Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Church at Laodicea
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Revelation 3:8
We tend to think of the Philadelphians as being without fault because Christ does not make a pointed and detailed listing of their sins. Notice, however, that they have "a little strength"—they are weak. This is not a put-down but an honest appraisal. He is in fact commending them for doing as well as they have. We need to consider this in terms of our recent lives in the church. The evidence shows that the Philadelphia group lacks the spiritual strength of the beginning of the Ephesian group. We have not seen many mountains moving out of their places. We are among the generation addressed by Jesus: "When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). A careful scrutiny of these verses shows something is missing that almost all assume is there: They do not say the church at Philadelphia is full of brotherly love. Philadelphia is the name of the city, and we draw an assumption that Christ calls them "Philadelphians" because they exhibit remarkable love for one another. To be honest, we would have to make the same assumption for each of the groups, and no one has been able to make a significant conclusion in this vein for the Ephesian group in regard to the name "Ephesus," or for the Thyatiran group with "Thyatira," or for the others. Perhaps only one name does fit somewhat: Laodicea, which means "judgment of the people." The Philadelphians have one fine quality—they are faithful. This is what He compliments them for being, meaning they have a commendable measure of obedience. Nevertheless, the Philadelphians, though faithful, are somewhat weak. The Laodiceans are largely derived from a base that came from the Philadelphians, making them weaker still, due to their lackadaisical inattention to their relationships with God.
John W. Ritenbaugh
A Place of Safety? (Part 5)
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Revelation 3:17
Christ rebukes His church of Laodicea because its perception of reality—particularly about themselves—bears no resemblance to His own. This spiritual blindness resembles the false expectations held by the people of Christ's time, with a notable exception: The members of His church have access to His Spirit—His mind, His heart, His perspective—and so should be free from much of the blindness that obstructs carnal man. They have the means to see more clearly. A more accurate lens is available to Christians, which is why He says, "[A]noint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see" (Revelation 3:18). Once God's Spirit has been given, the onus is on the individual to improve his own sight. Today's church member may demonstrate this blindness in ways similar to the blind of Christ's time. It may come in the form of an unshakable belief that he alone has the whole counsel of God or is the primary focus of God's attention. It may show itself in a steady stream of criticism of the brethren—criticism that encompasses all but the self. It may manifest itself in a self-centeredness that assumes the spiritual high ground, believing that the rest of the church needs to rise to its level. All of these distortions spring from not seeing the self clearly—a result of not seeing God clearly. The Bible gives two related principles regarding spiritual vision, particularly about being able to see God—and as we see God more clearly, our perception of all other spiritual matters will improve. First, Jesus tells us that the pure in heart—those without guile, pride, hypocrisy, envy, jealousy, competition, hidden anger, double-mindedness, or any other defilement of inward sin—will see God (Matthew 5:8). In the same vein, Hebrews 12:14 says that without holiness—God's consecration of us combined with our submission to His requirements for moral purity—one will not see God. Our spiritual vision will only be as good as our purity of mind and conduct. Any defilement will affect our spiritual sight, making it a never-ending challenge to see things as God sees them. It is far easier to compile and rehearse the failings of others than it is to overcome in areas where we fall short of God's holiness. Seeing through the lens of unquestioned, untested, or unreliable expectations—about God, about prophecy, about our standing before Him, or the like—leaves us little better than those who failed to recognize their Creator when He came to them. Yet, applying ourselves to this purifying process will begin to allow us to see things from a perspective that approaches God's own.
David C. Grabbe
Not-So-Great Expectations
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Revelation 3:20
The letter to Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-21), the Parable of the Faithful and Evil Servants (Luke 12:35-40), and the fifth chapter of the Song of Songs all picture Jesus Christ standing behind a door, waiting for His people to respond. The symbol of a door is used in several ways in Scripture, but the commonality in these passages is that the door represents something that separates people from God. Mankind became separated from Him in the Garden of Eden when sin entered the world, and the way to the Tree of Life (and, by implication, to God) was blocked. As Isaiah 59:2 says, "Your iniquities have separated you from your God." In God's dealings with ancient Israel, there was a "door of the tabernacle," and inside that, there was a "veil"—another door—both of which granted sequential access into God's dwelling place. God was not walled in; those He designated could go through the doors and approach Him as long as they did so according to His instructions. Under the New Covenant, the way to the Father has been opened by Christ's sacrifice (Hebrews 10:19-20), yet only those the Father calls have the door to the Son opened to them (John 6:44). Thus, if the Father has called us, we have access to Christ and ultimately to the Father Himself. A door has been made where an impenetrable barrier once stood. In all three passages above, Jesus is pictured behind a closed door. The separation is not permanent, though—a door, by definition, can open, but the impetus to open it lies with the individual. This is in contrast with the letter to the church in Philadelphia, where Jesus tells them, "I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it" (Revelation 3:8). This open door—held open by the Creator of the universe—is a reward for the Philadelphians' faithfulness in keeping His Word and not denying His name, despite having only a little strength. They have also kept His command to persevere (verse 10). The picture that emerges is of a people who have little power yet devote all they have to pleasing their Master. He is their highest priority and the object of their attention and affection. Because of their unreserved response to the opportunity to know Him, Jesus guarantees that no one will close that door. Yet, Christ is still uncertain how much the Laodiceans really desire what He has offered them. Other things are competing for their attention and affection, and the competition is close enough that He asks them to demonstrate where their hearts truly and fully are. Will they open the door?
David C. Grabbe
The Relationship Deficit (Part Two)
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