Apocalipse 3
R.C.H. Lenski · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 3
Lenski says "We cannot take the gospel where we please but only where the Lord opens the door. He has the key."
Apocalipse 3
Lenski says have not denied "This is a litotes for, “didst confess my name.” To keep inwardly and to confess outwardly makes us faithful; see Rom. 10:9, 10+. (BORROW The Interpretation of St. John`s Revelation) Donald Barnhouse - The church of Philadelphia is commended for keeping the Word of the Lord and not denying His Name. Success in Christian work is not to be measured by any other standard of achievement. It is not rise in ecclesiastical position. It is not the number of new buildings which have been built through a man’s ministry. It is not the crowds that flock to listen to any human voice. All of these things are frequently used as yardsticks of success, but they are earthly and not heavenly measures.” In his first letter John writes "Who is the liar but the one who (present tense - continually) denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever (present tense - continually) denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also." (1Jn 2:22-23+) Paul adds "If we endure (hupomeno), we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us." (2Ti 2:12+) Revelation 14:12+ describes those who have not denied Christ's Name - "Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep (tereo) the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus." Related Resource: Name of the LORD is a Strong Tower: Behold (2400) idou is the second person singular aorist middle imperative of eidon which means to see, perceive, look at. In the NT idou is used as a demonstrative particle that draws attention to what follows. Idou in the middle voice means "you yourself look, see, perceive!" The aorist imperative is a command emphasizing "Do it now! Don't delay!" Idou is used by the Biblical writers to (1) prompt or arouse the reader's attention (introducing something new or unusual), (2) to mark a strong emphasis ("Indeed!" Lk 13:16+) and (3) to call the reader to pay close attention (very similar to #1) so that one will listen, remember or consider
Apocalipse 3
Lenski - To buy, and that of Me, thus includes true contrition and true faith, a complete inner change. They are no longer to be lukewarm but now hot, indeed, fervent and glowing for Christ. (BORROW The Interpretation of St. John`s Revelation) (Bolding added) William MacDonald seems to favor that there are no believers in Laodicea writing "With lingering tenderness, He calls on this nominal church to be zealous and repent." (BORROW Believer's Bible Commentary) R C H Lenski - As the works are always the open and the indisputable evidence, thus they are also in the final judgment (Matt. 25:35+, etc.); they evidence the inward condition which the Lord alone sees and knows directly but which he reveals to us by means of the evidential works. The Laodiceans, no doubt, imagined themselves to be fervent believers. They were like so many who are blind both to what they are and to what their works proclaim about them....Gold makes rich, white garments cover nakedness, eyesalve supplies sight. The three figures spread out the saving effects, which, however, are always inseparable. Salvation is gold in that it removes our poverty, white robes in that it covers our nakedness, eye-salve in that it gives us sight and knowledge. (BORROW The Interpretation of St. John`s Revelation) David Thompson - The image presented by Jesus Christ is that it is spit out in rejection and is not in the place where it should have been. Eschatologically and theologically, the only thing that this can have church reference to is not being raptured but being thrust out into the Great Tribulation. As Thomas said, this is a serious warning of “eschatological wrath” (Vol. 1, p. 309). In other words, the people of this church were all lost and they would not be raptured, but would be forced to go into a world-wide wrath judgment of God known as “the Great Tribulation.” This was a totally useless church in the eyes of Jesus Christ. It was very religious but it was not comprised of true believes who love the Word of God and who loved Jesus Christ. This was a very wealthy church comprised of all unbelievers, which is confirmed by Revelation 3:17-18, 20+. Christ was not in this church at all; He was on the outside looking in. Not all people who go to church are going to be raptured. Not all churches are going to be raptured, even those places that have Bibles. Laodicea had access to the written Word of God - this letter and the Colossian letter. Only believers who trust in Jesus Christ will be raptured and the rest are lost, no matter how rich they are or how spiritual they pretend to be; they will be thrust into the Great Tribulation. There will be many religious people who went to church who will be in the Tribulation. Gotquestions.org - Their lukewarm faith was hypocritical; their church was full of unconverted, pretend Christians....Clearly, the lukewarm deeds of the Laodiceans were not in keeping with true salvation....The lukewarm are those who claim to know God but live as though He doesn’t exist. They may go to church and practice a form of religion, but their inner state is one of self-righteous complacency. They claim to be Christians, but their hearts are unchanged, and their hypocrisy is sickening to God. John
Apocalipse 3
Lenski has an interesting comment - In Rev 3:17+ the voice of the law disillusions this church and reveals its miserable sin; but now the voice of the gospel speaks. “I counsel” is friendly, it leads and draws. The Lord is not commanding. The gospel is never a stern command. Faith is indeed obedience, but it is the obedience of trust and confidence. (BORROW The Interpretation of St. John`s Revelation) (Bolding added) Notice that the "because" (term of explanation) in Rev 3:17+ gives the reasons for Jesus' wise advice in this passage. I (present tense - continually) advise (sumbouleuo) you to buy (agorazo) from Me gold (chrusion) refined (puroo in perfect tense) by fire (pur) so that (hina purpose clause) you may become rich (plouteo) - Here we see the great grace and boundless mercy of the "Wonderful Counselor" (Isa 9:6+) Jesus Christ Who gives words of wisdom and life to a self-sufficient church! From Me is a direct affront to their sense of need of nothing! The Laodiceans needed to humble themselves in order to find their true sufficiency in Christ! Jesus gives a "stock tip" to this rich church that they need to make an investment that will yield them benefits for all eternity! This is another of those great paradoxes of Christianity (which befuddle the lost world!), for Smyrna (Rev 2:9+) was literally in poverty but was spiritually rich (plousios - cognate of "become rich" plouteo) while Laodicea was literally rich, but spiritually was "dirt poor!" As Paul says "a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God (LIKE SPIRITUAL PARADOXES), for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot (IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO) understand them, because they are spiritually appraised (THEY LACK THE HOLY SPIRIT'S ILLUMINATION)." (1Co 2:14+) John Stott writes - Jesus Christ had to humble that boastful personal pronoun and lay it in the dust, and say “it is from me that your salvation comes.".....But why does he recommend the Laodiceans to buy from him? Can salvation be bought? No. Certainly not. It is a free gift to us because it was purchased by Christ on the cross. His invitation buy from me should not be pressed. He is doubtless using language appropriate to the commercially-minded Laodiceans. He likens himself to a merchant who visits the city to sell his wares and goes into competition with other salesmen. “I advise you to forsake your former suppliers,” says the divine merchant, “and come trade with me.” Perhaps also he is thinking of Yahweh’s appeal: “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa 55:1).” (Borrow What Christ thinks of the church : Revelation 1-3 expounded)
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Lenski - The counsel is “to buy from Me.” The aorist is effective to indicate an actual purchase. Only he will buy who sees his need and stops saying, “I have need of nothing.” Only he will come and buy “of Me” who sees that the Lord alone has these treasures (cf Col 2:3+). To buy, and that of Me, thus includes true contrition and true faith, a complete inner change. They are no longer to be lukewarm but now hot, indeed, fervent and glowing for Christ....But how shall these beggarly, blind, and naked ones “buy”? The answer is found in Isa. 55:1: “Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money! Come ye, buy, and eat! Yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price!” Buy for nothing! This is the strange, wonderful gospel buying. It must be thus. First, because these buyers have nothing with which to buy; secondly, because what they are to buy is priceless so that it would be a farce to offer anything as a price; thirdly, because in his infinite grace the Lord cannot allow this grace to be disparaged by any pretended merit of ours, as the Amen of absolute verity no such pretense and lie could possibly be allowed in this buying. “To buy” is “to find” (Matt. 13:44+) the priceless treasure. We buy without work-righteousness. To offer works is to purchase nothing.(BORROW The Interpretation of St. John`s Revelation) (Bolding added) Grant Osborne on buy from Me gold refined by fire - But in reality they were poverty-stricken because all their worldly wealth was nothing but fool’s gold. “Gold refined in the fire” is similar to 1 Peter 1:7+, in which the saints who have passed through fiery trials have become pure gold. Christ is then referring to the purifying effects of suffering and a life lived entirely for God. This is true wealth and will never perish like worldly riches do. (Revelation) Henry Morris on buy from Me gold refined by fire - The purchase price is merely to recognize their wretched condition and come to Him in repentance, forsaking their riches and prestige for the true riches (faith tried in the fire—1 Peter 1:7+) and their worldly wisdom for true wisdom (Colossians 2:3+) in Christ. They must receive the pure white garments of His righteousness to replace the filthy rags of their own righteousnesses (Isaiah 64:6). (BORROW The Revelation Record) John Stott writes - Here is welcome news for naked, blind beggars! They are poor; but Christ has gold. They are naked; but Christ has clothes. They are blind; but Christ has eye ointment. Let them no longer trust in their banks, their Phrygian eye powders and their clothing factories! Let them come to him! He can enrich their poverty, clothe their nakedness and heal their blindness. He can open their eyes to perceive a spiritual world of which they have never dreamed. He can cover their sin and shame and make them fit to partake of the inheritance of the saints in light. He can enrich them with life and life abundant. In a word, he can save them. He has died for them and risen again. Through his death they can be cleansed, and through his living presence within them they can be changed. (Borrow What Christ thinks of the church : Revelation 1-3 expounded) R L Thomas - The word agorasai (“to buy”) is full of sarcasm. The substance of the counsel is to buy. The Lord asks those who live in a city noted for its riches to buy what they cannot afford (cf. Isa. 55:1). This is language that materialistic people can understand (Trench; Alford; Moffatt; Lenski). The counsel is to buy three items, the first of them being chrysion pepyrōmenon ek53 pyros (“gold refined by fire”). This is pure gold, all dross having been removed through the refining process. The picture of obtaining purity through a refining process is frequent in Scripture (cf. Ps. 66:10; Zech. 13:9+; 1 Pet. 1:7+; 1 Peter 4:12+). Whether or not the purification comes through trials as it does elsewhere depends upon what symbolism is entailed in the chrysion (“gold”).....The best identification is to interpret gold as a picture of high quality faith, a faith capable of withstanding trials and one that results in works. This symbolism was apparently common among early Christians (cf. Luke 12:21+; 1 Tim. 6:18+; James 1:3+; James 2:5+; 1 Pet. 1:7+; cf. Prov. 17:3; Zech. 13:9+). It should be remembered, however, that associated with this purified faith that the Lord offers is a new heart. The new heart is also implied in the two symbols yet to come. Peter says the trials in our lives are "so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold (chrusion) which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." And white (leukos) garments (himaton) so that (hina purpose clause) you may clothe (periballo) yourself, and that the shame (aischune) of your nakedness (gumnotes) will not be revealed (phaneroo) - Keep the interesting historical fact in mind that Laodicea was famous for its black wool. Jesus recommends they buy white garments, which speak of purity and righteousness in the Revelation (see passages above and note below). Ultimately they are "white" because they have been "made white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14+) resulting in their receipt of His imputed righteousness (2Co 5:21+). Paul explained this new "garment" to the believers in Gal 3:27+ stating that they "were baptized (identified spiritually, not water baptized) into Christ" (the Spirit brought them into the new covenant, and into oneness with Christ) and thus they had "clothed (themselves) with Christ." Clothe is periballo and while most of the NT uses mean to literally be clothed, 12 times in Revelation this verb refers to supernatural clothing! Normally shame (aischune) is an emotion that one feels when he or she knows that they have sinned against God (all sin is against God!). In that context shame is a good thing for it drives us to repent and seek God's forgiveness. But the Laodiceans were so hardened to God's truth that they did not even recognize that they were spiritually naked before a Holy God. As Jesus declared their spiritual nakedness would one day be revealed, "For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light." (Mk. 4:22+) In the culture of the day nakedness was a symbol of judgment and humiliation, so surely the Laodiceans understood what Jesus was alluding to. Grant Osborne - The principle here is that, contrary to popular wisdom, clothes do not make the person. Looking good is not the same as being good. You can wear Armani suits and Dior dresses and yet be “shamefully naked” to God. The imagery here is that of exposure, disgrace, and judgment. When God exposes a person’s shame in Scripture, judgment always results (Isa 20:1–4; Ezek 16:3+; Ezekiel 23:10). White garments, on the other hand, indicate honor, symbolizing righteousness (Rev 3:4–5+; Revelation 6:11+), being washed in the blood of the Lamb (7:13–14), and eternal glory (4:4; 19:14).(Revelation) Alan Carr - Come To Jesus For Spiritual Garments – He invites them to come to Him for spiritual garments. This is an invitation to come to Him for salvation. They are naked and lost in their sins. If they will come to Him, He will cloth them in robes of righteousness and they will be no longer naked in the sight of God, Isa. 61:10+; Rev. 19:8+.