To the Church in Sardis, 1-6

3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write the following:”

“Sardis” – A prosperous commercial centre, but at this time somewhat in decline.  The church there was in decline too.  ‘The catchwords of their earlier better days were still remembered; they knew the right words and phrases – but it was all a hollow sham.’ (Bewes)

“This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.”

“You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead” – ‘To be a Christian is the great thing, not to seem one.’ (Jerome)

3:2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.

“Remember…repent” – There is a way back from spiritual torpor:

‘It is the way taken by the Prodigal Son of our Lord’s parable.  Remember…repent.  Can you remember those early days of enthusiasm for the things of God, for the Chruch, for prayer and the Bible?  Let the memory trigger you into turning around in repentance.  It means a U-turn.’ (Bewes)

“If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief” – The Acropolis of Sardis, being built on a spur of rock, was thought to be impregnable:

‘When Cyrus was besieging it, he offered a special reward to any who could find a way in. A certain soldier, Hyeroeades by name, was watching one day and saw a soldier in the Sardian garrison drop his helmet accidentally over the battlements. He saw him climb down after it and marked his path. That night he led a band up the cliffs by that very path and when they reached the top they found it quite unguarded; so they entered in and captured the citadel, which had been counted too safe. Life is a chancy business; we must be ever on the watch.’ (DSB)

3:4 But you have a few individuals in Sardis who have not stained their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. 3:5 The one who conquers will be dressed like them in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels. 3:6 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

“I will never erase his name from the book of life” – Marshall (New Testament Theology) recognises that in Revelation there is a clear division of people into two groups – the followers of the Lamb and the followers of satanic forces.  On the one hand, the followers of the Lamb are sealed by God; their names are written in the book of life (Rev 13:8; 17:8) from the very beginning.  On the other hand, the boundaries between these two groups are not fixed: the ungodly are urged to repent, and believers are warned not to give way to apostasy.  Thus, Marshall concludes:

‘we have the familiar New Testament tension between calls to persevere and assurances of divine protection that should not be smoothed out in favor of guaranteed perseverance or timid uncertainty.’

To the Church in Philadelphia, 7-13

3:7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following:

“The church in Philadelphia” – ‘Philadelphia housed temples of Artemis, Helios, Zeus, Dionysus and Aphrodite. A third-century inscription from the Jewish synagogue there has been recovered. The church in Philadelphia, like the church in Smyrna, had apparently been expelled from the Jewish community; the background resembles that for the Fourth Gospel.’ (NT Background Commentary)

‘In 1681, a London widow named Jane Lead took over the Philadelphian Society, a mystical, millenarian group that regarded itself as “the Germ of the commencement of the sole true Church, Virgin Bride of Jesus Christ, whose members, dispersed among the diverse Religions of the World, are soon to appear and unite with them, in order to form this pure and holy Church, such as the church of Philadelphia was at the birth of Christianity” (Schwartz 1980:4648). Even today there are preachers who regard the seven churches in Revelation as a kind of chronological portrait of the Christian church through the centuries. They seize upon the church at Philadelphia as a model for the true church-usually their own small but faithful congregation, in contrast to the mainstream but apostate “church at Laodicea”!’ (IVP Commentary)

“This is the solemn pronouncement of the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open:”

“The key of David” – Only Eliakim, chief steward, could admit people into the presence of King Hezekiah (Isa 22:22).  Similarly, Jesus alone has authority to admit people into the presence of God.

Jewish Christians may have been excluded from the synagogue, but Jesus, who rules over the house of David, acknowledges them as his own.

3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut.) I know that you have little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name.

“An open door” – This is suggestive of opportunity.

‘Unless this statement refers to free entrance into the messianic kingdom (after having been excommunicated from the local synagogue, Rev 3:9), it may mean that Christ opens up a good opportunity for missionary activity (cf. 1 Cor 16:9) even though the church has “little power” and has to endure conflict, perhaps referring to the strategic location at the juncture of trade routes leading to Mysia, Lydia and Phrygia. The two interpretations are not mutually exclusive.’ (DLNT)

‘Preachers who claim this promise for their congregations tend to interpret the open door as a door to mission or evangelism, as in Acts 14:27. W. M. Ramsay (1904:391-400) called Philadelphia a “missionary city” because of its strategic location for the spread of Greek culture eastward into Lydia and Phrygia. Yet the open door in the message to Philadelphia is more likely a door into heaven (see 4:1) or into the temple of God or into the new Jerusalem (see Rev 3:12) than a door for evangelism. The open door is simply a guarantee of salvation or eternal life, like the promises to the “overcomers” in all seven messages. Another way of saying it is that I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.’ (Rev 3:10) (IVP Commentary)

3:9 Listen! I am going to make those people from the synagogue of Satan—who say they are Jews yet are not, but are lying—Look, I will make them come and bow down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

“The synagogue of Satan” – See the similar words in the message to Smyrna, Rev 2:9.

“Those…who claim to be Jews thought they are not” – They are ethnic Jews, but they are not true Jews because they do not believe in the Jewish Messiah.

Rom 2:28f – ‘For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart by the Spirit and not by the written code. This person’s praise is not from people but from God.’

‘From the reference to the “synagogue of Satan” in Rev 3:9 we should probably infer persecution, as the fuller context suggests: “I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you.” (Rev 3:8-9) This assurance strongly implies that the Christians understood themselves as the true Jews. What we have here is an intramural controversy involving Christian Jews and non-Christian Jews, with the former claiming to be the righteous remnant, the twelve thousand preserved from each of the twelve tribes. (Rev 7:4-8; 14:1-3) The non-Christian Jews were stronger (probably in social and political standing, as well as in numbers) and were persecuting those who had believed the Christian message. These Christian Jews, who “have but little power,” regarded their persecutors as not really Jews but apostates.’ (DLNT)

“I will make them come and fall down at your feet” – ‘It is to the church that all, Jews included, must ultimately make their submission, for Christ is in it.’ (Morris)

3:10 Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

Bill Mounce renders the verse as follows:

“Because you have kept (ἐτήρησας) my word about patient endurance, I also will keep (τηρήσω) you from (ἐκ) the hour of testing that is coming upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”

Some people take τηρήσω ἐκ to mean ‘take or snatch away’, using it to support their doctrine of a pre-tribulation rapture.  In this case, the church will be removed from the world before the hour of testing.

Mounce responds:

• While τηρέω has a range of meanings (according to BDAG: keep watch over, guard; keep, hold, reserve, preserve; observe, fulfill, pay attention to), its semantic range does not include ‘to snatch or take away’.
• There is a play on words: “Because you have kept (ἐτήρησας) my word … I also will keep (τηρήσω) you.”  The first instance of the of the verb cannot mean ‘to snatch or take away’, making it highly unlikely that the second instance would have that meaning.
• No major translation conveys the idea of ‘to snatch or take away’ (they all have ‘keep’ or ‘protect’).
• It is not reasonable to suppose that only members of the church in Philadelphia would be raptured.

Mounce concludes:

‘if you are going to make a point based on Greek, make sure you know Greek, a major commentary agrees with you, and your interpretation is not unique among translations.’

3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown. 3:12 The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never depart from it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God), and my new name as well. 3:13 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

‘Trench makes a list of people in the Bible who lost their place to someone else because they had shown that they were not fit to hold it:

• Esau lost his place to Jacob (Gen 25:34; Gen 27:36).
• Reuben, unstable as water, lost his place to Judah (Gen 49:4, 8).
• Saul lost his place to David (1 Sam 16:1, 1 Sam 16:13).
• Shebna lost his place to Eliakim (Isa 22:15-25).
• Joab and Abiathar lost their places to Benaiah and Zadok (1 Ki 2:25).
• Judas lost his place to Matthias (Ac 1:25-26).
• The Jews lost their place to the Gentiles (Rom 11:11).’

(DSB, bulleting added)

Pillar – Symbolic of permanence, a quality which, in a city of earthquakes such a Philadelphia, would have been highly valued.

“My new name” – This is

‘Christ’s own new name—not that of the overcomer [cp. Rev 2:17]. It symbolizes the full revelation of Christ’s character that awaits the second advent (cf. Rev. 19:12). Like the new commandment, which is really an old commandment newly understood (1 Jn. 2:7f), so Christ’s new name is in reality His former name(s) newly understood in the light of the freshness of His resurrection and return.’ (G.W. Hawthorne, ISBE [2nd ed.]. art. ‘Name’)

To the Church in Laodicea, 14-22

3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following:”

‘Laodicea became important only in Roman times. It was capital of the Cibryatic convention, which included at least twenty-five towns. It was also the wealthiest Phrygian city, and especially prosperous in this period. It was ten miles west of Colosse and six miles south of Hierapolis. Zeus was the city’s patron deity, but Laodiceans also had temples for Apollo, Asclepius (the healing deity), Hades, Hera, Athena, Serapis, Dionysus and other deities. Many Jewish people lived in Phrygia.’ (NT Background Commentary)

“This is the solemn pronouncement of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation:”

The Amen – Jesus Christ is the affirmation of God’s truth.

The originator of God’s creation – arche – ‘beginning’, ‘ruler’ or ‘originator’.  Lit. ‘the first’ (i.e. the first in rank, rather than in time); just as the Roman emperor was given the title of ‘the first’ (among Roman citizens).

AV, NASB: ‘the beginning of the creation of God.’
RSV, ESV: ‘the beginning of God’s creation’
NRSV: ‘the origin of God’s creation’
NLT: ‘the beginning of God’s new creation’
NIV: ‘the ruler of God’s creation’
Aune: ‘the Origin of the creation of God’

Jehovah’s Witnesses appeal to this verse in support of the belief that ‘Jesus was created by God as the beginning of God’s invisible creations’.  In doing so, they are repeating the old error of Arianism.  This interpretation relies on a certain understanding of arche, a word which carries a range of meaning.  Such a reading would bring this verse into conflict with Jn 1:3, which states that all things were created by Jesus.  Consistent with the overall witness of the NT, we should understand this expression as meaning that Christ is the origin or ruler either of the original creation, or of the new creation.

Apologetics Study Bible for Students:

‘In the New World Translation (NWT) of the Bible, published by the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JWs), this verse reads “the beginning of the creation by God.” Thus, JWs teach that Jesus was created by Jehovah and that Jesus then created everything else (see Col 1:15). If this is so, it would be wrong to say that Jesus is God, for no creature can be God. The Greek word translated as “beginning” in the NWT can also mean “ruler” or, as the CSB puts it, “originator.” Interpreters must decide which of these meanings is intended by looking at the context, which includes the rest of John’s writings as well as the whole Bible. When you do this it becomes clear that the NWT has mistranslated Revelation 3:14. For instance, John himself elsewhere said of Jesus, “All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created” (Jn 1:3). If not one created thing was created apart from Jesus’s work, then of course Jesus himself cannot be a created being.’

Patterson:

‘Even if the verse is translated as the Authorized Version has rendered it, the emphasis is not on the beginning of the Christ but on the beginning of everything else in Christ. Clearly he is God’s agent in creation, and this is consistent with what is said by the apostle John, “Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3).’

Beale:

‘Christ as the beginning of God’s creation refers here not to the events surrounding the world’s creation and foundation but to the resurrection, the new creation expected in the latter days, in the same way as Paul describes Christ as “the beginning, the first-born from the dead” in Col. 1:18.’ (Shorter Commentary)

Mounce:

‘The Arian meaning, “the first thing created,” is at variance with the Colossian passage that declares that “by him and for him” all things were created (Col 1:16).’

Schreiner (ESVEC):

‘In declaring Jesus the “beginning of God’s creation,” John doesn’t mean Jesus was created by God or was a creature. Such a conclusion would contradict the many statements of Jesus’ divinity in the letter. Instead, the point is that Jesus, as the “faithful witness,” was the “firstborn of the dead” (Rev. 1:5). By his resurrection he is the beginning of God’s new creation. Colossians 1:18 points us in the same direction, declaring Jesus to be the “beginning, the firstborn from the dead.” “Beginning” (archē) in Colossians 1:18 is the same term found in Revelation 3:14. In both instances, the point is that Jesus is the beginning of the new creation as the resurrected and exalted Lord. Such an affirmation does not deny or contradict that as the Son of God he is the eternal one, without beginning or end (cf. Rev. 22:13).’

Morris:

‘There are a number of resemblances in Colossians (which Paul had directed to be read in Laodicea, Col. 4:16) to expressions in this letter. It is a reasonable conclusion that the Laodicean church had copied and treasured Colossians and that John is appealing to their knowledge of it.’

Gundry:

‘Jesus…calls himself “the beginning of God’s creation,” not in the sense that God created him first (for he is the beginning [22:13] and as the Word already was in the beginning [John 1:1]), but in the sense that as God’s agent in creation he began it (compare John 1:3: “All things came into existence through him”).’

Ladd:

‘This phrase in itself is capable of two translations: the “beginning” of creation, or the “source and origin” of creation. The latter is quite certainly the correct meaning, for John clearly regards Christ as eternal. He is the first and the last, the Alpha and the Omega (1:17f.; 2:8; 21:6; 22:13); he is the transcendent one above all creation. The same idea appears in Paul’s letter to the Colossians; Christ is the firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15).’

3:15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot! 3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth! 3:17 Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked, 3:18 take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich!’

This saying by the risen Lord Jesus is often understood to imply that out-and-out resistance to the gospel (‘cold’) is better than mere indifference (‘lukewarm’).  But this is probably incorrect: in context, both ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ are useful, whereas ‘lukewarm’ is indeed good for nothing.

‘The point of the rebuke is not lack of zeal or enthusiasm. If it were, “lukewarm” would at least have been better than “cold”! The point is rather the utter worthlessness of what the congregation has done and is doing.’ (IVP Commentary)

Note the danger of self-delusion. What we think of ourselves, and what Christ thinks of us, may be very different.

“I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” – The Roman historian Tacitus writes that when it fell victim to a major earthquake in AD60, it refused an offer of aid from emperor Nero!

‘Laodicea was situated on the bank of the River Lycus. Its position at the junction of three imperial roads traversing Asia Minor favoured its development as a wealthy commercial and administrative centre. Three facts known throughout the Roman world about the city throw light on this letter: it was a banking centre, whose banks even Cicero recommended for exchanging money; it manufactured clothing and woollen carpets, made especially from the glossy black wool of sheep reared locally; and it had a medical school and produced medicines, notably an eye ointment made from a pulverized rock in the area. The stern characterization of the church’s spiritual life (17) and the call for its repentance (18) are both couched in terms of these three activities of the city.’ (NBC)

‘[1.] They were poor, really poor, when they said and thought they were rich; they had no provision for their souls to live upon; their souls were starving in the midst of their abundance; they were vastly in debt to the justice of God, and had nothing to pay off the least part of the debt.

[2.] They were blind; they could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger; they could not see into themselves; they could not look before them; they were blind, and yet they thought they saw; the very light that was in them was darkness, and then how great must that darkness be! They could not see Christ, though evidently set forth, and crucified, before their eyes. They could not see God by faith, though always present in them. They could not see death, though it was just before them. They could not look into eternity, though they stood upon the very brink of it continually.

[3.] They were naked, without clothing and without house and harbour for their souls. They were without clothing, had neither the garment of justification nor that of sanctification. Their nakedness both of guilt and pollution had no covering. They lay always exposed to sin and shame. Their righteousnesses were but filthy rags; they were rags, and would not cover them, filthy rags, and would defile them. And they were naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, and he has been the dwelling-place of his people in all ages; in him alone the soul of man can find rest, and safety, and all suitable accommodations. The riches of the body will not enrich the soul; the sight of the body will not enlighten the soul; the most convenient house for the body will not afford rest nor safety to the soul. The soul is a different thing from the body, and must have accommodation suitable to its nature, or else in the midst of bodily prosperity it will be wretched and miserable.’ (MHC, paragraphing and emphasis added)

‘Billy Graham tells the story of how he and his wife were once invited to the home of some wealthy socialites. They had gathered together a large group of their neighboring vacationers for a party, and asked me if I would say a few words. I explained the gospel simply and briefly, reminding them that pleasure and possessions are not lasting — that only the person who knows Jesus Christ as Savior can know true happiness. As I concluded, one attractive woman known for her casual morals and high life style, young and smartly dressed, laughed gaily. “But, Billy,” she protested, “What about those of us who are perfectly happy?” From God’s point of view, that woman was spiritually wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked, as the years ahead were soon to prove. Christ says to people like her as well, “Repent!”’ – Billy Graham, Approaching Hoofbeats, p. 47.

‘Laodicea was a prosperous banking center; proud of its wealth, it refused Roman disaster relief after the earthquake of A.D. 60, rebuilding from its own resources. It was also known for its textiles (especially wool) and for its medical school and production of ear medicine and undoubtedly the highly reputed Phrygian eye salve. Everything in which Laodicea could have confidence outwardly, its church, which reflected its culture, lacked spiritually. Although Greeks did not share Palestinian Jews’ moral abhorrence of nudity, everyone except Cynic sages agreed that the lack of clothing described here, that of poverty (here spiritual), was undesirable. Phrygian “eye salve” (KJV, NASB) was apparently not an ointment per se but was probably powdered and smeared on to the eyelids (contrast Tobit 6:8). On white garments cf. Revelation 3:4; here it may be a stark contrast with Laodicea’s famous “black wool.”’ (NT Background Commentary)

The remedies mentioned relate to the last three maladies mentioned in v17 – poor, blind, naked.

“I counsel you” – The Lord Jesus continues to give good counsel to those who have turned their backs on him.

‘Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see! 3:19 All those I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent!’

“Buy” – Strange instruction to those who are poor! But see Isa 55:1 (“Buy…without money and without cost”).

3:20 Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me. 3:21 I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 3:22 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

TNIV translates:

‘I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me.’

It has been noted that

‘The TNIV mistranslates the masculine singular pronoun autos, substituting plural pronouns, thus losing the teaching that Jesus has fellowship with the individual believer. This type of change was made frequently (e.g., Luke 9:23, John 14:23, Romans 14:7).’

This objection is weakened, however, by that translation’s insertion of ‘anyone’.

The combination of knocking at the door and hearing the voice reflects the ancient practice of

‘both knocking on the door and calling out to announce one’s presence and ask for hospitality.’ (Ian Paul)

The NET version emphasises the individual nature of the invitation.

Beasley-Murray notes that this invitation is given,

‘not to the church as a whole, as though Christ was outside the church (which would require, ‘If the church will hear my voice … I will go in and eat with them, and they with me’), but to each individual within it, conveying the offer of the risen Lord to share with any who will open the door of fellowship in even the commonest activities of life.’

[su_pullquoteWhen no-one answered the front door, the vicar, knowing that somebody was at home, left his visiting-card with the scripture Revelation 3:20 on the back: ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in.’  Next Sunday when people were leaving the church, a lady handed him her own card on which she had written: ‘Genesis 3:10 – I heard the sound of thee in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and hid myself.’[/su_pullquote]

Although the letter to the Laodiceans is addressed to a church, it is a church which is only marginally Christian. This beautiful invitation is also a powerful indictment of any congregation which in its pretended self-sufficiency is actually Christless. Note, however, that the words of this verse are addressed to individuals within the church (“If anyone…”).