DIOTREPHES, HERE’S WHAT the apostle John wrote about him (I’ve included a few different translations to help you get the sense of it)…

3 John 9:

“I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority” (ESV).

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us” (NKJV).  

“I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say” (NASB).  

“I have written something to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority” (NRSV).  

“I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us” (TNIV).

 “I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be their leader, will not listen to us” (NCV).

 “I wrote a short letter to the church; but Diotrephes, who likes to be their leader, will not pay any attention to what I say” (GNB).

 “Earlier I wrote something along this line to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves being in charge, denigrates my counsel” (The Message).

 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (KJV).

 “I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have first place among them, does not receive us” (HCSB).

 “I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us” (NLT).

You might choose to open your Bible and read the whole letter of 3 John to get a better feel for what John is writing about (it’s only 15 verses).  Apparently John had written an earlier letter to this church, asking them to extend hospitality to a group of missionaries.  Diotrephes somehow intercepted the letter and thwarted John’s plan.

But the most interesting thing here is what motivated Diotrephes.  He didn’t turn the missionaries away because of some kind of doctrinal disagreement, but rather because he was a man who liked to be the man.  He liked to be in charge. Nobody’s gonna tell him what to do, not even an apostle.

In fact, John wrote that Diotrephes liked to be “first,” in the position of preeminence, a place that the Bible elsewhere reserves only for Jesus (Colossians 1:18).

Do you know someone who likes to be in charge?  Someone who thinks very highly of himself?  Needs all the attention, all the power, all the limelight?

Of course we know him.  Or her.  There’s a pretty good chance we see his face in the mirror every morning.

I like it when things go my way, don’t you?  I’ve often thought that if everyone would finally realize that my way is the best way, things would go so much more smoothly.

Husbands, does this apply to you?  Some wives feel like things go fine at home as long as everybody does what Dad wants in the way Dad wants.  Wives?  In some homes, everything is wonderfully peaceful as long as Mom gets her way, but not so much at other times.  Teenager?  When things don’t go your way, do you give your parents or siblings the silent treatment to punish them?  Do you take the “I’ll make everybody miserable until I get my way” approach?

It all goes back to the tendency within each of us to put ourselves first.  I want my way.  I know best.  Just do what I say and everything will work out fine.

As you meditate and pray today, think about how the “I wanna be first” mentality might have crept into your own heart. Ask the Lord to get rid of it, help you enthrone Him, and develop a humble, submissive, others-first attitude.

Nobody likes the guy who thinks he’s always right, and it’s absolutely incompatible with following our foot-washing Lord and Savior.  Chuck Webster

“I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority.”  3 John 9

Mike Benson