ACC ~ Revelation 3 v14 - 22

OVERVIEW:

As the name of Laodicea suggests, the church there was full of lukewarm Christians who possessed status, wealth and knowledge but did not use them for the benefit of the faithful (VICTORINUS, BEDE). Christ speaks to this church as he who is true God, as he who is the Author and Finisher of our faith (PRIMASIUS) and as he who rules all things as the Creator and Maker of all things (OECUMENIUS). However, Christ threatens some with eternal destruction (ANDREW OF CAESAREA), for they have quenched the Spirit given at their baptism through sloth and attention to temporal matters (OECUMENIUS). This is evident from the tepid use they make of their riches in helping the needy and from their failure to profit others through their study of the Scriptures (PRIMASIUS). Such behavior is hypocrisy and dishonors God, for Christians are worse in transgressions because they ought to be better (SALVIAN). This is especially true of the monk who should excel in meekness, obedience and patience (CAESARIUS OF ARLES). Nonetheless, to such persons Christ exhorts to faith in the word of teaching (ANDREW OF CAESAREA) and to giving to the poor and doing good works (CAESARIUS OF ARLES) so that they might become themselves pure gold with their sins purged away as if by fire (CYPRIAN). In that case, they will be truly rich in the fervor of love and in the understanding of the Scriptures (BEDE), and they will be adorned with the baptism of Christ and with a heart directed toward the divine laws (PRIMASIUS).

The church must also understand that in the world there is suffering and temptation. However, Christians should submit to these with patience and even rejoice at being accounted worthy of God’s chastisement (TERTULLIAN). For it is through trials and infirmities that God corrects and teaches us and shows his kindness toward us (FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE). For his part, the priest of Christ must be as a good physician who may even inflict pain for health to be acquired, and therefore he must not reconcile the sinner to the church before adequate repentance (CYPRIAN). The proud and the wicked are often left untroubled in their sins as a sign of the divine judgment against them (CAESARIUS OF ARLES). We should, therefore, open the door of our hearts to Christ that we might govern our flesh aright (JEROME) and make Christ to dwell in our soul through simplicity, temperance, chastity and charity (CAESARIUS OF ARLES). Unlike the devil, Christ possesses a humble and peaceful nature (OECUMENIUS), and so he comes to our hearts through teaching and dwells in our hearts through the grace of his love (BEDE). To those who conquer, Christ will give the kingdom of the coming age, and they will reign with him as he does eternally with the Father (TYCONIUS, ANDREW OF CAESAREA). For Christ possesses this kingdom as an eternal possession, which he determined to share with us through the assumption of the flesh (ANDREW OF CAESAREA).

3:14a | Write to the Angel of the Church in Laodicea

FOR THE GOOD OF THE FAITHFUL. VICTORINUS OF PETOVIUM: This group, the seventh class, speaks of those wealthy persons who are believers placed in positions of dignity and who believe in the manner of wealthy men. Among them the Scriptures are interpreted in their bedchamber, while the faithful are outside and no one understands [the Scriptures]. That is, they boast and say that they know all things and they possess a confidence in the learning of letters, yet they are empty when it comes to works. And so, the Lord says to them that they are neither cold nor hot, that is, that they are neither unbelieving nor believing, for they are all things to all men. And since he who is neither cold nor hot must of necessity be lukewarm, he produces nausea. And the Lord says, “I will vomit him from my mouth.” For nausea is hateful and is hidden to no one, and it is the same way with such persons when they are thrown out. But because there is time for repentance, he says, “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire.” That is, if in some way you should be able to suffer something for the name of the Lord. And the Lord says, “Anoint your eyes with eye salve.” That is, what you freely know through the Scriptures, it is necessary that you desire to do this. And since such persons would be of great benefit not only to themselves but also to many were they in some way to return away from great destruction to a great repentance, he promises to them no small reward, namely, to sit upon the throne of judgment. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.3.

THE REPROACH OF THE LORD. BEDE:

Laodicea is interpreted “tribe beloved of the Lord” or “they were in vomit.” For there were some there to whom he had said, “I will begin to spew you out of my mouth,” and others to whom he said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.” According to the Greek, [Laodicea] is interpreted “just people.” EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 3.14.

3:14b | The Amen, the Faithful and True

CHRIST IS THE AMEN. PRIMASIUS: “He who is the Amen says these words, the faithful and true witness.” We must consider the meaning here of “is” and “Amen.” The term amen is certainly said to mean “true” or “faithful.” And so, in this passage without question it refers to that essence of the divinity of which God spoke when he said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the Israelites, ‘He who is has sent me to you.’” For he truly is, who is always the same. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14.

3:14c | The Beginning of God’s Creation

CHRIST IS BOTH PATH AND GOAL. PRIMASIUS: Since in the person of the one Christ humanity is said to have been assumed, he says, “who is the beginning of the creation of God.” It is appropriate to regard the Lord Christ as the beginning of God’s creation because of the mystery of the incarnation. From his person we read, “The Lord created me as a beginning of his ways.” And the apostle said, “Since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest,” and following. For he himself is the Way, who is the fatherland, he himself the Author of faith, who is also its fulfiller, he himself both alpha and omega, he himself the beginning whom no ones precedes, he himself the end whom no one succeeds as ruler. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14.

CHRIST RULES ALL THINGS. OECUMENIUS: “The beginning of the creation of God,” he says. Most likely, that Arian gang of Christ fighters would adduce this passage as though through these words the Son was rendered a creature. But let us not accept these impious words of theirs. Rather, it must be considered whether in any other Scripture such a view is advanced, so that someone might make a judgment by comparing like with like. Writing to the Colossians, the wise apostle spoke of the Son: “Who is first fruit, the firstborn of all creation.” He did not say “first-created.” And so, also the prophet says, “From the womb before the morning star, I begot you,” not “I created you.” And so also Solomon: “Before all the hills, he brought me forth.” In his treatise Concerning the Son, the holy Gregory interpreted the passage, “The Lord created me as the beginning of his ways,” to refer to the body of the Lord with its rational soul, but the language “he brought forth” to the divinity. Since they all claim as dogmatic truth the “generation” of the only Word and Son, and not his “creation,” what then do these words, “the beginning of the creation of God,” mean? Nothing other than that he who possesses the beginning in all things is the “ruler” of the creation of God. For, since the Father made all things through the Son, rightfully does he who is the creator and maker of all things and who brought all things from nonbeing into being rule those things made by him. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14-22.

3:15-16 | Neither Hot nor Cold

APART FROM GOOD WORKS, WEALTH AND KNOWLEDGE MAKE POOR. PRIMASIUS: In this passage we recognize persons of nobility in the world, whom he says are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm, because, although they possess an abundance of wealth, they are empty of works of piety, nor are they inflamed by any feeling of compassion toward good works. They are therefore [considered] as poor, said to be neither cold nor hot, for they abound in riches which they use tepidly and so become sluggish, and by not sharing those riches with the needy are rightly regarded as lacking in the desire for good works. But this passage may also refer to those persons who interpret the Scriptures in private while outside it is not known whether they are faithful and being confident in their literary knowledge, they are found to be empty of works. … Now they may purchase gold for themselves, of which he says, “Receive wisdom as gold and knowledge like chosen silver.” And, should they be able to derive something from the sources of the divine Scriptures, as though illumined by the light of wisdom; they might perfect it by works themselves, either the former enkindled by the depths of piety through the largess of their wealth, or the latter informed spiritually through their knowledge of the Scriptures. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.15-16.

LOSS OF THE ZEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. OECUMENIUS: “I know your works,” the Lord says, “you are neither cold nor hot.” He who is fervent in the Spirit is “hot,” for the holy apostle speaks of those who are “fervent in the Spirit.” Likewise, he who lacks the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit is “cold.” But you, he says, “are lukewarm.” He calls that person “lukewarm” who in baptism received the communion of the Holy Spirit but has quenched that grace through sloth and attention to temporal matters. And so, this divine directive: “Do not quench the Spirit.” Would that you would be either “hot,” aglow by the work of the Spirit, or totally “cold,” unbaptized and utterly void of the Spirit’s grace, but not “lukewarm”! For the person who has the mental fire of the Spirit comes to maturity, since the senses have been trained to distinguish that which is good from that which is evil, and that person is spiritual. And that person who has never received the grace of the Spirit, yet may hope at some time to receive it, and so is not counted among the hopeless. But that person who is “lukewarm” is moribund and moving toward death, and risks losing both baptism and the previous zeal. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14-22.

HYPOCRISY IN A CHRISTIAN DISHONORS GOD. SALVIAN THE PRESBYTER: They learn good and do evil who, it is written, confess God by words and deny him by deeds. They, as the apostle says, repose in the law and know its intent and approve of those things that are the more profitable. They have the form of knowledge and of truth in the law. They preach that they must not steal, yet they do steal. They read that they must not commit adultery, yet they commit it. They glory in the law, yet by transgression of the law they dishonor God. Therefore, for this very reason, Christians are worse because they should be better. They do not practice what they preach, and they struggle against their faith by their morals. All the more blameworthy is evil which the label of goodness accuses, and the holy name is the crime of an unholy person. Hence, the Savior also said in the Apocalypse to the lukewarm Christian: “Would that you were cold or hot. But now because you are lukewarm, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth.” THE GOVERNANCE OF GOD 4.19.

NOT SLACK IN MEEKNESS, OBEDIENCE AND PATIENCE. CAESAREA OF ARLES: Let us not only beware of serious sins, as I suggested above, but let us also spurn small daily acts of negligence as the poison of the devil. There are some people who are weakened by excessive unconcern after their religious profession, because they seem to have left the world. In such people is fulfilled that sentence of our Lord in which it is said, “How I wish you were one or the other—hot or cold! But because you are lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth!” What does it mean that he said, How I wish you were one or the other—hot or cold? This means that it would have been better for you to have remained cold in the world or to be fervent in the monastery. Now because you have withdrawn from the world and still have refused to acquire spiritual warmth because of your carelessness, you have become lukewarm and will be vomited from the Lord’s mouth, scarcely ever to be recovered again. For this reason, dearest brothers, with God’s help carefully listen to the sentence of sacred Scripture, in which it is said, “With closest custody guard your heart.” There should be rejoicing over the monk who has come to the monastery and, in a meek and humble spirit, wills to practice meekness, obedience and patience. SERMON 235.4, TO MONKS.

THE SEED OF THE DIVINE WORD, THE THISTLES OF WEALTH. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: Just as that which is lukewarm induces vomiting in those who take it in, so also, he says, I will vomit you out through the word of my mouth into eternal destruction, as though you were rotten food. For mixing together the seed of the divine word with the thistles of wealth, you have become unaware of your poverty in spiritual matters and of the blindness of your spiritual eyes and of your nakedness in good works. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.16-17.

3:17-18 | Buy Gold from Me

BE YOURSELVES PURE GOLD. CYPRIAN: You are mistaken and are deceived, whosoever you are, that you think yourself rich in this world. Listen to the voice of your Lord in the Apocalypse, rebuking people of your stamp with righteous reproaches: “You say,” says he, “I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy gold from me tried in the fire, that you may be rich. And buy from me white clothing, that you may be clothed, and that the shame of your nakedness may not appear in you. Anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” You therefore, who are rich and wealthy, buy from Christ gold tried by fire. Then you may be pure gold, with your filth burned out as if by fire. Buy for yourself white raiment, that you who had been naked according to Adam, and were before frightful and tasteless, may be clothed with the white garment of Christ. You who are a wealthy and rich matron in Christ’s church, anoint your eyes, not with the eyewash of the devil but with Christ’s eye salve, that you may be able to attain to see God, by deserving well of God, both by good works and character. WORKS AND ALMSGIVING 14.

BY YOUR LIFE MERIT TO DIE FOR CHRIST. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: By the doing of alms and by standing firm in good works you might yourself be made gold. That is, that you might receive understanding from God and through your good behavior you might merit to suffer martyrdom. EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE 3.18, HOMILY 3.

THROUGH THE FIRE OF TEMPTATION. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: If you wish to be rich, he says, with a zealous intent and a willing heart obtain from me, who makes rich, gold that has been purified in fire, namely, the word of teaching that is made brilliant in the fire of temptations. And through this you will have in your heart a treasure that is secure, and you will wear the bright stole of virtue, through which the nakedness, which has come to you by sin, will be clothed. The salve is certainly poverty. For, if “gifts make blind the eyes of those who see,” then certainly that which is incorruptible will open them. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.18.

FAITH PLUS THE FERVOR OF LOVE. BEDE: Since you are content with mere faith, in vain do you seek to acquire the riches of righteousness. But, should you desire to be truly rich, forsake everything, and buy the fervor of love approved by the flame of afflictions, and anoint the eyes of the mind, not with the antinomy of deceitful boasting but with the eye salve of divine knowledge. To anoint the eyes with eye salve is to acquire an understanding of the holy Scriptures through the performance of a good work. EXPLANATION OF THE APOCALYPSE 3.17.

CLOTHED WITH WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. PRIMASIUS: He regards those as “naked” who are destitute of the works of righteousness, whom he also regards as “blind.” However, he is clothed with white garments who is vested with the baptism of Christ, and he enjoys that faith “working through love,” for “as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” When he says that the eyes must be anointed with salve, he advises that the heart be directed toward the divine testimonies. For “the commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes.” COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.18.

3:19 | Reproved and Chastened

BEAR INJURIES WITH PATIENCE AND SELF-CONTROL. TERTULLIAN: Let us strive, then, to bear the injuries that are inflicted by the evil one, that the struggle to maintain our self-control may put to shame the enemy’s efforts. If, however, through imprudence or even of our own free will we draw down upon ourselves some misfortune, we should submit with equal patience to that which we impute to ourselves. But if we believe God strikes some blow of misfortune, to whom would it be better that we manifest patience than to our Lord? In fact, more than this, it befits us to rejoice at being deemed worthy of divine chastisement: “As for me,” he says, “those whom I love I chastise.” Blessed is that servant upon whose correction the Lord insists, at whom he deigns to be angry, whom he does not deceive by omitting his admonition! ON PATIENCE 11.3-4.

A BISHOP MUST BE A PHYSICIAN. CYPRIAN: He who consoles the sinner with flattering blandishments furnishes the means for sinning and does not check transgressions but nourishes them. But he who rebukes at the same time that he instructs with firmer counsels urges a brother on to salvation. “Whom I love,” says the Lord, “I rebuke and chastise.” Thus also ought the priest of the Lord not to deceive by pretended submissions but to provide salutary remedies. A physician is unskilled who handles the swelling folds of wounds with a sparing hand and increases the poison inclosed within the deep recesses of the vital organs as he cares for it. The wound must be opened and cut and treated by a sterner remedy by cutting out the corrupting parts. Although the sick man, impatient by reason of his pain, cries out, shrieks and complains, he will give thanks afterwards, when he has experienced good health. THE LAPSED 14.

TRIALS THAT COME FROM GOD. FULGENTIUS OF RUSPE: The kindness of God leads us to penance. He afflicts us with trials, he corrects us with infirmities, teaches us with cares, so that we who have sinned in the health of the body may learn to abstain from sins in infirmity. We who scorned the mercy of God in frivolity, corrected by the lash of sadness should fear his justice. Thus it comes about that we who by abusing health have begotten infirmity for ourselves, through that infirmity may again procure the benefits of health. And we who through frivolity have fallen into trials, through these trials may regain happiness. Holy Scripture bears witness that God’s love for us is shown more by the lash and correction. For it says, “My child, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproofs, for the Lord reproves the one he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” And the Savior himself says that he loves those he reproves, saying, “Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise.” The teaching of the apostles does not cease to proclaim that “it is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” The Lord himself also says that the road which leads to life is constricted and the gate narrow. LETTER 7.16, TO VENANTIA.

A SIGN OF DIVINE JUDGMENT. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: Do the proud and wicked souls who commit serious sins seem happy to you because they do not suffer evil in this world? Listen to what the Scriptures say about such people: “They are not in the labors of men: neither shall they be scourged with other men. Therefore their pride has held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness. Their iniquity has come forth, as it were from fatness.” They are not scourged at all in this world, because they are reserved for eternal punishment due to the excessive number of their sins. They cannot be punished in this short time, for they require endless torture. Now, our Lord and God, who withholds punishment of these people in his justice, does not cease to exercise his children with diverse tribulations, as we read: “God scourges every son whom he receives,” and, “those whom I love I rebuke and chastise.” If he scourges every son he receives, then if he does not chastise a person, he does not accept him. If he chastises all whom he loves, he does not love a person if he does not chastise him. The power of God does not effect this, but the wickedness of people merits to suffer it, according to what is written: “He who is filthy, let him be filthy still. He who is just, let him be just still.” SERMON 5.3.

3:20 | I Stand at the Door and Knock

LET CHRIST INTO YOUR HEART. JEROME: On the other hand, God may permit us also to be kings of the earth, “kings of earth” in order to rule over our own flesh. In this connection the apostle says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body.” In another part of Scripture it is written, “The king’s heart is in the hand of God.” … The kings, therefore, are the saints, and their hearts are in the hand of the Lord. Let us beg God to make us kings that we may rule over our flesh that it be subject to us. The following words of the apostle are appropriate here: “But I chastise my body and bring it into subjection, lest perhaps after preaching to others, I myself should be rejected.” May our soul be in command, our body in subjection; then Christ will come at once to make his abode with us. What does he himself say in the New Testament? “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any man listens to my voice and opens the door to me, I will come in to him and will sup with him.” Every day, Christ stands at the door of our hearts. He longs to enter. Let us open wide our hearts to him. Then he will come in and be our host and guest. He will live in us and eat with us. HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 9 (PS 75).

IN GOOD WORKS THE SOUL RECEIVES CHRIST AS GUEST AND RESIDENT. CAESARIUS OF ARLES: If an earthly king or the head of a family invited you to his birthday celebration, with what kind of garments would you endeavor to adorn yourself when you approached? Surely with new and shining ones, costly ones, whose age or cheapness or ugliness could not offend the eyes of the one who invited you. Therefore, with Christ’s help, strive as much as you can with a like zeal, so that your soul may with an easy conscience approach the solemn feast of the eternal king, that is, the birthday of our Lord and Savior, if it is adorned with the decoration of various virtues. Let it be adorned with the jewels of simplicity and the flowers of temperance, gleaming chastity, shining charity and joyful almsgiving. For if Christ the Lord recognizes that you are celebrating his birthday with such dispositions, he himself will deign to come and not only visit your soul but also rest and continually dwell in it. As it is written, “I will dwell with them and walk among them”; and again, “Here I stand, knocking at the door; if anyone rises up and opens the door, I will enter his house and have supper with him, and he with me.” How happy is the soul which, with God’s help, has striven to direct his life in such a way that he may merit receiving Christ as his guest and indwelling person. SERMON 187.3.

CHRIST REVEALS A HUMBLE AND PEACEFUL NATURE. OECUMENIUS: “Behold,” he says, “I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with me.” Here the Lord reveals his own humble and peaceful nature. The devil with axe and hammer smashes the doors of those who do not receive him, as the prophet said, but the Lord even now in the Song of Songs says to the bride, “Open to me, my sister, my bride.” And should someone open to him, he will come in, but if not, he goes away. That supper which is with the Lord signifies the reception of the holy mysteries. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.14-22.

GOD DWELLS WITH HIS ELECT THROUGH HIS LOVE. BEDE: The Lord stands at the doorway and knocks when he pours into our heart the memory of his will, either through the mouth of a man who is teaching [us] or through his own internal inspiration. When his voice is heard, we open the gate to receive [him] when we willingly present our assent to [his] counsels, whether secret or open, and devote ourselves to accomplishing those things that we recognize are to be done. He comes in order to eat with us and we with him. For he dwells in the hearts of his elect through the grace of his love in order to restore them always by the light of his presence. He lives there so that they may advance more and more to heavenly desires, and so that he himself may feed their zeal for heaven, as it were, with a most pleasing banquet. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 1.21.

3:21 | Sitting with Christ on His Throne

WE WILL SHARE WITH CHRIST AS HE DOES WITH THE FATHER. TYCONIUS: [In the image of the Son] sitting with [the Father], he shows that the Son participates in the power of the Father. For what else does it mean that he is seated on the throne of the Father than that he is of one and the same substance? And just as he conquered the devil and sat at the right hand of the Father, so also he who conquers will sit with him. For God the Son is powerful, who in the Father is everywhere and by his own power fills the heaven and the earth. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.21.

CHRIST WILL SHARE ALL THINGS WITH THOSE WHO CONQUER THE DEVIL. ANDREW OF CAESAREA: “The throne” indicates the kingdom and the rest of the coming age. Therefore he says that those who have conquered the enemy “will be glorified with me and will rule with me.” When he says, “as I myself have conquered,” he is speaking in a human manner on account of the assumption [of the flesh]. For God the Word did not acquire the kingdom as a prize for virtue, for he has this essentially as an eternal possession. For if this were not so, he would not be able to share it with others. But according to the Theologian and the “son of thunder,” he shared from his fullness with all the saints. For this reason also he promised to his holy apostles that they would sit upon twelve thrones and judge the future twelve tribes of Israel. For when he who is God and the eternal King became man for us, he shared everything which is ours, except only sin, and shared everything of his with those who had conquered the devil, as it was possible for human nature to receive. Therefore, having made a cloud the chariot of his ascension into heaven, he said through the apostle that the saints would be snatched up to meet him on the clouds. And when he, who is the Creator and Lord of creation, shall come as judge, he will allow the saints to judge those who had rebelled against the truly divine and blessed service. COMMENTARY ON THE APOCALYPSE 3.21-22.