Beloved, I pray that
you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 John 1:2
Dear Heavenly
Father, as I study Your Word, please encourage me to open my heart and
listen. Please remove any distractions
and have me concentrate on You. It may seem that the world is crumbling around me, but
I know that I’m secure in Your hands. I love You, Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
In verse 2, John
writes a formulaic greeting. Writing to
good health was an excellent, ideal way to start or finish a letter and was
very common during this time. To bring
deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their
companion or similar verses.
"Beloved"
in the Greek is agapetos which means as
loved by all others by God who sent Him, Christians - as beloved by Christ,
God, and one another, divinely loved, bound together by mutual love, being
reconciled to God and to be judged by Him to be worthy of eternal life. John is repeating his love of his fellow
Christian, Gaius.
"Pray" in
the Greek is echomai which means pray,
wish, offer a request, to pray for.
"Prosper" in the Greek is euodoo
which means have a happy journey, to go on a prosperous journey, to be
on the right profitable path, leading to true success, be successful. It is
made up of the word, eu, which means
good and well and the word, hodos, which
means a journey on a particular road.
John is offering up a request to God on Gaius's behalf. John is praying that Gaius has a happy,
prosperous journey on the right profitable path.
"Things"
in the Greek is pas which means all, the
whole, every kind of, every part that applies, focus on the parts making the
whole, viewing the whole world in terms of individual parts, focus on the total
picture then one piece at a time, not above all things but as respect to all
things and depends on all things.
"Health" in the Greek is hugiaino
which means reasonable, sound, pure, uncorrupted, in good working order,
in sound condition, to be free of debilitation (handicap), to be sound, to be
well, to be in good health. On Gaius's
life journey, John is praying that it is successful in every part that applies
in the Christian life and that it is uncorrupted and free of debilitation.
"Soul" in the Greek is psuche which means soul, life, self, the vital
breath, breath of life, a person's distinct identity, individual personality,
direct aftermath of God breathing (blowing) His gift of life into a
person. Specifically, the human soul in
so far as it is constituted by the right use of Godly aid so it can attain
the highest end and secure eternal blessedness.
The soul regarding as a moral being designed for everlasting life.
In this greeting,
John is praying for Gaius what he prays for every Christian. He is praying that you, Christian, will be
judged worthy of eternal life and that you will follow the path for true
success in every Godly pursuit.
Furthermore, without any stumbling block or impedance, you would journey
forward into God's everlasting life living in God's will. As we live this life, we can become
distracted and discouraged. Any little
word can distract us from our purpose in Christ. Our purpose is to live how He lived, to love
as He loved, to tell the world about Him, and to teach His Word. Whenever and wherever you find yourself
desperate for purpose, friendship, and acceptance, remember to return your
focus to Him. If you journey forward and do everything for Christ, you will find peace. 1 Corinthians 10:31 states "Therefore,
whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
and the Life [an
aspect of His being] was manifested, and we have seen [it as eyewitnesses] and
testify and declare to you [the Life], the eternal Life who was [already
existing] with the Father and was [actually] made visible to us [His
followers]—
Amplified Bible
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