Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
I have set (dedwka). Perfect active indicative of didwmi, "I have given" (a gift of Christ, this open door). See Luke 12:51 for a like use of didwmi.
A door opened (quran hnewgmenhn). Perfect (triple reduplication) passive predicate participle of anoigw (verse Revelation 3:7) accusative feminine singular. The metaphor of the open door was a common one (John 10:7-9; Acts 14:27; I Corinthians 16:9; II Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:3; Revelation 3:20; Revelation 4:1). Probably it means here a good opportunity for missionary effort in spite of the Jewish hostility.
Which (hn—authn). Pleonastic vernacular and Hebrew repetition of the personal pronoun authn (it) after the relative hn (which). Direct reference to the statement in verse Revelation 3:7.
That (oti). This conjunction resumes the construction of oida sou ta erga (I know thy works) after the parenthesis (idou—authn, Behold—shut).
A little power (mikran dunamin). Probably "little power," little influence or weight in Philadelphia, the members probably from the lower classes (I Corinthians 1:26 f.).
And didst keep (kai ethrhsav). "And yet (adversative use of kai) didst keep" (first aorist active indicative of threw) my word in some crisis of trial. See John 17:6 for the phrase "keeping the word."
Didst not deny (ouk hrnhsw). First aorist middle indicative second person singular of arneomai. The issue was probably forced by the Jews (cf. Revelation 2:9), but they stood true.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing Revelation 3:8:
Revelation 2:2
Revelation 2:7
Revelation 4:1
Revelation 7:2
Revelation 7:9
Revelation 12:6
Revelation 20:8
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