Gaius
GAIUS (gā'yŭs, Gr. Gaios)
A Macedonian who traveled with Paul on his third missionary journey and was seized in the riot at Ephesus (Acts.19.29).A man of Derbe who was one of those accompanying Paul from Macedonia to Asia (Acts.20.4).A Corinthian whom Paul baptized (1Cor.1.14). Since Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans from Corinth, this may be the same Gaius who was his host “whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy” (Rom.16.23)—either the Christians assembled in his house or they were given lodging there.The addressee of 3 John. A convert of John, he is spoken of as “my dear friend” (3John.1.1-3John.1.15) and is commended for his love and hospitality to traveling preachers of the gospel (3John.1.5-3John.1.8).
caius) (THIRD CENTURY. Roman presbyter and author of a Dialogue in which he maintained a debate with the Montanist Proclus* during the pontificate of Zephyrinus. Proclus defended the prophesying of his sect by referring to Philip's prophesying daughters (Acts 21:9), who were buried with Philip at Hierapolis. Gaius defended the authority of Rome by referring to the tombs of the apostles in the Vatican and on the Via Ostia. Gaius accepted thirteen epistles of Paul, but denied the Pauline authorship of Hebrews. It appears also that he rejected the fourth gospel and the Apocalypse as the work of Cerinthus. Two later Syriac writers, Dionysius Bar-Salibi (twelfth century) and Ebedjesus (fourteenth century), mention a treatise of Hippolytus in which he defends the apostolic authorship of these works against Gaius. Eusebius may not have been aware of Gaius's attitude toward these works, as he calls him a “churchman,” a title usually reserved for the orthodox.
GAIUS gā’ yəs (Γάϊος, G1127, Gr. form of Lat. Gaius, rejoiced, I am glad). A common name. 1. A Macedonian Christian; as Paul’s companions in travel, he and Aristarchus were seized by the mob during the Ephesian riot (Acts 19:29).
2. A Christian of Derbe, one of the group waiting for Paul at Troas (Acts 20:4). They apparently were the delegates from the churches who went with Paul to Jerusalem with the collection. The variant reading Δουβέριος, G1523, in Codex D makes him a Macedonian from Doberius. With this reading he could readily be identified with 1. above.
3. A Christian in Corinth; one of two men whom Paul names as having been baptized by him, contrary to his usual practice (1 Cor 1:14, 17). He doubtless was the same as the Gaius who was Paul’s host when he wrote Romans from Corinth on the third journey (Rom 16:23). That he was host also “to the whole church” implies that the Corinthian church met in his spacious home. Tradition has made him the bishop of Thessalonica. Some would identify him with the Titius Justus of Acts 18:7.
4. The addressee of 3 John. John had a deep affection for him, commended him for his hospitality, and desired his continued support for missionaries being sent out by John. There is no evidence to identify him with any of the above.
Bibliography
E. J. Goodspeed, “Gaius Titius Justus,” JBL, 69 (1950), 382, 383.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915)
(Gaios; Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek, Gaios):
(2) Gaius of Macedonia, a "companion in travel" of Paul (Ac 19:29). He was one of those who were seized by Demetrius and the other silversmiths in the riot at Ephesus, during Paul’s third missionary journey.
(3) Gaius of Derbe, who was among those who accompanied Paul from Greece "as far as Asia," during his third missionary journey (Ac 20:4). In the corresponding list given in the "Contendings of Paul" (compare Budge, Contendings of the Twelve Apostles, II, 592), the name of this Gaius is given as "Gallius."
(4) Gaius, the host of Paul when he wrote the Epistle to the Roman, and who joined in sending his salutations (Ro 16:23). As Paul wrote this epistle from Corinth, it is probable that this Gaius is identical with (5).
(5) Gaius, whom Paul baptized at Corinth (1Co 1:14).