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The Revelation · New Testament

Revelation 3

Revelation 3: messages to Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea

General context

Three more messages complete the set of seven. Sardis is told "thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead", and called to be watchful and to strengthen what remains; a few there have not defiled their garments, and the one who overcomes is promised white raiment and a name kept in the book of life. Philadelphia is told an open door has been set before it that no man can shut, that it has a little strength and has kept the word, and that those of the synagogue of Satan will be made to come and worship before its feet; it is promised keeping from the hour of temptation, and the one who overcomes is made a pillar in the temple and written on with three names. Laodicea is told it is neither cold nor hot but lukewarm, and that its own claim of wealth stands against a verdict of being wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked; it is counselled to buy gold, white raiment and eyesalve, told that love lies behind rebuke, and offered a place at a shared meal and on a throne.

Cited passages: Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:2, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 3:4, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:7, Revelation 3:8, Revelation 3:9, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 3:11, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:14, Revelation 3:15, Revelation 3:16, Revelation 3:17, Revelation 3:18, Revelation 3:19, Revelation 3:20, Revelation 3:21

Revelation 3 (KJV)

1And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

3Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

4Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

5He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

7And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

8I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

9Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

10Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

11Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

12Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

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Historical context

The three churches are named as Sardis, Philadelphia and the Laodiceans, completing the seven of chapter 1. Nothing is said about any of these places beyond what the messages themselves state. The Laodicean claim is quoted as the church's own speech, "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing", and the verdict that follows is the speaker's, not a narrator's description. The phrase "new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" appears here for the first time in the book without explanation at this point. The "hour of temptation" is described only as one "which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth"; the text gives it no date, duration or cause. The book of life is named without being described. As in chapter 2, what the angel of each church is remains unstated.

Cited passages: Revelation 1:11, Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:7, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 3:12, Revelation 3:14, Revelation 3:17

Literary context

The chapter runs on gaps between claim and reality. Sardis has "a name that thou livest, and art dead". Laodicea says "I am rich" while being told it is "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked", which inverts the Smyrna message of the previous chapter, where poverty stood beside "but thou art rich". Doors appear twice and in opposite positions: "I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it", then "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock". Clothing runs through all three messages, from undefiled garments and white raiment to nakedness and white raiment offered for purchase. The refrain "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" closes each message, as in chapter 2, and the last promise raises the stakes of the series by offering a seat on the speaker's own throne.

Cited passages: Revelation 3:1, Revelation 3:4, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 3:6, Revelation 3:8, Revelation 3:13, Revelation 3:17, Revelation 3:18, Revelation 3:20, Revelation 3:21, Revelation 3:22, Revelation 2:9

Key moments

  1. A name that livest (Revelation 3:1). Sardis is told it has a reputation for life and is dead.
  2. An open door (Revelation 3:8). Philadelphia is told a door has been set before it that no man can shut.
  3. A pillar and new names (Revelation 3:12). The overcomer is promised a place in the temple and three names written on him.
  4. Neither cold nor hot (Revelation 3:16). Laodicea is told its lukewarmness will bring it to be spued out.
  5. Rich and not knowing (Revelation 3:17). The church's claim of wealth is answered with a list of five lacks.
  6. Standing at the door (Revelation 3:20). The speaker says he stands and knocks and will come in and eat with whoever opens.

For reflection

Laodicea's self-description and the message's verdict on it are both printed, one after the other, with no explanation of how the church came to see itself that way. What would it take for a reader to notice such a gap in their own account of themselves?

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