<p>1:9<em> I wrote somewhat to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, does not welcome us</em>- The picture is of Gaius being a member of a church which had shunned Gaius because of the evil influence of Diotrephes. Gaius welcomed &quot;the brothers&quot; from John (:5,8), and so therefore would have been excommunicated for doing so (:10). It is the Lord who is presented in the New Testament as having &quot;the pre-eminence&quot;. It is a lack of focus upon Him and His greatness which leads to the human tendency toward<em> personal</em> pre-eminence. &quot;Welcome us&quot; is parallel with welcoming the brethren sent from John (:10). Attitudes to brethren in Christ are our attitudes not only to Him but to all other brethren. Hence in writing to Philemon, Paul argues that to receive Onesimus was to receive him personally (Philemon 12).</p>