VERSE 1 "To the messenger of the church in Sardis write (Kai. tw/| avgge,lw| th/j evn Sa,rdesin evkklhsi,aj gra,yon [conj kai + art.w/dat.m.s. angelos + art.w/noun gen.f.s. ekklesia + prep en w/art. w/loc.f.p. Zardeis, ancient capital of Lydia in western Turkey + aor.act.imper.2s grapho write]: He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars, says these things: [Ta,de le,gei o` e;cwn ta. e`pta. pneu,mata tou/ qeou/ kai. tou.j e`pta. avste,raj [pro.acc.nt.p. tode this, points to something that is going to be said + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. echo have + art.w/adj.acc.nt.p. hepta seven + noun acc.nt.p. pneuma spirit + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God + conj kai + art.w/noun acc.m.p. aster star + adj.acc.m.p. hepta seven] 'I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead [Oi=da, sou ta. e;rga o[ti o;noma e;ceij o[ti zh/|j( kai. nekro.j ei= [pf.act.ind.1s. oida know + pro.ge.2.s. su + art.w/noun acc.nt.p. erga work + conj hoti that + noun acc.nt.s onoma name + pres.act.ind.2s. echo have + conj hoti that + pres.act.ind.2s. zao be alive + conj kai "but"; "and yet" + adj.nom.m.s. nekros dead + pres.act.ind.2s. eimi "are"]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 1

1. The standard address follows with a new city introduced.
2. Sardis was located thirty-three miles south of Thyatira.
3. Sardis was situated on one of the alluvial hills that formed a transition from the Hermus plain to the higher elevation of Mount Tmolus.
4. Each of these hills was shaped like an elongated plateau with steep sides.
5. They terminated in the north in a sharp point and on the south in the neck of land that connected them to Mount Tmolus.
6. Such a location made Sardis an almost impregnable natural fortress.
7. The small neck of land to the south provided the only access to the city, but even this was steep, tedious, and winding climb, and so the city was easily defendable.
8. The other sides of the city were smooth rock walls that were almost perpendicular, dropping down to the plain, 1500 feet below.
9. This provided an ideal stronghold.
10. At the same time, it limited the growth of the city.
11. The city appears to have begun when the Lydian kingdom began around 1200 BC.
12. Sardis apparently was called Hyde during the early days of the kingdom while serving as its capital.
13. As the civilization grew larger and more complex, the elevated plateau on which the city was built was too small to serve as a capital, so a lower city was built on the western and northern sides of the original city.
14. The old city served as an acropolis.
15. Because of the great difference in altitude, the new city was in sharp contrast to the old.
16. Since it was a double city, its name was pluralized, Sa,rdesin, like that of Athens [Athenai] and some other places.
17. Being the capital of Lydia, Sardis had a history of frequent wars.
18. Whoever controlled Sardis controlled Lydia.
19. In this role Sardis was pre-eminent in the eyes of the more Hellenistic cities of Asia to the west as the Oriental enemy in whose hands their fate rested.
20. Most of them engaged Saris in warfare and lost.
21. It was a great, wealthy, impregnable city over which victory was practically impossible.
22. In the ongoing rivalry between Asia and Europe it represented Asia, and the Greek colonies toward the coast to the west represented Europe.
23. Sardis was an enemy of those Ionian cities.
24. After learning the Greek ways it conquered them and earned the reputation of "Sardis the First Metropolis of Asia and of Lydia, and of Hellenism," a designation inscribed on their coins.
25. The Hellenism that developed in Sardis was distinctive.
26. To some degree it modified Asia, but in other ways this Greek spirit was modified.
27. This Hellenism was not a racial type, but a kind of aspiration and aims.
28. It reflected itself in a consciousness of individualism and in social and political structures (Ramsay).
29. By the middle of the sixth century BC, the city attained such a high level of respect that when its downfall came at the hands of a little-known enemy the Greek cities received the news of it with disbelief.
30. Despite an alleged warning against self-confidence by the Greek god he consulted, Croesus the king of Lydia initiated an attack Cyrus the king of Persia, but was soundly defeated.
31. Returning to Sardis to recoup and rebuild his army for another attack, he was promptly pursued by Cyrus who laid siege against Sardis.
32. Croesus felt secure in his city atop the acropolis and foresaw an easy victory over the Persian troops.
33. The Persians gained control of the acropolis by scaling the steep walls (549 BC).
34. So secure did the Sardians feel that they left the steep walls totally unguarded.
35. History repeated itself more than three and a half centuries later when Antiochus the Great conquered Sardis by utilizing the services of a mountain climber from Crete (195 BC).
36. His army entered by another approach while the defenders were content to guard the one known approach, the isthmus of land connected to Mount Tmolus.
37. In AD 17 a severe earthquake did much damage to the city.
38. Caesar Tiberius was very generous in his donations and help to rebuild the city.
39. Coinage with the inscription "Caesarian Sardis" reflects this episode in the city’s history.
40. The city built a temple to Empress Livia.
41. She was portrayed as the mother goddess and the emperor as he god-son (Ramsay).
42. By the time the Romans controlled Sardis, its greatness lay in the past.
43. The acropolis ceased functioning as an important part of the living city and was viewed merely as a historical relic.
44. Without the acropolis, Sardis’ location had nothing to commend itself, and it was no longer inhabited.
45. The chief town in the district became Salikli, about five miles to the east in a more convenient situation for travelers and trade at the foot of Mount Tmolos.
46. When the Turks later settled in the Hermus Valley, the acropolis was restored as a fortress and remained so until Islam completely extermined Christianity in this valley during the Middle Ages (Ramsay).
47. The modern city of Sart occupies the site of ancient Sardis.
48. In the prime of the Lydian Empire, its kings were quite wealthy.
49. Their riches accumulated through trade, agriculture, and the commerce of the East.
50. The accuracy of a legend about gold being discovered in the area is debated.
51. The early wealth of Sardis and the discovery of coinage made of gold-silver alloy give considerable credibility to the report (Hemer).
52. During the Roman period a semblance of the earlier wealth returned because of trade introduced due to the city’s proximity to a junction of the Roman system of roads in the area.
53. The main industry of this period was the production of woolen goods.
54. It is said to be the first city to perfect the art of dyeing wool.
55. Jewelry found in the local cemeteries by archaeologists indicates that some of the source of the city’s wealth may have been derived from this source.
56. Archaeological explorations that began in 1058 have disclosed the presence of an important Jewish synagogue in Sardis as early as the first half of the third century AD.
57. It cannot be insisted that synagogue existed there at the end of the first century AD, because the one discovered was constructed more than a century later.
58. It does, however, suggest that a large community of Jews lived there.
59. Other evidence indicates that the presence of such a community extended back to an earlier date than the writing of the Revelation and that it may have been a center of the Jewish Diaspora.
60. This confirmed by what Josephus says regarding the existence of a wealthy and influential Jewish community in this city.
61. Some evidence reflects the prominence of the imperial cult in Sardis.
62. Several inscriptions indicate this, including one with an excerpt "the city of the Sardians, twice temple-wardens, [honored?] the Imperator Caesar Aurelius Antoninus Verus Augustus."
63. After the earthquake of 17 AD a temple to emperor worship was erected.
64. The dominant religion of the city, however, appears to be that of the general Anatolian religious forms; a worship of the forces of nature, which were viewed as subject to death but also as having the power of self-reproduction.
65. There are abundant data to suggest the conclusion of preoccupation with the problems of death and immortality among these people.
66. The patron deity of the city was Cybele, a well-known goddess of the Anatolian variety, who elsewhere was known as Artemis (Ramsay).
67. Beginning in the fourth century BC, the city had a temple dedicated to this goddess.
68. Remains of this temple are still visible.
69. Pagan religions throughout the area attributed healing power to the their deities, but in Sardis special emphasis focused on the power to restore life to the dead.
70. This special power was connected with a hot springs about two miles from the city.
71. These springs were viewed as visible manifestations of the power of the god of the underworld, which was prominent in the local religious legend (Ramsay).
72. The founding of the local church in Sardis is not mentioned in the NT.
73. Perhaps its beginnings can be traced to the early fifties AD through the converts of the apostle Paul during his three years in Ephesus, a city fifty miles to the southwest.
74. What is known from the message is that the church had passed its prime, and, like the city in which it was located, its claim to fame lies in the past.
75. This congregation had grown indifferent to spiritual things.
76. This church along with the Laodiceans was among the worst of the seven.
77. The church was still well-thought of by many but their claim to fame outlived their past glory.
78. To the pastor-teacher and to the congregation Jesus introduces Himself as "the one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars."
79. The "seven spirits of God" is a title for the plenary (full) ministry of God the Holy Spirit in connection with the present dispensation.
80. This identification is based on Zech.4:3,6 (cp. Rev.1:4; 4:5,6).
81. There is but one God the Holy Spirit but the number seven denotes absolute perfection and completeness.
82. That Christ "has" (or "holds") the seven spirits symbolizes the doctrine of the procession of the Spirit from Christ (cf. Jn.14:16, 26; 15:26).
83. God the Holy Spirit serves the Son even as the Son serves the Father.
84. God the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the Church of Jesus Christ came into being.
85. The ministries of God the Holy Spirit include: (1) conviction (Jn. 16:8-11); (2) regeneration (Jn.1:13; 3:3,5; Titus 3:5); (3) sealing ((2Cor.1:22; Eph.1:13; 4:30); (4) indwelling (Jn.7:37-39; Acts 11:16-16; Rom.5:5; 1Cor.2:12; 6:19); (5) baptizing (Acts 1:5; 1Cor.12:13; Eph.4:5); (6) imputation of the gifts (1Cor.12:11,18; 1Pet.4:10); (7) filling (Eph.5:18; cp. 1Jn.1:9); (8) teaching (Jn.16:12:15; 1Jn.2:27); (9) experiential sanctification (2Tim.1:14; Gal.3:3).
86. To the pastor and believers at Sardis the imagery conveys the both the blessings that were theirs through the HS and the neglect or abuse of the IHS.
87. This local body was guilty of quenching and grieving (Eph.4:30; 1Thess.5:19) God the HS to an extreme as indicated by the statement in this verse that they were "dead."
88. The same Holy Spirit that indwelt each and every one of them for blessing was there to bring judgment against the temple of the body (cf. 1Cor.3:16,17).
89. Adjustment to the HIS is the basis for spiritual growth (function of GAP), function of the spiritual gifts, and production of SG3.
90. What the Lord "has" or "holds" they are in need of via Rebound/repentance.
91. The primary function of the 3^rd Person of the Godhead is to testify through the local church the light of BD.
92. The light of the truth of BD was not shining brightly through this church as it once had.
93. The ministry of God the HS was negated by the negative volition of the majority.
94. The person most responsible for this condition must have been the pastor-teacher, hence the imagery of the seven stars held by Christ.
95. In 1:20 we learned that the seven stars held in Christ’s right hand represent the messengers or pastors of the seven churches.
96. Here the speaker reverts to echon used earlier in 1:16 in place of the stronger kraton of 2:1.
97. If the pastor of Sardis was part of the problem then this imagery is both a comfort and a warning to him.
98. Christ has control and authority over the messenger of each bonafide assembly for good or for ill.
99. The lampstand of Sardis was not emitting the brilliance of BD due to failure in the pastor and in the sheep.
100. This self-designation takes on special importance in light of the fact that this church was in more serious condition in any so far.
101. Both here and at Ephesus Christ introduces Himself as the One who holds the seven stars (cf. 2:1).
102. The spiritual decline at Ephesus was similar but had not gone as far as at Sardis.
103. In both churches we can safely lay much of the blame on the P-T.
104. We move to the Lord’s perfect knowledge of the corporate assembly.
105. "I know your works" indicates production whether divine or human good (called "dead works" in Heb.6:1).
106. The difference between an authorized action being divine good or dead works is whether or not 1Jn.1:9 has been applied.
107. Even in the sad state the church was in there were "works."
108. People do a variety of things to make a local church function even if it is the bare minimum.
109. There is no reason to suppose that there was no activity at Sardis although no doubt many applications languished.
110. This is because the teaching was but a skeleton of its once robust past.
111. It is the character of their works that is subject to Christ’s criticism.
112. This is supported by the statement in v.2 which says, "for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God."
113. As stated this refers to a wide range of things that were not being done in the lives of these people due in part to the truncated teaching.
114. A contributing factor to this malaise was probably due to bad habits and resulting laziness.
115. Their spiritual plight was not the result of the existence of false teachers, as was the case at Pergamum and Thyatira.
116. Theirs was a breakdown in execution of the Royal imperatives.
117. This downward spiral is seen in the exhortation of v.2: "strengthen the things that remain, which are about to die."
118. The lack of zeal and faith at Sardis affected their attitude towards the importance of the Rebound technique.
119. Indifference and sloppiness characterized them.
120. The conjunction "that" (hoti) introduces an object clause that inferentially states the substance of sou ta erga ("your deeds").
121. "Name" often refers to a proper name, but it has other well-established uses.
122. In Hellenistic Greek, it signified all that a name implies, such as rank, authority, reputation, and character.
123. The reputation of either the church corporately is in view here.
124. In their past they had a good reputation based on reality and not mere semblance.
125. The Christian churches near and far had not come to realize what the Lord knew to be the case.
126. The church was resting on its laurels.
127. The church at Sardis was viewed as it once was not as it had become.
128. The "name" or reputation of this church was "that you live."
129. The second hoti clause states the perception among Christians in other places.
130. They considered the church to be alive spiritually.
131. But the One who walks among the lampstands knew the true condition of this church.
132. The words "and you are dead" speaks to temporal and operational deaths but particularly temporal death.
133. It is the pastor-teacher’s responsibility to keep the importance of Rebound before his flock at all times.
134. Perhaps the P-T at Sardis lost confidence in this all-important adjustment.
135. The result was human good rather than divine good.
136. Apart from the filling ministry of the HS in the live of the local church there is not effective pursuit of BD as it is God the HS that leads us into all truth.

Corporate Admonition and Warning (vv.2-3)

VERSE 2 Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die (gi,nou grhgorw/n kai. sth,rison ta. loipa. a] e;mellon avpoqanei/n [pres.dep.imper.2s. ginomai + pres.act.part.nom.m.2s. gregoreo keep awake; "Wake up" + conj kai + aor.act.imper.2s. sterizo strengthen, support + art.w/adj.acc.nt.p. loipos remaining; "the things that remain"+ rel.pro.nom.nt.p. ho "that" + impf.act.ind.3p. mello be about + aor.act.infin. apothnesko die]; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God [uv ga.r eu[rhka, sou ta. e;rga peplhrwme,na evnw,pion tou/ qeou/ mou [neg. ou + conj gar for + pf.act.ind.1s. ginosko find + pro.gen.2s. su + art.w/noun acc.nt.p. ergon work + pf.pass.part.acc.nt.p. pleroo be complete + prep enopion before, in the sight of + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God + pro.gen.1s. ego I; "My"]).

VERSE 3 'So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent (mnhmo,neue ou=n pw/j ei;lhfaj kai. h;kousaj kai. th,rei kai. metano,hson [pres.act.imper.2s. mnemoneuo remember, recall + conj oun therefore, "So" + adv pos what, how + pf.act.ind.2s. lambano receive + conj and + aor.act.ind.2s. akouo hear + conj and + pres.act.imper.2s. tereo keep, hold + conj and + aor.act.imper.2s. metanoeo repent, change one’s mind]).

Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief (eva.n ou=n mh. grhgorh,sh|j( h[xw w`j kle,pthj [conj ean if + conj oun therefore = except; "Therefore if" + neg me not + aor.act.subj.2s. gregoreo be watchful, vigilant, alert + fut.act.ind.1s. eko arrive; "I will come" + conj hos as + noun nom.m.s. kleptes thief], and you will not know at what hour I will come to you [kai. ouv mh. gnw/|j poi,an w[ran h[xw evpi. se, [conj and + double neg ou me + aor.act.subj.2s. ginosko know + interrog.adj.acc.f.s what sort; almost equivalent here to tis + noun acc.f.s. hora hour + fut.act.ind.1s. eko arrive, come; used esp. in relation to events + prep epi upon, on + pro.acc.2s. su]).

ANALYSIS: VERSES 2-3

1. Here we have the divine prescription for curing the corporate body’s spiritual malaise.
2. The first of five imperatives in vv. 2 and 3 is joined to a participle and should be translated "be watchful" rather than "wake up."
3. The exhortation to watchfulness would carry special weight in Sardis because twice in its history the acropolis had fallen to the enemy due to lack of vigilance on the part of the defenders.
4. In 549 BC Cyrus captured the city by deploying a climber to work his way up a crevice on one of the nearly perpendicular walls of the mountain fortress.
5. Late in the third century the city was again captured in the same way.
6. A Cretan by the name of Lagoras discovered a vulnerable point and with a band of fifteen men made a daring ascent, opened the gates from within, and followed the armies of Antiochus the Great to overpower the rebel Archaeus (216 BC).
7. As in history, so in life, to consider oneself secure and fail to remain alert is to court disaster.
8. Both tragedies could have been averted through even a minimal amount of watchfulness, but there was none.
9. The same was on the horizon for the Christian church at the hands of the Lord Himself.
10. A quick return to vigilance was needed.
11. Although the church at Sardis was dead (v.1), some things still remained (although on the verge of dying).
12. The two statements "you are dead" and "strengthen the things which remain" are actually paradoxical.
13. Although Sardis could be pronounced dead, it still had the possibility of restoration to life.
14. The church is exhorted to "strengthen the things that remain."
15. This is a reference to spiritual truth that is still believed and understood.
16. "The things which remain" refer to doctrines which were being neglected and "were about to die."
17. "The things which remain" carries the force of "that which survives," a rather unusual meaning that is paralleled in Rev. 8:13; 9:20; 11:13.
18. The first order of business after assuming a posture of watchfulness was to strengthen worthwhile elements of their healthy past.
19. Again, these things refer to specific doctrines that were on the verge of dying out in the collective memory.
20. Being neuter gender, it refers to those spiritual verities, which in their current deadly slumber are not quite extinct.
21. This church was capable of once again erecting the impressive spiritual fortress of bygone days.
22. The strengthening is accomplished by vigorous teaching of the fundamentals of the faith (cp. Lk. 22:32).
23. All of this has to start with the messenger of the local church (cf. Rom.1:11; 1Thess.3:2; 2Pet. 1:12 cp. Rom.16:25; 1Thess.3:13; 1Pet.5:10).
24. This in will clear up the problem of their truncated works (cf. 2Thess.2:17).
25. Like the unfinished temple of Artemis within their city, the words of the church constantly fell short of the divine standard.
26. This can be traced back to the abbreviated and neglected teaching ministry of the pulpit.
27. Here operational death was primarily the consequence of the sub par teaching.
28. Operational death is also the result of being merely a hearer and not a doer of doctrine.
29. The corporate divine good production of a local church is no better than the information coming from the pulpit.
30. The specific works and the way manner in which they are carried out depend on setting them before the local church through verse by verse teaching (cf. 2Tim.2:20-21; 3:16-17).
31. "Before my God" is a reminder that God’s evaluation is quite different from man’s.
32. Man is impressed with the works of Protestantism but they sadly fall behind in quality and comprehensiveness.
33. Their works were sub par because they were incomplete and did not qualify as divine good production.
34. Their works were largely wood, hay and stubble.
35. Historical orthodox Protestant theology is deficient when it comes to the doctrine of Rebound and its implications with respect to divine good production.
36. If these people were led by the Spirit as they claim then they would be engaged in rigorous pursuit of the text within the biblically prescribed environment for spiritual matriculation.
37. Two occurrences of the inferential conjunction oun mark out the two options for Sardis in v.3.
38. The first introduces a call to take advantage of the solution to their corporate dilemma.
39. The remedy for their malaise leading to the rebuilding of the impressive spiritual fortress that once stood as a monument in their city is the command of v.3a.
40. The command to "remember" is not simply a bid to the readers to recall something from the past, but a command to keep in the forefront of their attention their rich spiritual heritage of the past as a motivation force in their restoration.
41. This local church was called upon to bear in mind (present imperative) what they had received and heard.
42. The change in tense between "have received" (perfect) and "heard" (aorist) is instructive.
43. Believers in this church had received a spiritual deposit and the spiritual deposit had come by hearing.
44. And so, "faith (active sense of GAP) comes by hearing (face-to-face teaching) and hearing by the Word of Christ" (content; Rom.10:17).
45. As out of it as they were they still could recall the past and consider how far they had fallen.
46. Although the interrogative adverb pos regularly indicated manner ("how"), the connection with "keep it", which needs an object, suggests that it should be translated "what."
47. The present imperative "keep it" or "protect it" has as its subject the body of truth as taught among them in the past.
48. This could only be accomplished as the pastor reintroduced these doctrines to their spiritual frame of reference.
49. This command is not something that would be instantaneous by rather on-going.
50. Like "remember" this command in the prescription to spiritual resurgence is a present tense.
51. Next follows "repent" which is an aorist imperative.
52. Applied in this context it means that as they are reintroduced to their doctrinal heritage they are to change their thinking from religious human viewpoint to the divine viewpoint regarding those things that had died or were in the process of dying.
53. A believer who abandons face-to-face teaching for a period of time will experience this same thing.
54. As far as the whole counsel of God is concerned there were things that were on the verge of dying out and things that had disappeared from their spiritual radar.
55. As to the former, they were exhorted by the Lord to "strengthen" them: as to the latter, they are told to recall these things and hold on to them, all the while, in this process of reclamation, to change their thinking.
56. This then is a formula for reversion recovery.
57. Failure to implement this process constitutes the threat introduce in v.3b.
58. The earlier inferential conjunction oun ("therefore") introduced the remedy for their religious reversionism.
59. The 2^nd oun poses the threat that is predicated on the assumption that the remedy will not be accepted.
60. That a severe warning should follow so closely the prescription for spiritual restoration is somewhat surprising.
61. Apparently the Lord did not anticipate that this church would line up with His terms of reversion recovery.
62. Their present evil state was such, as indicated in v.1 and 2, that it was highly improbable that they would turn back to the full truth and ways of BD.
63. The action of the aorist verb is well portrayed in "If you do not wake up"."
64. This is the same verb (aor.subj. gregoreo) that opened this section on this prescription for recovery.
65. Being spiritually alert is in effect to be positive to BD.
66. If the first imperative in the formula for recovery and restoration is in put in place then Christ threatens to make a surprise visit as an opponent and not as an ally.
67. Christ’s coming as a thief to Sardis has been the object of the same two views as His threat to Ephesus (2:5).
68. One view sees His coming as a thief as a threat of special judgment upon Sardis.
69. The other view sees this as a judgment related to Christ’s eschatological arrival.
70. The metaphor of the inauguration of the day of the Lord as a thief usually applies to the unexpectedness of His appearing to humanity in the end times.
71. This metaphor is found in Matt.24:43; Lk.12:39; 1Thess.5:2; 2Pet.3:10; Rev.16:15.
72. This metaphor has been misused to indicate that the timing of the Lord’s coming cannot be ascertained and therefore it will be a surprise to all.
73. Actually His coming as a thief is a judgment upon all (believer and unbeliever alike) who are not alert and spiritually prepared (cf. Matt.24:43; 1Thess.5:2,4; 2Pet.3:10; Rev.16:15).
74. Obviously the day of the Lord will come as a thief to all who remain unbelievers, and their loss will entail even their souls.
75. That the day of the Lord will come as thief to believers seen 1Thess.5:1-11.
76. Only those who are informed with respect to "the times and the epochs" will that day not come upon them unawares.
77. It should be obvious that simply knowing the prophetic particulars regarding the Rapture generation is not enough to deliver the believer from loss at the Judgment Seat of Christ which immediately follows the translation of the Body of Christ.
78. The position that takes Rev.3:3b as a historical judgment upon Sardis akin to what we saw at Pergamum (2:16) and at Thyratira (2:22) seems to be preferable.
79. These all were local churches founded in accord with God’s perfect standards and were judged and blessed accordingly.
80. Ephesus was threatened with loss of identity, Pergamum’s antinomian crowd was threatened with violence, and Thyatira’s Jezebel following was threatened with pestilence, so it would follow that a surprise was in the offing for Sardis short of corporate reversion recovery.
81. A historical visitation must be in mind here since the eschatological appearing of the Lord is not dependent on the repentance of one church!
82. From the vantage point of Christ’s enemies His coming is as a thief in the night.
83. The unprepared individual will be surprised and will suffer loss.
84. The unprepared believer suffers shame and loss of reward at Christ’s coming.
85. The unbeliever losses his eternal soul.
86. The interpretation of the threat as a impending historical calamity (unk.) fits the pattern of churches number one, three, and four (cf. #7?).
87. The conditional clause of v.3b views their corporate recovery as dependent upon their willingness to abandon religious reversionism.

Faithful Few (v.4)

VERSE 4 'But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments (avlla. e;ceij ovli,ga ovno,mata evn Sa,rdesin a] ouvk evmo,lunan ta. i`ma,tia auvtw/n [conj alla + pres.act.ind.2s. echo have + adj.acc.nt.p. oligos few + noun acc.nt.p. onoma name; "people" + prep en w/noun dat.f.p. Zardeis]; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy [kai. peripath,sousin metV evmou/ evn leukoi/j( o[ti a;xioi, eivsin [conj kai + fut.act.ind.3p. peripateo walk + prep meta w/pro.gen.1s. ego + prep en w/adj.dat.nt.p. leukos white + conj hoti for (this reason) + adj.nom.m.p. axios worthy + preps.act.ind.3p. eimi]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 4

1. The strong adversative alla ("but") contrasts the general character of the church with those few members who had not slid into religious reversionism.
2. The church had a reputation of being alive (v.1) but only a very few of its membership lived up to that reputation.
3. The noun onomata ("names") takes the same sense it has in Acts 1:15 and Rev.11:13, that of "persons," a meaning common in Koine usage.
4. The frequent use of this noun is one of the unusual features of this message (cf. 3:1,5 [twice]).
5. These faithful few had not soiled their garments,
6. The verb moluno means to stain or dirty something.
7. It occurs 3x in the NT: 1Cor.8:7 (of the conscience), Rev.3:4 (violation of doctrinal integrity) and Rev.14:4 (sexual immorality).
8. The backdrop to the metaphor is probably the custom of pagan worship that insisted that the worshipper dishonored the god if he approached the deity in soiled garments.
9. The general word for clothing is used here (himatia).
10. Here the reference is not to involvement with the sexual immorality sponsored by paganism.
11. There is as complete absence of any reference in this letter to heathen impurities as found in other letters.
12. The specific form of defilement was the church’s abandonment of its once doctrinal integrity.
13. By not forsaking the teaching that brings into play the adjustments to God these few believers did not defile the good conscience (cf. Acts 23:1; 1Tim.1:5, 19; Heb.13:18; 1Pet.3:16).
14. These few had refused to abandon that which they had "received and heard" (cf. v.3) while the rest of the congregation had abandoned their confidence in favor of a form of godliness that denies the power of sound doctrine (2Tim.3:5).
15. The majority had fallen into a pseudo-spirituality that denies the dynamic of the Rebound technique.
16. That is why they were "dead."
17. This characterizes conservative Protestantism over the centuries (modern fundamentalism).
18. The source of the contamination leading to polluted garments is to be found in v.3.
19. What the majority were enjoined to repent of these few stayed true to their spiritual roots.
20. Their fidelity to the faith is an amazing testimony to positive volition under extreme duress.
21. These few never left the church during the years of spiritual decline.
22. It doesn’t take very long to wind up in this condition.
23. The promise to the uncompromised, undefiled minority is that they will walk with Christ, "dressed in white."
24. Being dressed in white is a way of describing those who are justified by faith as seen in v.5.
25. White garments are characteristic of the dress code for phase 3 (cf. Rev.4:4; 6:11; 7:9,13; 19:14).
26. So what is the special distinction that believers like these at Sardis have over believers who were unfaithful?
27. The answer is found in the term access.
28. Their access to Christ as signified by the words "they shall walk with Me in white" suggests access and fellowship.
29. This is a part of SG3.
30. These believers have two things going for them: (a) they get into the eternal kingdom because they possess +R and EL; (b) they enjoy special access to the Lord because they refused to conform to the standards of the corrupt majority.
31. Their garments and their association with the Lord signify that they were worthy.
32. White linen clothing signify two things: (a) salvation adjustment and (b) Ph 2 sanctification (cf. Rev.19:8).

Promise to Overcomers (v.5)

VERSE 5 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments (o` nikw/n ou[twj peribalei/tai evn i`mati,oij leukoi/j [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. nikao be victorious, overcome + adv houtos in this manner [w.ref. to what precedes] + fut.mid.ind.3s. periballo clothe oneself + prep en w/noun loc.nt.p. himation garment [outer] + adj.loc.nt.p. leukos white]; and I will not erase his name from the book of life [kai. ouv mh. evxalei,yw to. o;noma auvtou/ evk th/j bi,blou th/j zwh/j [conj kai + double neg ou me + fut.act.ind.1c.s. exaleipho erase + art.w/noun acc.nt.s. onoma name + pro.gen.m.3s. autos his + prep ek w/art/w/noun abl.f.s. biblos book + art.w/noun gen.f.s. zoe life], and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels [kai. o`mologh,sw to. o;noma auvtou/ evnw,pion tou/ patro,j mou kai. evnw,pion tw/n avgge,lwn auvtou/ [conj kai + fut.act.ind.1s. homologeo confess + art.w/noun acc.nt.s. onoma name + pro.gen.3m.s. autos his + prep enopion before + art.w.noun gen.m.s. pater father + pro.gen.1s. ego + conj kai + prep enopion before + art.w/gen.m.p. angelos angel + pro.gen.1s. ego]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 5

1. To the overcomer (individual bel) a threefold promise is given: (a) he will be dressed in white; (b) he will not have his name blotted from the book of life; (c) Christ will acknowledge him before God and His angels.
2. All believers will be dressed in white (Rev.19:14).
3. White signifies God’s perfect righteousness.
4. The 2^nd promise focuses on the EL aspect of our salvation.
5. The idea of a divine ledger is first mentioned in Ex.32:32-33, where Moses prays that if God will not forgive the sin of His people, He himself wants to be blotted out "of the book you have written (cf. Ps.69:28; Dan.12:1).
6. This book is a registry of the names of all members of the human race.
7. These are all the people Christ died for on the cross.
8. When an individual dies without believing in Christ that name is blotted out of the book of life.
9. This idea is reflected in the ancient civic realm as well.
10. "When a criminal’s name was removed from the civic register of an Asiatic town, he lost his citizenship" (Kiddle, 47; cf. Hemer, Local Setting, 148-9).
11. There appears to be another registry that has only the names of those who believe (cf. Rev.13:8; cp. 17:8).
12. This registry is called the book of life of the Lamb.
13. Finally, to the overcomer Christ promises that he will acknowledge his name before His father and His angels.
14. This is a clear reflection of Matt.10:32 (cf. Lk.12;8; Mk.8:38//Lk.9:26).
15. In this 3^rd promise there is degrees of divine approbation.
16. Those who believe in Christ will be acknowledged (cf. Heb.2:11 "For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,"; and Heb.11:16 "But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.").
17. Those who finish their course will enjoy special approbation.

VERSE 6 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (o` e;cwn ou=j avkousa,tw ti, to. pneu/ma le,gei tai/j evkklhsi,aij [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. echo have + noun acc.nt.s. ous ear + aor.act.imper.3s. akouo hear + pro.acc.nt.s. tis what + art.w/noun nom.nt.s. pneuma spirit + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art/w/noun dat.f.p. ekklesia church]).'

ANALYSIS: VERSE 6

1. The local church is the duly designated classroom of Christianity.
2. God the Holy Spirit is the divine teacher of the oracles of God.
3. He is the One sent to led positive volition into all truth.
4. God the HS only reveals what is given to Him.
5. What is good for one church is equally good for all churches.
6. That which is for the local church is found in the 66 books of the Bible.
7. The individual is responsible to hear this body of information.

Overview of the Sardian Era

1. This trend within the present dispensation commences with the Protestant Reformation (1606-1750 AD).
2. The previous trend, manifest by the RCC, continues to manifest itself throughout the Church age.
3. Those individuals who separated from the RCC (versus those who sought to reform it from within) are called the reformers.
4. Men like John Hus (c. 1373-1414 AD) and John Wycliffe (c. 1328-1384) predated the actual historical time frame of the Reformation.
5. They and their followers rejected all the teachings and practices of the RCC that could not be documented by Scripture.
6. Around 1500 the foundations of medieval society were broken up by what is called the Renaissance (1350-1650 AD).
7. This was the climate that made the actual Reformation itself succeed according to historians.
8. The Reformation was largely a movement to reclaim the apostolic faith that had languished under the oppression and corruption of the RCC.
9. Among the early reformers was Zwingli who was in Switzerland (c. 1484-1531 AD) and Marin Bucer in Germany (1491-1551 AD) and one Philip Melanchthon (1497-1560 AD), who is credited with being the theologian of the Reformation.
10. Perhaps the most notable voice of the Reformation was Martin Luther who posted his Ninety-Five Theses on the Castle Church in Wittenburg in Germany on October 31, 1517 AD in defiance of the abuses of the indulgence system of the RCC.
11. Soon after Luther was affirming that the sole authority in matters of faith was the Bible and not the church of the pope.
12. He came to promote the doctrine of justification by faith and faith alone.
13. The efforts of Luther and others sparked a revolt against the Catholic prohibition against reading the Bible by the average person.
14. Then there was John Calvin who developed his theological system in Geneva Switzerland.
15. The reputation of the Reformation is seen in the fact that multitudes in Europe, the British Isles and the United States affiliated themselves with one or the other of the various Protestant denominations that came to be.
16. Presbyterianism is the name of the denomination the system of church government the Calvin developed.
17. A major shortcoming of the Reformation in its early days was that its founders engaged in the same evil of state sponsored churches as had the RCC before them.
18. For instance, Lutheranism became the state religion of Germany, and later, the Anglicism became the state sponsored faith of England (as it is to this day).
19. Reformers continued to practice infant baptism and ritualism and in this respect did not make a complete break from Catholicism.
20. Doctrinal failings of the reformers include failure to understand the CWL, continuation of certain Catholic practices, a almost total inability to formulate Biblical prophecy into a clear and coherent system, in favor of one that is allegorical (e.g., amillenialism).
21. So they were similar to the Sardian believers in that they had a reputation but were dead.
22. Incomplete doctrine coupled with a kind of spiritual malaise, which was the products of denominational rigidity, casts itself over all the denominations to the present day.
23. As a reaction to this many have fallen into emotionally charged forms of worship and programism.
24. In America we have the Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals, etc.
25. Most of these have spawned sub groups.
26. Denominationalism is a detriment to reclaiming the apostolic faith.
27. Those believers over the centuries that had tide their spiritual lives to these groups will face loss and shame at His appearing.

Message to Philadelphia (vv. 7-13)

VERSE 7 "And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write (Kai. tw/| avgge,lw| th/j evn Filadelfei,a| evkklhsi,aj gra,yon [conj kai + art.w/noun dat.m.s. angelos messenger + art.w/noun gen.f.s. ekklesia church + prep en w/loc.f.s. Philadelphia + aor.act.ind.2s. grapho write]: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David [Ta,de le,gei o` a[gioj( o` avlhqino,j( o` e;cwn th.n klei/n Daui,d [demon.pro.acc.nt.p. tode this; "says this" + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art.w/adj.nom.m.s. hagios holy + art.w/adj.nom.m.s. alethinos true, dependable, reliable + art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s echo have + art.w/noun acc.f.s. keis key; as a symbol of authority and access + noun gen.m.s. David], who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this [these things] [o` avnoi,gwn kai. ouvdei.j klei,sei kai. klei,wn kai. ouvdei.j avnoi,gei [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s anoigo open + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. oudeis no one + fut.act.ind.3s. kleio shut, lock + conj kai + pres.act.part.nom.m.s kleio shut + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. oudeis no one + pres.act.ind.3s. anoigo shut]):

ANALYSIS: VERSE 7

1. The RCOC (Royal Chain of Command) from Christ to John reached the "messenger" of the local church in Philadelphia.
2. John was instructed to pass on this message in written form to the P-T for dissemination to the believers of this local body of Christ.
3. This letter is one of two of the seven messages that contain no condemnation.
4. In fact there are remarkable similarities between this letter and the one to Smyrna.
5. Both letters are designed to strengthen the faithful.
6. These are the two churches that receive unqualified praise from the Lord.
7. The term philadelphia is found 8x and in five references it refers to the Christian virtue of "brotherly love" (Rom.12:10; 1Thess.4:9; Heb.13:1; 1Pet.1:22; 2Pet.1:7 [twice]; cf. Rev.1:11).
8. The city’s name derived from the loyalty of king Attalus II to his brother Eumenes II.
9. The city, now the site of the modern town of Alasehir, was located in Lydia about twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis.
10. It lay in the valley of the Cogamis Rivers, which was a tributary of the Hermus.
11. At some point after 189 BC the city was founded by a Pergamenian king, either Eumenes II or his brother Attalus II, who rightly considered this to be an excellent site for a city.
12. The long Cogamis Valley extends southeast from the Hermus Valley and connects intersects with the side of the central plateau.
13. It affords the best path for ascending from the Hermus Valley, about 500 feet above sea level, to the main plateau about 1,500 feet higher.
14. Though the climb was steep, this was the path along which trade and communications from the harbor at Smyrna and from Lydia and the northwest regions were maintained with Phrygia and the east.
15. It rivaled the road east from Ephesus in importance as a trade route.
16. It also served as the imperial postal road during the first century AD.
17. Communications from Rome moved to Troas, where they continued overland to Pergamum, Sardis, the then to Philadelphia and eastward.
18. Philadelphia was the stage on the main line of Imperial communication.
19. In later Byzantine times, it became the greatest trade route of the whole country.
20. Though not constructed primarily as a military fortress, the location was well suited for this.
21. It stood on a broad hill that sloped up from the valley toward Mount Tmolus on the south and east, but it did not merge with the rest of the mountains, being separated from them.
22. Its other side was the plateau proper.
23. With suitable fortifications on its lower slopes, it could be defended with relative ease.
24. The primary purpose for the city’s establishment was consolidating, regulating, and educating the central regions that were subject to the Pergamenian kings.
25. These rulers wanted Philadelphia to be a hub of Graeco-Asiatic civilization so as to spread the Greek language and manners in the eastern parts of Lydia and in Phrygia.
26. It thus had a missionary function from the outset as an apostle of Hellenism in an Oriental land.
27. It was successful in this effort to foster unity of spirit, customs, and loyalty within the area, as evidenced by the vanishing of the Lydian language by AD 19 and the dominance of the Greek language as the only one spoken (Ramsay).
28. The city’s geophysical location was not so fortunate.
29. It lay on the edge of the Katakekaumene (from Greek katakauo meaning ‘to burn down’), a Lydian district where volcanoes at the time were quite active and where earthquakes were frequent.
30. Even though the volcanic ash made the soil in the are unusually fertile, the volcanoes themselves posed a constant threat to the well-being of the area.
31. In AD 17 an earthquake, unparalleled in the annals of history up to that time, destroyed twelve cities in the Lydian Valley, including Sardis and Philadelphia.
32. It was this earthquake that brought Philadelphia to the attention of ancient writers.
33. Strabo, the Greek writer, tells of a lingering fear of the repeat of such a catastrophe that plagued the city subsequently, with aftershocks keeping the people on edge.
34. Though Sardis suffered more initial damage, Philadelphia as apparently the epicenter of the quake and suffered damage after the main quake had occurred.
35. Some of the city’s residents opted to live outside the city in huts rather than return and rebuild their homes.
36. A later shock destroyed Laodicea in AD 60.
37. The Roman emperor Tiberius provided substantial help to rebuild the city after the quake of 17 AD.
38. Philadelphia and other cities erected a monument in Rome in appreciation for the help to rebuild.
39. In Philadelphia the cult of Germaincus, the adopted son and heir of Tiberis, was established as another manifestation of the city’s gratitude.
40. In spite of all the assistance from Rome, the economy of Philadelphia was severely hampered for a long time as a result of the earthquake.
41. For some 25 to 30 years after the disaster the city adopted a new name.
42. The new name was Neocaesarea ("New Caesar") but this name was dropped and the name Philadelphia was resumed.
43. Later, during the reign of Vespasian (AD 70-79), it took yet another imperial title, Flavia.
44. Two names for the city remained in use throughout the second and third centuries. (Ramsay).
45. Imperial actions adversely affected Philadelphia in the nineties.
46. Because of the earthquake, which drove many people from the city proper and due to the increased fertility of the soil, many turned to farming, specifically to the cultivation of vineyards.
47. In part due to the famine in AD 92 Domitian issued an edict that at least half of the vineyards in the provinces be cut down and corn planted instead.
48. This economic consequences of this edict hit Philadelphia especially hard.
49. Corn was produced but not enough to support the economy in bad years.
50. The people needed the production of wine to fall back on.
51. Few details are known about the religious inclinations of the Philadelphia.
52. The coinage indicates a Graeco-Asiatic religion.
53. No Jewish synagogue has been found by archaeologists.
54. Apparently all suitable phrases from the vision of chapter one have been used up, (cf. there remains the robe reaching to the feet, the golden sash around the chest, the hair white like wool, the voice like the sound of rushing waters, and the face shining like the sun) so from other sources the speaker identifies Himself as the true Messiah who controls access to the kingdom.
55. Jesus Christ’s presentation of His celebrityship to this church follows as: "The Holy One, the True One (Gk. text)."
56. To the OT reader this was a familiar designation for God (e.g., Ps.16:10; Isa.40:25; Hab.3:3).
57. Here it is joined with "the True One" and applied to Christ (cf. 6:10).
58. The two designations apply equally to the total person of the glorified God-man, and not just to His deity.
59. The title "the holy one" (ho hagios) is a title that sometimes names God the Father in this book (cf. Rev.4:8; 6:10) but throughout the NT is a common title for the Messiah (cf. Mk.1:24; Lk.1:35; 4:34; Jn.6:69; Acts 4:27, 30; 1Jn.2:20).
60. Though opposed and rejected by organized religion (Judaism), Christ remains the One set apart unto God as the only Messiah.
61. The term hagios represents both His absolute righteousness as well as His being set apart unto God.
62. As the set apart One, Christ is the duly designated one and He is this because He is +R.
63. +R is the watchdog of God’s essence and is a characteristic necessary to qualify the Messiah as a man to be the sin-bearer.
64. As the holy one His words are also holy and are a mandate for obedience.
65. The 2^nd term (ho alethinos) emphasizes Christ’s trusworthiness.
66. Others take this to mean that He is the real thing as compared to all counterfeits (e.g., "genuine").
67. The latter view follows the classical sense of alethinos.
68. The cognate term alethes ("true") speaks of what is true as fact, the opposite of spurious or false.
69. When confronted with the person of Christ we come face-to-face with the truth itself.
70. Occurring rather commonly in the Revelation, alethinos is usually coupled with another adjective as it is with hagios here.
71. In 3:14; 19:11; 21;5 and 22:6 pistos ("faithful") is its compliment, and in 15:3; 16:7 and 19:2 it is with dikaios ("righteous").
72. This adjective is quite common in John’s writings, occurring 10x in Revelation (3:7,14; 6:10; 15:3; 16:7; 19:2,11; 21:5; 22:6) and 12x in John’s other books.
73. It has only five occurrences in the rest of the NT.
74. The term has been taken in the sense of the real Messiah.
75. Or it can be taken in the Hebraic sense of the One who "keeps faith forever" (i.e., the one who can be trusted to keep His promises) (cf. Ps. 146:6).
76. This view seems to best fit the non-Greek context which would require a meaning of "genuine."
77. The "reliable" view is in accord with the wider usage of the word in all of John’s writings.
78. However, both ideas have merit here.
79. The sense of these first two terms to the saints at Philadelphia is that not only has Christ been set apart (root meaning of hagios) to carry out the Messianic mission, but that He can be counted on to carry it to completion.
80. Next Christ declares Himself has having "the key of David," a metaphorical expression indicating complete control over the royal household.
81. Specifically, in view of the following clauses, it means the undisputed authority to admit or exclude from the New Jerusalem.
82. The background is the oracle against Shebna, King Hezekiah’s chief treasury official who was to be replaced by Eliakim.
83. Concerning the new chief steward, the text says, "I will set on his shoulder the key to the house of David, when he opens no one will shut, and when he shuts no one will open" (Isa.22:22).
84. Eliakim is a type of Christ.
85. He held authority over the royal treasury.
86. As the root and offspring of David (cf. Rev.5:5; 22:16), Christ controls the entrance to David’s house, which ultimately refers to the Messianic kingdom..
87. His Davidic lineage and authority is alluded to in Rev.1:5a.
88. His Davidic identity is related to the proclamation of the gospel (Rom.1:3; 2Tim.2:8; cp. Jn.7:42).
89. Jesus Christ will restore the legacy of David (Acts 15:16).
90. The Davidic Covenant guarantees that a descendent of the house of David will occupy David’s throne forever.
91. The last royal occupant of that throne was King Jehoiakin/Coniah.
92. However, the line of David continued to Joseph (legal father) and Mary (biological mother).
93. Access to the Messianic kingdom is through the person of Jesus Christ.
94. The Lord possesses the absolute power to control entrance to eternal the heavenly kingdom (millennial and eternal state phases).
95. This is the thrust of the words, "who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens."
96. Jesus Christ has absolute authority over death (grave) and hades (Rev.1:18), over heaven and earth (Matt.28:18), over His own house (Heb.3:6), and over the house of David.
97. He is the genuine Messiah and in His coming reign of glory His power to grant and deny access is without challenge.
98. He alone has power to admit or exclude from His kingdom.
99. A child of God is anyone who believes in God’s Son (Jn.1:12; Rom.8:16; 9:8; 1Jn.3:1,2,10; 5:2).
100. The Lord "opens" (access) and "shuts" (access denied) and there is no one who can overrule His sovereign power in the affairs of mankind.

Promises associated with Faithfulness (vv.8-10)

First Promise (v.8)

VERSE 8 I know your deeds (Oi=da, sou ta. e;rga [pf.act.ind.1s. oika know + pro.gen.2s. su + art.w/noun acc.nt.p. ergon work]).

Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut (ivdou. de,dwka evnw,pio,n sou qu,ran hvnew|gme,nhn( h]n ouvdei.j du,natai klei/sai auvth,n [interj idou particle of prompt attention + pf.act.ind.1s. didomi give; translated according to contest; "put" + prep enopion before + pro.gen.2s. su + noun acc.f.s thura door + pf.pass.part.acc.f.s. asnoigo open + rel pro acc.f.s. hos which + neg pro.nom.m.s. oudeis no one + pre.dep.ind.3s. dunamai be able + aor.act.inf. kleio shut + pro.acc.f.s. autos it], because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name [o[ti mikra.n e;ceij du,namin kai. evth,rhsa,j mou to.n lo,gon kai. ouvk hvrnh,sw to. o;noma, mou [conj hoti used here to introduce a cause or reason; "because" + adj.acc.f.s. micros little + pres.act.ind.2s. echo have + noun acc.f.s. dunamis power, strength + conj kai + aor.act.ind.2s. tereo keep + pro.gen.1s. ego "My" + art.w/noun acc.m.s. logos word + conj kai + neg ouk + aor.dep.ind.2s. arenomai deny + art.w/acc.nt.s. onoma name, reputation + pro.gen.1s. ego "My"]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 8

1. Once again the Lord asserts His omniscience with respect to this church’s application of BD stating, "I know your works."
2. Omniscience is added to +R, Veracity and Omnipotence (cf. v.7).
3. The corporate application of the Philadelphian church is in view here.
4. The opening statement of v. 8, "I know your works," introduces the reason for the promise that follows.
5. Their corporate works performed under adverse circumstances is the basis for the promises that follow.
6. Because of the extreme nature of this church’s situation the Lord encourages them with Ph2 and Ph3 promises.
7. The fact that this church had performed so admirably under duress is the basis for the promised blessings that follow.
8. The first blessing, as is the 2^nd, is introduced by the exclamatory demonstrative particle translated "Behold" (cf. v.9).
9. The first blessing promised to the Philadelphians is temporal while the second with its subparts for Ph3.
10. Each is introduced by idou ("Behold").
11. The temporal or Ph2 blessing promised to the church is introduced by "Behold" followed by the perfect indicative of the verb "to give" (didomi) translated in the NAS as "put."
12. The perfect tense indicates completed action with on-going results as in "I have given (or "put"), and it remains given."
13. The identification of the "opened door" has been a matter of debate.
14. One view sees it as a word of encouragement regarding the church’s sure entrance into the messianic kingdom promised as a reward for faithfulness under duress.
15. The idea is that no even one of them of "the synagogue of Satan" can shut them out.
16. This view ties this to the Messiah’s prerogative of admitting or turning away from entrance into the eternal kingdom discussed in v. 7.
17. This then, according to this view, is the final reward for fidelity coming immediately after "I know your works."
18. To tie this promise to the doctrine of eternal security is problematic since all who have believed in Christ will enter the kingdom regardless of whether they were faithful in time or not.
19. This works against this view.
20. The other view sees the open door as expanded missionary opportunity.
21. This view rests heavily on the use of the open door terminology elsewhere in the NT in connection with evangelistic and missionary opportunities (cf. 1Cor.16:9; 2Cor.2:12; Col.4:3).
22. It also rests on the strategic location of Philadelphia as a spring board for the dissemination of Graceo-Asiatic culture and language toward the east (cf. analysis of v. 7).
23. The parallel being that as the ancient city was so the church would be towards positive volition beyond the city itself.
24. This view finds fulfillment in the major missionary activity of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries.
25. The outreach to India, Africa and China was the result of the work of individuals or fledgling churches.
26. The large Protestant denominations were not a significant factor in those times.
27. This view fits theologically, isagogically and prophetically.
28. As noted in some of the other churches there is a corporate reward for faithfulness.
29. Principal: there is temporal reward for local churches that ‘pay their dues" so to speak.
30. Just as God rewards individuals who ‘hang in there’ with Ph2 vindication and blessing so He does for the corporate local body.
31. The keys to the divine blessing over the Philadelphians are threefold.
32. These three items are in fact observations about their works.
33. The first is "you have little power."
34. The church was probably tiny in membership and that coupled with diminished financial resources would add to their approbation in the eyes of the Lord.
35. They labored under more duress due to the circumstance of their niche.
36. The fact of their smallness and lack of physical assets in no way distracted from their capacity to glorify God.
37. The second thing that characterized their corporate works was the fact that they kept Christ’s word.
38. Here we see that nothing was permitted to discourage them from keeping the truth of BD.
39. And thirdly, they did not fold under persecution.
40. This is seen in the words "have not denied My name."
41. They like their counterparts the Smyrnans suffered much at the hands of those who are described as "the synagogue of Satan."
42. In particular situations when members had been called upon to deny His name they kept the faith and the whole church is credited with fidelity under duress as a part of their collective divine good production (guess you could say that they took it for the team or unit!).
43. Smyrna and Philadelphia did not have a ‘them" component.
44. The aorist tense verbs, in contrast to the present tense "you have", point to specific historical trial faced by these saints.
45. The church had faced situations where they were threatened and coerced into disregarding Christ’s teachings (cf. Jn.8:31ff.; Rev.2:9; 3:9), but the integrity of the assembly was maintained.
46. They did all this even though they were few in number and short on physical resources.
47. The word He had given them, they did keep.
48. "My word" refers to the content of the faith delivered to the saints.
49. "My name" refers to who and what Jesus Christ is and represents.

Second Promise (v.9)

VERSE 9 'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan (ivdou. didw/ evk th/j sunagwgh/j tou/ Satana/ [interj is strictly 2s. aor.mid.imper of eidon. Idou w/acute accent when used as a demonstrative particle to full attention + pres.act.subj.1s. didomai give; "cause"; when used by a person in a superior position to one in a subordinate position as an acknowledgement = "bring"; note that the verb is subjunctive; + prep ek from + art.w/noun abl.f.s. sunagoge + art.w/noun gen.m.s. Satanas Satan; lit., the Adversary], who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie [tw/n lego,ntwn e`autou.j VIoudai,ouj ei=nai( kai. ouvk eivsi.n avlla. yeu,dontai [art.w/pres.act.part.gen.m.p. lego say + pro.acc.m.3p. heautou himself; themselves + adj.acc.m.p. Ioudaios a Jew + pres.act.infin. eimi + conj kai + neg ouk + conj all but + pres.dep.ind.3p. pseudomai lie]-- I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you [ivdou. poih,sw auvtou.j i[na h[xousin kai. proskunh,sousin evnw,pion tw/n podw/n sou kai. gnw/sin o[ti evgw. hvga,phsa, se [interj idou behold; repeats for emphasis the first idou of this verse + fut.act.ind.1s. poieo do, make + pro.acc.m.3p. autos "them" + conj hina that + fut.act.ind.3p. eko arrive, come +conj kai + fut.act.ind.3p. proskuneo bow down to kiss somone’s feet + prep enopion before + art.w/noun gen.m.p. pous foot + pro.gen.2s. su you + kai and + aor.act.subj.3p. ginosko know + conj hoti that + pro.nom.1s. ego I + aor.act.ind.1s. agapao love + pro.acc.2s. su].

ANALYSIS: VERSE 9

1. The second "Behold" introduces yet another blessing or vindication for faithfulness under duress.
2. This promise is connected to the local church’s immediate enemies.
3. The syntax of "from the synagogue of Satan" (evk th/j sunagwgh/j tou/ Satana/) has the idea of an ellipsis of tinaj as there is with the preposition ek in 2:10.
4. This idiomatic usage conveys the sense of "certain ones out of" or "some in the synagogue" (Trench, Seven Churches, p. 188; Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament).
5. The thought behind the statement is not completed until the third idou clause (not translated in the 1995 version of the NAS) later in the verse because the object of "I will cause" (pres.act.subj.1s. didomi give) is not given in full.
6. "I am giving" (or "I will cause") is an appropriate word choice because the predicted homage of these opponents will come as a gift from the Lord.
7. The expression "I will cause" is a Hebraism.
8. Such a Hebraism is used frequently in the LXX and is also found in Actos.2:27; 10:40 and 14:3.
9. This is a pure Hebraism with a future sense (cf. !tn ynnh).
10. "The synagogue of Satan" is taken by most as a literal synagogue of professing or religious Jews who become converts to Christianity.
11. The first thing problematic with this interpretation is that Christ denies that they are Jews.
12. Their claim to be Jews is a lie.
13. Jews regardless of their spiritual condition are Jews.
14. The unbelievers among them are regularly referred to as Jews by Christ (in the Gospels) and in the rest of the NT.
15. Furthermore, despite their unbelief, they are still the chosen people (cf. Rom.3:1-3; 10:12; 11:1-2, 23-24, 28).
16. So to refer to this race as Jews or even the chosen people is not inaccurate.
17. Obviously the unbelieving Jew has no ultimate advantage with respect to the promises given to his race until he believes in Christ as Messiah.
18. The synagogue as an institution was not founded by Satan.
19. It was corrupted by the negative Jews who misrepresented the WOG to those who attended.
20. Rather than refer to unbelieving Jews as non-Jews, it is better to refer to them as incomplete Jews.
21. A complete Jew is one who is a believer in Jesus Christ (cf. Rom.9:6-7).
22. Covenant theology denies the doctrine in Romans 11 which asserts that God has not permanently cast off His ancient covenant people.
23. Replacement theology, as it is sometimes called, views the church as the permanent replacement of Israel, which is a lie.
24. "The synagogue of Satan" as it is called here and in connection with the church at Smyrna (Rev.2:10) is something altogether different.
1. Again, the standard explanation of the statement, "who say they are Jews and are not," is that it reflects the biblical distinction between those who are merely racial Jews, but not regenerate Jews; and hence, not Abraham’s genuine descendants as per Rom.9:6: "…For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;" (cp. Rom.9:8: "That is, it is not the children of the flesh (i.e. racial only) who are the children of God, but the children the promise are regarded as descendants."; cf. Gal. 3:16).
2. Also, the slander or blasphemy of these individuals mention in 2:9 is usually taken as verbal attacks against the Christian in the city.
3. As in accusing them of disloyalty to the ruling authorities by refusing to participate in the Caesar worship.
4. Along with this came a bevy of false charges, including atheism for denying the validity of the gods; the promotion of cannibalism in connection with the Lord’s Table.
5. But is it not possible that the blasphemy specified here is indeed blasphemy against God on the part of these Jewish impostures?
6. In other words, by identifying God with their beliefs and practices, they were guilty of blasphemy.
7. Blasphemy is usually taken as ascribing something to God that He is not the sponsor of.
8. This would include any doctrine or practice that God is not the author of, which is ascribed to Him.
9. Taken in this fashion, the reference by Christ, has to do with the particular things espoused by this "synagogue of Satan."
10. The primary instigators of reprisal against dissent Christians came from the "synagogue of Satan," as Christ refers to it.
11. Now to the question as to whether the Jewish leaders in the Smyrnan community and in the local synagogue(s) were attacking Christians for their refusal to engage in idolatry, we must consider how they would want to be in a position of promoting the very thing that their faith forbade.
12. Jews and Christians were monotheists and both would not support the practice of idolatry.
13. If the Jewish establishment in Smyrna were going to attack Christians before the Roman pagan authority, it would seem, they could not successfully criticize them for something they opposed.
14. Clearly, they could slander them for any number of things, but not their refusal to participate in idolatry.
15. The natural reading of the text here and in chapter 2 suggests that these people were not Jews in any sense of the word.
16. Rather could they have been Gentiles masquerading as the elect of God?
17. Also, they are organized into some kind of a society that had considerable influence over local politics.
18. The organization in question was devoted to Satan.
19. It would not appear that this ("synagogue of Satan") would be an apt designation for the typical Jewish synagogue within the Diaspora.
20. This order continues to exist into the 6^th era of the church, if we accept the teaching that the seven churches represents seven eras of the CA.
21. That this order worships Satan, would point to an occult order, operating clandestinely alongside the mainline religions of any particular era.
22. The Jewish claim is based on the occult teaching that they are the elect of God, the chosen ones to lead humanity into the light.
23. In ancient times the Greek Eleusinan mystery cult promised greater degrees of illumination.
24. Like its modern counterparts the initiate took an oath of secrecy which bound them to loyalty to the cult and its members above all else.
25. These individuals were often to be found in high places within the government.
26. These mystery religions practiced a system of secret signs, handshakes, pseudonyms, etc., concealing their true purposes behind an allegorical and ritualistic cloak.
27. The modern form is what is called Freemasonry, and like its ancient counterpart controlled the trade guilds.
28. In the writings of the Mason, Mackey ("Manual of the Lodge"), he traces Masonic doctrine back to "the ancient rites and mysteries practiced in the very bosom of pagan darkness…" (Albert G. Mackey, "Manual of the Lodge," Macoy and Sicles, 1802, p. 96).
29. According to Mackey in Encyclopedia of Freemasonry the Eleusinian mysteries exerted a powerful influence on the secret societies of the Middle Ages such as the Rosicrucian and Knights Templar Order.
30. These orders were responsible for English Freemasonry (1717) and French Freemasonry (1725).
31. In Mackey’s encyclopedia we find this statement, "Each lodge is and must be a symbol of the Jewish Temple, each master in the chair representing the Jewish king, and every freemason is a personification of the Jewish workman."
32. Masonic lodges are laid out after the pattern of Solomon’s temple, and Gentiles dressed like Jewish priests bow down before a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.
33. The following quotes are from men who attained the highest levels within the "synagogue of Satan."
34. "Every Masonic lodge is as temple of religion; and its teachings are instructions of religion" (Albert Pike, 33^rd degree).
35. "The Blue Degrees are but the court of portico of the Temple. Part of the symbols are displayed there to the initiate, but he is intentionally mislead by false interpretations. It is not intended that he shall understand them; but it is intended that he shall imagine that he understands them…their true intention is reserved for the Adept, the Princes of Masonry" (Albert Pike, "Morals and Dogma").
36. From the first degree and upward each Mason is urged to "seek the light!". The average Mason spends his entire career "moving to the light." Concerning this light, Pike gives the answer: "Lucifer, the Light-bearer! Strange and mysterious name to give the Spirit of Darkness! Lucifer the Son of the Morning! Is it he who bears the light, and with its splendors intolerable blinds feeble sensual, or selfish souls? Doubt it not!"
37. "Freemasonry is a fraternity within a fraternity…an outer organization concealing an inner Brotherhood of the elect…it is necessary to establish the existence of two separate and yet interdependent orders, the one visible the other invisible. The visible society is a splendid camaraderie of ‘free and accepted’ men enjoined to devote themselves to ethical, educational, fraternal, patriotic, and humanitarian concerns. The invisible society is a secret and most mysterious arcannum arcandrum [defined as ‘a secret, a mystery] ~Manly P. Hall 33^rd, "Lectures of Ancient," p. 433.
38. "When a Mason learns the key to the warrior on the block is the proper application of the dynamo of living power, he has learned the mystery of his craft. The seething energies of Lucifer are in his hands and before he may step upward, he must prove his ability to properly apply energy." ("The Lost Key of Freemasonry" Manly P. Hall, p. 48).
39. "Masonry makes no profession of Christianity…but looks forward to the time when the labor of our ancient brethren shall be symbolized by the erection of a spiritual temple…in which there shall be but one altar and one worship; on common altar of Masonry on which the Veda, Shatra, Sade, Zeda-Avesta, Koran and the Holy Bible shall at who’s shrine the Hindu, the Persian, the Assyrian, the Chaldean, the Egyptian, the Chinese, the Mohammedan, the Jew and the Christian may kneel." ("The Kentucky Monitor" Fellowcraft Degree, p. 95).
40. "…the literal meaning (of the Bible) is for the vulgar only" (Albert Pike "Digest of Morals and Dogma," p. 95).
41. "The true name of Satan, the Kabalists say, is that of Yahweh reversed; for Satan is not a black god..for the initiates this is not a Person, but a force, created for good, but which may serve for evil. It is the instrument of liberty and free will." (Pike "Morals and Dogma," Master Mason/3^rd Degree p. 102).
42. "All truly dogmatic religions have issued from the Kabala and return to it; everything scientific and grand in the religious dreams of the Illuminati, Jacob Boeheme, Swedenborg, Saint Martin, and others is borrowed from the Kabala; all Masonic associations owe to it their secrets and their symbols." (Pike "Morals and Dogma," 28the Degree p. 741).
43. "Though Masonry is identical with the ancient Mysteries, it is so only in this qualified sense: that it presents but an imperfect image of their brilliancy, the ruins of their grandeur…" (Pike "Morals and Dogma" Fellowcraft Degree p. 22).
44. These quotes indicate that ancient and modern mystery religions owe much to Jewish mysticism.
45. In the ancient Eleusinian Mysteries the Gentile participant was given the title "Jew."
46. In "Societies and Their Infiltration into the Seven Churches of Revelation" by John Daniel, he makes the observation that the Masonic cult is worldwide and has been instrumental in the persecution of Christians through the centuries.
47. The communist revolution in Russia was responsible for the slaughter of millions of Christians.
48. Masonic symbols have been witnessed on the corpse of some of these victims.
49. British Intelligence attributes the revolution in Angola, Africa in the 70’s as Masonic revolution which murdered many Christians.
50. The murder of thirteen white missionaries at the Elam Mission Station revealed mutilated bodies with Kabalistic symbols carved on them.
51. The Chinese Revolution was headed by Grand Orient Freemason Mao Tse Tung.
52. In "New World Order: The Ancient Plan of Secret Societies" by William T. Still, he argues that Masonry is behind America’s involvement in the United Nations.
53. In the Tribulation the Antichrist will openly worship the god of Masonry (cp. Dan.11:38, 39) while suppressing all other faiths.
54. Satan is the master angel of light and because of this he is able to fool believers (2Cor. 11;4).
55. The Word of God makes it clear that there are unscrupulous types that will use the name of Christ and the ruse of Christianity to advance their own evil agendas, when in fact these individuals are unbelievers (Matt. 7:21-23).
56. The obvious application to all positive believers is to lock into God’s vehicle for the dissemination of the truth, which is the adjusted local church, and avoid those who make a profession of faith, but will not conform themselves to true godliness, but only adhere to a form of godliness, denying the dynamic behind godliness, which is, sound doctrine.
57. The 2^nd "behold," not translated in the NAS, should appear right before the words "I will make them come and worship..."
58. Again, the standard interpretation sees this as a promise of converts arising out of the "synagogue of Satan."
59. The verb "I will make" (fut.act.ind. poieo do, make) hardly seems an appropriate term for the free will conversion of individuals.
60. Furthermore, why would anyone be required or feel compelled to "bow down" before members of a local church?
61. The verbs "come" and "bow down" are both future active indicatives (3pl. of hkw and proskunew) to introduce a result clause using the conjunction hina ("with the result that").
62. It is difficult to conceive of a situation where evil types would do homage before the Philadelphian congregation.
63. What appears to be the case here is an eschatological fulfillment as related to the inauguration of the messianic kingdom.
64. Representatives of this satanic cult will survive the tribulation along with other unbelieving Jews and Gentiles an be judged in accordance with Matt.25, et al.
65. They will then see who the true elect of God are and will be compelled to prostrate themselves before the glorified body of Christ at the 2^nd Advent.
66. So this promise to the Philadelphians is for all church age saints at the 2^nd Advent.
67. The reason this does not refer to the Great White Throne Judgment in which all believing and unbelieving humanity are in attendance is because of the wording "I will cause some from the synagogue of Satan."
68. Representatives of their ilk will be on hand at the judgment of the nations at the 2^nd Advent.
69. It will be apparent who the Lord "loved" (aor.act.ind.) in history and those He considered unworthy of eternal life.

Third Promise (v.10)

VERSE 10 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance (o[ti evth,rhsaj to.n lo,gon th/j u`pomonh/j mou [conj hoti because, since + aor.act.ind.2s. tereo keep + art.w/noun acc.m.s. logos word + art.w/gen.f.s. hupomone patience, endurance, perseverance + pro.gen.s. ego "My"], I also will keep you from the hour of testing [kavgw, se thrh,sw evk th/j w[raj tou/ peirasmou/ [enclitic adv and I, for my part + pro.acc.s. su "you" + fut.act.ind.1s. tereo keep + prep ek + art.w/gen.f.s. hora hour + art.w/gen.m.s. peirasmos testing], that hour which is about to come upon the whole world [th/j mellou,shj e;rcesqai evpi. th/j oivkoume,nhj o[lhj [art.w/pres.act.part.gen.f.s. mello be about to; here as be inevitable + pres.dep.infin. ercomai come + prep epi upon + art.w/noun gen.f.s. oikoumene inhabited earth + adj.gen.f.s. olos whole], to test those who dwell on the earth [aor.ac.infin. peirazo test + art.w/pres.act.part.acc.m.p. katoikeo dwell, settle down + prep epi upon + art.w/gen.f.s. ge earth, soil, terra firma]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 10

1. Christ next cites their endurance as the basis for a promise of further deliverance from the predicted period of testing upon the human race.
2. This commendation resembles the "and have kept My word" of verse 8.
3. Now it is described as the word of Christ’s endurance that they have kept.
4. With the pronoun "My" used as a objective genitive, this refers to the endurance He Himself displayed while living under the kenosis of His 1^st Advent.
5. As a subjective genitive it would mean the endurance He requires of His followers.
6. The genitives following "endurance" in Rev.13:10 and 14:12 support the objective interpretation.
7. This view is further supported by the mention of Christ’s own endurance in 2Thess.3:5 and Heb.12:3.
8. This virtue is to be exemplified by His followers.
9. This virtue figures into the them of the Revelation (cf. 1:8; 2:2,3).
10. In response to this local church’s keeping His word, Christ promises to keep it from the hour of trial.
11. The church is promised protection from "the hour of testing" that the rest of the inhabited world will undergo.
12. The promise is some mode of preservation and protection during this crisis hour.
13. The hour to testing clearly refers to some future period of trouble.
14. That hour or period of trouble is immediately before Christ’s personal return to planet earth.
15. The noun "hour" is so used in Rev.17:12 for an extended period of time otherwise defined in the Revelation as being seven years in duration (cf. Rev.11:2-3; 12:14; 13:5; cp. Dan.9:27).
16. Do these words of promise of protection refer to removal from the scene immediately before the testing commences or do they refer to preservation while present during the period of suffering?
17. Support for the latter view is taken from Jn.17:15 where the combination of threw ek ("I keep from") also occurs.
18. In this instance Christ does not ask believers to be kept from the presence of the evil one.
19. Rather they are promised to be enabled to stand successfully in his presence, i.e., to be kept safe from the power of Satan as he assails them.
20. There are differences between the present verse (Rev.3:10) and Jn.17:15.
21. First, in Jn.17:15 the preservation is not physical but rather spiritual, but in Rev.3:10 it is from the crisis which will fall upon all humanity.
22. Second, the disciples were already in the midst of evil, but in Rev.3:10 the judgments associated with the tribulation are still future.
23. And thirdly, in Jn.17:15b the spiritual realm of the evil one is in view, not the physical realm of living in cosmos diabolicus.
24. The retort by those who say the church will go through the tribulation is that "the hour of trial" is equivalent to "testing," the emphasis being upon the experience within the time, not the period as such.
25. However, "hour" is as temporal term, attempts to water it down notwithstanding.
26. Another argument for the view of preservation through the midst of "the hour of trial" has been the preposition ek ("from").
27. Insistence upon the words meaning of "out from within" and the consequent notion of deliverance out from within is the focal point of this argument.
28. This preposition lays all the emphasis on emergence, that is the final victorious outcome of the keeping.
29. The combination tereo ek ("I keep from") connotes protection issuing in emission, it is argued.
30. This meaning allegedly finds support in the similar wordage in Rev.7;14: oi` evrco,menoi evk th/j qli,yewj th/j mega,lhj , "those who are coming out of the great tribulation."
31. Yet this line of reasoning is easily negated by noting that the preposition is used with erchomenoi ("coming"), a verb of motion.
32. The verb in 3:10, "I will keep" provides no such requirement.
33. It could just as well signify protection "by being kept from within."
34. The conclusion that the meaning is deliverance for members of the Philadelphian church while they remain present during "the hour of testing" is beset by serious problems.
35. One of them is that obvious fact that saints present during the Tribulation will not be exempt from harm.
36. Many will suffer martyrdom (Rev.6:9-11); 7:9-14) and will not be preserved.
37. The counter to this is that believers are kept from the outpouring of divine wrath on a rebellious world, but not from fierce persecution imposed on them by the beast.
38. The response: preservation normally means protection from death.
39. What good does it do to be preserved from temporal wrath and still fall prey to a martyr’s death?
40. The source of bodily harm is inconsequential when the incentive to perseverance is in view.
41. A promise of preservation is meaningless if the saints face the same fate as sinners.
42. Another weakness is the approach which sees the church going through the Tribulation surfaces in the observation that if this was the meaning behind Christ’s promise why not use either the Greek preposition en ("in") or the preposition dia ("through")?
43. Either would have settled the issue and made it clear the church was going through the Tribulation.
44. But ek ("from") opens the door to the reality of a pre-tribulational rapture.
45. Another consideration favoring removal before "the hour of testing" comes from Jn.12:27.
46. In part, this verse has the wording sw/so,n me evk th/j w[raj tau,thj, "save Me from this hour."
47. Of particular interest is the occurrence of the verb sozo ("deliver") , a word akin to tereo ("keep").
48. Both verbs are combined with the phrase ek tes horas as in Rev.3:10.
49. Jesus clearly prayed to be delivered from the hour of His impending sufferings on the cross.
50. He wanted to be spared the necessity of enduring living through the ordeal associated with His final suffering, if it were possible.
51. He was not praying for strength to endure the ordeal.
52. This was a prayer for complete exemption from the hour of crucifixion.
53. In our verse the promise is, "I will protect you [at a place] away from the period of misery on the earth."
54. The hour for Jesus officially began when He was arrested and not when He was praying in the garden.
55. The participle "which is about" modifies "hour" rather than "testing."
56. This shows it is not the testing but the hour that is prominent in the statement.
57. It is exemption from the period of time that is promised.
58. By implication, this deliverance will coincide with Christ’s return mentioned in the very next verse: "I am coming quickly."
59. Believers on the earth, along with the dead in Christ will meet the Lord in the air (1Thess.4:13-17).
60. While the statement in 3:10 does not refer directly to the Rapture, but the doctrine of the Rapture of the church supplies the means by which Christ will keep the church out of the hour of testing.
61. This effect of placing the saints in a safe place removed from the misery on the earth at the outset of the "hour of testing" or Tribulation has them in heaven.
62. "The hour of testing" is not difficult to identify.
63. This is no temporal test upon the congregation at Philadelphia.
64. It encompasses the whole world.
65. And it is designed to test the whole world to bring them either to repentance or eternal judgment.
66. This is a company of people constantly in view in the Book of Revelation.
67. It is the time of distress upon the human race unparalleled in all of human history (Dan.12:1; Joel 2;31; Mk.13:14; 2Thess.2:1-12; Rev.7:14; 14:7, etc.).
68. Because this period of tribulation will immediately precede the coming of the Lord to earth in power and great glory (cf. Matt.24:29,30) and because the generation to whom John wrote these words has long since passed away, Philadelphia’s representation will be manifested in not only the six churches of Asia but in local assemblies throughout the church age.
69. Believers throughout the present dispensation who "have kept the word of [Christ’s] endurance" guarantee for all members of the Royal Family the promise of a pre-tribulational exit!
70. Those who gain the crown guarantee this blessing for all the rest.
71. This is the clear indication of verse 10.

Final Admonition (v.11)

VERSE 11 'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown (e;rcomai tacu,\ kra,tei o] e;ceij( i[na mhdei.j la,bh| to.n ste,fano,n sou [pres.dep.ind.1s. erchomai come + adv tachus quickly, swiftly, rapidly + pres.act.imper.2s. krateo grasp, take hold of + pro.acc.nt.s. hos what + pres.act.ind.2s. echo have + conj hina result, ‘so that’ + pro.nom.m.s. medeis nobody + aor.act.subj.3s. lambano take away + art.w/noun acc.m.s. stephanos wreath; the ultimate symbol of Ph3 honor and authority + pro.gen.s. su]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 11

1. The rather abrupt "I am coming quickly" serves to demonstrate that the coming of the Lord is the event that will deliver believers from "the hour of testing" brought upon unbelieving humanity.
2. The believers who made up the Philadelphian church will participate in that deliverance as they will be resurrected as a part of the "dead in Christ" of 1Thess. 4:16 ("the dead in Christ will rise first").
3. So in no sense will they be a part of the coming worldwide crisis that immediately precedes the inauguration of the promised kingdom.
4. Believers who remain and who are living at the point of Christ’s return for the Church will be delivered from that "hour" as well (cf. 1Thess. 4:17).
5. While the promise of 3:10 is made to the Philadelphian saints based on their faithful endurance the promise extends to all members of the body of Christ through the centuries of the church age irrespective of experiential standing (cf. 1Thess. 5:10).
6. The expression "Behold I am coming quickly" is found here and in chapter 22 at verses 7, 12, and 20.
7. In each of these instances the reference is to Christ’s for the Church and not of His coming to deliver Israel at the 2^nd Advent.
8. The expression has been misunderstood as teaching the "can’t know" immanency doctrine which affirms that Christ could have come at any point in the church age irrespective of historical conditions.
9. This false teaching is undermined by the fact that Christ could not have returned before the fulfillment of the fall of Jerusalem prophecy.
10. Then there is the seven eras of the church age as illustrated by the conditions prevailing in the seven churches of the Revelation.
11. Then there is the prophecy of the rise of monasticism in the 4^th and 5^th centuries AD of 1Timothy 4:1-3.
12. Then there is the prophecy of the re-establishment of the Jewish homeland in Ezekiel chapters 34 through 37 (cf. Doctrine of the Fig Tree).
13. The adverb "quickly" can have the connotation of "soon" or "rapidly."
14. The coming of the Lord is without unnecessary delay rather than soon in relationship to believers living at various points in the time line of the church age.
15. The idea is always preconditioned by an understanding of the prophecies articulating conditions and entities of the final generation.
16. The idea of promptness (and speed) in connection with this adverb (tachu and tachion) is seen in Matt.5:25; 28:7,8; Mk.9:39 ["afterward"]; Lu.15:22; Jn.11:29; 13:27; 20:4 [superlative "faster"]; Jm.1:19 ["quick"]
17. Unnecessary delay is an underlying aspect of this adverb (cf. Acts 17:15; Heb.13:19, 23; Rev.2:16).
18. The adverb tachu could be translated "promptly" or "without [unnecessary] delay."
19. The translation "soon" is misleading.
20. This church which was free of condemnation is simply told by the Lord to "hold fast what you have" as a precondition to receiving the crown.
21. This verb is used 47x in the NT.
22. It is used in this sense of holding fast to the faith in Col.2:19, 2Thess.2:15; Heb.4:14; 6:18; Rev.2:25; and 3:11 (cp. Rev.2:13-15 for holding fast to falsehood).
23. This is the key to adjusted believers receiving the crown.
24. That the crown can be forfeited is clear from Christ’s words "let no take your crown."
25. Here is another example of where the singular pronoun ("your) is applied to the various members of the local assembly.
26. Believers who fail to qualify for the crown allow others to steal what would otherwise be theirs.
27. The thief would not take the crown for himself but in this instance would simply deprive the individual believer of the benefit.
28. Failure to separate from those who are negative is to come under their influence which can lead to abandonment of the faith (social reasons, monetary, sexual, etc.).
29. False teachers are a classic example of those who are more than willing to separate the adjusted believer from the crown.
30. There is only one crown given to those who finish their course.
31. Designations for this crown are as follows: "the crown" (Phil.4:1; Rev.3:11; cp. 4:4,10); "crown of exultation" (1Thess.2:19); "crown of righteousness" (2Tim.4:8); "crown of life" (Jam.1:12; Rev.2:10); and "crown of glory" (1Pet.5:4).
32. The crown is the ultimate in Ph 3 reward and must be distinguished from all other categories of eternal reward (SG3).
33. The Philadelphian saints were not in the clear based strictly on their current good standing.

Promise to the Overcomer (v.12)

VERSE 12 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God (o` nikw/n poih,sw auvto.n stu/lon evn tw/| naw/| tou/ qeou/ mou [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. nikao be victorious, overcomes + fut.act.ind.1s. poieo make + pro.acc.m.s. autos him + noun acc.m.s. stulos pillar, column + prep en + noun loc.m.s. naos temple, inner sanctum + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God + pro.gen.s. ego "My"], and he will not go out from it anymore [kai. e;xw ouv mh. evxe,lqh| e;ti [conj kai + adv exo outside; "out" + double neg ou me + aor.act.subj.3s. exerchomai go forth + adv eti still; "anymore" or "no longer"]; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem [kai. gra,yw evpV auvto.n to. o;noma tou/ qeou/ mou kai. to. o;noma th/j po,lewj tou/ qeou/ mou( th/j kainh/j VIerousalh,m [conj kai + fut.act.ind.1s. grapho write + prep epi upon + pro.acc.m.s. autos him + art.w/noun acc.nt.s. onoma name + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God + pro.gen.s. ego "My" + conj kai + art.w/noun acc.nt.s. onoma name + art.w/noun gen.f.s. polis city + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God + pro.gen.s. ego "My" + art.w/gen.f.s. kainos new + indecl. Jerusalem], which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name [h` katabai,nousa evk tou/ ouvranou/ avpo. tou/ qeou/ mou( kai. to. o;noma, mou to. kaino,n [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.f.s. katabaino descend, come down + prep ek + art.w/noun gen.m.s. ouranos heaven + prep apo + noun abl.m.s. theos God + pro.gen.s. ego "My" + conj kai + art.w/noun acc.nt.s. onoma name + pro.gen.s. ego "My" + art.w/adj.acc.nt.s. kainos new]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 12

1. The promise to the Philadelphian overcomer follows the same pattern and interpretation as in all the letters.
2. This promise draws upon the picture of the eternal state in Rev. 21-22.
3. The overcomer refers to each and every one who has made the salvation adjustment as per 1Jn.5:4-5.
4. It includes those who fail to hold fast as well as those who do.
5. This is proven by the fact that all believers appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ where some have little or no reward to show for their time in Ph 2 (1Cor.3:14-15).
6. Furthermore the entire resurrected body of Christ returns with Him and all participate in the New Jerusalem forever.
7. The metaphorical language of each believer likened to a pillar is consistent with the language that there is no temple in the New Jerusalem (Rev.21:22).
8. The New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven immediately in the creation of the new heavens and the new earth is all temple.
9. Believers will be a permanent fixture in this eternal city like a pillar in a building.
10. Pillars are probably the most enduring aspect of an ancient structure.
11. Pillars have stood for thousands of years to illustrate the fact of our eternal security.
12. Further, believers are assured of God’s and Christ’s presence all eternity.
13. The security of the overcomer is further elaborated upon by "and he will certainly not go outside any longer."
14. The other part of this Ph 3 promise is an assurance of eternal life.
15. This is indicated by each believer’s reception of a threefold name.
16. The threefold occurrence of "name" is impressive.
17. To have "the name of My God" was equivalent to belonging to God.
18. To have the name of the city of God indicates the right of permanent citizenship in the royal city of our Lord (cp. Phil.3:20).
19. It is the successor to the millennial Jerusalem with all its glory.
20. Christ’s new name (cf. 19:12) is also written on the believer signifying relationship and possession.
21. As we say in 2:17 each believer has a new name inscribed upon a white stone that he/she alone knows.
22. This suggests intimacy with the Savior.
23. These realties will be fully appreciated once we are in the eternal state.

Command for GAP (v.13)

VERSE 13 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. echo have + noun acc.nt.s. ous ear + aor.act.imper.3s. akouo hear + indef.pro.acc.nt.s. tis what + art.w/noun nom.nt.s pneuma spirit + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art.w/noun dat.f.p. ekklesia church]).'

ANALYSIS: VERSE 13

1. What God the Holy Spirit has revealed to the Philadelphian church is an invitation to anyone to any local assembly to hear under GAP.
2. There are no exceptions.
3. Obviously this message to this church is available to all believers to pay heed to.
4. As well as the entire realm of doctrine revealed to human authors through the Spirit of truth.

Message to Laodicea (vv. 14-22)

The Address (v.14)

VERSE 14 "To the angel [messenger] of the church in Laodicea write (Kai. tw/| avgge,lw| th/j evn Laodikei,a| evkklhsi,aj gra,yon [conj kai + art.w/dat.m.s. angelos messenger; angel + art.w/noun gen.f.s. ekklesia church + prep en + noun loc.f.s. Laodicea + aor.act.ind.2s. grapho write]: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this [Ta,de le,gei o` VAmh,n( o` ma,rtuj o` pisto.j kai. avlhqino,j( h` avrch. th/j kti,sewj tou/ qeou/ [demon.pro.acc.nt.p. tode this; "says this" + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art.nom.m.s. + part as subst amen; title for Christ as the one who speaks what is true + art.w/noun nom.m.s. martus witness; martyr + art.w/adj.nom.m.s. pistos faithful + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. alethinos true, dependable + art.w/noun nom.f.s. arche beginning + art.w/noun gen.f.s. ktisis creation + art.w/noun gen.m.s. theos God]):

ANALYSIS: VERSE 14

1. The last of the seven messages constitutes the sharpest rebuke given to the seven churches, to a prestigious congregation in a well-to-do community.
2. This church the Lord reprimands sternly for its lukewarmness.
3. No commendation of any kind appears.
4. The only encouragement in the message is the possibility of repentance and faith towards what the Lord calls "pure gold."
5. The address and message is presented in the normal manner.
6. The message is addressed to the 7^th star or messenger of this local assembly.
7. It was the pastor’s responsibility to disseminate the contents to his flock.
8. The name Laodicea is derived from a combination of laos ("people") with dikao ("to rule").
9. It conveys the sense of "the rule of the people," i.e., a democracy.
10. Paul had authority over this church during his first Roman imprisonment (A.D. 60-62), though he had not yet visited here personally (cf. Col. 2:1).
11. He had written the congregation a letter, which some have identified with Ephesians (cf. Col. 4:16).
12. Laodicea was the most easterly and the southernmost of the seven churches, though it was only slightly farther south than Ephesus.
13. Ephesus was almost due west of Laodicea.
14. It was located about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia and was the natural destination for those responsible for those circulating this book.
15. It was in the Lycus Valley at a critical juncture on a major highway.
16. It was the highway that began in Ephesus in the west, ascended the Maeander Valley and continued eastward to enter the Gate of Phrygia.
17. Beyond this gate was a much broader valley where Lydia, Phrygia, and Caria came together; a valley entered by the Maeander flowing from the north.
18. From the point where the Maeander joins its tributary, the Lycus River, the road followes the Lycus Valley eastward as the Maeander turns north at about this point and becomes too rugged to travel.
19. The Lycus Valley is on two levels with Laodicea occupying the lower level and, not far away Colosse the upper valley about ten miles to the east.
20. A third member of this tri-city combination was Hierapolis lying six miles due north of Laodicea, between the Lycus and the Maeander.
21. The Lycus Valley was one of the most frequent routes of travel from the interior to the west because of the ease with which travelers could travel the road.
22. Laodicea was situated as a guardian of this road, near the spot where the Lycus Valley opened into the Maeander Valley.
23. It also was the place where the road from Pergamum and Sardis on the north crossed the east-west route, on its way to the south (Hemer).
24. Though nearly impregnable because of the arrangement of the surrounding mountains, Laodicea was vulnerable because it was almost completely dependant on others for its water.
25. This weakness hindered the city from taking military advantage of what was otherwise an ideal situation.
26. The aqueducts that brought water into the city were underground, but an attacking enemy could easily learn of their whereabouts and sever them, denying the city its needed water.
27. These aqueducts had been unnecessary during the day’s of the city’s early settlement.
28. Water from the local stream was sufficient, but as the population increased, it became necessary to import water from outside sources (Ramsay).
29. Little is known of the history of the founding of Laodicea.
30. The probable founder was Antiochus II (261-246 BC), who named the city for his wife Laodice whom he divorced in 253 BC.
31. With its Seleucid origin, it probably resembled Thyatira in constitution and law, but here again, records are too scarce to be dogmatic (Ramsay).
32. Since the city was intended to strengthen to strengthen the Seleucid hold on the land, it original population would have been chosen from among those loyal to the king.
33. Most were probably Syrians, but a segment of the inhabitants may have been Jewish.
34. Allowance must also be made for some Macedonian colonists.
35. Later, after Phrygia was given to Eumenes by the Romans (189 BC), the loyalty of the city to the west was strengthen by importing new citizens loyal to the Pergamenians.
36. Thus Laodicea and other cities of the Lycus Valley came to have very mixed populations (Ramsay).
37. The city served as the judicial seat of the district of which it was a part.
38. Its location at an important travel intersection also made it a great commercial and financial center, a potential it realized after Rome took control of the area and brought peace to the area.
39. It was an important manufacturing center as well.
40. The main product was a widely sought after soft wool that was glossy black in color.
41. The wool was woven into garments for local use and export.
42. It was in competition with its neighbors in Colosse and Hierapolis, where wool was also manufactured, but apparently was the economic superior because of the peculiar qualities of its wool.
43. The seat of a famous school of medicine was also located in Laodicea, though the temple of "the god of the valley," Men Karou, alongside which the school grew up, was about thirteen miles to the west.
44. The Laodicea physicians followed the teachings of Hierophilos (350-250 BC), who advocated that diseases required compound medicines for treatment.
45. They developed an unusual system of heterogeneous mixtures.
46. A well-known medicine developed by the physicians of this school was applied to the eyes to cure disorders.
47. Commerce, manufacturing, and medicine made Laodicea a wealthy city.
48. The prosperity of the city was demonstrated following the great earthquake of AD 60, which destroyed the city and other cities around it.
49. As was its habit, the Roman government offered substantial aid in rebuilding the devastation.
50. Yet Laodicea was not among those cities who received assistance.
51. Whatever the reason the city was not helped, the citizens rebuilt their own city.
52. Even nearby Hierapolis, a prosperous city in its own right, received imperial aid.
53. Laodicea occupied a strategic location as on of only two entrances into Phrygia from the west, the other entrance point being Philadelphia.
54. As noted earlier Philadelphia fulfilled its responsibility of Hellenizing the region to which it had access, but Laodicea was a miserable failure in this regard.
55. The portion surrounding Laodicea still spoke its native tongue, not Greek.
56. Inscriptions discovered in Laodicea furnish not evidence of the Jewish population in the city, though other records reflect significant size and influence of the Jewish community there.
57. Antiochus III reportedly settled 2,000 Jewish families in Lydia and Phrygia, according to Josephus.
58. Laodicea, founded as a Seleucid city and on the borders of the two territories, was a natural center for immigration.
59. In 62 BC, the Roman governor of Asia refused to allow Asian Jews to send their contributions to Jerusalem.
60. Instead he seized the money.
61. The amount seized in the district of Apameia of Phrygia suggests a population of 7,500 Jewish freemen (not counting women and children).
62. A reference in the Talmud suggests that the Jews of Laodicea were at the peak of ease.
63. The temple of the Phrygian god Men Karou was the center of society and administration was well as the religion for the valley.
64. A market was there, protected by the sacred name for trading with outsiders.
65. The medical school connected with the temple was also there.
66. When Hellenism came to the valley, the people continued to worship the god considered supreme in the district, identifying him with their god Zeus.
67. The Laodicean god was sometimes called Aseis, perhaps a Semitic word meaning "powerful."
68. The introduction of Christianity into the Lycus Valley can be sketched from NT sources.
69. The Holy Spirit prohibited Paul from entering Asia in AD 50 (Acts 16:6), compelling him to traverse only the northern borders of the province.
70. He reached Ephesus via an overland route in AD 52, probably following the upland road through Tralla to the Cayster Valley (Acts 19:1).
71. While he ministered in Ephesus, Epaphras evangelized the Lycus Valley, primarily Laodicea (Col. 1:6-7).
72. By the time Paul wrote Colossians (AD 61), he had not personally visited Laodicea or Colosse (Col. 2:1).
73. His intended visit to Colosse (Philem. 22) did not come until his release from Roman imprisonment (AD 62 or 63).
74. Paul’s "letter to Laodicea" (Col. 4:16) (our Ephesians) and his letter to Colosse were unusual, since Paul had not personally been to the Lycus Valley to found these churches.
75. There is the suggestion that Archippus (Col. 4:17), a son of Philemon (Philem. 1:2), was responsible for the establishment of the church in Laodicea.
76. Three churches in three cities─Hierapolis, Laodicea, and Colosse─were closely related because of geographical proximity to each other, with the first two overshadowing the third in importance.
77. Colosse had declined in importance through the decades of the first century AD (Hemer).
78. Christ’s self-declaration is threefold.
79. "The Amen" is used only here as a title for Jesus Christ.
80. The definite article makes this a substantive and represents a quality par excellence.
81. This descriptive title presents the Lord as the one in whom absolute veracity is personified.
82. The Greek term is a transliteration of the Hebrew amen ("be firm"), and indicates veracity.
83. The Hebrew root signifies that which is "fixed," "true" and implies certainty.
84. The Hebrew noun is used of "truth" in the twofold occurrence "God of truth" in Isa. 65:16.
85. The concept here in the title ho Amen is credibility, the absolute certainty that all this person says with respect to the Laodiceans is true and will be accomplished.
86. Since the principal indictment against the Laodiceans is lukewarmnesss, Christ’s virtues of sincerity and truthfulness stand in the forefront as He deals with those whose devotion to Him is only superficial and not substantial.
87. The second part of Christ’s self-designation to this church "the faithful and true witness" is intended to make the first "the Amen" more specific.
88. The noun martus is sometimes used in a legal sense, sometimes in a historical sense, and sometimes in a ethical sense.
89. In the latter instance it came to be used of those who died for their testimony for Christ (cf. 2:13).
90. The present instance is a narrow application of the historical sense.
91. The thought of Jesus as a witness is a favorite one in John’s writings (e.g., Jn. 3:11, 32, 33), but does not occur elsewhere in the NT.
92. Several suggestions about the precise connotation of martus in this verse have been advanced.
93. One approach contends that its primary reference is to the witness borne by Christ during His earthly live.
94. This view is apparent in Paul’s reference to Christ’s witness before Pontius Pilate (cf. 1Tim. 6:13) and Jesus’ and John’s descriptions of Christ’s earthly witness (Jn.5:33; 8:14; 19:35; 21:24).
95. However, this witness is quite remote from the present situation.
96. Another idea relates the word to the witness borne in the Apocalypse.
97. Substantiation of this comes noting that it concurs with the meaning of "the faithful witness" in 1:5 as well as in the rest of the book (cf. 19:9, 11; 21:5; 22:6).
98. This view should be included, but it is not wide enough in scope.
99. Another view limits it to just this seventh message (Alford).
100. Certainly it is because He is the faithful and true witness that His counsel and rebuke are to be taken seriously by the recipients of the seventh letter.
101. This view is persuasive, but is not broad enough to allow for references to Christ’s faithful witness elsewhere in the book (cf. 1:5; 19:9, 11; 21:5; 22:6).
102. The best way to take martus in 3:14 is to make it comprehensive in covering Christ’s reliability as a witness to every divine revelation.
103. This meaning agrees closely with that assigned in 1:5, and is supported by the observation that a faithful witness can be trusted never to misrepresent His message by exaggeration or suppression, with his veracity extending not only to his character but also to his message.
104. This meaning is broad enough to provide for an allusion to the OT source of the total expression Ps.89:37; cf. Rev. 1:5) as well as agreeing with the focus of the book of Revelation as a whole and the need expressed in the message to Laodicea.
105. Jesus Christ is the epitome of veracity.
106. The adjective pistos expresses Christ’s entire trustworthiness as a witness.
107. In the NT is describes one who is either trusting (cf. Jn. 20:27; Acts 16:1) or trustworthy (cf. 1 Thess. 5:21; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1Jn. 1:9).
108. It can be applied to a man in either sense depending on context, but in the latter sense it can be applied only to God as it is here.
109. This title given to Christ stands in conspicuous contrast to the Laodicean church, which was neither faithful nor true to its calling.
110. The adjective alethinos supplies the dimension of "true" or "genuine" to Christ’s witness.
111. The witness of Christ to the truth is a testimony that never falls short of absolute veracity.
112. The third title adopted by Christ is "the beginning of the creation of God."
113. Heretical groups through the centuries of the church age, such as the Arians who denied the deity of Christ, have assigned a passive meaning to arche ("beginning") ("one begun").
114. This advocates that Christ was merely the first created being and therefore not God.
115. The obvious fallacy in this interpretation is conspicuous upon consideration of the closer context and the context of the book as a whole.
116. How could a created being command the degree of faithfulness outlined in the message to Laodicea, and how could He make such far-reaching promises as are extended to the overcomer and the one who repents?
117. Such a low Christology is at variance with Rev. 1:8 and 2:8 where Christ is eternal, with 5:13 where He with the Father is distinguished from every created thing as an object of worship, with 19:10 where worship of a creature is forbidden, and with 22:13 where His name "the Alpha and Omega" necessitates His being the source of creation, not the result of it?
118. This error is also out of accord with other writings of John which place so much emphasis on the deity of Christ (e.g., Jn. 1:3; 5:18; 10:30).
119. The view that takes "beginning" in the active sense to mean "beginner," "originator," or "initiator" is clearly preferable.
120. This is the sense supported by Christ’s use of the word in Rev. 22:13.
121. At the end of the Apocalypse, it parallels not only to Alpha but also ho protos ("the first").
122. To be "first," He must have also been the creator.
123. This too is the meaning that corresponds with Paul’s response to the doctrinal error that had arisen earlier in nearby Colosse and perhaps had existed in Laodicea because of the closeness of the two churches.
124. Paul had commanded that the letter to the Colossians be read in Laodicea (Col. 4:6).
125. The similarities between the message to Laodicea and Paul’s two letters to the churches in the Lycus Valley are striking (cp. Rev. 3:21 with Col.3:1 and Eph. 2:6; Rev. 3:17-19 with Col. 1:27; 2:8, 18, 23 and with 2:2, 3).
126. Paul uses very similar terminology in Col. 1:15 where he calls Christ "the first begotten of all creation" and in Col. 1:18 where he calls Him "the beginning."
127. Apparently both Col. 1:18 and Rev. 3:14 rest upon the use of arche in Prov. 8:22.
128. In Colossians Paul was developing Christ’s uniqueness as creator and counteracting an error regarding the Person of Christ that reduced Him to the level of a hierarchy of mediating powers.
129. This may not be the point of the usage of this title in this seventh letter.
130. More probably this title serves to counter the materialism lust of the well-to-do membership.
131. Christ is unique and therefore pre-eminent.
132. He has supreme authority and power to execute His words, including the warnings and promises in the message to follow.
133. Christ’s veracity and His power stand behind the words of this letter to the Laodiceans.
134. The words "the creation of God" require a sense that in inclusive of all creation.
135. The meaning corresponds to the "all things" (panta) of Jn. 1:3 as "the all things" (tap anta) of Col. 1:16.
136. His creatorship of the whole universe also anticipates His creation of the new heaven and earth following His thousand-year reign on earth.

Condition of the Assembly (v.15)

VERSE 15 'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot (Oi=da, sou ta. e;rga o[ti ou;te yucro.j ei= ou;te zesto,j

[perf.act.ind.1s. oida know + pro.gen.2s. su + art.w/noun acc.nt.p. ergon work + conj hoti that + conj oute neither + adj.nom.m.s. psuchros cool, cold + pres.act.ind.2s. eimi "are" + conj oute nor + adj.nom.m.s. zestos strictly boiling; fig fervent; hot]; I wish that you were cold or hot [o;felon yucro.j h=j h' zesto,j [interj.. dervied from the aorist participle opheilo; this verbal particle is used to express an interjection concerning an unattainable wish as in "would that! or "O that!" + adj.nom.m.s. psuchros cold + imper.act.ind.2s. eimi "were" + conj e or + adj.nom.m.s. zestos hot]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 15

1. The Lord goes straight to the heart of the spiritual crisis at Laodicea.
2. As in the previous messages, the Lord follows His self-description with a word indicating intimate knowledge (Oi=da, "I know") that is complete and accurate.
3. When used of humans it refers to something known by observation but when used of divine knowledge it refers to knowledge that is absolute based on the divine attribute of omniscience.
4. The objects of His knowledge are their "works" and in four of the other six messages (2:2, 19; 3:1, 8).
5. The works are not just a manifestation of the outward life but a are the product of the inner life.
6. The outward works reflect the inner life.
7. The works may be good or bad as in 2 Cor. 5:10 ("For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds (def.art.acc.nt.p. ta. "the things") in the body, according to what he has done, whether good (agathon) or bad (phalon worthless)."
8. The conjunction hoti ("that") is used after verbs of perception to introduce what is perceived.
9. The evaluation focuses on the mediocre approach to all things spiritual that characterized this church.
10. It isn’t that they were bereft of overt activity, it was that they were not applying in the larger arena of divine good activity due to the superficial nature of the teaching ministry.
11. Lukewarm Christianity is always characterized by a flurry of activity much of which is not sponsored by sound teaching from the pulpit.
12. The term "hot" (zestos) is the easier of the two to define (adj. occurs here and in v. 16).
13. It comes from zeo (to boil), which in the participial form is usually translated "fervent" (cf. Acts 18;25; Rom. 12:11; 2x).
14. Hot describes a believer characterized by healthy spiritual fervor/intensity.
15. This intensity is directed toward the WOG and its demands upon the growing believer.
16. Such ones show enthusiasm for BD.
17. No such unanimity exists with respect to the meaning of "cold" (3x: Matt. 10:42 of cold water; Rev. 3:15, 16).
18. One opinion attaches no meaning to it, either positive or negative.
19. The main reason for this is to avoid having Christ wish anyone to be spiritually destitute (cf. v. 15b).
20. This view goes on to conceive of "cold-hot" as a unit and those who are not "cold-hot" as being indifferent to the responsibility of following Christ without distraction.
21. Combined, the two terms are another way of saying "lukewarm" (Beckwith; Johnson).
22. Separated the two terms have no significance.
23. The water supply of Laodicea lies in the background of this explanation, which has no reference to spiritual fervor.
24. The hot waters of Hierapolis had medicinal value, and the cool, pure water of Colosse provided refreshment.
25. In contrast to these, the waters of Laodicea were halfway between in temperature and served on such purpose, according to this opinion.
26. This approach argues that Jesus rebukes the church for its lack of works, not its spiritual temperature, so no figurative significance is to be assigned to any of the three terms.
27. Yet serious obstacles face this explanation.
28. The cold-hot combination can hardly be intended as another way of saying lukewarm because in the very next breath Christ expresses His desire that the readers be one or the other (v. 15b).
29. How then is the objection that Christ would not want believers to be cold to be answered?
30. Spiritual coldness is preferable to lukewarmnesss because at least those who are cold are not making a pretense of being faithful to God and His plan.
31. From an ethical standpoint a frank repudiation or indifference is much more honest than pretending to be interested in the teachings of the Bible.
32. To prefer outright indifference or rejection over a half-and-half approach is startling, but to profess biblical Christianity while remaining unaffected by its "whole counsel of God" is a disaster.
33. Another example in the NT of hot and cold believers is Jesus’ use of the term "grow cold" (psycho) in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:12).
34. There the culprit is the ever increasing lawlessness of the last days.
35. Rather than stand fast against the prevailing antinomianism many believers will succumb to the evil all around them.
36. Rather than endure persecution and privation many will go along with the trends of the times (i.e., greed, immorality, etc.).
37. It remains to assign the metaphorical "cold" a more precise meaning.
38. One suggestion is that it refers to the unbeliever who has rejected the gospel openly.
39. The problem here should be obvious: why would the Lord prefer that the Laodiceans be unbelievers rather than believers in reversionism?
40. It is infinitely better to have believed in Christ for eternal salvation than it is to have never believed.
41. Another suggestion is that it ("cold") refers to a believer who is a back-slider.
42. This is much closer to the sense that Christ has in mind.
43. "Cold" refers to someone who is a believer but makes not profession of religion, good or bad.
44. It is someone who has believed by makes no pretense of being a good Christian.
45. So the point is, it is better to not attend a church where the whole truth and nothing but the truth is being taught, rather than attend even an adjusted assembly and not be committed to the doctrine being taught.
46. Lukewarmness is the most contemptible state a believer can get himself in from the divine viewpoint.

The Indictment and Threat (v. 16)

VERSE 16 'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold (ou[twj o[ti cliaro.j ei= kai. ou;te zesto.j ou;te yucro,j [adv houtos so + conj hoti because + adj.nom.m.s. chliaros lukewarm; 1x + pres.act.ind.2s. eimi + conj kai + conj oute neither + adj.nom.m.s. zestos hot + conj oute nor + adj.nom.m.s. psuchros cold], I will spit you out of My mouth [me,llw se evme,sai evk tou/ sto,mato,j mou [pres.act.ind.1s. mello be about + pro.acc.s. su + aor.act.infin. emeo spit out, vomit; 1x + prep ek from + art.w/noun gen.nt.s. stoma mouth + pro.gen.s. ego "My"]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 16

1. The key term describing their state is chliaros ("lukewarm").
2. It appears only here in biblical Greek.
3. The image behind this metaphor is related to the city’s water supply.
4. The city apparently had an on-going problem with the water temperature.
5. The city’s water came from the hot springs in neighboring Hierapolis.
6. Along the way the water lost some of its heat.
7. The water that made its journey had a temperature somewhere between the extremes in Colosse (cold) and Hierapolis (hot).
8. Such tepid water was not pleasant to drink.
9. The metaphorical meaning of this divine evaluation portrays vividly the Lord’s revulsion with respect to the believers at Laodicea.
10. They were like the city’s drinking water as it arrived overland.
11. Lukewarmness is seen in their lack of zeal for the whole counsel of God.
12. They maintained a form of orthodoxy but were not fully committed to the realm of revealed truth as they had no doubt once been.
13. The warm part indicates their outward attachment to Christianity.
14. The cold part suggests that they were not committed to the all things of divine revelation.
15. This was especially manifest in the message from the pulpit.
16. This of course affected their works.
17. The seriousness of their condition is manifest by Christ’s dramatic (and metaphorical) response.
18. The word translated "spit out" is actually the Greek term "vomit."
19. The verb for "spit" is empaizw.
20. The choice of word expresses the utmost abhorrence by a denunciation that is unparalleled in the other six messages.
21. An OT usage that is parallel to this metaphor is Lev. 18:25, 28; 20:22 where the land is said to "spew out" its inhabitants for the people’s corrupt ways.
22. If they continue the spiritual sham, He has no choice but to respond by spewing them out of His mouth, as any person would who ingested something that really upset the stomach.
23. The verb "I will" is actually a present active indicative of mello.
24. The term means something that is impending, whether the event is just around the corner or down the road a ways (cf. 1Pet.5:1; Rev.3:10).
25. In prophetic parlance it refers to something that is assured but awaits necessary intervening events.
26. Whether the threat issued by Christ is temporal or prophetic intervening time must elapse.
27. In the case of the former, there would be an allotment of time so the congregation could repent and align themselves with the directive will of God.
28. In the case of the former the Church Age would have to run its course before the Rapture could occur.
29. An example of strict immediacy is Matt.2:13 (cf. 17:12, 22; 20:22; Lk.22:23; Jn.4:47; Rev.2:10; 3:2; 17:8, et al) and example of a long-term event is Matt. 11:14 (cf. 12:32; 16:27; 24:6; Lk.21:7; Rom.5:14; 8:18, et al).
30. This spewing out is not an immediate and special judgment.
31. It is rather a warning of adverse eschatological wrath.
32. The language is intended to awaken these believers to impending danger.
33. That danger is loss and shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ (cf. 1Jn. 2:28 "Now, little children, abide in Him (maintain FHS), so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.").
34. All believers who fall short of finishing their race will suffer shame and loss (SG3).
35. What is threatened against this assembly is equally true of all believers who remain in reversionism (cf. v. 22).
36. The type of reversionism that characterized this church is seen a major characteristic of the final era of the church age.
37. The sixth trend is so repulsive that the body of Christ on earth will be vomited out of Christ’s mouth.
38. This suggests that the Rapture itself is a judgment against corrupt believers.
39. The Church Age will end because the corporate body of Christ on earth is so corrupt that the dispensation will be halted.
40. The implied threat of Romans 11:22 "if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off."
41. As Israel was "broken off" (Rom. 11:17), so will the church, do to its arrogance and negative volition.
42. So the spewing out is a judgment upon corporate Christianity at the end of this dispensation.
43. As corporate Israel was set aside for its corrupt ways, so will the church of Jesus Christ be removed from the scene.
44. As Israel was given a chance to repent but failed to do so (cf. Matt. 21:43), so it goes with the Laodicean era.
45. Obviously the resurrection of the church will purify believers (Eph. 5:27 "that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless.").
46. The Rapture will provide the removal of the ISTA, dead works, along with the revelation of the mind of Christ for each believer.

Their False Security (v.17)

VERSE 17 'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing (o[ti le,geij o[ti Plou,sio,j eivmi kai. peplou,thka kai. ouvde.n crei,an e;cw [conj hoti introduce a reason based on a fact; "Because" + pres.act.ind.2s. lego say + conj hoti; used here a quotation + adj.nom.m.s. plousios rich + pres.act.ind.1s. eimi "I am" + conj kai and + pf.act.ind.1s. plouteo be rich; "have become wealthy" + conj kai + adj.acc.nt.s. oudeis nothing + noun acc.f.s. chriea need, lack + pres.act.ind.1s. echo have]," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked [kai. ouvk oi=daj o[ti su. ei= o` talai,pwroj kai. evleeino.j kai. ptwco.j kai. tuflo.j kai. gumno,j [conj kai; adversative "and yet" + neg ouk + pf.act.ind.2s. oida know + conj hoti that + pro.nom.2s. su you + pres.act.ind.2s. eimi "are" + art.w/adj.nom.m.s. talaiporos wretched; 2x Rom.7:24 + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. eleeinos miserable + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. ptochos poor, destitute + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. tophlos blind + conj kai + adj.nom.m.s. gumnos naked]),

ANALYSIS: VERSE 17

1. Verses 17-18 are an elaboration of what constituted the church’s lukewarmness.
2. The opening words of verse 17 are the boastful self-appraisal of the Laodiceans.
3. Secure in their affluence, they were oblivious to their spiritual condition.
4. The material wealth of the Laodiceans is will established.
5. The huge sums taken from the Asian cities by Roman officials during the Mithridatic period and following indicate enormous wealth.
6. The Zenonid family (private citizens of Laodicea) is a remarkable example of the extent of individual wealth (cf. Tarn and Griffith, Hellenistic Civilization, 3^rd edition, 113).
7. Their pretentious claim was not only that they were rich but that they had achieved it on their own.
8. The combination plousios eimi kai peplouteka ("I am rich and have become rich") is an example of the idiom called hysteronproteron that is used regularly in this book (cf. 3:9; 5:2; 10:4,9; 12:10; 1913).
9. It is an inversion of natural sequence.
10. The perfect tense means "my wealth is due to my own exertions."
11. Logically, the obtaining of wealth precedes the attainment of a wealthy status.
12. The elaboration kai ouden chreian echo ("and have need of nothing") further reflects the church’s delusional complacency.
13. Complacency and self-satisfaction are often fostered my material comforts.
14. The absence of persecution or other special difficulties, could also contribute to the church’s languid state.
15. No doubt the membership interpreted their prosperity as a sign of divine approbation.
16. They equated spiritual prosperity and well being with material advantages.
17. This mentality exists with the prosperity gospel crowd (cf. 1Tim.6:5 "and constant friction between men of deprave mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.").
18. Christ proceeds to lay bare the real status quo of Laodicean Christianity, which is in stark contrast to the delusion of the membership.
19. From the Lord’s perspective their alleged spiritual prosperity was actually spiritual bankruptcy.
20. They had over time imposed this delusion upon themselves and only by volitional realignment to the full knowledge of the truth could they come out from under the fog they were in.
21. Here was a church rich in pride but poor in spirit.
22. The church’s deplorable condition called for a multiple description.
23. The adjective "wretched" is found only here and in Rom. 7:24 where Paul addresses his own predilections with respect to the ISTA/OSN.
24. Someone who is wretched is someone who is bereft of even the most basic necessities of human existence.
25. The adjective "miserable" occurs only here and in 1Cor. 15:19 where it describes someone who has no hope beyond this life.
26. It is better translated "pitiable."
27. Wretched views the individual from the standpoint of his surroundings, while pitiful describes the person from the standpoint of others.
28. The adjective "poor" (ptochos) denotes abject poverty (sometimes referred to as "grinding poverty").
29. The corresponding verb ptwssw signifies the action of a beggar who crouches and cowers.
30. Such an individual is in view in Jam. 2:2, 3, 5, 6.
31. The adjective is best translated "beggarly" in Gal. 4:9 to describe legalism versus grace.
32. We are to come to the aid of those who are positive and in this condition (Gal. 2:10).
33. Of the five adjectives, this one is the most specific antonym of the Laodiceans’ self-concept, that of being rich.
34. The inability to see spiritual verities is reflected in the adjective "blind."
35. It is often used in Scripture of the spiritually blind (cf. Matt. 15:14; 23:16, 17, 19, 24, 26
36. An excellent example of physical blindness and spiritual blindness is seen in the story of the blind man in John 9: 1-41 (cf. 10:21; 11;37).
37. Spiritual blindness with respect to believers is seen in 2Pet. 1:9 and 1Jn. 2:11.
38. This adjective is used against the background of a city famous for its eye meds.
39. The adjective "naked" denotes the shame.
40. In a city famous for its garment industry comes this descriptive term.
41. Believers who are not dressed with the works of righteouness learned about via GAP will experience shame at the Lord’s coming (cp. Rev. 16:15).
42. Those who only hold to a shallow form of godliness and embrace a kind of self-sufficiency are all these things.
43. The designation "lukewarm" is an apt description of affluent American Christianity.
44. We see it in the push for bigger and better church complexes.
45. This is the era of the mega-church and all sorts of gimmicks to raise funds.
46. Sound doctrine is not available in these assemblies (cf. 2Tim.4:3).

Counsel to Procure Three Items (v.18)

VERSE 18 I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich (sumbouleu,w soi avgora,sai parV evmou/ crusi,on pepurwme,non evk puro.j i[na plouth,sh|j [pres.act.ind.1s. sumbouleuo advise, counse + pro.dat.s. su you + aor.act.inf. agorazo purchase + prep para from (denoting closeness) + pro.abl.s. ego "Me" + noun acc.nt.s. chrusion gold + perf.pass.part.acc.nt.s. puroo refine (of metals), make fiery hot (only in pass in NT + prep ek + noun abl.nt.s. pur fire + conj hina that (result) + aor.act.subj.2s. plouteo be rich], and white garments so that you may clothe yourself [kai. i`ma,tia leuka. i[na periba,lh| [conj kai + noun acc.nt.p. himation garment (outer) + adj.acc.nt.p. leukos white + conj hina (purpose) + aor.mid.subj.2s. periballo clothe; "clothe yourself"], and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed [kai. mh. fanerwqh/| h` aivscu,nh th/j gumno,thto,j sou [conj kai + neg me not + aor.pass.subj.3s. phaneroo reveal + art.w/noun f.s. aischune shame + art.w/noun gen.f.s. gumnotes nakedness + pro.gen.s. su "your"]; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see [kai. kollÎoÐu,rion evgcri/sai tou.j ovfqalmou,j sou i[na ble,ph|j [conj kai + noun acc.nt.s. kollourion eyeslave; from kollura a round cake of a compound for an eye remedy) + aor.act.infin. egchrio anoint + art.w/noun acc.m.p. ophthalmos eye + pro.gen.s. su + conj hina (result) + pres.act.subj.2s. blepo see]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 18

1. To a local church in such desperate straits the Lord offers help.
2. The form of Jesus’ offer is one that compels rather than demands.
3. The verb "advise" is in the active voice and occurs here and in Jn. 18:14 in the NT.
4. Yet this is more than just a friendly invitation to go shopping, it is couched in deep irony.
5. He is a church that thinks it needs nothing and yet needs advise on self-preservation.
6. The solicitation to buy items that cannot be purchased with money further reflects as caustic tone.
7. The pronouns soi…emon are specific and emphatic: "you buy from Me."
8. Their feeling of spiritual sufficiency based on material security is groundless.
9. "You are completely dependant on Me," is the jest of Christ’s words.
10. The verb "to purchase" is full of sarcasm.
11. The Lord asks those who lived in a city abundant in material things to buy what they cannot purchase with silver and gold.
12. Destitute people are told to purchase three items that will reverse the situation presented in v.17.
13. This is language that materialistically affluent people can readily relate to.
14. Whatever degree of positive volition this church had once attained, they had abandoned, due to their flunking the prosperity test.
15. Material advantage blinded them to the importance of Bible Doctrine.
16. In the counsel the Lord gives them there is no requirement to liquidate their material assets.
17. What He has, and what the cosmos with all its wealth cannot procure, is divine viewpoint or Bible doctrine.
18. It is clear throughout Scripture that spiritual advantages cannot be achieved via physical wealth (Job 28:15; Psa. 49:7-8; Pro. 3:13,14; 8:10,11; 16:16; Isa. 55:1; Matt.16:26; 1Pet.1:18).
19. Only by investing in the gold that Jesus offers can they be rich toward God.
20. The first item on the shopping list is "gold refined by fire."
21. The gold refined by fire is sound doctrine taught by the messenger of the local church.
22. The refining process indicates that the truth of God’s word is devoid of that which could misled or disappoint the one who possesses it.
23. BD is provided to positive volition on a grace basis; in other words it is free of charge.
24. The wisdom it confers is better than anything a person could desire.
25. This stands at the top of the list of items that Laodicean-type Christianity needs otherwise believers remain in the condition described in v.17.
26. Commentators are generally oblivious to what this pure gold Christ’s counsels them to acquire is!
27. The 2^nd item is "white garments" to clothe the soul.
28. The city was famous for its black woolen garments.
29. This wardrobe of white corresponds to the righteous deeds of the saints or divine good production (cf. Rev. 19:8).
30. Believers who are minus divine good production are like people who appear in public naked.
31. The Laodicean church has only human good or dead works to show for their efforts.
32. Divine good parlayed into SG3 enable believers to avoid "the shame of your nakedness" at the Bema Seat.
33. All who come fall short of the crown will suffer embarrassment on that day.
34. They show no shame while on earth, but they will on that day (cf. 1Jn. 2:28).
35. Compare Revelation 16:15: "Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame."
36. Only 3x in the NT is nakedness associated with unpreparedness (Rev. 3:17, 18; 16:15).
37. Item #2 demands the consistent function of GAP (item #1) in order for their to be action with honor (cf. 2Tim. 3:16-17; Col. 1:10; 1Tim.5:10; 2Tim.2:21).
38. One time it is used of the intermediate state (2Cor. 5:3) and the rest refers to literal nakedness.
39. The 3^rd and final item Jesus counseled them to buy is eye medication to correct their spiritual blindness.
40. This also relates to the soul.
41. The eyes of the soul represent the ability to exercise discernment with respect to good and evil (Heb. 5:14: "But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.").
42. GAP and application overcome this malady.
43. The local reference for this item was the Phrygian powder used in the medical school at Laodicea.
44. The 1^st item on the list procured makes it possible for the other two items.
45. Items #2 and #3 requires the acquisition of item #1.
46. GAP (item #1) makes it possible for the other two items to become a reality thus overcoming the deficit of v. 17.
47. Failure to implement item #2 ―divine good production― is, in and of itself, a form of blindness (cf. 2Pet. 1:9; 1Jn. 2:11).
48. In summary, item #1 is BD or GAP; item #2 is divine good production; and item #3 is discernment.

Encouragement and Exhortation (v.19)

VERSE 19 'Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent (evgw. o[souj eva.n filw/ evle,gcw kai. paideu,w\ zh,leue ou=n kai. metano,hson [pro.nom.1s. ego emphatic + rel.pro.acc.m.p. hosos as many (much) as + part ean + pres.act.subj.1s. phileo + pres.act.ind.1s. elegcho reprove/rebuke + conj kai + pres.act.ind.1s. paideuo discipline; train + pres.act.imper.2s. zeleuo be zealous + conj kai + pres.act.imper.2s. metanoeo repent, change one’s mind]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 19

1. The tone of the Lord’s words changes abruptly from the threat of spewing out in v.16 to love in v.19.
2. What we have in v.19 is a free rendering of Prov. 3:12 (cf. Heb. 12:6).
3. The censure in vv. 15-18 is not to be taken as irreversible but is rather evidence of affection.
4. The use of reproof and discipline to express love resides in the source text of this allusion (cf. Prov. 3:11-12).
5. The "I am about to" of v. 16 has already served notice that the opportunity for repentance is still open.
6. Lukewarmness is not necessarily terminal.
7. The translation "Those whom" is better rendered "As many as."
8. "As many as" reveals that the Laodicean saints were treated no differently from believers in the other churches where there were problems.
9. The choice of phileo over agapao suggests a special relationship.
10. This verb points to the fact that Christ is dealing with members of His family.
11. This verb would not be appropriate in connection with non believers.
12. The present subjunctive with the conditional particle ean is restrictive of a certain class or category.
13. Both verbs for love are used in connection with believers (cf. 3:9).
14. The more human or emotional verb is used here in dealing with those Christ inflicts painful wounds upon for their disloyalty.
15. This verb is chosen to show that despite the church’s shabby attitude toward their Lord, He still has affectionate feelings toward it.
16. The surprising choice of word comes as a touching and unexpected manifestation of love toward those who deserve it least.
17. As note a special relationship of paternity is seen in the choice of words for love as exists in Prov. 3:12 and Heb. 12:6.
18. Here we have an excellent example of grace being extended toward a body of believers in spite of their nauseating spiritual condition.
19. Christ’s love and affection toward these unworthy objects is what motivates Him to censure ("reprove") and chasten ("discipline) them.
20. Verbal rebuke is featured in the verb elegcho.
21. It is designed to bring a person to acknowledgement of the error of his way.
22. It attempts to accomplish by speech as compared to paideuo which attempts to accomplish the goal by act.
23. The second verb ("discipline") originally meant "instruct" or "educate" and developed the extended meaning of "chasten."
24. Where the discipline of verbal rebuke fails, chastening follows.
25. This is God’s method of dealing with those whom He is attempting to bring in line with His righteous standards.
26. The course of action urged upon the spiritually destitute congregation comes at the end of this verse: "Therefore by zealous and repent."
27. Zeal denotes the new attitude that must be adopted to overcome the lukewarmness that pervaded the membership.
28. This zeal is to be directed towards the intake and application of BD with its ensuing benefits as seen in the metaphorical shopping list of v. 18.
29. A continuing zeal is commanded in place of lukewarm indifference that had characterized this church for some time.
30. The verb zeleuo relates to the adjective zestos ("hot") in 3:15 and 16.
31. The fervency that Christ wants with respect to Who and What He is something the church is commanded to implement.
32. But before this new state of zeal can be realized the church must first repent; hence the present active imperative of metanoeo.
33. The change of purpose must precede the zeal.
34. This formula will dispense with lukewarmness.
35. The Laodicean era (a.k.a "latter rains" and "rapture generation") is characterized by a tremendous amount of zeal for works, but it is largely works without honor.
36. Zeal for the truth of Bible Doctrine and its resultant fruit is what is required of believers who would survive the debilitating effects of Laodicean Christianity.

Temporal Blessing for Repentance (v.20)

VERSE 20 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock (ivdou. e[sthka evpi. th.n qu,ran kai. krou,w [part idou behold + pf.act.ind.1s. histemi + prep epi "at" + art.w/noun acc.f.s. thura door + conj kai + pres.act.ind.1s. kuouo knock]; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door [cond.part. ean if + indef.pro.nom.m.s. tis anybody + aor.act.ind.3s. akouo hear + art.w/noun gen.f.s. phone voice + pro.gen.s. ego "My" + conj kai + aor.act.subj.3s. anoigo open + art.w/noun acc.f.s. thura door], I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me [Îkai.Ð eivseleu,somai pro.j auvto.n kai. deipnh,sw metV auvtou/ kai. auvto.j metV evmou/ [fut.dep.ind.1s. eiserchomai enter, come in + pro pros to, before + pro.acc.m.s. autos him + conj kai + fut.act.ind.1s. deipneo dine, take the main meal + prep meta w/pro.acc.m.s autos him + conj kai + pro.nom.m.s. autos him + prep meta with + pro.gen.s. ego "Me"]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 20

1. This verse has been used mistakenly and widely as a Ph1 invitation and promise to the unbeliever.
2. There is nothing in the immediate or wider context that supports this notion.
3. This verse cannot even legitimately be applied in this fashion.
4. There is no support for the widely held idea that the unbeliever is supposed to invite Jesus into his heart.
5. The unbeliever is required to believe in Christ for eternal salvation.
6. Furthermore the indwelling of Christ is the truth of Bible doctrine in the inner man of the human spirit (cf. Col.3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom…" and Eph. 3:17 "so that Christ (here for the "mind of Christ") may dwell in your hearts through faith (e.g., transfer faith), and that you, being rooted and grounded in love").
7. This is further supported by comparing John 15:4 ("Abide in Me, and I in you") with verse 7: "If you abide in Me (FHS), and My words abide in you (parallel to the "I in you" of v.4), ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you."
8. The term "Christ" is used as a synonym for the truth of God’s written word in Eph. 4:20-21: "But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus."
9. So this fundy notion of inviting Jesus into the heart is completely unfounded in the text of the NT.
10. In the context of this letter, however, it is self-deluded members of the church who are being addressed.
11. Another view takes this verse as a Ph 3 (eschatological) promise to those who repent.
12. This view ties the verse with the Ph3 blessing promised in v. 21 to the overcomer.
13. This view is overthrown in light of the interpretation that the overcomer is anyone who believes in Christ (cf. 1Jn.5:4,5).
14. This view would require that the lukewarmness of the Laodiceans was due to the fact that they were pseudo believers (i.e., unbelievers).
15. This view would then play into the hands of the widespread misuse of this verse cited in the opening points of this analysis.
16. The proper view ties this verse to the preceding verse, verse 19.
17. This verse is a call to the individual believer for present or Ph 2 fellowship.
18. The general, if not universal, manner in which the believers in these seven churches are referred to is the 2^nd singular pronoun.
19. Here the individual, rather than the group, is singled out as noted in the words, "if anyone hears… (ean tis)."
20. This is parallel to the "he who has an ear..." formula.
21. The language here and in verses 15 thru 18 is clearly metaphorical where the various items symbolize some spiritual reality as noted in the above analyses.
22. "The door" corresponds to the life of the individual in Matt. 24:33; Mk.13:29; Jam. 5:9; and in our verse, Rev.3:20.
23. The door is used eschatologically for access to the kingdom in Matt. 25:10; Mk.13:29
24. It is used in connection with the salvation adjustment in Lk.13:24-25 with Ph3 or kingdom implications.
25. It is used of the person of Christ in the discourse on the Good Shepherd (Jn. 10:1,2,7,9).
26. Here and in Jam. 5:9 the metaphor of the door is strictly temporal and not eternal in meaning.
27. The door metaphor is used both of Christ (or His kingdom) and individuals (whether believer or unbeliever).
28. In our verse (and Jam.5:9) it is used in connection with believers.
29. In Jam.5:9 the implication is impending divine discipline for the one who bad-mouths a fellow believer.
30. Here the metaphor is similar but different.
31. Christ is pictured as standing at the door and knocking.
32. Christ is the One who is seeking access.
33. In this case He is not forcing open the door but rather He Himself is seeking fellowship with the occupant of the house.
34. The knocking is the means employed to alert the individual member of the Laodicean church of his spiritual plight.
35. The knocking is taken as divine discipline in the life of the individual believer who has grown lukewarm.
36. Divine discipline takes various forms from verbal rebuke to physical pain.
37. In addition to the knocking is the hearing of the Lord’s voice.
38. The obvious example of this is this letter sent to the messenger of the church.
39. Those who may have taken this message to heart are those who open the door.
40. The result is reestablished fellowship with the Lord based on repentance and zeal for BD.
41. Christ stands at the volitional door of the lukewarm believer.
42. Next comes knocking discipline and for those who might hear the true voice of the Lord by being exposed to sound doctrine a choice confronts them.
43. The one who opens the door is the one who is positive and who establishes fellowship with Christ.
44. Both parties gather around a meal and both parties enjoy social intercourse (as per "dine with him, and he with Me.").
45. The meal represents the particulars that constitute the realm of divine viewpoint.
46. The guest of honor is Jesus Christ.
47. The other guest is any believer who lets Him in.
48. Having the Lord in one’s life in a positive and blessed fashion is to honor His words and teachings.
49. Apart from sound doctrine there can be no true fellowship (cf. Acts 2:42; Phm. 1:6).
50. In CWL fellowship is with the Godhead.
51. This includes God the Father (1Jn. 1:3), and the Son (1Cor.1:9; Phil. 3:10), and the Holy Spirit (2Cor. 13:14; Phil.2:1).
52. The Rebound technique is the basis for the adjusted believer to maintain a state of fellowship (1Jn. 1:6).
53. This is the basis for fellowship among the likeminded (1Jn. 1:7).
54. All other fellowship is fake and does not glorify God.
55. It is of interest to note that the meal is something the individual believer supplies, Christ is merely the guest.
56. The things that make up the meal are the doctrines learned under face-to-face teaching.
57. Obviously application must accompany the process (cf. Titus 2:10).
58. Again, this is not the literal physical millennial banquet the Lord provides for qualified guests in the coming kingdom (cf. Isa. 25:6).
59. In this verse Christ offers Ph 2 fellowship with Himself to believers who are spiritually "hot."

Promise to the Overcomer (v. 21)

VERSE 21 'He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne (o` nikw/n dw,sw auvtw/| kaqi,sai metV evmou/ evn tw/| qro,nw| mou [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s nikao overcome + fut.act.ind.1s. didomi give; "grant" + pro.dat.m.s. autos him + aor.act.infin. kathizo to be seated + prep meta + pro.abl.s. ego "Me" + prep en in, on + art.w/noun loc.m.s. thronos throne + pro.gen.s. ego "My"], as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne [w`j kavgw. evni,khsa kai. evka,qisa meta. tou/ patro,j mou evn tw/| qro,nw| auvtou/ [comparative conj hos as + enclitic conj kago I also + aor.act.ind.1s. nikao overcome + conj kai + aor.act.ind.1s. kathizo be seated + prep meta with + art.w/noun abl.m.s. pater father + pro.gen.m.s. ego "My" + prep en in + art.w/noun loc.m.s. thronos throne + pro.gen.m.s. autos him]).

ANALYSIS: VERSE 21

1. The overcomer is anyone who believes in Jesus Christ and is born again (cf. 1Jn. 5:4-5).
2. It includes the faithful believer as well as the unfaithful believer (2Tim. 2:13: "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.").
3. The faithful overcomer will simply have more prestige in terms of eternal reward in the millennial and eternal kingdom (cf. 1Cor. 3:14-15).
4. The overcomer at Laodicea includes those who did not take this message to heart and repent.
5. Those who are maladjusted at the Rapture will be taken along with those who are adjusted (cf. 1Thess. 5:10: "who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we shall live together with Him.").
6. The only loss a believer can sustain under ultimate sanctification is loss of SG3 and the crown (cf. Rev. 3:11 "I am coming quickly, hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.").
7. The crown is earned by completing one’s course (e.g., faithful to the end) while individual increments of SG3 is earned by applying BD under FHS (cf. 1Cor. 3:13-14).
8. Of the eternal promises to the seven churches only one is tied to Ph 2 at that is the one given to the church at Thyatira (cf. 2:26-27).
9. While all church age believers will enjoy the millennium, only certain ones will be given responsibilities related to corporate punishment of evildoers (cf. Lk. 19:12-27).
10. All other promises to the overcomer in Revelation are part of the Ph1 allotment of blessing (cf. 2:7b, 11b; 17b; 3:5, 12, 21).
11. Saving faith never carries with it a guarantee of Ph 2 excellence.
12. There is just too much evidence in Scripture to the contrary.
13. The promise "to sit down with [Christ] on [His] throne", is an extension of the promise made to the Twelve while on earth that they would not only eat and drink with Him in His kingdom, but also sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (cf. Matt. 19:28; Lk. 22:29-30).
14. Paul expanded this promise to include all believers as rulers (cf. 1Cor. 6:2).
15. The implementation of this promise is the central theme of the Apocalypse as it progresses to the culmination of Christ’s reign in the millennial kingdom (cf. 5:10; 11:15; 20:4).
16. The relationship of Christ’s throne to the Father’s in this verse has been understood in two ways.
17. One way is to identify the two as one and the same throne.
18. The other is to distinguish them, one in heaven belonging to the Father and the other on earth belonging to the Christ as the son of David.
19. The one throne approach is based largely on Rev. 22:1 where the same throne is said to belong to the Father and the Lamb.
20. The oneness of the glory of the Father and the Son (cf. Jn. 17:22, 24) are also cited as supporting the single throne view.
21. In spite of this, the fact remains that v. 21 distinguishes between two thrones and to merge them into one is to ignore the obvious.
22. The distinction between Christ’s throne and the Father’s is not merely rhetorical.
23. It provides for different aspects of God’s future dominion (cf. 1Cor. 15:24-28) by recognizing the final earthly consummation of Christ’s kingdom at His return.
24. His throne is the one to which He is heir as David’s son (cf. Ps. 122:5; Ezek. 43:7; Lk. 1:32).
25. He will occupy it when He comes in His glory (Lk. 1:32; cf. Dan. 7:13-14; Matt. 25:31; Acts 2;30; Heb. 2:5-8; Rev. 20:4).
26. Christ’s occupancy of the throne of David is a major emphasis of Revelation from its very beginning to the very end (cf. 1:5; 22:16).
27. It is this throne upon the earth on which the overcomer is promised a place.
28. The pattern in sharing His throne with overcomers is that of the Father in sharing His throne with Christ: "as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
29. A comparison of Christ’s relations with believers with the Father’s relations with Him is characteristically Johannine (cf. Jn. 15:9, 10; 17:21, 22; 20:21).
30. "I overcame" looks back to the incarnation leading up to Christ’s death (Rev. 5:5, 9; cf. Jn. 16:33) and "sat down" refers to His ascension following His resurrection.
31. Unlike the overcomer to whom the promise is given, Christ’s overcoming was through His self-discipline to remain sinless including His ordeal on the cross.
32. All that is required of any person to achieve the status of overcomer is faith apart from works in Christ (what a contrast in the two categories of overcomers!).
33. The contrast between the two categories of overcomer is reflected in the comparative conjunction hos ("as").
34. Unlike the comparative kathos ("just as"), hos does not mean an exact parallel.
35. Because of this achievement Christ assumed a seat and authority that is above all at the right hand of His Father in the heavens (cf. Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:44; Acts 2:34; Eph. 1:20; Heb. 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2).
36. The Father and Christ’s throne in the 3^rd heaven and the one Christ will assume as Ruler of the planet will merge in the New Jerusalem (cf. 4:12).

Call to All (v. 22)

VERSE 22 'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches (o` e;cwn ou=j avkousa,tw ti, to. pneu/ma le,gei tai/j evkklhsi,aij [art.w/pres.act.part.nom.m.s. echo have + noun acc.nt.s. ous ear + aor.act.imper.3s. akouo hear + indef.pro.acc.nt.s. tis anyone, who + art.w/noun nom.nt.s. pneuma spirit + pres.act.ind.3s. lego say + art.w/noun dat.f.p. ekklesia]).'"

ANALYSIS: VERSE 22

1. The message to the local church at Laodicea concludes with the standard summons to those who have an ear for the truth to GAP ("hear") "what the Spirit says to the churches."
2. Those who have an ear are those who ultimately prove themselves positive to BD.
3. Some believers possess positive volition but they allow it to be subverted by this or that (cf. Parable of the Sower).
4. This summons expands the message to Laodicean as well as the other six churches to all local assemblies that before God are bonafide lampstands.
5. This message had particular relevance to Laodicea, but the sevenfold repetition of this summons demonstrates that the doctrines and lessons of all seven are profitable to all local churches.
6. God the Holy Spirit is the author and revealer of Scripture.
7. He indwells all believers so as to lead believers into the realm of revealed truth.
8. Individuals who heed this summons are those who are the elite of the Royal Family.