204 Luca Marulli status. In fact, though friendly language is sometimes used in a patron- client relationship (cf. John 19,12), it is usually the case that when the addressee holds a superior social status, the common opening of the letter sees the addressee’s name preceding the addresser’s (e.g., “To king Ptolemy, greeting, from Philista…”, P. Enteux 32 [220 BCE]). Moreover this kind of letter — such as a letter of request or petition — lacks health wishes and greetings to third parties. These constructs are considered to be out of place and too familiar, given the social distance between the correspondents (6). Third John has both health wishes and third party greetings (from and to), making a strong case against Gaius’ superior social status. The language of the letter and the caution with which the Elder’s requests are spelled out favor the scenario where two persons of equal social status are involved (7). Previous studies argue that the Elder composed the letter to recommend Demetrius to Gaius, and that Third John therefore falls into the “letter of recommendation” genre (8). Such a misreading of the actual purpose of the letter is primarily based on two presuppositions and one underestimation: a. the belief that Third John follows the typical format of a letter of recommendation, such as those found in the papyri; b. the presupposition that Demetrius is very likely the Elder ’s emissary in need of hospitality and probably the bearer of the letter; c. a failure to take into proper account the way in which the letter is rhetorically built. This study argues that both presuppositions stand on very shaky ground. After assessing the differences between common letters of (4) CULPEPPER, 1 John, 129. (5) Acts 19,29.20,4; Rom 16,23; 1 Cor 1,14. HOULDEN, The Johannine Epistles, 151. (6) J.L. WHITE, Light From Ancient Letters (Foundations and Facets; Philadelphia 1986) 194-195. (7) D.A. DESILVA, The Hope of Glory. Honor Discourse and New Testament Interpretation (Collegeville, MN 1999) 11. (8) J. POLHILL, “The setting of 2 John and 3 John”, Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 10 (2006) 36; R.E. BROWN, The Epistles of John (Anchor Bible 30; Garden City, NY 1982) 748; R.B. EDWARDS, The Johannine Epistles (New Testament Guides; Sheffield 1996) 23; S.K. STOWERS, Letter Writing in Greco- Roman Antiquity (Library of Early Christianity; Philadelphia 1986) 156; A.J. MALHERBE, “Inhospitality of Diotrephes”, God’s Christ and His People. Studies in Honour of Nils Alstrup Dahl (eds. J. JERVELL – W.A. MEEKS) (Oslo 1977) 227; R.W. FUNK, “The Form and Structure of 2 and 3 John”, JBL 86 (1967) 427; RENSBERGER, The Epistles of John, 126; D.J. CLARK, “Discourse Structure in 3 John”, BT 57 (2006) 112; HOULDEN, The Johannine Epistles, 154.