R
E V E L A T I O N
CHAP. III.
Here
we have three more of the epistles of Christ to the churches: I. To Sardis,
ver. 1-6. II. To Philadelphia, ver. 7-13. III. To Laodicea, ver. 14, to the
end.
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1 And 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. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that
are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember 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. 4 Thou 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. 5 He 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. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches.
Here is, I. The preface, showing, 1. To whom this letter is directed: To
the angel of the church of Sardis, an ancient city of Lydia, on the banks
of the mountain Tmolus, said to have been the chief city of Asia the Less, and
the first city in that part of the world that was converted by the preaching
of John; and, some say, the first that revolted from Christianity, and one of
the first that was laid in its ruins, in which it still lies, without any
church or ministry. 2. By whom this message was sent--the Lord Jesus, who here
assumes the character of him that hath the seven spirits of God, and the
seven stars, taken out of ch. i. 4, where the seven spirits are
said to be before the throne. (1.) He hath the seven spirits, that is, the
Holy Spirit with his various powers, graces, and operations; for he is
personally one, though efficaciously various, and may be said here to be
seven, which is the number of the churches, and of the angels of the churches,
to show that to every minister, and to every church, there is a dispensation
and measure of the Spirit given for them to profit withal--a stock of
spiritual influence for that minister and church to improve, both for
enlargement and continuance, which measure of the Spirit is not ordinarily
withdrawn from them, till they forfeit it by misimprovement. Churches have
their spiritual stock and fund, as well as particular believers; and, this
epistle being sent to a languishing ministry and church, they are very fitly
put in mind that Christ has the seven spirits, the Spirit without measure and
in perfection, to whom they may apply themselves for the reviving of his work
among them. (2.) He hath the seven stars, the angels of the churches; they are
disposed of by him, and accountable to him, which should make them faithful
and zealous. He has ministers to employ, and spiritual influences to
communicate to his ministers for the good of his church. The Holy Spirit
usually works by the ministry, and the ministry will be of no efficacy without
the Spirit; the same divine hand holds them both.
II. The body of this epistle. There is this observable in it, that whereas in
the other epistles Christ begins with commending what is good in the churches,
and then proceeds to tell them what is amiss, in this (and in the epistle to
Laodicea) he begins,
1. With a reproof, and a very severe one: I know thy works, that thou hast
a name that thou livest, and art dead. Hypocrisy, and a lamentable decay
in religion, are the sins charged upon this church, by one who knew her well,
and all her works. (1.) This church had gained a great reputation; it had a
name, and a very honourable one, for a flourishing church, a name for vital
lively religion, for purity of doctrine, unity among themselves, uniformity in
worship, decency, and order. We read not of any unhappy divisions among
themselves. Every thing appeared well, as to what falls under the observation
of men. (2.) This church was not really what it was reputed to be. They had a
name to live, but they were dead; there was a form of godliness, but not the
power, a name to live, but not a principle of life. If there was not a
total privation of life, yet there was a great deadness in their souls and in
their services, a great deadness in the spirits of their ministers, and a
great deadness in their ministrations, in their praying, in their preaching,
in their converse, and a great deadness in the people in hearing, in prayer,
and in conversation; what little life was yet left among them was, in a
manner, expiring, ready to die.
2. Our Lord proceeds to give this degenerate church the best advice: Be
watchful, and strengthen the things, &c., v. 2. (1.) He advises
them to be upon their watch. The cause of their sinful deadness and declension
was that they had let down their watch. Whenever we are off our watch, we lose
ground, and therefore must return to our watchfulness against sin, and Satan,
and whatever is destructive to the life and power of godliness. (2.) To
strengthen the things that remain, and that are ready to die. Some understand
this of persons; there were some few who had retained their integrity, but
they were in danger of declining with the rest. It is a difficult thing to
keep up to the life and power of godliness ourselves, when we see a
universal deadness and declension prevailing round about us. Or it may be
understood of practices, as it follows: I have not found thy works perfect
before God, not filled up; there is something wanting in them; there is
the shell, but not the kernel; there is the carcase, but not the soul--the
shadow, but not the substance. The inward thing is wanting, thy works are
hollow and empty; prayers are not filled up with holy desires, alms-deeds not
filled up with true charity, sabbaths not filled up with suitable devotion of
soul to God; there are not inward affections suitable to outward acts and
expressions. Now when the spirit is wanting the form cannot long subsist. (3.)
To recollect themselves, and remember how they have received and heard
(v. 3); not only to remember what they had received and heard, what
messages they had received from God, what tokens of his mercy and favour
towards them, what sermons they had heard, but how they had received and
heard, what impressions the mercies of God had made upon their souls at first,
what affections they felt working under their word and ordinances, the love of
their espousals, the kindness of their youth, how welcome the gospel and the
grace of God were to them when they first received them. Where is the
blessedness they then spoke of? (4.) To hold fast what they had received,
that they might not lose all, and repent sincerely that they had lost
so much of the life of religion, and had run the risk of losing all.
3. Christ enforces his counsel with a dreadful threatening in case it should
be despised: I will come unto thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know the
hour, v. 3. Observe, (1.) When Christ leaves a people as to his
gracious presence, he comes to them in judgment; and his judicial presence
will be very dreadful to those who have sinned away his gracious presence.
(2.) His judicial approach to a dead declining people will be surprising;
their deadness will keep them in security, and, as it procures an angry visit
from Christ to them, it will prevent their discerning it and preparing for it.
(3.) Such a visit from Christ will be to their loss; he will come as a thief,
to strip them of their remaining enjoyments and mercies, not by fraud, but in
justice and righteousness, taking the forfeiture they have made of all to him.
4. Our blessed Lord does not leave this sinful people without some comfort and
encouragement: In the midst of judgment he remembers mercy (v.
4), and here (1.) He makes honourable mention of the faithful remnant in
Sardis, though but small: Thou hast a few names in Sardis which have not
defiled their garments; they had not given into the prevailing corruptions
and pollution of the day and place in which they lived. God takes notice of
the smallest number of those who abide with him; and the fewer they are the
more precious in his sight. (2.) He makes a very gracious promise to them: They
shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy--in the stola, the
white robes of justification, and adoption, and comfort, or in the white robes
of honour and glory in the other world. They shall walk with Christ in the
pleasant walks of the heavenly paradise; and what delightful converse will
there be between Christ and them when they thus walk together! This is an
honour proper and suitable to their integrity, which their fidelity has
prepared them for, and which it is no way unbecoming Christ to confer upon
them, though it is not a legal but a gospel worthiness that is ascribed to
them, not merit but meetness. Those who walk with Christ in the clean garments
of real practical holiness here, and keep themselves unspotted from the world,
shall walk with Christ in the white robes of honour and glory in the other
world: this is a suitable reward.
III. We now come to the conclusion of this epistle, in which, as before, we
have,
1. A great reward promised to the conquering Christian (v. 5), and it
is very much the same with what has been already mentioned: He that
overcometh shall be clothed in white raiment. The purity of grace shall be
rewarded with the perfect purity of glory. Holiness, when perfected, shall be
its own reward; glory is the perfection of grace, differing not in kind, but
in degree. Now to this is added another promise very suitable to the case: I
will not blot his name out of the book of life, but will confess his name
before my Father, and before his angels. Observe, (1.) Christ has his book
of life, a register and roll of all who shall inherit eternal life. [1.] The
book of eternal election. [2.] The book of remembrance of all those who have
lived to God, and have kept up the life and power of godliness in evil times.
(2.) Christ will not blot the names of his chosen and faithful ones out of
this book of life; men may be enrolled in the registers of the church, as
baptized, as making a profession, as having a name to live, and that name may
come to be blotted out of the roll, when it appears that it was but a name, a
name to live, without spiritual life; such often lose the very name before
they die, they are left of God to blot out their own names by their gross and
open wickedness. But the names of those that overcome shall never be blotted
out. (3.) Christ will produce this book of life, and confess the names of the
faithful who stand there, before God, and all the angels; he will do this as
their Judge, when the books shall be opened; he will do this as their captain
and head, leading them with him triumphantly to heaven, presenting them to the
Father: Behold me, and the children that thou hast given me. How great
will this honour and reward be!
2. The demand of universal attention finishes the message. Every word from God
deserves attention from men; that which may seem more particularly directed to
one body of men has something in it instructive to all.
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7 And 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; 8 I 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. 9 Behold, 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. 10 Because 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.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take
thy crown. 12 Him 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. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
We have now come to the sixth letter, sent to one of the Asian churches, where
observe,
I. The inscription, showing,
1. For whom it was more immediately designed: The angel of the church of
Philadelphia; this also was a city in Asia Minor, seated upon the borders
of Mysia and Lydia, and had its name from that brotherly love for which it was
eminent. We can hardly suppose that this name was given to it after it
received the Christian religion, and that it was so called from that Christian
affection that all believers have, and should have, one for another, as the
children of one Father and the brethren of Christ; but rather that it was its
ancient name, on account of the love and kindness which the citizens had and
showed to each other as a civil fraternity. This was an excellent spirit, and,
when sanctified by the grace of the gospel, would render them an excellent
church, as indeed they were, for here is no one fault found with this church,
and yet, doubtless, there were faults in it of common infirmity; but love
covers such faults.
2. By whom this letter was signed; even by the same Jesus who is alone the
universal head of all the churches; and here observe by what title he chooses
to represent himself to this church: He that is holy, he that is true, he
that hath the key of David, &c. You have his personal character: He
that is holy and he that is true, holy in his nature, and therefore
he cannot but be true to his word, for he hath spoken in his holiness; and you
have also his political character: He hath the key of David, he openeth,
and no man shutteth; he hath the key of the house of David, the key of
government and authority in and over the church. Observe, (1.) The acts of his
government. [1.] He opens. He opens a door of opportunity to his churches; he
opens a door of utterance to his ministers; he opens a door of entrance, opens
the heart; he opens a door of admission into the visible church, laying down
the terms of communion; and he opens the door of admission into the church
triumphant, according to the terms of salvation fixed by him. [2.] He shuts
the door. When he pleases, he shuts the door of opportunity and the door of
utterance, and leaves obstinate sinners shut up in the hardness of their
hearts; he shuts the door of church-fellowship against unbelievers and profane
persons; and he shuts the door of heaven against the foolish virgins who have
slept away their day of grace, and against the workers of iniquity, how vain
and confident soever they may be. (2.) The way and manner in which he performs
these acts, and that is absolute sovereignty, independent upon the will of
men, and irresistible by the power of men: He openeth, and no man shutteth;
he shutteth, and no man openeth; he works to will and to do, and, when he
works, none can hinder. These were proper characters for him, when speaking to
a church that had endeavoured to be conformed to Christ in holiness and truth,
and that had enjoyed a wide door of liberty and opportunity under his care and
government.
II. The subject-matter of this epistle, where,
1. Christ puts them in mind of what he had done for them: I have set before
thee an open door, and no man can shut it, v. 8. I have set it
open, and kept it open, though there be many adversaries. Learn here, (1.)
Christ is to be acknowledged as the author of all the liberty and opportunity
his churches enjoy. (2.) He takes notice and keeps account, how long he has
preserved their spiritual liberties and privileges for them. (3.) Wicked men
envy the people of God their door of liberty, and would be glad to shut it
against them. (4.) If we do not provoke Christ to shut this door against us,
men cannot do it.
2. This church is commended: Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my
word, and hast not denied my name, v. 8. In this there seems to be
couched a gentle reproof: "Thou hast a little strength, a little
grace, which, though it be not proportionate to the wide door of opportunity
which I have opened to thee, yet is true grace, and has kept thee
faithful." True grace, though weak, has the divine approbation; but,
though Christ accepts a little strength, yet believers should not rest
satisfied in a little, but should strive to grow in grace, to be strong in
faith, giving glory to God. True grace, though weak, will do more than the
greatest gifts or highest degrees of common grace, for it will enable the
Christian to keep the word of Christ, and not to deny his name. Obedience,
fidelity, and a free confession of the name of Christ, are the fruits of true
grace, and are pleasing to Christ as such.
3. Here is a promise of the great favour God would bestow on this church, v.
9, 10. This favour consists in two things:--
(1.) Christ would make this church's enemies subject to her. [1.] Those
enemies are described to be such as said they were Jews, but lied in
saying so--pretended to be the only and peculiar people of God, but were
really the synagogue of Satan. Assemblies that worship God in spirit
and in truth are the Israel of God; assemblies that either worship false
gods, or the true God in a false manner, are the synagogues of Satan: though
they may profess to be the only people of God, their profession is a lie. [2.]
Their subjection to the church is described: They shall worship at thy
feet; not pay a religious and divine honour to the church itself, nor to
the ministry of it, but shall be convinced that they have been in the wrong,
that this church is in the right and is beloved of Christ, and they shall
desire to be taken into communion with her and that they may worship the same
God after the same manner. How shall this great change be wrought? By the
power of God upon the hearts of his enemies, and by signal discoveries of his
peculiar favour to his church: They shall know that I have loved thee.
Observe, First, The greatest honour and happiness any church can enjoy
consist in the peculiar love and favour of Christ. Secondly, Christ can
discover this his favour to his people in such a manner that their very
enemies shall see it, and be forced to acknowledge it. Thirdly, This
will, by the grace of Christ, soften the hearts of their enemies, and make
them desirous to be admitted into communion with them.
(2.) Another instance of favour that Christ promises to this church is
persevering grace in the most trying times (v. 10), and this as the
reward of their past fidelity. To him that hath shall be given. Here
observe, [1.] The gospel of Christ is the word of his patience. It is the
fruit of the patience of God to a sinful world; it sets before men the
exemplary patience of Christ in all his sufferings for men; it calls those
that receive it to the exercise of patience in conformity to Christ. [2.] This
gospel should be carefully kept by all that enjoy it; they must keep up to the
faith, and practice, and worship prescribed in the gospel. [3.] After a day of
patience we must expect an hour of temptation; a day of gospel peace and
liberty is a day of God's patience, and it is seldom so well improved as it
should be and therefore it is often followed by an hour of trial and
temptation. [4.] Sometimes the trial is more general and universal; it comes
upon all the world, and, when it is so general, it is usually the shorter.
[5.] Those who keep the gospel in a time of peace shall be kept by Christ in
an hour of temptation. By keeping the gospel they are prepared for the trial;
and the same divine grace that has made them fruitful in times of peace will
make them faithful in times of persecution.
4. Christ calls the church to that duty which he before promised he would
enable her to do, and that is, to persevere, to hold fast that which she
had. (1.) The duty itself: "Hold fast that which thou hast,
that faith, that truth, that strength of grace, that zeal, that love to the
brethren; thou hast been possessed of this excellent treasure, hold it
fast." (2.) The motives, taken from the speedy appearance of Christ:
"Behold, I come quickly. See, I am just a coming to relieve them
under the trial, to reward their fidelity, and to punish those who fall away;
they shall lose that crown which they once seemed to have a right to, which
they hoped for, and pleased themselves with the thoughts of. The persevering
Christian shall win the prize from backsliding professors, who once stood fair
for it."
III. The conclusion of this epistle, v. 12, 13. Here,
1. After his usual manner, our Saviour promises a glorious reward to the
victorious believer, in two things:-- (1.) He shall be a monumental pillar
in the temple of God; not a pillar to support the temple (heaven needs no
such props), but a monument of the free and powerful grace of God, a monument
that shall never be defaced nor removed, as many stately pillars erected in
honour to the Roman emperors and generals have been. (2.) On this monumental
pillar there shall be an honourable inscription, as in those cases is usual.
[1.] The name of God, in whose cause he engaged, whom he served, and
for whom he suffered in this warfare; and the name of the city of God,
the church of God, the new Jerusalem, which came down from heaven. On
this pillar shall be recorded all the services the believer did to the church
of God, how he asserted her rights, enlarged her borders, maintained her
purity and honour; this will be a greater name than Asiaticus, or Africanus;
a soldier under God in the wars of the church. And then another part of the
inscription is, [2.] The new name of Christ, the Mediator, the
Redeemer, the captain of our salvation; by this it will appear under whose
banner this conquering believer had enlisted, under whose conduct he acted, by
whose example he was encouraged, and under whose influence he fought the good
fight, and came off victorious.
2. The epistle is closed up with the demand of attention: He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches, how Christ
loves and values his faithful people, how he commends, and how he will crown
their fidelity.
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14 And 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; 15 I know thy works, that
thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee
out of my mouth. 17 Because 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: 18 I 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 eye-salve, that thou
mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous
therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, 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. 21 To 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. 22 He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
We now come to the last and worst of all the seven Asian churches, the reverse
of the church of Philadelphia; for, as there was nothing reproved in that,
here is nothing commended in this, and yet this was one of the seven golden
candlesticks, for a corrupt church may still be a church. Here we have, as
before,
I. The inscription, to whom, and from whom. 1. To whom: To the angel of the
church of Laodicea. This was a once famous city near the river Lycus, had
a wall of vast compass, and three marble theatres, and, like Rome, was built
on seven hills. It seems, the apostle Paul was very instrumental in planting
the gospel in this city, from which he wrote a letter, as he mentions in the
epistle to the Colossians, the last chapter, in which he sends salutations
to them, Laodicea not being above twenty miles distant from Colosse. In this
city was held a council in the fourth century, but it has been long since
demolished, and lies in its ruins to this day, an awful monument of the
wrath of the Lamb. 2. From whom this message was sent. Here our Lord Jesus
styles himself the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of
the creation of God. (1.) The Amen, one that is steady and
unchangeable in all his purposes and promises, which are all yea, and all
amen. (2.) The faithful and true witness, whose testimony of God to men
ought to be received and fully believed, and whose testimony of men to God
will be fully believed and regarded, and will be a swift but true witness
against all indifferent lukewarm professors. (3.) The beginning of the
creation of God, either of the first creation, and so he is the beginning,
that is, the first cause, the Creator, and the Governor of it; or of the
second creation, the church; and so he is the head of that body, the
first-born from the dead, as it is in ch. i. 5, whence these titles are
taken. Christ, having raised up himself by his own divine power, as the head
of a new world, raises up dead souls to be a living temple and church to
himself.
II. The subject-matter, in which observe,
1. The heavy charge drawn up against this church, ministers and people, by one
who knew them better than they knew themselves: Thou art neither cold nor
hot, but worse than either; I would thou wert cold or hot, v.
15. Lukewarmness or indifference in religion is the worst temper in the world.
If religion is a real thing, it is the most excellent thing, and therefore we
should be in good earnest in it; if it is not a real thing, it is the vilest
imposture, and we should be earnest against it. If religion is worth any
thing, it is worth every thing; an indifference here is inexcusable: Why
halt you between two opinions? If God be God, follow him; if Baal (be
God), follow him. Here is no room for neutrality. An open enemy shall
have a fairer quarter than a perfidious neuter; and there is more hope of a
heathen than of such. Christ expects that men should declare themselves in
earnest either for him or against him.
2. A severe punishment threatened: I will spue thee out of my mouth. As
lukewarm water turns the stomach, and provokes to a vomit, lukewarm professors
turn the heart of Christ against them. He is sick of them, and cannot long
bear them. They may call their lukewarmness charity, meekness, moderation,
and a largeness of soul; it is nauseous to Christ, and makes those so
that allow themselves in it. They shall be rejected, and finally rejected; for
far be it from the holy Jesus to return to that which has been thus rejected.
3. We have one cause of this indifference and inconsistency in religion
assigned, and that is self-conceitedness or self-delusion. They thought they
were very well already, and therefore they were very indifferent whether they
grew better or no: Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, &c., v. 17. Here observe, What a difference there was
between the thoughts they had of themselves and the thoughts that Christ had
of them. (1.) The high thoughts they had of themselves: Thou sayest, I am
rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, rich, and
growing richer, and increased to such a degree as to be above all want or
possibility of wanting. Perhaps they were well provided for as to their
bodies, and this made them overlook the necessities of their souls. Or they
thought themselves well furnished in their souls: they had learning, and they
took it for religion; they had gifts, and they took them for grace; they had
wit, and they took it for true wisdom; they had ordinances, and they took up
with them instead of the God of ordinances. How careful should we be not to
put the cheat upon our own souls! Doubtless there are many in hell that once
thought themselves to be in the way to heaven. Let us daily beg of God that we
may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves in the concerns of our souls.
(2.) The mean thoughts that Christ had of them; and he was not mistaken. He
knew, though they knew not, that they were wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked. Their state was wretched in itself, and such
as called for pity and compassion from others: though they were proud of
themselves, they were pitied by all who knew their case. For, [1.] They were
poor, really poor, when they said and thought they were rich; they had no
provision for their souls to live upon; their souls were starving in the midst
of their abundance; they were vastly in debt to the justice of God, and had
nothing to pay off the least part of the debt. [2.] They were blind;
they could not see their state, nor their way, nor their danger; they could
not see into themselves; they could not look before them; they were blind, and
yet they thought they saw; the very light that was in them was darkness, and
then how great must that darkness be! They could not see Christ, though
evidently set forth, and crucified, before their eyes. They could not see God
by faith, though always present in them. They could not see death, though it
was just before them. They could not look into eternity, though they stood
upon the very brink of it continually. [3.] They were naked, without clothing
and without house and harbour for their souls. They were without clothing, had
neither the garment of justification nor that of sanctification. Their
nakedness both of guilt and pollution had no covering. They lay always exposed
to sin and shame. Their righteousnesses were but filthy rags; they were rags,
and would not cover them, filthy rags, and would defile them. And they were
naked, without house or harbour, for they were without God, and he has been
the dwelling-place of his people in all ages; in him alone the soul of man can
find rest, and safety, and all suitable accommodations. The riches of the body
will not enrich the soul; the sight of the body will not enlighten the soul;
the most convenient house for the body will not afford rest nor safety to the
soul. The soul is a different thing from the body, and must have accommodation
suitable to its nature, or else in the midst of bodily prosperity it will be
wretched and miserable.
4. We have good counsel given by Christ to this sinful people, and that is
that they drop their vain and false opinion they had of themselves, and
endeavour to be that really which they would seem to be: I counsel thee to
buy of me, &c., v. 18. Observe, (1.) Our Lord Jesus Christ
continues to give good counsel to those who have cast his counsels behind
their backs. (2.) The condition of sinners is never desperate, while they
enjoy the gracious calls and counsels of Christ. (3.) Our blessed Lord, the
counsellor, always gives the best advice, and that which is most suitable to
the sinner's case; as here, [1.] These people were poor; Christ counsels them
to buy of him gold tried in the fire, that they might be rich. He lets them
know where they might have true riches and how they might have them. First,
Where they might have them--from himself; he sends them not to the streams of
Pactolus, nor to the mines of Potosi, but invites them to himself, the pearl
of price. Secondly, And how must they have this true gold from him?
They must buy it. This seems to be unsaying all again. How can those that are
poor buy gold? Just as they may buy of Christ wine and milk, that is, without
money and without price, Isa. lv. 1. Something indeed must be parted with,
but it is nothing of a valuable consideration, it is only to make room for
receiving true riches. "Part with sin and self-sufficiency, and come to
Christ with a sense of your poverty and emptiness, that you may be filled with
his hidden treasure." [2.] These people were naked; Christ tells them
where they might have clothing, and such as would cover the shame of their
nakedness. This they must receive from Christ; and they must only put off
their filthy rags that they might put on the white raiment which he had
purchased and provided for them--his own imputed righteousness for
justification and the garments of holiness and sanctification. [3.] They were
blind; and he counsels them to buy of him eye-salve, that they might see,
to give up their own wisdom and reason, which are but blindness in the things
of God, and resign themselves to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be
opened to see their way and their end, their duty and their true interest; a
new and glorious scene would then open itself to their souls; a new world
furnished with the most beautiful and excellent objects, and this light would
be marvellous to those who were but just now delivered from the powers of
darkness. This is the wise and good counsel Christ gives to careless souls;
and, if they follow it, he will judge himself bound in honour to make it
effectual.
5. Here is added great and gracious encouragement to this sinful people to
take the admonition and advice well that Christ had given them, v. 19,
20. He tells them, (1.) It was given them in true and tender affection: "Whom
I love, I rebuke and chasten. You may think I have given you hard words
and severe reproofs; it is all out of love to your souls. I would not have
thus openly rebuked and corrected your sinful lukewarmness and vain
confidence, if I had not been a lover of your souls; had I hated you, I would
have let you alone, to go on in sin till it had been your ruin." Sinners
ought to take the rebukes of God's word and rod as tokens of his good-will to
their souls, and should accordingly repent in good earnest, and turn to him
that smites them; better are the frowns and wounds of a friend than the
flattering smiles of an enemy. (2.) If they would comply with his admonitions,
he was ready to make them good to their souls: Behold, I stand at the door
and knock, &c., v. 20. Here observe, [1.] Christ is graciously
pleased by his word and Spirit to come to the door of the heart of sinners; he
draws near to them in a way of mercy, ready to make them a kind visit. [2.] He
finds this door shut against him; the heart of man is by nature shut up
against Christ by ignorance, unbelief, sinful prejudices. [3.] When he finds
the heart shut, he does not immediately withdraw, but he waits to be gracious,
even till his head be filled with the dew. [4.] He uses all proper means to
awaken sinners, and to cause them to open to him: he calls by his word, he
knocks by the impulses of his Spirit upon their conscience. [5.] Those who
open to him shall enjoy his presence, to their great comfort and advantage. He
will sup with them; he will accept of what is good in them; he will eat his
pleasant fruit; and he will bring the best part of the entertainment with him.
If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will make up the
deficiency: he will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts, and thereby
stir up fresh actings of faith, and love, and delight; and in all this Christ
and his repenting people will enjoy pleasant communion with each other. Alas!
what do careless obstinate sinners lose by refusing to open the door of the
heart to Christ!
III. We now come to the conclusion of this epistle; and here we have as
before,
1. The promise made to the overcoming believer. It is here implied, (1.) That
though this church seemed to be wholly overrun and overcome with lukewarmness
and self-confidence, yet it was possible that by the reproofs and counsels of
Christ they might be inspired with fresh zeal and vigour, and might come off
conquerors in their spiritual warfare. (2.) That, if they did so, all former
faults should be forgiven, and they should have a great reward. And what is
that reward? They shall sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame,
and have sat down with my Father on his throne, v. 21. Here it is
intimated, [1.] That Christ himself had met with his temptations and
conflicts. [2.] That he overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror. [3.]
That, as the reward of his conflict and victory, he has sat down with God the
Father on his throne, possessed of that glory which he had with the Father
from eternity, but which he was pleased very much to conceal on earth, leaving
it as it were in the hands of the Father, as a pledge that he would fulfil the
work of a Saviour before he reassumed that manifestative glory; and, having
done so, then pignus reposcere--he demands the pledge, to appear in his
divine glory equal to the Father. [4.] That those who are conformed to Christ
in his trials and victories shall be conformed to him in his glory; they shall
sit down with him on his throne, on his throne of judgment at the end of the
world, on his throne of glory to all eternity, shining in his beams by virtue
of their union with him and relation to him, as the mystical body of which he
is the head.
2. All is closed up with the general demand of attention (v. 22),
putting all to whom these epistles shall come in mind that what is contained
in them is not of private interpretation, not intended for the instruction,
reproof, and correction of those particular churches only, but of all the
churches of Christ in all ages and parts of the world: and as there will be a
resemblance in all succeeding churches to these, both in their graces and
sins, so they may expect that God will deal with them as he dealt with these,
which are patterns to all ages what faithful, and fruitful churches may expect
to receive from God, and what those who are unfaithful may expect to suffer
from his hand; yea, that God's dealings with his churches may afford useful
instruction to the rest of the world, to put them upon considering, If
judgment begin at the house of God, what shall the end of those be that do not
obey the gospel of Christ? 1 Pet. iv. 17. Thus end the messages of Christ
to the Asian churches, the epistolary part of this book. We now come to the
prophetical part.
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