This commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
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.
Jesus says this is a “dead”church yet at the same time they have a reputation that “thou livest”. Outwardly this may have looked like an active, busy church doing many works for God. But they are being rebuked because something is seriously wrong with these works even though outwardly most people think the opposite.
Jesus was graciously rebuking this church and giving them a chance to repent For one day their works will be tried by fire: 1 Corinthians 3:13 “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.”
In 1 Corinthians 4:5 Paul advises us to “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come”. A ministry or church may look they are doing God’s work but this may not be the case.
2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
As verse 1 states “I know thy works” and now we see these works aren’t perfect. There is something wrong with how this church is operating.
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.
There are some people in this church that have “not defiled their garments”. How did they do this? In Revelation 7:14 we are told you can wash your robe similar to a garment and make it “white in the blood of the Lamb”:
”And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
These few in Sardis believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again for their sins. How do we know this? First and foremost because they pleased Jesus. Secondly, Titus 3:5 states it is by Jesus, His blood we are made worthy and “not by works of righeousness which we have done”. Titus also says there is a washing and renewing that changes us:
”Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”
This was prophesied in Isaiah 61:10, where God promises to clothe His people in righteousness, a promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ:
”I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
The only way Jesus saw these people as “worthy” is because His blood is upon them, They were clothed with salvation and now had “the righteousness of God”(2 Corinthians 5:21).
So the ones that “have not defiled their garments” are not working, maintaining or striving for their salvation. If they are producing anything pleasing to God it is by His Spirit for John 15:5 “without me ye can do nothing”.
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.
Is overcoming working, who is he that overcometh and how do you do this? Must we maintain good works and or a holy life? 1 John 5:4-5 answers this and says it is the one that is born of God by believing upon Jesus that is an overcomer:“ For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
To clarify, how is one born of God? In John chapter 3 Jesus states to enter heaven you must be born again and in John 3:16-18 He tells us it is simply, yet again, by believing upon Him.
In Romans 8:37, Paul says we are more than conquerors “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”. The key thing to note is this overcoming, this conquering is all done through Him. God does His work in us Philipians 1:6. Our salvation is not based on works we do.
There is great eternal security and assurance of salvation here when He says “I will not blot out his name”. This assures there is no possible way you will be removed if you have believed as the one that believes is that one that ”overcommeth”. It doesn’t have to imply there is a possibility of removal but rather a promise that you never have to worry about being removed. This verse is written for nonbelievers and therefore should cause no fear to a believer but rather only to those whom have not believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse really brings clarity for verse 4 where Jesus states “not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white”. The same people that“have not defiled their garments” are the same ones that are called overcomers here in verse 5 because these people also walk in white. The fact that both walk in white brings clarity and ties these two groups of people together.
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.
Jesus instructs here to purchase something “buy of me gold”which is very reminiscent of what he told us in the book of Matthew in the parable of the 10 virgins. From Matthew 25:11-12 we know the foolish virgins weren’t saved and the 5 wise virgins which have the oil (representing the Holy Spirit) were saved. The wise in verse 9 of Matthew 25 say “buy for yourselves.”. Salvation is a free gift (Romans 5:15-16) so these are simply metaphors that a person needs something outside of themselves, they need the blood of Jesus and forgiveness of their sins. One must “buy” this which simply represents“receiving”as John 1:12 tells us.
These people don’t have “white raiment,”, something an overcomer does have as we learned in verse 5 above.
Another description is their need that “thou mayest see”. This does not sound like the description of someone that is born again. The Bible says that Satan, the god of this world, blinds people (John 12:40, 2 Corinthians 4:4). These blind people like the Pharisees lead people astray (Matthew 15:14). A person that can’t see and is blind is a describing someone that is not saved, not a Christian.
19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Study this out, could be speaking to the Jews? His chosen people He loves? Because if not a Christian, per Hebrews you won’t get chastened, so in order to be chastened you have to be His child....but could work if this lukewarm church was a Jewish group perhaps?
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.
Ending his rebuke to the lukewarm church we see He is standing at the door and knocking. This position makes it crystal clear He is inviting people in this church to salvation itself, they don’t have Him yet.
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.
3
Revelation 3 — Forever Word commentary
King James VersionThis commentary is a work in progress and may be revised as study continues. If you have a question, spot an error, or want to discuss a passage, please reach out.
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.
Jesus says this is a “dead” church yet at the same time they have a reputation that “thou livest”. Outwardly this may have looked like an active, busy church doing many works for God. But they are being rebuked because something is seriously wrong with these works even though outwardly most people think the opposite.
Jesus was graciously rebuking this church and giving them a chance to repent For one day their works will be tried by fire: 1 Corinthians 3:13 “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.”
In 1 Corinthians 4:5 Paul advises us to “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come”. A ministry or church may look they are doing God’s work but this may not be the case.
2Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
As verse 1 states “I know thy works” and now we see these works aren’t perfect. There is something wrong with how this church is operating.
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.
There are some people in this church that have “not defiled their garments”. How did they do this? In Revelation 7:14 we are told you can wash your robe similar to a garment and make it “white in the blood of the Lamb”:
”And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
These few in Sardis believed Jesus died on the cross and rose again for their sins. How do we know this? First and foremost because they pleased Jesus. Secondly, Titus 3:5 states it is by Jesus, His blood we are made worthy and “not by works of righeousness which we have done”. Titus also says there is a washing and renewing that changes us:
”Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost”
This was prophesied in Isaiah 61:10, where God promises to clothe His people in righteousness, a promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ:
”I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
The only way Jesus saw these people as “worthy” is because His blood is upon them, They were clothed with salvation and now had “the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
So the ones that “have not defiled their garments” are not working, maintaining or striving for their salvation. If they are producing anything pleasing to God it is by His Spirit for John 15:5 “without me ye can do nothing”.
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.
Is overcoming working, who is he that overcometh and how do you do this? Must we maintain good works and or a holy life? 1 John 5:4-5 answers this and says it is the one that is born of God by believing upon Jesus that is an overcomer: “ For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”
To clarify, how is one born of God? In John chapter 3 Jesus states to enter heaven you must be born again and in John 3:16-18 He tells us it is simply, yet again, by believing upon Him.
In Romans 8:37, Paul says we are more than conquerors “we are more than conquerors through him that loved us”. The key thing to note is this overcoming, this conquering is all done through Him. God does His work in us Philipians 1:6. Our salvation is not based on works we do.
There is great eternal security and assurance of salvation here when He says “I will not blot out his name”. This assures there is no possible way you will be removed if you have believed as the one that believes is that one that ”overcommeth”. It doesn’t have to imply there is a possibility of removal but rather a promise that you never have to worry about being removed. This verse is written for nonbelievers and therefore should cause no fear to a believer but rather only to those whom have not believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
This verse really brings clarity for verse 4 where Jesus states “not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white”. The same people that “have not defiled their garments” are the same ones that are called overcomers here in verse 5 because these people also walk in white. The fact that both walk in white brings clarity and ties these two groups of people together.
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.
Jesus instructs here to purchase something “buy of me gold” which is very reminiscent of what he told us in the book of Matthew in the parable of the 10 virgins. From Matthew 25:11-12 we know the foolish virgins weren’t saved and the 5 wise virgins which have the oil (representing the Holy Spirit) were saved. The wise in verse 9 of Matthew 25 say “buy for yourselves.”. Salvation is a free gift (Romans 5:15-16) so these are simply metaphors that a person needs something outside of themselves, they need the blood of Jesus and forgiveness of their sins. One must “buy” this which simply represents “receiving” as John 1:12 tells us.
These people don’t have “white raiment,”, something an overcomer does have as we learned in verse 5 above.
Another description is their need that “thou mayest see”. This does not sound like the description of someone that is born again. The Bible says that Satan, the god of this world, blinds people (John 12:40, 2 Corinthians 4:4). These blind people like the Pharisees lead people astray (Matthew 15:14). A person that can’t see and is blind is a describing someone that is not saved, not a Christian.
19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Study this out, could be speaking to the Jews? His chosen people He loves? Because if not a Christian, per Hebrews you won’t get chastened, so in order to be chastened you have to be His child....but could work if this lukewarm church was a Jewish group perhaps?
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.
Ending his rebuke to the lukewarm church we see He is standing at the door and knocking. This position makes it crystal clear He is inviting people in this church to salvation itself, they don’t have Him yet.
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.