HOSPITALITY OF GOD
"Worthily of
God" 3 John 6
If in his second letter John dealt
specially with the subject of those to whom NO HOSPITALITY should be extended, but
in this he commends HOSPITALITY, and shows what its nature should be. There
were those who "for
the sake of the Name went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles."
These were to be received and welcomed, and "set forward on their journey worthily of God."
Two interpretations have been given of this phrase. One is that these men were
to be treated as the VERY MESSENGERS OF GOD, and so worthily of that fact. The
other is that those who tendered them hospitality were to do it AS GOD WOULD DO IT, "worthily
(commendably) of God." Most probably both views are correct,
both ideas being involved. In harmony with the whole spirit of the letter the
2nd is the more obvious. What a PATTERN AND TEST is here of HOSPITALITY! What kind of a host is God? How does He treat His guests? When we
have answered those questions, we shall have discovered the NATURE of the
hospitality we ought to extend to all those who go forth for the sake of the
Name. To those who receive the hospitality of God, He gives of His best, He gives lavishly: He gives of pure delight.
His concern is forever for the HIGHEST WELL-BEING of His guests. He opens His home to them; He spreads His
table before them; He admits them to familiar conversation with Himself; He places
at their disposal all His knowledge, and all the riches of His grace. If we
are to ENTERTAIN "worthily
of God" these are the lines upon which our HOSPITALITY must
proceed. It is one of the things which CONSTANTLY CHEER AND HELP those who go forth for the sake of the Name.
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