Who Was Gaius in the Bible?

The name Gaius comes from the Latin, probably the verb “gaudere,” which means “to rejoice” or “be glad.” The name connects with happiness or joy, appropriate for Christianity. Romans used the name Gaius frequently, and popular people like Gaius Julius Caesar had the name. 

In the New Testament, several men named Gaius appear, and each played a role in the early church.

First, Paul talks about a Gaius hosting a church in Romans 16:23: “Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings.” This Gaius lived in the city of Corinth and provided some place for Paul and the church to gather. Paul also mentions Gaius as a man he personally baptized. “I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius” (1 Corinthians 1:14). Paul addressed division within the church at Corinth when people were identifying with different leaders, particularly himself and Apollos, a Jew and a Gentile, respectively. Paul wanted their identity to be in Christ alone, not a human leader, and he didn’t even claim to baptize many disciples in Corinth. However, Gaius was one, maybe an early convert. Gaius, a Roman, likely used his home for the church to meet, supporting the faith community. 

Second, Paul also had a traveling companion named Gaius. Acts 19:29 mentions him as a Macedonian who went along with Paul on a missionary journey. In one city, a silversmith named Demetrius incited a riot against Paul due to his preaching the Gospel. The resulting mob grabbed Gaius and another believer, Aristarchus: “Soon the city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together.” 

Since the mob seized Gaius, it suggests they recognized his activity and support for Paul’s missionary efforts to make disciples and start a church. The Bible doesn’t mention what happened to him after the riot, however. 

The third Gaius came from Derbe in Asia Minor, another person traveling with Paul. Acts 20:4 says, “He was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea, Aristarchus and Secudus from Thessalonica, Gaius from Derbe, Timothy also, and Tychicus and Trophimus from the province of Asia.” In this case, a man named Gaius traveled with a group accompanying Paul when he returned to Jerusalem. The mention of Derbe as a hometown distinguishes him from the Macedonian. 

Fourth, the Apostle John writes his third letter to a man named Gaius. The short letter begins, “To my dear friend Gaius, whom I love in the truth.” This Gaius was probably a respected leader in the church. John continues to mention Gaius’ faithfulness and hosting other Christians and missionaries. The apostle praises Gaius for living according to the truth, contrasting him with Diotrephes, someone who rejected apostolic authority. 

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Paul rarely traveled or ministered alone. God first called him and Barnabas for the first missionary trip, and they took a young man, Mark, with them (another common name for the day with several in the New Testament). Paul seems to have used this calling as a model for his subsequent journeys. Companions like Timothy, Luke, Silas, and Gaius helped him travel through dangerous areas, providing protection from bandits and other dangers as they traveled together. They also became eyewitnesses, teaching and ministering to new converts. Paul trained these men for ministry, counting them as fellows and peers in his apostolic call, as Jesus modeled in training disciples before he left the earth.

As another practical note, Paul brought Gentile disciples along with him to preach the Gospel to Gentiles. Seeing those from Roman society following Jesus, not just a Jew alone would have been important for Gentiles to see and understand how the Gospel of the Jewish Messiah included everyone. This was unique since people associated the gods of the ancient world with places and people groups. Paul preached a Good News from a God who ruled over and loved all through this Jewish Messiah. Having a diverse group of traveling companions working in love and unity would have been provocative and mind-blowing.

The early church lived as a community rather than individuals acting alone. Jesus commanded his followers to love each other as he loved them, and the early church practiced this through sharing resources and supporting one another. A single believer can bear witness to Christ, but a community of believers demonstrates his love in action, a practical and tangible application of the “one another” commands. Such a community, even one of two or three, reveals heaven on earth, Christ and the Spirit active and working in love. The church wasn’t a place but a people, so these traveling missionaries brought the church to people as an example of living the Gospel. 

The first churches met in homes because they didn’t have any church buildings. While the Christians declared the Jewish Messiah, the local synagogues would reject the Gospel, throwing Paul and others out. Hosting church in a home gave the opportunity for deep relationships among believers, and the Gospel could spread quickly and organically, not dependent upon building a new building each time. 

Roman persecution made public church buildings impractical. Christians encountered opposition from both Jewish leaders and the Roman government. Meeting in homes allowed the churches to avoid unwanted attention and empowered them to quickly move if they needed to. House churches also expressed the Christian belief that the church wasn’t the physical place (like the Temple) but the body of believers. 

These men, called Gaius, contributed to both of these roles: as traveling companions with Paul and hosting churches in their homes.  

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Scholars believe the Gaius in Corinth was a wealthy man, like a patron who provided resources for the church. Gaius’ ability to host implies he had a big house and the finances to have one. Some church traditions connect Gaius of Corinth with the bishop of Thessalonica or Ephesus, although there’s no direct biblical evidence of this. Later traditions list him as a church leader. Since he and Crispus are mentioned together, scholars speculate they had leadership roles. 

For Gaius of Macedonia, some traditions say he continued working as a missionary with Paul. If he had died in the Ephesian riot of Acts 19, such a dramatic act would have likely been mentioned. The Macedonian churches served important roles as major early churches, especially Philippi, Thessalonica, and Barea, and this Gaius came from that area. Paul notes how the Macedonians were especially generous (2 Corinthians 8:1-5), so perhaps this Gaius also financially supported or helped fund Paul’s ministry.

Regarding Gaius of Derbe in Acts 20, scholars think he was an early convert from Paul’s mission trip in Asia Minor during his first missionary journey with Barnabas (Acts 14:20-21), and he later joined the traveling team. Like Gaius of Corinth, traditions claim the one from Derbe also became a bishop, but there’s no further evidence as to what city. Since Paul’s letters don’t mention him beyond Acts, his life remains a mystery. 

Finally, for the Gaius of 3 John, scholars debate where he lived, but many believe it was in Asia Minor, probably Ephesus since John had a great deal of influence in that city. Early church traditions claim Gaius served as bishop in Pergamum or Ephesus. Some say he was one of the seventy disciples sent out by Jesus in Luke 10, but we don’t have any real evidence of this.

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Even though the Bible only briefly mentions each of these men, we can learn important lessons from them. 

These men had the same name but lived in different regions. They played important roles, and as Gentiles, they helped preach the Gospel among their own people. We recognize how Paul quickly began including Gentile believers in his ministry to the Gentiles. Therefore, we should use this model in all evangelism and missionary efforts, raising up leaders and ministers among people to share the Gospel in different cultures in a way that resonates with their people.

Gaius of Corinth shows us how we can use the power of hospitality. Hospitality goes beyond having people in our house. It includes creating a space and an environment where people experience God’s love. We can open our home for general fellowship and meals with people or Bible studies, small groups, or to gather for times of service. Some people host missionaries or traveling ministers, all reflecting the same heart as Gaius of Corinth. 

Looking at Gaius of Macedonia, we see how we should remain faithful to the Gospel, even when facing radical resistance. Like Gaius, we might encounter rejection, criticism, or (in some places) violent persecution for following Christ. Instead of retreating or being intimidated, we trust God’s strength and live out our faith, knowing he is worth it. Jesus taught that his followers would face persecution and trouble, and Christians today experience this still. Whatever our context, we should speak truth in love, even when it’s unpopular. 

Gaius of Derbe traveled with Paul to encourage churches. All Christians should participate in spreading the Good News of Jesus, as Christ himself taught in the Great Commission, to make disciples of all nations. While God doesn’t call everyone to travel, every believer has a role to support evangelism and missions, and we can all share our own God story and serve in the local church. Countless ways exist to get involved with evangelism and discipleship, using our resources, talents, and spiritual gifts. The Bible calls us all to be active participants, not spectators. 

Finally, the apostle John writes to Gaius and praised his faithfulness in living the truth. God hasn’t called us to simply know the academics of the truth but to have it transform our lives in how we act and love others. Like Gaius, we should remain faithful to the truth in word and action, developing a reputation for being the kind of people who live according to the Word of God. 

These four men called Gaius give us a broad and insightful view of Christian life in the days of Acts and further instruct us how we can live according to the truth today. 

Peace. 

Photo Credit: “Paul Preaching in the Areopagus” by Raphael/Public Domain