Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 3 John 1:6

"who bare witness to thy love before the church: whom thou wilt do well to set forward on their journey worthily of God:" — 3 John 1:6 (ASV)

Part of what the traveling brothers had reported to the elder was the wholehearted way—involving, perhaps, risk to his standing in the community— in which Gaius had entertained them. On returning, they had testified to this before the whole church, and this increased the elder’s pride in “his son in the faith.” He had not only entertained the traveling brothers but had shown them agape love.

It seems that these brothers had again returned to Gaius, perhaps carrying letters from the elder; and they again needed Christian hospitality. The admonition to send them on their way “in a manner worthy of God” shows the supreme importance assigned to hospitality. The phrase probably means that the traveling brothers were to be recognized as servants of God and supported as such. In such instances, Christians were to provide hospitality as if the Lord himself were being welcomed (cf. Jn 13:20; Galatians 4:1–15; Hebrews 13:2).