Revelation 3:14-15

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 3:14-22

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... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 3:14-22

3:14-22 And to the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write: These things says the Amen, the witness on whom you can rely and who is true, the moving cause of the creation of God. I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are tepid and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am rich and I have acquired riches, and I need nothing, and are quite unaware that it is you who are the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 3:14

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write ,.... Of the city of Laodicea; see Gill on Revelation 1:11 ; there was a church here in the times of the Apostle Paul; by whom it was founded is not known; mention is made of it in Colossians 2:1 , who was now the angel, or pastor of it, whether Epaphras, who is there named, or another, is not certain. According to the Apostolical Constitutions F20 L. 7. c. 46. , Archippus was ordained bishop of it by the apostles; see ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 3:15

I know thy works ,.... Which were far from being perfect, and not so good as those of the former church: that thou art neither cold nor hot ; she was not "cold", or without spiritual life, at least in many of her members, as all men by nature are, and carnal professors be; she was alive, but not lively: nor was she wholly without spiritual affections and love; to God, and Christ, to his people, ways, truths, and ordinances; she had love, but the fervency of it was abated: nor was she... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 3:14

These things saith the Amen - That is, He who is true or faithful; from אמן aman , he was tree; immediately interpreted, The faithful and true witness. See Revelation 1:5 . The beginning of the creation of God - That is, the head and governor of all creatures: the king of the creation. See on Colossians 1:15 ; (note). By his titles, here, he prepares them for the humiliating and awful truths which he was about to declare, and the authority on which the declaration was founded. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 3:15

Thou art neither cold nor hot - Ye are neither heathens nor Christians - neither good nor evil - neither led away by false doctrine, nor thoroughly addicted to that which is true. In a word, they were listless and indifferent, and seemed to care little whether heathenism or Christianity prevailed. Though they felt little zeal either for the salvation of their own souls or that of others, yet they had such a general conviction of the truth and importance of Christianity, that they could not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14

And unto the angel . Those expositors who understand "the angel" of a Church to signify its chief officer, may with some plausibility argue that at Laodicea it seems almost certain that this was Archippus. In his Epistle to Philemon, a wealthy convert of Colossae, St. Paul sends greeting to Archippus ( Philemon 1:2 ). If Archippus were the son of philemon, he might very well have been Bishop of Laodicea at the time of St. John's message. Moreover, the son of a wealthy and influential... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14

Laodicea: self-conceit and self-deceit. Here is a Church which has an utterly mistaken view of itself. It thinks itself as well off as need be. Our Lord declares it to be in a desperately bad condition. It is addressed by Christ as by the "faithful and true Witness," as the "Beginning of the creation of God;" not as the beginning in the sense of "the first part of," but in the sense of the Beginner, in whom the creation had its beginning, and still has its continuance, meaning, plan, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14-21

The epistle to the Church at Laodicea. It was a wealthy city in which this Church had her home, and it was large and beautiful also. It stood on one of the great Roman roads which led away to Damascus and Arabia. Hence there was a large stream of traffic continually flowing through it, and its inhabitants became very rich. At the time when this letter was sent them they were building for themselves one of those huge amphitheatres which the Greeks and Romans of the day were wont to build in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14-22

The epistle to the Church in Laodicea. Laodicea, on the Lycus, a tributary of the Maeander, lay some fifty miles to the south-east of Philadelphia. The modern Turkish name, Eskihissar, signifies "the old castle." It is situated on the western side of the valley of the Lycus, on the opposite slopes of which, some six or eight miles distant, were Hierapolis and Colossae, with which it is associated by St. Paul ( Colossians 4:13 , Colossians 4:16 ). Named at first Diosopolis, after its... read more

Group of Brands