An Examination of Prayer in 3 John 2 and the Farewell Discourse in Light of the Mission of God

Abstract

Prayer passages in the Johannine literature have been examined in detail, especially those located in the Fourth Gospel and 1 John. But what about the utilisation of εὔχομαί in 3 John 2? Some scholars see this term as a reference to the Elder’s wish for Gaius’s well-being. Others insist that the term refers to his prayer to God on Gaius’s behalf. While εὔχομαί can mean either “wish” or “pray” (in 3 John 2), this article argues that this term likely involves both the Elder’s desire for Gaius’s overall well-being and his prayer to God for this desire to come to pass as Gaius supports the mission of God. This reading accords with the Elder’s commendable tone and with the overall context of 3 John. Therefore, this study examines prayer in 3 John on its own terms, but it also seeks to discover how the Elder’s prayer-wish synthesises with and compares to prayer in John’s Farewell Discourse. In particular, attention is given to discerning the relationship between prayer, the fruitfulness of believers, and the mission of God in 3 John and the Farewell Discourse.