Chapter III.
(Vers. 1.)
(Verse 1) And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things says he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. The seven spirits of God are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which the prophet Isaiah shows have descended upon the Lord, saying: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2). Of these seven spirits, which the Lord has given, we will speak about in the following: what the seven stars are, as was said above. It follows, I know your works, that you have a name that you live, and you are dead. He had a name that he would live, that is, a Christian name: but he was dead; because he did not have the works of faith, which is charity.
(Vers. 2.)
(Verse 2.) Be watchful and strengthen the other things that were about to die. He is watchful who always practices good works: therefore, it is ordered to him that he should be watchful, that is, that he should exercise himself in works of charity; lest the small goods which he still seemed to have, should perish. For just as a body is dead without a soul, so we also seem to have any goods, they are dead, if love is lacking: For I do not find your works perfect before my God. They were not full, but empty; because they were not filled with love: hence the five foolish virgins were rejected from the wedding feast of the heavenly bridegroom, because they did not want to have the oil of charity in their vessels (Matthew 25:3).
(Vers. 3.)
(Verse 3) Therefore, keep in mind how you have received and heard, and hold onto it, and repent. That is, remember how you received the faith of Christ in baptism, where you promised to renounce the devil and all his works. Remember also what you heard from the teachers of the Christian faith, how you should live. And keep what you heard, and repent, because you have been inactive in good works for so long. So if you have not been watchful; that is, if you have not stirred yourself to do good works: I will come as a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. The Lord comes as a thief, in order to take him by death from this worldly habitation; who, resting in his wickedness, neither wishes to abstain from vices, nor to consider death itself before his eyes, just as the Lord says in the Gospel: For if the master of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch and would not allow his house to be dug through (Matthew 24:43). By the father of the household, we can understand the mind; for just as the father of the household rules over all those who are in the house, so too the mind is placed before all actions of the body and thoughts. Therefore, if the father of the household is sleeping and a thief comes into his house and digs through it, when the mind is resting in carnal pleasures, death, unexpected, comes upon him and, digging through the house of the body, takes away the soul. But if he is vigilant, that is, if he perseveres in good works, he will endure death not as a thief, but as a liberator.
(Vers. 4.)
(Vers. 4.) But you have a few names in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments. Behold, the disciples are placed before a negligent shepherd, so that at least in their imitation, progress may be made. But it is surprising why it is said to have few names, and not a few men. But this pertains to the great excellence of a holy person, when it is said that God knows them by name, just as it is said to Moses, a perfect man: I know you by name; and the Lord says in the Gospel: And he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out (John 10:3). Therefore, these few who deserve to be praised by the voice of God have not defiled their garments, that is, the purity they received in baptism, they have not defiled with the filth of vices. And they walked with me in white, for they are worthy; that is, in good works.
(Vers. 5, 6.)
(Vers. 5, 6.) Whoever conquers, shall be dressed in white garments; that is, whoever conquers the devil through repentance and tears, and expels all vices from oneself, shall attain the same purity as one possessed at baptism, and will also attain it oneself. He says this in order to exhort both the pastor of the Church in Sardis and all sinners to repentance. And I will not erase his name from the book of life. If he calls the book of life predestination, how can someone be erased from the book of life, since the Apostle says: But whom he predestined, those he also called: and whom he called, those he also justified: and whom he justified, those he also glorified (Rom. VIII, 30)? Unless we understand it in this way: There are many who are considered just by humans, but in the sight of God they are unjust. Therefore, those who consider them just already think that they are written in the book of God. But on the day of judgement, when the deeds of the wicked and the just are revealed to all, this inscription and false suspicion will be erased from their minds, when they see their damnation for their impieties. And I will confess His name before my Father and before the angels of God. This confession will then be made by the righteous, when each one will receive the reward according to the quality of their merits.
(Vers. 7.)
(Verse 7) And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: Thus says the holy and true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. We read in the Book of Kings that the Lord said to David: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son (2 Samuel 7:12). Only a perfidious Jew who doubts would say that this is not about Christ. And into the watched house no one can enter except through the key. Therefore, the Son of God has the key of David, because he assumed a human from the offspring of David, whom David calls the key of David, through whom everything has been unlocked, both what God spoke to David and what David spoke about him. He opens, and no one closes; he closes, and no one opens. The Lord Jesus Christ opened the Old Testament to understand the divine mysteries that were hidden in it, which no one will be able to close; he indeed closed the superfluous observance of the legal letter, which no one will be able to open. The hearts of the Gentiles also opened to receive the teaching of faith, which no persecutor could close; he closed and destroyed the worship of idols, which no persecutor could open. He also opened the way to the heavenly kingdom for his chosen ones, which no force of demons can close; he closed the same way for the reprobates, which no one can open for them.
(Vers. 8.)
(Verse 8.) I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. It seems to me that this angel of the church in Philadelphia was not sufficiently learned in the divine scriptures, and therefore said that he had little power to overcome the enemies of the faith in truth. That is to say: Because you have been steadfast in persecution, and have kept my word, that is, you have not ceased from preaching my word, and you have not denied my name; therefore, because you have a little power, I have set before you an open door in the divine scriptures, so that you may understand the mysteries of the divine scriptures: which no one will be able to shut, that is, the wisdom that will be given to you, no enemy will be able to resist.
(Vers. 9.)
(Verse 9) Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet and they will learn that I have loved you.
(Vers. 10.)
(Verse 10) Behold, I will make them come and worship before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my patience, I will also keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. The hour of temptation signifies the day of judgment; however, temptation is used for the purpose of manifestation, because everyone's reasons will be revealed at that time. And in Exodus we read: God tests you, so that He may know if you love Him (Deut. XIII, 3), that is, so that it becomes clear and evident to everyone that you love Him. According to this meaning, the hour of temptation is designated as the hour of manifestation, when the actions of each individual will be made manifest to all. From this hour of temptation, the Lord will save us and all His chosen ones.
(Vers. 11.)
(Verse 11.) Behold, I come quickly: hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. Hold fast what you have, that is, the good that you have, hold onto it until the end of your life. That no one may take your crown, that is, that no one may possess the glory that is due to you without you.
(Vers. 12, 13.)
(Verse 12, 13) Whoever conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never go out again (Galatians 2, 2). The church can be represented by the temple, and the preachers by the pillars that support the temple. For even the Apostle Paul calls Peter and James the pillars of the church because the church is built upon them, as the Lord said to Peter: You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church (Matthew 16, 28). But it seems that, for this reason, it follows: And he shall go out no more; this sentiment pertains not to the present Church, but to the heavenly one. For there were many who were called pillars of the Church: but because of their erroneous doctrine, they departed from it, as was the case with Origen, and many others. Therefore, through the temple is the dwelling of heaven, and through the pillar, each individual can be designated as chosen. Therefore, he who conquers all diabolical temptations and all carnal pleasures becomes a pillar in the temple of God, that is, in heavenly blessedness: and just as a pillar, when placed in a certain location, perseveres with the utmost stability, so too does each chosen one attain such firm stability from their creator in heavenly blessedness, that they may never be separated from it; just as the devil was separated, who fell by pride from heavenly blessedness. And I will write upon him the name of my God. This name of God is eternal: therefore the name of God, which is eternal, is written upon every righteous person, when eternity is granted to them to remain with the Lord. And the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God. That new Jerusalem is heavenly, which is not made of stones, like the old one, but is built daily from holy people. Moreover, Jerusalem is interpreted as the vision of peace, that is, the vision of God. Therefore, the name Jerusalem is written over each chosen one, as this is granted to each one, that they may deserve to see God without end. Otherwise, the name Jerusalem is written over each chosen one, because he himself is Jerusalem, in whom God deems worthy to reign, namely in the society of all the angels and chosen ones, who are called the heavenly Jerusalem. But it is amazing why Jerusalem is said to have descended from heaven, when we know that all the chosen ones ascend from the earth to heaven every day, and do not descend from heavenly things to earthly ones. But as the Lord descended from heaven for the redemption of the human race, so also the saints descended; for they were already united by the grace of predestination, whom he came to redeem through his mercy. And my new name is to be called the Son of God, just as I am the Son of God.
(Vers. 14.)
(Verse 14) And to the angel of the church of Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, who is the beginning of the creation of God. He does not call himself the beginning of the creation of God because he himself was created, but because all things were created by him. For example, if you ask who is the beginning of a house, you will be told: The architect, who first conceived it in his mind and then built it; for the house itself could not give itself its own beginning.
(Vers. 15.)
(Verse 15.) I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. Cold you were not; because although you did not have the works of faith, you considered yourself just by faith alone: hot you were not; because you lacked charity. Oh, that you were either cold or hot: that is, oh, that you either fervored with charity; or that you regarded yourself as a sinner, as you are; so that through the fear of eternal fire and repentance, you would be driven to do good works.
(Vers. 16.)
(Verse 16) But because you are lukewarm, I will vomit you out of my mouth. If you drink lukewarm water, it creates disgust and is easily expelled. But when we enter into the mouth of the Lord, we become His members, purified from all vices through baptism. Therefore, if we neglect to work in faith, which operates through charity and which we promised in baptism, becoming lukewarm in love, we are rejected from the mouth of the Lord like something harmful, disgusting, and foul, as He Himself said to His disciples: 'I am the vine, and you are the branches; and My Father is the gardener.' He will cut off every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and he prunes every branch that bears fruit so that it will bear more fruit. (John 15:2).
(Vers. 17.)
(Verse 17) Because you say that I am rich and have become wealthy and have need of nothing. A person is rightly called rich and wealthy who has grown in all virtues, to the pinnacle of perfection. However, this bishop of the Church of Laodicea, because of faith alone, considered himself rich and wealthy in all virtues, and thought that he needed nothing else for acquiring eternal salvation, not considering what the apostle says: faith without works is dead (James 2:26).
And you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable, and poor, and blind, and naked. We call someone miserable who is burdened with poverty, nakedness, and even some infirmity. Similarly, this person is called wretched and pitiable because he was poor in virtues, blind in mind, and naked in good deeds.
(Vers. 18.)
(Verse 18) I urge you to buy from me tried and true gold, refined by fire. By gold, wisdom is understood, as it is written: The desirable treasure rests in the mouth of the wise (Prov. 21:20). It is called tried because it makes all those whom it possesses tried and perfect. It is called refined by fire because it kindles in the minds of those in whom it dwells a love for God and neighbor. And because true wisdom grows from the divine scriptures, the Psalmist reveals when he says: The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined by fire, purified seven times (Psalm 12:7). The words of the Lord are pure words; because they cleanse the minds from vices. But since nothing can be purified except what is dirty, we must seek how the words of the Lord can be purified, in which nothing can be dirty. Therefore, the words of the Lord are said to be purified like silver, because the minds of the faithful are sometimes tested by the fire of repentance, sometimes by the fire of charity, from all the filth of vices. But what it says: Probatum terrae, in Hebrew means: Separated from the earth. Which is also said to be sevenfold purged, because of the seven purifications that divine Scripture contains within itself, namely the seven virtues by which all vices are purged: just as the vice of gluttony is purged by abstinence, pride by humility, lust by chastity; hatred, greed, envy, and many others, by charity. Similarly, other vices have their enemies, by whom they are either conquered or conquer. And since the Lord says above, that gold, that is, wisdom, should be bought from himself; we must inquire at what price wisdom is bought, since Job says: Gold shall not be given in exchange for it (Job 28:15); nor is there anything else that is considered more precious among men. But at what price it is bought, the blessed Job himself reveals when he says: The fear of the Lord is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding (ibid., 28). Not that he who fears is perfect in wisdom, since the apostle says: He who fears is not perfect in charity (1 John 4:18); but that he who begins to offer a price for it begins to possess wisdom. However, its price is the fear of the Lord, renunciation of vices, repentance, tears, and works of mercy. And therefore, it follows not inconveniently: That you may become rich. For without this price, no one can attain the enrichment of virtues, which is wisdom. And you shall be clothed in white garments. White garments are good works. And let not the shame of your nakedness appear. That shame of nakedness is the one of which the Psalmist says: For behold, I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me (Psalm 50:7). But we must cover this confusion of nakedness with good works; for although this bishop had faith, he is called naked; because he was lacking in the works of faith. And anoint your eyes with eye salve, so that you may see. By the eye salve, which cleanses darkness from the eyes and brings forth tears, penance and contrition of the heart can be understood; for it is she who cleanses the darkness of blindness from the eyes of the mind, and sharpens the sight to see the reward of the righteous and the punishment of sinners.
(Vers. 19.)
(Verse 19) I reprove and chastise those whom I love. As Scripture says: For whom the Lord loves, He chastens; and He scourges every son whom He receives (Hebrews 12:6).
(Vers. 20.)
(Verse 20.) Therefore, imitate and repent: that is, imitate the good and repent; for you have been inactive in good works until now. Look, I stand at the door and knock: if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with me. The Lord knocks at our door, as He daily admonishes us through the divine Scriptures, to abandon vices and strive towards good works. We hear his voice and open the door; we receive his commands with our whole intention of mind. Truly he enters to us, when he plants his love in our hearts. He dines with us, when he rejoices in our progress. We dine with him, when we exult about the hope of heavenly glory.
(Vers. 21.)
(Verse 21.) He who overcomes, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Christ conquered the devil, and his saints conquer as well: but Christ conquered by himself, while his saints conquer not by themselves, but through him. The Father gave the Son authority as a man, to sit on his throne: and the Son also gave authority to his saints, so that they may sit on his throne. But Christ sits at the right hand of the Father, as the Psalmist says: The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand (Psalm 110:1); for he is equal to the Father. However, the saints are not said to sit at the right hand of the Son, but rather in their own seats, as the Lord said in the Gospel: You also will sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). For they are not sons by nature like Christ, but rather by adoption; therefore, they receive different seats according to the diversity of their merits. May this be provided to us, concerning which we speak; that in the distribution of those seats, we may deserve to have a share as miserable ones, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
De Visione Secunda.
The reason demands that after the seven letters, which John directed to the seven Churches that signify one Catholic Church, in which the faithful are instructed on how they should ascend to the height of virtues, the same Church's state and sublimity should be described more clearly.