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3:1 And unto the angel of the
church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of
God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou
livest, and art dead.
Sardis was a city located about 50 miles east of Smyrna. It was about two
miles south of the River Hermus, just below mount Tmolus.1
“It was a wealthy trading center on the routes between the Aegean Sea and the
interior. Its strong citadel was destroyed by the Cimmerians in the 7th
century B.C., but the town recovered and flourished, becoming the luxurious
capital of the proverbially rich Croesus. In 546 it was captured by Cyrus,
the Persian king, who incorporated Lydia into his realm. The acropolis was
burned in 510 B.C. by the Greeks, and it was in Sardis that Xerxes prepared
his invasion of Greece (480). The city was taken by Antiochus III after a
siege (215-213 B.C.). Under the Romans, Sardis prospered in spite of great
destruction by earthquake in 17 A.D., but after the establishment of
Constantinople (330 A.D.), the trade routes gradually moved away from it.”2
The seven Spirits of God are simply a representation of
God’s Spirit; the number seven denotes the completeness of the Spirit. Jesus
said “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30). Therefore, it is a
necessary conclusion that Christ also has God’s Spirit. As a
result, we understand the statement “he that hath the seven Spirits of God.”
Jesus has previously explained
the seven stars to be the Seven Churches in Asia to whom these letters are
addressed. As with the first four churches, He begins His comments with the
general term “I know thy works.” But this time the context will show
this to be a term of disapproval. With the previous letters He has always
begun by praising the churches for their good works. The reason He does not
do so here is that they did not have any good works!
“Thou hast a name that thou livest.” They professed themselves to be
Christians and wore the name, but he told them they were dead. They might
have called themselves Christians, but in reality they were no better than
the Jews Christ so often criticized for
their hypocrisy during His earthly ministry. “Woe unto you, scribes and
Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed
appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all
uncleanness” (Matthew 23:27). God does not judge men based on their
outward appearance of sincerity, but rather the intent of their heart. “God
is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth” (John 4:24).
The church at Sardis was like so many today who call themselves
Christians without really considering what the name means. Christian
literally means “Christ like.” So to deserve the name of Christian,
someone must try to have the same attitudes and behaviors as Christ.
Unfortunately, men have established so many denominations that have left
behind the true teachings and principles espoused by the Savior. They are
just as Paul described the Jews. “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according
to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the
righteousness of God” (Romans 10:2-3). All of the good intentions and
hard work is useless unless it is done in accordance with God’s wishes.
3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to
die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
The Church at Sardis was in bad shape, but there were
still a few good things about them. Even the most wayward denomination, if
just by accident, will be doing some things the way God wants. These few
things will not make these people acceptable to God, but if they decide to
repent, these things will not have to be changed. Christ told them to be watchful
and pay attention to those good things because they were ready to die also. “I
have not found thy works perfect before God” is just a blanket statement
showing widespread error in the Church. As a whole, the Church was very corrupt
and unrighteous.
3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast,
and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a
thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
Christ now exhorts the Church at Sardis to remember the
gospel that they had received and return to it. It seems they were like those
at Galatia whom Paul rebuked sharply. “I marvel that ye are so
soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would
pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him
be accursed. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but
by the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Galatians 1:6-8, 12). Despite
Paul’s warning, some still choose to deviate from God’s word and chart their
own path.
Christ admonishes the Church at Sardis to remember the
original gospel they had “received and heard,” and to hold it fast and
repent. Like Jezebel at Thyatira, Christ is giving this Church space to repent.
However, if they are not careful and do not watch, Christ will come upon them
and execute judgment before they have a chance to repent, and they of course
will be lost eternally. Christ speaks of coming upon them “as a thief.”
This refers to His stealth and unseen approach, not to His character. The
thief comes when he is least expected and catches a person unprepared. Thus
the person suffers great loss. The same warning is given to Sardis. If they
do not rectify their spiritual situation they are in danger of losing their
souls.
3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their
garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
Although the condition of the Church in Sardis was very
desperate, there were still some there who had not “defiled their garments”
with the sin that was so rampant there. The defiled garments represent the
fact that they had gotten themselves ‘dirty’ by participating in sinful
practices. Those who had refrained from the wrong doing remained spotless,
washed by the blood of the lamb (Revelation 1:5). Christians were commanded
to do this by the Apostle Peter. “Wherefore,
beloved, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and
blameless” (II Peter 3:14). Those who do this, Christ says, are worthy. Worthy of
Heaven is what He is speaking of here. Again, white
represents purity and innocence that will be characteristic of Christ and
those who are faithful to him. They will be granted the privilege of walking
with Him eternally in Heaven.
3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I
will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his
name before my Father, and before his angels.
“He that overcometh” is anyone who triumphs over Satan and all of his
efforts to defeat him. Any person who is able, through submitting himself to
the power of God, to overcome Satan will have his name written in the book of
life. If someone does not have their name written in the book of life, then
they will be cast into eternal Hell. “And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). The
implication of Christ’s statement here is that if a person does not ‘overcome’
Satan then they will be lost. Those who do overcome, and are faithful to
Jesus, He will confess before His
Father. Confess is used in the sense of claiming them as His friends and disciples
worthy of Heaven. As Christ says, “Whosoever therefore shall
confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in
heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before
my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33). If a man acknowledges
Christ in his speech and his way of life, then Christ will acknowledge that
man as His disciple before the Father.
The book of life is simply a book that contains the names of those who are
God’s people; those who have been redeemed from among men for their faithful
service to God. The book of life is not a new concept, but can be found even
in the Old Testament. “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to
another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance
was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon
his name” (Malachi 3:16). Christ also spoke of this idea
during His earthly ministry. “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that
the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written
in heaven” (Luke 10:20). It is likewise mentioned in the Hebrew
epistle. “To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written
in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect” (Hebrews 12:23). Much more will be said about this book in
chapter twenty.
3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.
As with all of the other letters, the phrase “He that hath an ear to hear,
let him hear,” is used to close this one. The Church at Sardis was
representative of the Lord’s Church during the period from A.D. 1400 to A.D. 1793.
The summary at the end of this chapter provides further details.
3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things
saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he
that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Philadelphia was “a town on the confines of Lydia
and Phrygia Catacecaumene, 25 miles southeast of Sardis, and built by Attalus
II., king of Pergamos, who died B.C. 138. It was situated on the lower slopes
of Tmolus, and is still represented by a town called Allah-shehr (city of
God). Its elevation is 952 feet above the sea. The original population of
Philadelphia seems to have been Macedonian; but there was, as appears from Rev
3:9 a synagogue of Hellenizing Jews there, as well as a Christian church. (It was the seat of
one of "the seven churches of Asia.") The locality was subject to
constant earthquakes, which in the time of Strabo rendered even the town
walls of Philadelphia unsafe. The expense of reparation was constant, and
hence perhaps the poverty of the members of the church.”3
Philadelphia is the second of two churches that received no
criticisms from Christ in His letter to them; the other was Smyrna. As
with the other letters, Christ states that He is the author of the letter and
then refers to Himself in descriptive terms. Holy and true are certainly
valid terms to describe Him, for there has never been a holier or truer than
He.
The key of David is used as a reference to a prophesy of David concerning the
Messiah who was to come. “I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said
unto me, ‘Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Thou shalt break
them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s
vessel’” (Psalm 2:7, 9). This shows the power that the Messiah would have.
A key also denotes power. For whoever has the key to a locked door, has
control over whatever is behind that door. He has the ultimate power over
what the door conceals, which in this case is salvation, and ultimately
Heaven. “And the key of the house of David will I
lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall
shut, and none shall open” (Isaiah 22:22). This means that the power and
authority of the house of David was to be given to Christ. From the house of David
came all but the first of the legitimate rulers of God’s people. The
culmination of all this was when Christ, the son of David, became “The
blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (I
Timothy 6:15). He was, and still is, the ultimate King of God’s people.
Christ used the power given unto Him to open the door
of salvation to all mankind. Even the Gentiles, who had previously been
regarded as heathens, were welcomed into the fold. Not only was Christ given
the power to open and close doors, He said that He Himself was the door of
salvation. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that entereth not by the
door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief
and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the
sheep.’ Then said Jesus unto them again, ‘Verily,
verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before
me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door:
by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and
find pasture’” (John 10:1-2, 7-9). It is through Christ that
salvation can be found; any other way is a dead end.
“He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.”
When Christ opens or closes a door no man is able to
resist. Christ also opens doors of opportunity for others to use. The Apostle Paul commented several times on
doors that the Lord had opened for Him. “For a great door and effectual is
opened unto me” (I Corinthians 16:9). “Furthermore, when I came to
Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord”
(II Corinthians 2:12). “Withal praying also for us, that God would open
unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ” (Colossians
4:3). An open door symbolizes an opportunity to accomplish something that was
previously unavailable.
3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no
man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and
hast not denied my name.
As with the first five letters, He uses the statement “I know thy works.”
The context here shows it to be a general statement of approval for their
works. The door He had opened before them was a door of opportunity; opportunity
to spread the gospel message to others. As He had pointed out in the previous
verse, He has the power to open doors and then no man will be able to close
them. Here He has opened this door of opportunity and He says it will remain
open for them, regardless of man’s attempts to close it. Certainly, many were
trying to close the door on Christianity during the first three centuries of
the Church.
“Hast a little strength” means that, although they weren’t necessarily
“strong,” they were still able to stand against the opposition arrayed
against them. In contrast, however, to other churches, most notably Thyatira
and Sardis, they kept the word of God. Even though they were not as strong as
they could have been, that was a minor matter, because they were true to the
Bible. “Hast not denied my name” is just another way of saying they
kept His commandments. For to disobey His words, was to deny Him. “And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). In order for something
to be done in His name, it must be according to His will. This implies
keeping his commandments in the Bible, for they are the only way we have to
know His will. The Church at Philadelphia was
adhering to the gospel as it had been delivered to them. They had not sold
out to the corruption around them as had some of their close neighbors.
3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are
Jews, and are not, but do
lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to
know that I have loved thee.
“The synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews” was also mentioned in
connection with the Church at Smyrna. Coincidentally,
this was also the only other “good” Church. It refers to people who were
actually of the Jewish race, but who did not adhere to the laws they professed
to follow. In other words, they are hypocrites. They “say they are Jews, and are not, but do
lie.” They lied when they called themselves Jews because they did not live
as the Jews were supposed to according
to the Law of Moses.
They were the synagogue of Satan because they were actually serving his
purposes. If you are not serving God, then you are serving Satan; there is no
middle ground. “He that is not with me is against me” (Matthew 12:30).
The word for worship means to crouch to or prostrate oneself in homage
according to Strong’s.4 The idea here is that
the hypocritical Jews will be humbled and forced
to bow down before the Christians. He will let the Jews know that he loves the
Christians by blessing them and favoring them over the Jews.
3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee
from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them
that dwell upon the earth.
Because the Church at Philadelphia patiently endured the trials
and tribulations that came upon them, Christ promises to spare them from
the period of time when He would bring great stress and troubles upon the
entire world. The purpose of this upheaval was to test man. “Hour of
temptation,” simply means an indefinite period of time when the Lord will
cause difficulties for the entire world.
3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
take thy crown.
Christ tells them that He will soon return, so it was
necessary for them to remain in the state they were in and not succumb to
their evil surroundings. They were doing things correctly and all they had to
do was continue; there was no need for change. They were told to hold fast so
that they would not lose their crown. The crown represents one who has gained
power and authority; one who has been victorious. “Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of
life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him” (James 1:12). The
crown of life is the symbol of one who has been victorious over Satan, and
has earned eternal life. Thus a crown of life equates to eternal life. They
were told that at the present time they had crowns awaiting them if they are
able to continue on their present course.
“That no man take thy crown.” In reality, no one could take the crown
of life from someone unless they allowed it to be taken. All man can do is
bring harm to the mind and body of another. He cannot damage the spirit,
which is in God’s keeping. So unless a person voluntarily submits to sin, he
cannot lose his crown.
3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and
he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and
the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down
out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
“Him that overcometh” is anyone who triumphs over Satan and all of his
efforts to defeat him. Any person who is able, through submitting himself to
the power of God, to overcome Satan will be made a pillar in the temple of
God. A pillar is something that is established and will not be removed; it is
a vital part of the structure. This signifies that faithful Christians will
become permanent residents of Heaven, never to be shaken from
their home of glory. “He shall go no more out” reemphasizes the idea
that Christians will be in Heaven for eternity; they will never have to leave.
A question often posed is, “can a man who has been saved and is in Heaven,
sin and be cast out just as the angels were?” I do not believe this will
happen. The angels were created in Heaven and had to “prove” themselves there.
Some were found to be unworthy and were cast out. Man, on the other hand, was
placed on another proving ground; the earth. If a man proves himself worthy
here, then I think it is safe to assume that he “has what it takes” to remain
in Heaven.
“I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my
God,...and I will write upon him my new name.” All this means is that
Christians will be marked as God’s. He will put His stamp of ownership upon
them. It’s just like a person putting an identification tag on their luggage
when they travel. They want it to be recognized as their possession,
regardless of who sees it or where it happens to be. Likewise, God will put
His name tag upon Christians to demonstrate His ownership of them.
“New Jerusalem which cometh down
out of heaven from my God,” is a term which refers to Heaven. It is said to come down
out of Heaven in the sense that it will come to the earth to pick up its new
inhabitants. All of this will be discussed in much more detail in chapter twenty-one.
3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches.
As with the first five letters, this phrase is used to close this letter also.
Philadelphia represents the Lord’s Church during the period from 1793
to 1948. This will be elaborated on in the summary following this chapter.
3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God;
Laodicea was “a city called originally Diospolis, city of
Zeus, which was enlarged and improved by Antiochus
II., and named by him Laodicea, after his wife Laodice. It was the chief city
of Phrygia Pacatiana, in Asia Minor, and was situated a little south of
Colossæ and Hierapolis, on the river Lycos, a tributary of the Meander. It
manufactured cloth and garments from the black wool produced by a breed of
sheep in its vicinity; and it was the seat of a medical school, whose
physicians prepared the Phrygian powder for the cure of opthamalia. It
numbered many Jews among its inhabitants.
About the year 65 of the Christian era, Laodicea, Colossæ, and Hierapolis
were destroyed by an earthquake. The citizens rebuilt Laodicea out of their
own resources, without the customary aid form Rome. Its ruins still exist at
a place called Eski Hissar, near Denizlu, about 56 miles east-southeast of
Smyrna.”5
One of the meanings of the word amen is “trustworthy.” This certainly fits
with the two adjectives which follow it: “faithful and true.” No one
has ever been more true and faithful to God than His own Son. He was even willing
to suffer and die for man at His Father’s bidding. “And he said, ‘Abba,
Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me:
nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt’” (Mark 14:36).
“The beginning of the creation of God” has the
same meaning as “The firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15). In
other words, Christ existed before anything else that God created.
We know that He was present at the creation. “In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the
beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any
thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou
wert cold or hot.
3:16 So then because thou art
lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
As with the other six churches, Christ begins His remarks with the
statement “I know thy works.” This signifies his knowledge of all of
their activities, both good and bad. This time they were mostly bad. The Lord
is going to use the illustration of food to relate the condition of the
Church at Laodicea. Most food is meant to be eaten
either hot or cold; some can even be eaten either way. But many things, which
are otherwise very appetizing, become almost repulsive when they are allowed
to become lukewarm; lukewarm meaning barely warm or tepid. If the Church were
hot, it would be zealous, and dedicated, and hardworking. If it were cold, it
would be listless and lifeless, and for the most part, indifferent. Laodicea
was somewhere in between. They weren’t really very active but neither were
they dead. They, like lukewarm food, were repulsive to God. If a person put
food into his mouth and found it to be sickening, the natural course of
action would be to spit it out. This is what the Lord said He would do with
Laodicea.
The intent of saying, “I would thou wert cold or hot,” is not to express
approval for both cold and hot churches. The Lord only approves of those who
are ‘hot,’ anything less will not be accepted. The reason He would rather
have someone cold than lukewarm, is that a cold person is quite easily seen
for what he is; a hypocrite. It would be unlikely for others to follow the
example of a ‘cold’ person. On the other hand, a lukewarm person might be
just good enough to cause others to look up to him, and follow his example. This
type of influence can be very dangerous, for it will hinder those seeking the
truth. Therefore, God would rather see people cold, and fairly harmless, than
lukewarm, and potentially a very dangerous influence.
3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have
need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked:
In the preceding verse, Jesus spoke of the overall
condition of the Laodicean Church, now He gets down to the
root of the problem. As mentioned in the description of the city in verse
fourteen, and again below, Laodicea was a very wealthy place.
“The great trade route from the
Euphrates and the interior passed to it through Apamea. Placed in this
situation, in the centre of a very fertile district, Laodicea became a rich
city. It was famous for its money transactions, and for the beautiful soft
wool grown by the sheep of the country.”6
As a center of banking located on a major trade route, the
amount of money flowing through Laodicea was no doubt quite substantial. It
is no secret that material wealth has a tendency to weaken peoples resolve in
spiritual matters. This explains why they had become somewhat lackadaisical. They
were allowing their material possessions to cause them to feel secure and
trust in themselves, instead of God.
This has always been a problem with mankind. Jesus
told the rich young ruler to sell all of his worldly possessions and give the
proceeds to the poor, but this was apparently too much to ask, for he went
away sorrowful. (Luke 18:22-23). In his parable of the sower, Christ spoke of people who would
allow material possessions to overwhelm them. “He also that received seed
among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and
the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful” (Matthew
13:22). The Apostle Paul pointed out that “They
that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and
hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of
money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have
erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I
Timothy 6:9-10).
The Laodicean Church felt that they had everything they needed, and
materially they were correct. But they were not “Looking for and hasting
unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.” (II Peter
3:12). If they were, then they would have been more concerned about their
spiritual condition, and this is where they were found so lacking. When
Christ says they were poor, He means they were poor
spiritually. They had laid up treasure on earth, rather that in Heaven, contrary to the teaching
of Jesus in Matthew 6:19-20. “Wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” are all just terms denoting
their desperate spiritual condition.
Laodicea was just the opposite of Smyrna. Christ said of them, “I know
thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but
are the synagogue of Satan” (Revelation 2:9). They had been deprived of
their material possessions because of the severe persecutions brought against
them. This caused these people to be strong and resolute in their defense of
the faith. In contrast, Laodicea represents a condition of ease and plenty. It
caused these people to be weak and lazy in their defense of the faith.
3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest
be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame
of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that
thou mayest see.
Having told the Laodicean Church what their problem is, in
the previous verse, Jesus turns His attention to
telling them what they need to do to correct the problem. The entire solution
boils down to a single statement made by the Apostle Paul. “Set your affection on
things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).
Gold tried with fire signifies that it has been tested to remove all
impurities, only then its true value is known. But the gold they had would
not stand the fires of the judgment, therefore they needed to seek after ‘spiritual’
gold. “White raiment” signifies one who is pure, and holy, and
righteous. The clothing they presently had was stained with the sins of the
world, and was therefore unacceptable. They needed clothing washed white in
the blood of the Lamb. The eyesalve would correct their spiritual blindness.
“The deceitfulness of riches,...entering in, choke the word, and it
becometh unfruitful” (Mark 4:19). They had been deceived by their wealth
and were blind to their true poverty. They had been blinded by the “god of
this world” (II Corinthians 4:4).
All three of these items also have a direct relationship
to the prosperity of the city. The three main businesses in Laodicea were
banking, wool, and medicine. Money in those days consisted of coins, the most
valuable of which were made of gold. As a center of banking there is no doubt
that a large amount of gold flowed through the city. Christ warns them, however, that
thrusting in this gold is foolish and will lead to their eventual ruin. The
city was also famous for its black wool, but again Jesus
warns them not to trust in this enterprise because this clothing will not
protect them in the final day. The third major business was the manufacture
of an ointment that the initial description of the city said was for
“opthamalia.” This “is a name for severe diseases affecting the eye
membranes. These diseases may be caused by infections, poisons, or injuries.
Sympathetic opthamalia spreads to both eyes after an injury to one eye and
often leads to blindness.”7 The Laodiceans were
renowned for their ability to help save other’s sight, yet Jesus
warns them that they cannot themselves see straight. This is very similar to
the warning Christ gave in His Sermon on the Mount. “And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but
considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to
thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam
is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own
eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy
brother's eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent.
Although the Laodicean Church was seriously lacking,
Jesus had not abandoned them. He
expressed His love for them and His continued willingness to try to help them
resolve their problems. But He exhorts them to become zealous, or heat up
from their present lukewarm condition, and repent of their past mistakes. As
long as the Lord has hope for someone He will continue attempting to correct
them. “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with
sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without
chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons”
(Hebrews 12:6-8).
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
After telling of His willingness to accept the errant Laodicean Church back into the fold, if they
will repent, Jesus broadens His invitation to
include all men. The Apostle Peter told us that “The
Lord is not...willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance” (II Peter 3:9). Here He pictures Himself as continually
knocking on a door. If anyone ever wants another chance, He’s there waiting
and willing to reconcile. The entire decision rests with each individual
person, for the door He is knocking on is the heart of men. Jesus
made His decision when He died on the cross, now all that is left is for men
to decide whether to accept or refuse His offer of salvation. If someone will
open the door of his heart to Christ, He will come in and show
him what he must do. He will sup with him, which means He will have
fellowship and communion with him.
In this verse we see a message of hope for the
procrastinator and the backslider; Christ is always ready to accept
the repentant at heart. However, this verse also has a less optimistic
message, shedding more light on the dismal condition of the Laodicean church.
In Chapter one Christ is seen standing among the seven golden candlesticks,
which represent the seven churches (verse 13). Here He is no longer seen on
the inside, but has been shut out and is knocking hoping to regain admittance
to the hearts and minds of these lukewarm people. They have become so
worldly-minded that they have forgotten about the Savior who died for them.
In reaping the temporal blessings God had given to them, they neglected to
heed His advice. “Go to now, ye that
say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a
year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on
the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a
little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord
will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:13-15).
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even
as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
“Him that overcometh” is anyone who triumphs over Satan and all of his
efforts to defeat him. Any person who is able, through submitting themselves
to the power of God, to overcome Satan will earn the right to sit with Christ in His throne. Sitting in
Christ’s throne will show triumph over Satan, and will show the person to be
reigning with Christ in His kingdom. Jesus will reward His disciples
with things beyond anything the Laodiceans could have ever imagined, let
alone possessed.
But Christians should not look to possess such wealth or authority here on
the earth; the reward of Christians is in Heaven. This reward will come as a
result of their “overcoming,” just as Christ also overcame. So He likens
successful Christians to Himself in this manner. “For if we have been
planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the
likeness of his resurrection” (Romans 6:5). As Christ was glorified and
exalted upon His resurrection from the dead, so also will Christians receive
like treatment at their resurrection. They will be treated like kings. Christ
was able to defeat Satan’s best attempts to bring Him down, and He now sits
victorious on the right hand of God. “Who is gone into heaven, and is on
the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject
unto him” (I Peter 3:22).
3:22 He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
At the close of this, the last of the seven letters, we see the pattern still
holds. The phrase “He that hath an ear, let him hear,” concludes this
letter, as it does all the rest. The Church at Laodicea is synonymous
with the Lord’s Church during the period from A.D. 1948 until the end of the
world. The summary immediately following will provide further details.
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