anything to be opposed to the kind of sacramentalism which is already clearly established in the early catholicism of Ignatius ('the medicine of immortality' - Eph., 20.2) (see above §41). Most intriguing of all is the attack of 'the elder' on Diotrephes in 3Jn_1:9 f. Diotrephes was clearly in control of this church at least: not only was he able to refuse a welcome to visiting Christians, but he also 'expels from the church' those who crossed him. Diotrephes, in other words, was acting with the authority of a monarchical bishop (cf. Ignatius, Eph., 6.1; Trall., 7.2; Smyrn., 8.1f), and it was against this lust for ecclesiastical prominence and power (philoprôteuôn) that 'the elder' wrote. In other words, assuming that 3 John comes from the same circle as I and 2 John, it is best seen as the response of a kind of convention or conventicle Christianity, an anti-institutional and individualistic pietism, protesting against the increasing influence of early catholicism."
▣ "does not accept what we say" Not only did Diotrephes reject John's Apostolic authority, but he was aggressively involved in rejecting Apostolic policy and even taking his vengeance out on those who would follow!
3Jn_1:10 "if" This is a third class conditional sentence which means potential action.
▣ "I will call attention to his deeds" John wants to clearly delineate this man's motives (cf. 3Jn_1:9) and actions (cf. 3Jn_1:10):
1. NASB - "unjustly accusing us with wicked words"
NKJV - "prating against us with malicious words"
NRSV - "spreading false charges against us"
TEV - "the terrible things he says about us and the lies he tells"
NJB - "the wicked accusations he has been circulating against us"
2. "he himself does not receive the brethren"
3. "he forbids those who desire to do so"
4. "he puts them out of the church"
This man wants the attention and will not share the spotlight with anyone. He also removes anyone from the church who disagrees, or might disagree, with him.
▣ "puts them out of the church" This same strong verb (ekballô) is used in Joh_9:34-35 for the blind man who Jesus healed being excommunicated from the Synagogue.
It is also used of Satan being cast out in Joh_12:31.