Revelation 3:14-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14-22

(7) The Epistle to the Church in Laodicea. The "Amen, the faithful and true Witness," speaks to the untrue and unfaithful Church, whose outward appearance contrasts so with her internal state. Deceptive pretentiousness receives its rebuke. The lukewarm—neither hot and fervent in devotion nor lowlily acknowledging itself to be cold; neither fervid in holy affection nor consciously lacking holy fervour and confessing it—lacking the true warm fervour of love, and either not knowing the lack,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:14-22

The words of Christ to the Church at Laodicea. "And unto the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans," etc. "Laodicea is in the south-west of Phrygia, on the river Lycus, not far from Colossae, lying between it and Philadelphia, destroyed by an earthquake A.D. 62, rebuilt by its wealthy citizens without the help of the state. This wealth (arising from the excellence of its wools) led to a self-satisfied, lukewarm state in spiritual things. In Colossians 4:16 it is mentioned. The Church in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Revelation 3:15

I know thy works; and because they are not what they should be ( Revelation 3:16 , Revelation 3:17 ), I give thee this admonition, which is nevertheless a warning and a token of my love ( Revelation 3:19 ). That thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. The lukewarmness of which the Epistle complains was produced by a fallacious sense of security, begotten of ease and prosperity. In truth those "secure," without care, had become the careless ones. Active opposition... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 3:14

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write - See the notes on Revelation 1:20.These things saith the Amen - Referring, as is the case in every epistle, to some attribute of the speaker adapted to impress their minds, or to give special force to what he was about to say to that particular church. Laodicea was characterized by lukewarmness, and the reference to the fact that he who was about to address them was the “Amen” - that is, was characterized by the simple earnestness and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 3:15

I know thy works - notes on Revelation 2:2.That thou art neither cold nor hot - The word “cold” here would seem to denote the state where there was no pretension to religion; where everything was utterly lifeless and dead. The language is obviously figurative, but it is such as is often employed, when we speak of one as being cold toward another, as having a cold or icy heart, etc. The word “hot” would denote, of course, the opposite - warm and zealous in their love and service. The very words... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 3:14-16

Revelation 3:14-16. And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write Laodicea lay south of Philadelphia in the way to return to Ephesus: for the seven churches lay in a kind of circular form, so that the natural progress was from Ephesus to Smyrna, and so forward in the order in which the cities are here addressed, which probably was the order in which St. John used to visit them. “That there was a flourishing church at Laodicea, in the primitive times of Christianity, is evident,... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Revelation 3:14-22

Letter to Laodicea (3:14-22)Laodicea was an important commercial, educational and administrative centre whose citizens were secure and prosperous, lacking nothing. Sadly, the spirit of self-satisfaction among the people at large was found equally in the church. This church has no accusation of idolatry or immorality brought against it, yet it receives the strongest condemnation of all seven.The Laodiceans not only thought they had all they needed, but they believed their prosperity had resulted... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Revelation 3:14

of, &c. = in (Greek. en) Laodicea (an important city of Phrygia, a few miles west of Colosse. Rebuilt by Antiochus II, and named after his wife, Laodice). the Amen. A Hebrew word transliterated. See 2 Corinthians 1:20 and p. 1511. faithful. App-150 . Witness. See p. 1511. beginning. App-172 . Compare 1 Chronicles 1:15-19; 1 Chronicles 1:15-19 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Revelation 3:14

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write:LAODICEALaodicea is a word which has come to stand for lukewarmness, indifference and compromise. Some theorists make a big point out of what they affirm to be the meaning of the word: "Its name designates it as the Church of mob rule, the democratic church, in which everything was swayed and decided by popular opinion."[55] We are reluctant to accept this, be cause the town was actually named by its founder Antiochus II (261-246 B.C.) after his... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Revelation 3:15

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot.Two possible meanings of this are intriguing, and either one or both could be correct. Which is the right turns upon what Jesus meant by "I would thou wert cold or hot." If the Lord's reprimand here is the rough equivalent to, "You Laodicean Christians are just like the notoriously lukewarm drinking water in your town," then he meant that the Christians should be either like good cold drinking water, or... read more

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