THE EPISTLES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES (CONCLUDED) 1-6. To the Church in Sardis Christ speaks as He who gives the spirit and looks for spiritual life. There is no praise for this Church. Its life is without spiritual reality (Revelation 3:1). Yet, even now, awakening is within its power. But if it cont... [ Continue Reading ]
SARDIS] about 35 m. S. of Thyatira. When there was a kingdom of Lydia, before 549 b.c., Sardis was its capital. It was still an important city at the time of the Apocalypse, but is now only a ruin. SPIRITS] cp. Revelation 1:4; Romans 8:9. NAME] i.e. its Christianity was nominal.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT FOUND THY WORKS PERFECT] RV 'found no works of thine fulfilled,' i.e. up to the proper standard.... [ Continue Reading ]
RECEIVED] i.e. the gospel: cp. 1 Thessalonians 2:13. HEARD] RV didst hear'; Christ appeals to the memory of their conversion: cp. Galatians 3:1. AS A THIEF] cp. Revelation 16:15; Matthew 24:43.... [ Continue Reading ]
NAMES] i.e. persons: cp. Acts 1:15. HAVE NOT DEFILED] RV 'did not defile,' i.e. at some crisis of persecution, when most yielded: cp. Acts 7:14. WALK] i.e. spend their life. WHITE] the colour of victory: cp. Revelation 3:5; Revelation 3:18; Revelation 6:11; Revelation 7:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SAME SHALL BE CLOTHED] RV 'shall thus be arrayed'; 'thus' = 'as I am': cp. Revelation 1:13. BOOK OF LIFE] i.e. the number of Christ's people: cp. Revelation 13:8; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 20:12; Revelation 20:15; Exodus 32:32; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3. [ Continue Reading ]
PHILADELPHIA] 28 m. SE. from Sardis, a rather rich and powerful city. 'It had the most glorious history of all the cities of Asia Minor in the long struggles against the Turks' (Ramsay). It is still to a large extent Christian. KEY OF DAVID] a reference to Isaiah 22:22. As authority over the royal... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA Christ speaks as He by whom alone comes entrance into the Church, the spiritual house of God (Revelation 3:7). The Church is praised for its faithfulness in persecution. Its own power is small, but Christ is with it, and He is giving it an opportunity for the conversion... [ Continue Reading ]
AN OPEN DOOR] i.e. the Church shall win converts: cp. 1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3, perhaps from the persecuting Jews (cp. Revelation 3:9), and perhaps also from the Phrygian land on the road to which Philadelphia lay. HAST NOT DENIED] RV 'didst not deny,' i.e. in a time of... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL MAKE] RV 'I give.' SYNAGOGUE] see on Revelation 2:9. Evidently, here, Jews proud of their national privileges, and powerful in numbers and in wealth. No doubt they despised the Jewish Christians as traitors. LOVED THEE] cp. Isaiah 43:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WORD, etc.] i.e. the message which sets forth 'patience,' i.e. steadfast endurance, as part of Christ's life and of the life of His people. TEMPTATION] RV 'trial': a general persecution is foretold, but the Philadelphian Church will be so kept that, though they may suffer in outward matters, the... [ Continue Reading ]
A PILLAR] i.e. he shall have a permanent place in the 'temple,' i.e. the Church, here the glorified Church: cp. 1 Kings 7:21; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:5. TEMPLE] cp. 1 Corinthians 3:16.. NAMED, etc.] i.e. he shall receive the full knowledge and blessing of belonging to God, to the ki... [ Continue Reading ]
AMEN] i.e. Truth (cp. Isaiah 65:16; RM); He is the Reality behind all passing things; His life is the life which is life indeed; His promises are sure; He can be trusted utterly. WITNESS] see on Revelation 1:5. THE BEGINNING, etc.] i.e. He who is the source of all life: cp. Colossians 1:18. LAODICE... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA Christ speaks as He through whom alone comes true life with its riches and blessings (Revelation 3:14). The Church is blamed for luke warmness, self-satisfaction and worldliness (Revelation 3:15.). Instead of trusting in itself let it turn to Christ for the true riches (Rev... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Matthew 21:31.... [ Continue Reading ]
An allusion to the nauseating effect of lukewarm water.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Hosea 12:8; Matthew 23:12; Luke 1:52; James 2:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUY] cp. Isaiah 55:1. RAIMENT] RV 'garments': cp. Isaiah 55:4; Matthew 22:11. ANOINT.. EYESALVE] RV 'eyesalve to anoint thine eyes.' SEE] cp. John 9:40.... [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6.... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOCK] cp. Song of Solomon 5:2; Luke 12:36. HEAR] cp. John 10:4; John 10:28. COME IN] cp. John 14:23. SUP] The blessings which Christ gives, both here and hereafter, are often spoken of under the figure of a feast: cp. Revelation 19:9; Matthew 25:1; Luke 22:29. WITH HIM.. ME] cp. [ Continue Reading ]
Cp. John 16:33; John 17:24.... [ Continue Reading ]