For instance, the standard for the Christian is not in anywise the law (which was so for the Jew); for us it is Christ Himself, and cannot without loss be anything else. I will confess his name before the Father. Even when time comes to an end, and the world as we know it ceases to exist, he who is faithful to Christ will still be said in his keeping. The condition of sinners in never desperate, while they enjoy the gracious calls and counsels of Christ. They may call their lukewarmness charity, meekness, moderation, and a largeness of soul; it is nauseous to Christ, and makes those so that allow themselves in it. The word for beginning is arche ( G746) . Then history repeated itself. The white robes may stand for the fact that the faithful will be guests at the banquet of God. Laodicea had certain characteristics which have left their mark on the letter written to it. ii. what said those who preferred "great tribulation," rather than commit adultery with her? I open and no man can shut. 1. The salutation is from God in His own being, the ever-existing One, He who is, and who was, and who is to come. "This is my closing word, there is something for us to do in this matter. It was, therefore, now true that all the promises which had been made to Israel had been inherited by the Church. Revelation 3:20 (KJV) - Forerunner Commentary. That stands for the gift of citizenship in the city of God to the faithful Christian. (i) He is he who is holy. But it was not as a garrison town that Philadelphia was founded, for there was little danger there. There might not be energy of faith for this, but at any rate fidelity to Christ was not lacking, and where this was "To him that overcometh," says the Lord, "I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written, which none knoweth save he that receiveth it." In the gospel we bear of eternal life in the Son and this in the grace of God given to the believer. I do not doubt that all this is symbolically expressed. They may not know it as a whole, having never read it save (?) Another view is that Jesus was knocking on the eschatological door through which He will enter at His second coming. Where was the labour of love? The real meaning is that the promise is to those who have practised the same kind of endurance as Jesus displayed in his earthly life. the unblushing worldliness one sees in the combination of Dissenters with Papists and infidels springs from just, pure, holy, and unselfish motives. Here too all is as peculiar as it is suitable to the book on which we enter: "John to the seven churches which are in Asia." never to be marked by anything that men can wonder at or admire? Rebuke and chastisement are no signs of rejection from Christ, but of His abiding and pleading love, even to the lukewarm and careless. (Alford), g. If anyone: Notice that Jesus gave the call to individuals. In short He is carefully regarded as man on earth, as the sent One who lives on account of the Father in the gospel as a man on earth, in the revelation as a man most truly wherever He may be seen, whether in heaven or on earth. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." The answer is given by the last clause when "and" is taken away: the visions that he was going to behold and record in this book whatsoever things he saw. ", A Sermon Delivered on Lord's-Day Morning, July 26th, 1874, by C. H. SPURGEON, At the Newington, "Unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. This historical approach to the seven churches of Revelation is useful if these periods are seen as broad, imprecise descriptions of the church through history, allowing for generous periods of overlap. Click on the different category headings to find out more. It has become increasingly obvious as church history has unfolded. Still, after all, one of the grand points fought for at the Reformation, and gained for Protestantism, whatever might be its defects, was this; that man was put fairly, freely, and openly in presence of the Bible. I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. How comes this remarkable introduction of God to Jesus, then from Him through an angel to one servant, who sends to other servants? The deipnon was the main meal of the day and was a leisurely affair, not a hurried snack. (L. Morris) This speaks of fellowship. (v) The Christian must be on the watch against false teaching. [3.] 2. Philadelphian: Closer adherence to Jesus Word, more fraternity among Christians (modern evangelical movement of the 19th century). It is the indifferent Christian that the Lord urged to open his hearts door and to invite Jesus Christ in for intimate fellowship. That in itself would have been enough to make Laodicea one of the great commercial and strategic centres of the ancient world. The star, as we are told here, so far acted upon the church for good. Seiss does not give much of a description of the Laodicean church along this same pattern, because he felt that in his day (1900), it was yet to really emerge upon the scene. What Jesus saw in them was more important than how they saw themselves. Show yourself watchful, and strengthen what remains and what is going to die. (i) It is used as a warning to the heedless. How comes it, that for so many hundreds of years only a part of what the Fathers had laboured at sunk into the minds of men, a certain portion being rejected, as we know, by Protestantism; but now, when God brings out this fresh testimony, there rises a counter-testimony? Now I ask any fair mind, whose style does this identification of nature suit but the writer that we are now reading? And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the Lord, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; therefore I will do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. To him who overcomes: Jesus promise to the overcomer, even at Laodicea, showed that we dont have to be Christians who are compromising and lukewarm. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, [and here it is, because you've kept His Word], I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the eaRuth ( Revelation 3:10 ). 61-62; Lange, p. 139; and many others held this view.] The epistle to the church of Laodicea is not an old letter which may be put into the waste basket and be forgotten; upon its page still glow the words, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." It is eternal and in them the Spirit still speaks to us. And the same spirit of unbelief which let in the mischief keeps it in, decrying the true application of the two-edged sword now as then. This can hardly be denied to Jezebel at least; whilst "the remnant" represents those who, without being Protestants, form a witnessing company apart from popery, yet before the rise of Protestantism. This is where Jesus wants us, in the place of fellowship with Him. Revelation 3:20. Hot food and cold food can both be appetizing, but tepid food will often make the stomach turn. [3.] "Thou hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." Nevertheless, having become a man in divine grace, He speaks according to that lowly position which He entered here. The wealth of Sardis was legendary. Christ is no longer the loved and only object of the heart; nor is there the sense of the blessedness of His coming, which leads into waiting for Him; still less is there a glorying in weakness that the power of Christ may rest on them. Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; John 10:10; 1 Timothy 4:10). John saw no need for projecting the second coming into the far distant future, for he saw himself one of the chief witnesses to the soon coming of Christ, the closing words penned in the book of Revelation being Surely I come quickly [tachy, soon]. We have set these letters carefully against the local situations to which they were addressed; but their message is not local and temporary. The more you stand in the forefront of the battle, with the responsible testimony of God, the more you have the grace and truth of God brought out before and by you, if the heart and conscience be not governed and animated by the power of the Spirit of God, through that truth and grace that is in Christ, sooner or later, there will be, beyond a question, a lapse back into a position of neutrality, if not of active enmity. For example, it seems that the last four churches will persist until the coming of Jesus (see Revelation 2:25, 3:3, 3:11, and 3:20). Jesus doesn't care. Revelation 20:3. This is a PERFECT ACTIVE INDICATIVE, I stand and continue to stand at the door followed by a PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE and continue to knock., Although this church received no word of praise, it did receive a warm invitation. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. I am looking forward to the Lord confessing my name before His Father. This seems to be unsaying all again. (1) A nameless angel comes to bind Satan with a great chain. The ground of such a thought lies in the fact that the introduction to Sardis indicates the Lord beginning again a new state of things. Just open the door and He will come in and become one with you. This seems to imply His own willingness to die, as indeed He became what did not belong to Him personally, and what in short seemed extraordinarily incongruous with the glorious person that had been already described. It is said of the righteous that "they will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father" ( Matthew 13:43); and it is said of God that he covers himself with light as with a garment ( Psalms 104:2). It was not till midway through the fourteenth century that it fell; and to this day there is a Christian bishop and a thousand Christians in it. Here is added great and gracious encouragement to this sinful people to take the admonition and advice well that Christ had given them, Revelation 3:19; Revelation 3:20. 327-31; idem, Revelation 1-7, pp. The trial was not unlimited: the Lord defined the term of their endurance. Though certain historical periods are marked by the conditions spoken of in these letters, we could never say that only one letter applies only to us or our age. "Withhold not correction from the child; for, if you beat him with a rod he will not die. In truth, the moral reason lay in this: that Christ, if rejected as the object of faith, and the only channel of grace, becomes an executor of judgment. (2.) They were themselves corrupters and destroyers of true Christianity without knowing it. "Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Isaiah heard God say of this faithful Eliakim: "and I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open" ( Isaiah 22:22). This would mean even more in the ancient world than now. The members of the church in Laodicea wore the Cross as an ornament but never considered the Cross as a death to a life of selfish ease. God we don't want to go on living in a lie or a fallacy. 116. They had lost the very perception of what was for God. So now He is warning concerning His coming for the church. There will be that day that will come that the Jews will recognize that Jesus is the Messiah. And set a seal upon him - Or, rather, "upon it" - epan autou. And cast him into the bottomless pit. recurring minor shocks drive them to sheer panic. What did Jesus mean when He said, "I stand at the door and knock There is alethes ( G227) , which means "true" in the sense that a true statement is different from a false statement. In the New Testament men used the idea of the Coming of Christ as a warning to the heedless and as a comfort to the oppressed. Thus the Lord speaks with exceeding tenderness of those that were true to His name. It was picked up by the Protestants. "Behold, I come quickly!" Those who at Christ's call are caught up to heaven. 3:7+) and synagogue of Satan (Rev. Saul lost his place to David ( 1 Samuel 16:1, 1 Samuel 16:13). "But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam." and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. Ichabod is written across our house if thou be gone, for thy presence is our glory and thy absence will be our shame." "Jesus Christ" appears as "the faithful witness." The most vivid example of this kind of rebuke is the way in which Nathan opened David's eyes to his sin ( 2 Samuel 12:1-14). "I John, your brother, and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Christ Jesus, was in the isle which is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus." Revelation 20 Commentary - Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (i) They will be clothed with white raiment. Where the same evils exist, and all that which would keep the church as a chaste virgin espoused to Christ is gone, no wonder that these warnings are misunderstood. When the signs come, the Christian will know that the last time is near, even at the doors ( Mark 13:29; Matthew 24:33). The Scriptures consistently present the Fathers throne as in heaven and Christs Davidic throne as on earth and His eternal throne as in heaven. It is, in fact, God's final punishment to leave a man alone. Was it not thus when the epistle to the Ephesians was written by Paul? The victor in life will share the throne of the victorious Christ. Inasmuch as we may have thought we were clothed and yet we were naked, let us hasten to him again, and at his own price, which is no price, procure the robe which he has wrought of his own righteousness, and that goodly raiment of his Spirit, which will clothe us with the beauty of the Lord. (John 5:1-47) And now that grace and truth were about to be utterly set at naught, as He Himself had been before by that which bore His name on the earth, John was more than any other suited to let us see the solemn visions of God avenging the slighted rights of His own Son; and this, first, by providential judgments; lastly, by Christ Himself coming in the personal execution of judgment. ( Revelation 3:1-6 Continued). Do not imagine that there is anything like arbitrary innovation in this. But the Protestant principle is a very different one. When man thus regulated after the Jewish pattern, the whole beauty and aim of the church of God was ruined in principle. CHRISTS MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN LAODECIA 3:14-22. The Irvingites used to talk about the Lord having a little Zoar. - Utley, I stand at the door and knock . Indeed, there is nothing more remarkable, especially when we bear in mind who the writer is, than the absence here of His proper relationship to the children of God. When Jesus said dine with him, He spoke of a specific meal known as the deipnon. This promise is the climax of all those held out to overcomers in chapters 2 and 3. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. Philadelphia, Those Who Keep Are Kept ( Revelation 3:7-13 Continued). As one commentator puts it, The churches of all time are comprehended in seven.. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. When God told to Moses the blessing which Aaron and the priests must pronounce over the people, he said: "They shall put my name upon the people of Israel" ( Numbers 6:22-27). The whole book supposes saints in suffering, and this too in the form of tribulation, with their spiritual experience formed into the associations of Christ's kingdom rather than those of His body the church, yet surely suffering on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. History has, indeed, shown such a general development through the years He is not capricious in His selection. Other churches are nearing the same fate; they are not clear in his truth or honest in obedience to his word: they follow their own devices, they are lukewarm. "Part with sin and self-sufficiency, and come to Christ with a sense of your poverty and emptiness, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure." This seems conveyed in the peculiarity of the words: so careful is the Holy Ghost to watch over the glory of Christ even in that which told out the depths of His humiliation. How can this be secured but by removing them out of the scene before the time arrives? Here we have for the first time the formal recognition of saints not included in the public state of the assembly, yet not so openly separate as was found at a later day. I have known this text preached upon to sinners numbers of times as though Christ knocked at their door and they had to open it, and so on. . The text tells us that Jesus said, "I stand at the door and knock." He can tell of God, because he came from him. Peter and James and John were the pillars of the early church in Jerusalem ( Galatians 2:9). They are thus carefully ushered in, but in that prophetic method which was morally fitting, in a series of visions which John saw. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. God was breaking down some of these barriers. He had every right to break down the door, or enter some other way on His own accord, but He didnt. Have we not heard of it? The reason for the word is that this famous tephra Phrygia, Phrygian powder, was exported all over the world in solidified tablet form in the shape of little rolls. Such a thought, however, is completely contrary to any Scriptural teaching on salvation by grace through faith. We have most of us heard what conflicts he had, and not merely at the beginning of his career but to the end. They were without clothing, had neither the garment of justification nor that of sanctification. b. He who overcomes will be thus clothed in white raiment and I will not wipe his name out of the Book of Life, but I will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels. The connection of angels with these churches indicates that what is in view is Israel in the day of the Lord rather than the church. (ii) The Risen Christ says: "Repent!" Who then but uninstructed minds can doubt that the Lord meant more than the actual assemblies that were addressed in the province of Asia? Revelation 3 Commentary - Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the If the Lord has rebuked you, then be thankful He loves you. This phrase says to every one of us: "All these things are meant for you.". Laodicean: Middle 1800s to the end of the Christian dispensation, a sad comment on modern Christendom., Chuck Smith, What the World is Coming To (1977). How came this? If it was bright, the assembly would be elevated morally thereby. He is a "miserable conqueror.". Not too worldly, no! I. Christ calls these church members to a new, warm zeal and enthusiasm. Spiritually speaking, they were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. And yet he was willing, notwithstanding this, to receive them to his favor; nay more, he stood and pled with them that he might be received with the hospitality that would be shown to a friend or stranger. The nature of the rock meant that it developed cracks. The lukewarmness of such a church is threatened with rejection and destruction. Hence, evidently, there is a comprehensive term employed with divine wisdom, "to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass." What is commonly called Puseyism tends to this; and that system is not confined to this country. 105.]. Though Jesus detested their lukewarmness, He would really rather them be hot with zeal rather than cold. The address of our Lord begins, "I know thy works," as much as to say, "Nobody else knows you. In chapter one, He was known as the faithful and the true witness. That is good counsel, let us take it. No call to repentance, just a commendation for keeping the Word, the promise that He would also keep them.Now the final apostate condition of the church, the church of Laodicea represented by those ministers that sued President Reagan for announcing the year of the Bible. We may safely strike out the word "and," if we respect the best authorities. That is, he must repent of his pride and self-sufficiency, his human wisdom, and his cowardly neutrality. (H. Morris), v. Christ stands waits long, at the door of the sinners heart; he knocks uses judgments, mercies, reproofs, exhortations, to induce sinners to repent and turn to him; he lifts up his voice calls loudly by his word, ministers, and Spirit. (Clarke), vi. (iii) Hard as it may sound, the meaning of this terrible threat of the Risen Christ is that it is better not even to start on the Christian way than to start and then to drift into a conventional and meaningless Christianity. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. 130.] There was deipnon ( G1173) ; this was the evening meal; the main meal of the day; people lingered over it, for the day's work was done. But we must never forget that he is looking for our love, our loyalty and our service. It was the Christian belief that the Jewish nation had lost its place in the plan of God and that that place had passed to the Church. (b) It is just possible that there is a reference to the custom of branding a slave with the initials of his owner to show that he belongs to him. "Repent; or else I am coming to thee quickly, and will war against them with the sword of my mouth." At the same time another way of looking at the book is by taking "the things that are" as already past and gone. Open the door to Him. - FSB, A person or a church must hear Jesus knocking and open the door to him. (ii) It has been suggested that the door which is set before the Philadelphians is none other than Jesus himself. They were naked, without clothing and without house and harbour for their souls. The rock on which Sardis was built was friable, more like close packed dried mud than rock. (John 5:1-47) Yet with all this another feature betrays John, and suits him as the writer most strikingly. Ephesian: The early church, up until the death of John. Confess your evil deeds, receive my forgiveness, and henceforth let your hearts burn towards me, for I love you still and will supply all your needs." It is very possible, when the epistles were sent out in the days of John, that no particular emphasis would be laid on "the things that are;" but inasmuch as these things have been going on from that day to the present, we can see the immense force such a phrase thereby acquires. Just as they may buy of Christ wine and milk, that is, without money and without price,Isaiah 55:1. Philadelphia, Titles And Claims ( Revelation 3:7-13 Continued). 20 Here I am! THE INVITATION IN REVELATION 3:20 - Seeking Our God The hour of temptation shall come upon all the habitable world, "to try them that dwell upon the earth," be they where they may. The Christians were dazzled by the world's power and glory, which was put forth doubtless in protecting, not themselves only, but the public faith of Christendom in that day. It is for discipline that you have to endure. I don't see a super church, or super saints. I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me - This is an image denoting intimacy and friendship. It was a greater proof of fidelity when all was out of course to stand faithful than to be faithful when all things were regular. Read the messages to the 7 churches of Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22 as Christs message to your own church and pray "Lord, revive your church, beginning with me. God the judge of everybody. 327.]. Alas, this state of lukewarmness is so congenial with human nature that it is hard to fetch men from it. Clearly such a position made it almost impregnable. He promised to come in, and then to dine with the believer. The framers of this were those that held the doctrine of Balaam. That is what happened in Philadelphia. To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary, Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Three Views of the Interpretation of Revelation 2-3 [Note: Adapted from Robert L. Thomas, "The Chronological Interpretation of Revelation 2-3," Bibliotheca Sacra 124:496 (October-December 1967):321-31. Revelation 3:20 - Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary - StudyLight.org. Until less than a hundred years ago great markets were regularly held on its site. The rest of the description is out of chapter one. Is it any special part, or the word of God as a whole? They were blind; they could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger; they could not see into themselves; they could not look before them; they were blind, and yet they thought they saw; the very light that was in them was darkness, and then how great must that darkness be!