3
To Sardis
1 “And to the messenger of the church in Sardis write:
“These things says He who has the seven spirits of God* In 1:4 above “the seven Spirits”, which I rendered as “sevenfold Spirit”, has to do with the Holy Spirit. Here I think not—the Lord ‘has’ them like He has the seven stars. Perhaps the reference is to Isaiah 11:2. and the seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, yet you are dead. 2 Wake up! And strengthen the remaining things that you were about to throw away,† “That you were about to throw away” is the reading of about ⅔ of the Greek manuscripts, including the most dependable group, as opposed to ‘that were about to die’. They had probably already stopped believing in a variety of Biblical truths and were on the verge of dumping the rest, like the theological modernist or liberal of our day. Not surprisingly, they were short on works as well. for I have not found your works to be fulfilled before my God. 3 So remember how you have received and heard,‡ See Luke 8:18. and hold fast and repent; because if you do not watch, I will come upon you like a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
4 “ ‘But you do have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, because they are worthy. 5 The one who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments, and I will not erase his name from the Book of Life,§ The Text is very clear—the glorified Christ said “erase”. You cannot erase something that is not there! To argue that Christ is using an impossibility as a threat is to accuse Him of using language deceitfully, a form of lying—not smart! By the grace of God my name is in the Book of Life, but what happens if I do not overcome? In all seven letters our risen Lord places heavy emphasis upon our human responsibility. God will take care of His side; we had better take a careful look at our side. and I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels.’* Comparing this statement with Jesus' statement in Matthew 10:32-33, confessing is the opposite of denying. Since eternal destiny is at stake, the confessing/denying must involve what we are and do, not just our words. Confessing has to do with overcoming.
6 “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
To Philadelphia
7 “And to the messenger of the church in Philadelphia write:
“These things says the Holy, the True, He who has the key of David, who opens and no one can shut it, except He who opens, and no one can open:† The evidence is badly divided with reference to the wording of the last half of the verse. The translation given here reflects over half of the Greek manuscripts, including the most dependable group. We are accustomed to the more balanced form, but the basic point remains the same. 8 ‘I know your works. Look, I have set before you an open door, that no one is able to shut; because you have a little strength and have kept my Word and have not denied my name. 9 See, I am determining that some of the synagogue of Satan, those who claim to be Jews and are not, but are lying—yes, I will cause them to come, and to do obeisance at your feet and to know that I have loved you.‡ I take it that this will happen here on earth—a pleasant prospect! Since they have been slandering us (at the very least, 2:9) this will be a welcome vindication. I imagine that at this point in history the “synagogue of Satan” includes people who claim to be Christians, but are not really. They may even be in positions of leadership (cf. Jeremiah 20:1-4). 10 Because you have kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing that is about to come upon the whole inhabited earth,§ There has always been tribulation and testing here and there on the earth, but to include “the whole inhabited earth” the reference must be to the Great Tribulation. How can you be “kept from the hour” if you are in the middle of it? To be protected in the middle of a situation is not the same as being kept from it. This text would appear to point toward a pre-tribulation, or pre-wrath, rapture of the Church. to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 “ ‘I am coming swiftly. Hold fast what you have so that no one may take your crown.* Would the glorified Christ make an empty threat? So how does someone take our crown? How about if someone moves into a spot that you relinquished? 12 The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never again go out. And I will write on him the name of my God, the name of my God's city—the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God—and my new name.’† That is three names.
13 “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
To Laodicea
14 “And to the messenger of the church in Laodicea write:
“These things says the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the Originator of God's creation: 15 ‘I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, since you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am about to vomit you out of my mouth.‡ If the Lord vomits you out, where do you go? Something can only be vomited out if it is in. 17 Because you say, “I am rich, even become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and do not realize that you are the most wretched—yes, the most pitiable and poor and blind and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy gold from me, refined by fire, so that you may become rich; and white garments, so that you may be clothed, and your nakedness not be shamefully exposed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. 19 As many as I love I rebuke and discipline;§ Sounds like ‘tough’ love. The Greek word is φιλεω, not αγαπαω. See Hebrews 12:6. so be zealous and repent!
20 “ ‘Now then, I stand at the door and knock.* Although this text is widely used in evangelism, it is actually directed to Christians. The Lord is offering fellowship and communion to those who claim to belong to Him. Recall that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Many have the impression that God is hard to find or reach, but He disagrees: “You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). The trouble is that few of us are willing to meet the condition. See also 2 Chronicles 15:2 and 16:9; also Acts 17:27. If anyone should hear my voice† Evidently He both knocks and calls. In many cultures one calls out rather than knocks [there may not be any door, or the dogs may not let you get near it], and in the Apurinã culture (an indigenous people in the Amazon jungle, among whom I lived for several years) you call the person's name. and open the door, I really will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 To the one who overcomes I will grant to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame‡ “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself…” (Hebrews 12:3; see also verses 4-11). He overcame, we must overcome—God is not offering a free ride. and sat down with my Father on His throne.’§ Comparing this statement with Ephesians 1:19-21 and 2:6, what is the picture? Since the Son is now literally “seated” at the Father's right hand, this promise should be taken literally. But how about right now? I take it that we are supposed to be conducting ourselves on the basis of our position in Christ, on the basis of His victory and authority—maybe this has something to do with ‘overcoming’.
22 “He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”

*3:1 In 1:4 above “the seven Spirits”, which I rendered as “sevenfold Spirit”, has to do with the Holy Spirit. Here I think not—the Lord ‘has’ them like He has the seven stars. Perhaps the reference is to Isaiah 11:2.

†3:2 “That you were about to throw away” is the reading of about ⅔ of the Greek manuscripts, including the most dependable group, as opposed to ‘that were about to die’. They had probably already stopped believing in a variety of Biblical truths and were on the verge of dumping the rest, like the theological modernist or liberal of our day. Not surprisingly, they were short on works as well.

‡3:3 See Luke 8:18.

§3:5 The Text is very clear—the glorified Christ said “erase”. You cannot erase something that is not there! To argue that Christ is using an impossibility as a threat is to accuse Him of using language deceitfully, a form of lying—not smart! By the grace of God my name is in the Book of Life, but what happens if I do not overcome? In all seven letters our risen Lord places heavy emphasis upon our human responsibility. God will take care of His side; we had better take a careful look at our side.

*3:5 Comparing this statement with Jesus' statement in Matthew 10:32-33, confessing is the opposite of denying. Since eternal destiny is at stake, the confessing/denying must involve what we are and do, not just our words. Confessing has to do with overcoming.

†3:7 The evidence is badly divided with reference to the wording of the last half of the verse. The translation given here reflects over half of the Greek manuscripts, including the most dependable group. We are accustomed to the more balanced form, but the basic point remains the same.

‡3:9 I take it that this will happen here on earth—a pleasant prospect! Since they have been slandering us (at the very least, 2:9) this will be a welcome vindication. I imagine that at this point in history the “synagogue of Satan” includes people who claim to be Christians, but are not really. They may even be in positions of leadership (cf. Jeremiah 20:1-4).

§3:10 There has always been tribulation and testing here and there on the earth, but to include “the whole inhabited earth” the reference must be to the Great Tribulation. How can you be “kept from the hour” if you are in the middle of it? To be protected in the middle of a situation is not the same as being kept from it. This text would appear to point toward a pre-tribulation, or pre-wrath, rapture of the Church.

*3:11 Would the glorified Christ make an empty threat? So how does someone take our crown? How about if someone moves into a spot that you relinquished?

†3:12 That is three names.

‡3:16 If the Lord vomits you out, where do you go? Something can only be vomited out if it is in.

§3:19 Sounds like ‘tough’ love. The Greek word is φιλεω, not αγαπαω. See Hebrews 12:6.

*3:20 Although this text is widely used in evangelism, it is actually directed to Christians. The Lord is offering fellowship and communion to those who claim to belong to Him. Recall that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). Many have the impression that God is hard to find or reach, but He disagrees: “You will seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). The trouble is that few of us are willing to meet the condition. See also 2 Chronicles 15:2 and 16:9; also Acts 17:27.

†3:20 Evidently He both knocks and calls. In many cultures one calls out rather than knocks [there may not be any door, or the dogs may not let you get near it], and in the Apurinã culture (an indigenous people in the Amazon jungle, among whom I lived for several years) you call the person's name.

‡3:21 “Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself…” (Hebrews 12:3; see also verses 4-11). He overcame, we must overcome—God is not offering a free ride.

§3:21 Comparing this statement with Ephesians 1:19-21 and 2:6, what is the picture? Since the Son is now literally “seated” at the Father's right hand, this promise should be taken literally. But how about right now? I take it that we are supposed to be conducting ourselves on the basis of our position in Christ, on the basis of His victory and authority—maybe this has something to do with ‘overcoming’.

© 2016 Wilbur N. Pickering, ThM, PhD