RSV ~ Revelation 3 Notes
Rev 3:1 | ISB Notes
Sardis: Thirty miles southeast of Thyatira. Sardis was once a wealthy and powerful city struggling to recover its former glory. Though a fortified city, it was twice conquered by surprise nighttime attacks. Christ may allude to this history when he warns readers to stay “awake” lest he come like a “thief” and the Church fare as badly as the unprepared city (3:3).
Rev 3:3 | ISB Notes
like a thief: This image can be traced back to Jesus (Mt 24:43; Lk 12:39).
Rev 3:4 | ISB Notes
soiled their garments: The white garments worn by angels and saints (4:4; 6:11; 7:9; 19:14) symbolize both purity and victory (Dan 11:35; 12:10) and were used in the ancient Church to clad the newly baptized. Some in Sardis had stained their robes by reverting to sinful ways and renewing their friendship with the world.
Rev 3:5 | ISB Notes
the book of life: A heavenly register of the saints. To be erased from this book is to lose the inheritance of eternal life (Ex 32:32; Ps 69:28). See note on Rev 20:12.
Rev 3:7 | ISB Notes
Philadelphia: Twenty-eight miles southeast of Sardis. Philadelphia served as a base for spreading Greek culture throughout the highlands of central Asia Minor. It was also home to a synagogue community hostile to Christians.
key of David: A symbol of royal Davidic authority. Jesus holds this key as a descendant of David (Rom 1:3) and the messianic heir to his throne (Lk 1:32).
• The expression comes from Is 22:22, where the keys of the house of David pass from one prime minister to another. Being the Davidic king, Christ possesses the fullness of royal power, yet the Church is given a share in his authority. See note on Mt 16:19.
Rev 3:8 | ISB Notes
an open door: Either missionary opportunities (1 Cor 16:9; Col 4:3) or access to the heavenly liturgy where God is perpetually worshiped (Rev 3:20; 4:1).
Rev 3:9 | ISB Notes
synagogue of Satan: Harassment from local Jews was a problem in Philadelphia as well as in Smyrna. See note on Rev 2:9.
before your feet: The synagogue will be forced to acknowledge that the Church is the beloved people of the New Covenant (Is 60:14).
Rev 3:10 | ISB Notes
the hour of trial: A time of tribulation that will test the faith of believers. Jesus says it will seize the whole oikoumene, a Greek term that often refers to the Mediterranean world ruled by Rome (cf. Lk 2:1; Acts 24:5). The warning may refer to the spiritual confusion, political chaos, and natural catastrophes that swept over the Roman world in the late 60s (Mt 24:4-13; Tacitus, Histories 1, 2). However, if one dates Revelation in the 90s, the best candidate is the persecution of Christianity under Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81 to 96). Believers in ancient Philadelphia are promised the Lord’s protection from the widespread suffering. There is no hint that the text envisions a “rapture” of the Church into heaven before the onset of earthly distress.
Rev 3:12 | ISB Notes
pillar in the temple: Believers form a living temple indwelt with the Spirit and glory of God (Eph 2:19-22). To be a pillar is to stand in an honored position (Gal 2:9). The stability of a pillar contrasts with the instability of the city, which was leveled by an earthquake in A.D. 17.
my God: Jesus is not denying his own divinity but speaks from the standpoint of his humanity, which he shares in common with us (as in Jn 20:17).
the name: The righteous will bear the names of the Father and the Son (14:1) and be identified as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem (21:2-4). This may recall how Philadelphia was renamed (Neo-Caesarea) after the earthquake.
Rev 3:14 | ISB Notes
Laodicea: Forty miles southeast of Philadelphia. Laodicea was a prosperous commercial city that rebuilt itself without the aid of government subsidies after an earthquake around A.D. 60. It was known for its banking establishments, its medical academy, and its exported products, such as eye ointment and black wool textiles. According to Jesus, its material prosperity merely disguised its spiritual poverty (3:17).
the Amen: A Hebrew acclamation used as a title for Christ. Expressing a sense of reliability and trustworthiness, it indicates that Jesus embodies the covenant faithfulness of God, for through him all the promises of God are carried to fulfillment.
See word study: at 2 C
or 1:20.
• The title comes from Is 65:16, where the Hebrew text underlying “the God of truth” is literally “the God of Amen” (CCC 1063-65). the beginning: The Greek term is capable of several meanings, ranging from “starting point” to “first cause” to “ruler”. Christ is the divine Alpha, or first cause, that brought all creation into being (22:13). Identical language is used of God the Father (21:6).
Rev 3:16 | ISB Notes
lukewarm: Unlike nearby Colossae, Laodicea had no cold drinking water, and unlike nearby Hierapolis, it had no hot medicinal springs. On a spiritual level, the Church had become so complacent that the Lord promises to spit them out like a mouthful of tepid water.
Rev 3:18 | ISB Notes
buy from me: Ironically, local industries cannot provide what the Laodicean Church lacks most, since even a surplus of money, black wool, and eye salve cannot compare to the spiritual wealth, white garments, and supernatural sight supplied by Jesus. See note on Rev 3:14.
Rev 3:20 | ISB Notes
I stand at the door: Jesus is pictured standing outside the door of the Laodicean Church.
• An allusion is made to Song 5:2, where the bridegroom knocks lovingly on the door of his bride’s chamber. Similar imagery appears in Rev 19:7-9.
Rev 3:21 | ISB Notes
sit with me: The conqueror is promised the fullness of a blessing he already enjoys in part, namely, a share in Christ’s reign over the world (5:10; 20:4, 6; cf. Eph 2:6). Christ is already reigning with the Father in his risen humanity (11:15; 12:5; 22:1).