Revelation 3

Notes

Ver. 1. Though men think and speak of you as true and lively saints, I know that many of you are mere hypocrites, still dead in trespasses and sins; and others of you are grown very dead, dull, and lifeless in the frame of your hearts, and the manner of performing religious duties, especially in secret. 2. Guard against such an insensible temper, and depending on me, who have all the influences of the Holy Ghost to bestow, make use of all means of grace for adding strength and vigour to the small remains of those good things which are among you, and which are on the very point of expiring; for by my perfect knowledge of your hearts and ways, I find your performances cannot be accepted by God. 3. As ever you would make a right judgment of your state, seriously reflect on my doctrines and laws; and whether you at first received them into your heart in faith and love, or only with some flight of affection. And so far as you received them aright, hold them fast, and carefully act up to them; and if you received them only in a notional and hypocritical manner, bewail your ruinous mistake, and never rest satisfied till God rectify it by his almighty influences; for if you continue unconcerned, my destructive judgments shall suddenly and unexpectedly break forth upon you. 4, 5 There are indeed a few eminent Christians among you who have kept themselves clear of errors and immoralities, and have maintained their integrity, sound in the faith, and lively in their practice. They being accepted in my righteousness and sanctified by my Spirit, shall live eternally with me, in the most delightful, holy, and honourable fellowship; and they and all others who overcome sin and Satan, shall, in the most public and honourable manner, be acknowledged by me as my true disciples, before God, angels, and men. 7. Christ is holy in his natures, offices, and works, and the author of all the holiness in his people. He is invariably truth in himself, he is infallibly true in his declarations, threatenings, and promises, and is the truth and substance of the ancient types and predictions; and he has the government of the church and world upon his shoulders, and the full and uncontrollable power of life and death, hell and heaven, in his hand. 8. I have given you free access to my gospel, and opened your hearts to receive it; nor can either devils or men defeat my favour. And though not eminent in light, grace, and holiness, ye are truly sincere in them, and have faithfully maintained my doctrines, laws, and institutions. 9. I will make even those Jewish seducers and their followers, who are devoted to the service and worship of Satan, humbly to confess their errors to you, and receive your instructions or censures, and acknowledge my peculiar favours to you. 10. Since in obedience to my commands and after my example you have patiently endured persecution for your adherence to my gospel truths, which, in the exercise of my patience, are continued in the world, particularly to such of them as were peculiarly opposed, I will infallibly preserve you from apostasy in the still more trying days of trouble and affliction which will come for the trial of all professed Christians throughout the whole Roman empire. 11. But as I will come quickly to deliver you and the rest of my people from all their enemies, see that ye, in dependence on my promised grace, hold fast, with the utmost care and constancy, zeal, and holy resolution, the doctrine which ye have received, the work of grace wrought in you or done by you; and your bold profession of my name; that none, through subtlety or violence, may ever pervert you, and rob you of the honours and eternal glories promised to the faithful, or even outshine you in anything truly excellent. 12. Those who by faith overcome temptations and inward corruptions shall be immovably fixed in the state of heavenly glory in the presence of God, and consecrated to his service; and shall be openly acknowledged and manifested as children and heirs of God, rightful citizens of the heavenly state; and as united to, justified in, and adopted by me as their Head and Saviour. 14. Christ is truth itself, and infallibly true in his testimony concerning persons or things; and as the origin, author, prince, and ruler of all creatures in heaven and earth, he is able to perform whatever he promises or threatens. 15, 16. If, to my great dissatisfaction, you continue thus formally professing my name and truth, and disgracing it by your careless indifference, and want of hearty affection to and zeal for it, I will, with abhorrence, dissolve your church, and destroy you. 17, 18. Because ye vainly imagine and boast that ye are rich in spiritual gifts and graces, and in everything pertaining to life and godliness, and have no proper sense of your destitute, miserable, dangerous, ignorant, unrighteous, and unholy state and condition, I earnestly and compassionately beseech you freely but deliberately to receive me and my fulness of grace and glory as your enriching portion and treasure, my real righteousness and imparted holiness to cover and adorn you, and my Spirit and Word to enlighten and render you wise unto salvation. 19, 20. As, in the most tender affection, I warn, reprove, and correct all my disciples when they do amiss, see that you speedily improve my present rebukes in an earnest and thorough repentance of your conduct and a turning from it.—Behold, in amazing patience, condescension, and kindness, by the declarations and calls of my Word, the strivings of my Spirit, and the engaging or awakening dispensations of my providence, I stand knocking at the door of your hearts: whoever by faith receives me his soul shall be filled with my Spirit and grace, and he shall live, and hereafter enjoy the most delightful fellowship with and communications from me.

Ver. 1. Sardis was the capital of Crœsus, the rich king of Lydia. It is now an obscure village called Sart.—Dead in part (comp. ver. 2 on the word 'remain'); dead in Christian feeling, activity, and zeal. C.

Ver. 2. Be watchful in the use of opportunities.—Strengthen the things that remain, by tending the plants 'that are ready to perish' for lack of water. C.

Ver. 5. The book of life is, no doubt, a reference to the Jewish registers of genealogy and heirship in the land of promise—the emblem of enrolment and heirship among the spiritual children of God. C.

Ver. 7. Philadelphia, so called from its founder, Attalus Philadelphus, still exists under the name of Allah-shehr. It contains about 3000 houses, and has twenty-five Christian churches. It did not fall, like the other cities of Asia, as a feeble and unresisting prey into the hands of the Mahommedan conquerors; but, as the infidel Gibbon expresses it, 'either sustained by prophecy or the valour of its inhabitants, obtained an honourable capitulation from the proudest of the Ottomans;' and in the midst of surrounding desolation 'still remains erect a column in the midst of ruins.' See ver. 10. C.

Ver. 12. He shall go no more out, seems an incongruous metaphor when applied to a fixed pillar; but its strict propriety will appear when it is recollected that the pillars of the temple at Jerusalem were carried away to Babylon, 2 Ki. 25. 13; Je. 52. 17, and that this promise implies perpetual protection from spiritual captivity.—New name can be neither Jesus, nor Christ, nor Lord, nor Son of God, for these were well-known names; but seems to be that name and inscription with which he appears, ch. 19. 16, 'King of kings, and Lord of lords,' which, written upon the hearts of believers, indicates his mastership over them and property in them. C.

Ver. 14. Laodicea. There were four cities called Laodicea—two in Asia Minor, and two in Syria. This one lay nearest to Ephesus, and is now the most ruinous and desolate of all the seven churches. C.

Ver. 15. I would thou wert cold or hot, seems a wish inconsistent with the character of the speaker. 'Cold,' therefore, Woodhouse interprets 'not of persons devoid of all warm feelings and affections, but who, having their passions absorbed by worldly objects, have hitherto been cold to religious affections, but of whom there is hope that, from experience of the vanity of mere worldly pursuits, they may listen to the suggestions of the Spirit, and turn their affections to God.' And this case Bloomfield supposes to be exemplified in the irreligious publicans who entered the kingdom of heaven before the moral Pharisees. But might not the difficulty be better removed by understanding οφελον not as an indeclinable particle signifying 'I would,' 'I wish,' but as the neuter participle of the 2d aor., and translating it by the Latin 'necesse est,' by the English 'ye must,' &c.—'Ye cannot long remain indifferent?' comp. Mat. 6. 24. C.

Reflections.—Very different are the conditions of churches and Christians on earth. But, alas! most of them are generally corrupt. While a few are sincere, faithful, and thriving. many have a form of godliness without the power of it; and many are altogether lukewarm, self-conceited, and insensible of their manifold spiritual maladies. But there is no case on earth to which Christ's character and word are not suitable. He takes notice of the faithfulness, the labours, the little strength of such as are lively and upright. Kindly he affords them opportunities for the spread of the gospel, and of familiar fellowship with himself. Graciously he reduces their enemies to their honour, and preserves them in times of trial. And great are the heavenly glories and priestly honours, and high the seats on his throne, which, at the last judgment, or in the eternal state, he bestows upon them. But detestable to him are hypocritical, lukewarm, and self-conceited professors. Yea, they are in danger of the most indignant rejection, and most sudden and unexpected destruction. How transcendent is his mercy, so kindly, so earnestly, to call such to serious consideration and gospel repentance, and to offer them freely himself, and his righteousness, his Word, his Spirit, and grace, and the most full, familiar, and eternal fellowship with himself and his Father! And wonderful is his forbearance, that he should so long continue knocking at the door of their heart by gospel calls, strivings of his Spirit, and dispensations of his providence.—My soul, while thou hast an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the churches, and apply all faithfully to thyself.