3 John 1:8Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“Receive” is used in the sense of taking up or taking hold of. By this the Apostle teaches us not to wait for the needy to come to us. Rather, we ourselves must run to meet them and entreat them to come to us, as Abraham and Lot did (Gen 18:2-3; Gen 19:1-2).

For he who gives temporal assistance to those who possess spiritual gifts becomes a co-worker in those very spiritual gifts. When those who receive spiritual gifts are few, and those who abound in temporal wealth are many, the rich share in the virtues of the poor. They do so by bringing consolation to these holy poor out of their own riches.

Therefore we ought to receive such men. If the preachers of the Gospel accept nothing from the Gentiles for the reason stated, then we Christians, believers and brethren, must take such men to ourselves. We must provide them with everything needful, give them rest, and do everything possible for them. Thus we become fellow workers for the truth. Those who help them in every way they can become co-workers and participants in the great work that these men themselves perform. They themselves become fellow workers for the truth.

The Apostle indicates a further special need to help the preachers of the faith. Following the Savior's instruction, they take nothing with them, and at the same time use nothing from the Gentiles to whom the Gospel is proclaimed. They fear that, because the Gentiles are not established in the faith, they might regard the whole work of preaching as a matter of self-interest.

The Apostle Paul acted in this way, for example, by resorting in this case to the making of tents. At the same time John also says that those who help the Apostles enter into their labors, and therefore can share in the reward for them. "He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward," says Jesus Christ Himself (Mt 10:41).