A Letter of Recommendation? 205 recommendation and Third John, we will show that there is no need to assume that Demetrius is the bearer of the letter. The final section of this paper examines the rhetoric of Third John in an attempt to discern its main purpose, which naturally provides an ulterior argument in favor of our thesis. This thesis suggests that the letter is not a letter of recommendation, but rather an epideictic rhetorical attempt to restore the Elder’s honor (discredited by Diotrephes) in Gaius’ eyes and persuade him to detach himself from Diotrephes’ reprehensible behavior by extending hospitality to the Elder’s envoys. 1. Third John and common letters of recommendation White has shown that letters of recommendation in the ancient world have a “distinctive threefold cluster of conventions”: a short opening and closing, a request to welcome somebody, and a promise to repay the favor. This cluster of conventions “remains constant in the body of the letters of recommendation through several centuries, varying only in the phrasing used to express the conventions” (9). An example of this kind of letter is P. Mich. I,6 (257 BCE): “…therefore, please make a sincere effort to introduce him to Kleonikos; and if he does not [come upon the latter in your company,] get [letters of introduction] to him (i.e., Kleonikos) from his friends. By doing this you will do us a favor; for I am interested in him. You also must write to us regarding whatever we could do to favor you…”(10). While acknowledging that Third John shares some common features with the letters of recommendation found in the papyri, such as the expression kalw'" poihvsei" (“you will do well”, v. 6) (11), it is also evident that Third John does not expressly ask Gaius to welcome Demetrius. Neither does it mention a reward for the favor: “Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone — and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him…” (v. 12). Moreover, an analysis of the New Testament (Pauline) letters of recommendation (or recommendation sections in longer epistles) shows that in the instances where the bearer of the letter — or the recommended person(s) — is explicitly named, there is also always an explicit mention of the act of sending or (9) WHITE, Ancient Letters, 194. (10) Translated by WHITE, Ancient Letters, 34-35. (11) See for instance P. Mich. VIII,515 (III CE); P. Phil. 16 (161 CE); P. Oslo II,55 (III CE); BL VII,169.