Context! It is just so missing in Word Faith posts.
I saw 3 John 2 posted twice in the last two pages as a proof text that we "must prosper."
So, context is what do the surrounding verses say, the book, the geography/history etc as applicable?
"1 The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. 3 For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth.4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 1 John 1-3
Now, verse 2 is part of a paragraph in which verse 1, 3 & 4 appear. And they are part of the salutation. In Greek culture, there was a certain format to write a formal letter, or epistle, and this was part of it. (Although sometimes not all of it was adhered to, in this case, it was!) And please be aware, this is at the beginning of 3 John, it cannot be anything else but a salutation!!
A Greek salutation contains the following:
1. The person to whom it is sent. In this case, Gaius, a personal letter. Whom John also loves in a Christian sense!
2. Greetings and wishes for health and the hope things are going well.
3. Usually something complimentary. Only the book of Galatians leaves this out, because Paul has nothing good to say to the Judiazers who are wrecking the church there. In this case, verses 3-4 describes the good word John got back about Gaius, and how it gave John great joy to hear this word!
So, verse 1 is addressed to Gaius, and so are verses 3 and 4. Verse 2 must therefore also be addressed to Gaius, not to Word of Faith adherents in our day and age. But, it would make a nice greeting for anyone to receive. Nothing wrong with that. But not a promise of health and wealth, for sure!
So, having established this salutation follows the traditional Greek letter format, what can we say about verse 2?
Certainly, John is not commanding that our souls MUST prosper and we MUST command good health. Certainly not money, In fact, the word "prosper" doesn't really even refer to money.
"Ἀγαπητέ, περὶ πάντων εὔχομαί σε εὐοδοῦσθαι καὶ ὑγιαίνειν, καθὼς εὐοδοῦταί σου ἡ ψυχή." 3 John 2.
εὐοδοῦσθαι (eudousthai) - Present Passive Infinitive from εὐοδόω (euodoo) - meaning- in the passive - to be lead along a good road, to get along well, to prosper or succeed. In other word, it is a hopeful wish, that all will be good for this person.
If you want to get very literal, the word σε or se, is the second person singular and therefore addressed to one person only - Gaius. It does not say, "I wish YOU ALL will be prosperous" or worse "You ALL can command your life to be prosperous, with health, and wealth forever." In fact, this was a common but personal greeting to the person Gaius. It was not addressed to the church in the 20th and 21st centuries, nor even a specific church in the NT. It was addressed to a single individual, that John was commending about what he had heard about him.
εὔχομαί or euchomai, further, a present, active indicative, lands more on the side of "wish" rather than prayer. The renowned lexicon, Bauer, (BDAG) puts 3 John 2 in the "wish" column. Not a prayer to God at all. Just a hopeful wish, John had for this servant of God, named Gaius. So a wish for a good life - body and soul.
The Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament by Cleon Rogers Jr. and Cleon Rogers III say on page 602:
"This was a common greeting and desire expressed in letters for the recipient to be in good health. (with 6 references) and then RAC for further information about the general concept of health and well being in the ancient world."
I would most appreciate it, if this verse was no longer used as a proof text for the Word Faith heresy. Of course, Denalii has me on ignore. Perhaps this could be "reply with quote" for him to see?
PS. I can take apart each one of the verses that Denalii and others are using as proof texts in this manner. It is easy for me, being able to read Greek. But of course, anyone who reads the Bible in context, in any translation can also figure this out, easily enough. In this case, the Greek is OBVIOUSLY NOT saying that this can ever be a proof text for Word Faith. So, kindly stop pulling it out of context! It simply is not a talisman to recite, and then you will get everything you want, that being the foundation of the entire Word Faith heresy!
