Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
If I come - (3 John 1:14.) I will remember, х hupomneesoo (G5279)] - 'I will bring to mind' before all, by stigmatizing and punishing.
Prating - with silly tattle. Neither doth he himself receive the brethren - with hospitality: the missionaries. Forbiddeth them that would - receive them.
Casteth them - those that would receive the brethren, by excommunication from the Church, which his influence (3 John 1:9) in it enabled him to do. Neander thinks that the missionaries were JEWS; whence it is said in their praise they took Nothing from THE GENTILES: in contrast to other Jewish missionaries who abused ministers' rights of maintenance elsewhere (2 Corinthians 11:22; Philippians 3:2; Philippians 3:5; Philippians 3:19). In the Gentile churches there existed an ultra-Pauline party of anti-Jewish tendency, forerunners of Marcion. Diotrephes stood at the head of this party, which, as well as his domineering spirit, may account for his hostility to the missionaries, and to the apostle John, who had, by love, tried to harmonize the various elements in the Asiatic churches. At a later period Marcion, we know, attached himself to Paul alone, and paid no deference to John's authority.