Revelation of John 3 · The Lantern

“And to the Angel of the Church of Sardis write: Thus says he who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name which is alive, but you are dead.

And we came to a certain plain, and he showed me a young man, a shepherd, clothed in a suit of garments of a yellow colour: and he was herding very many sheep, and these sheep were feeding luxuriously, as it were, and riotously, and merrily skipping hither and thither.

Concerning the seven stars, which are now also called the spirits of God, it has been said in the preceding passages; but now you must listen to what he says about those in Sardis. He says, I know your works, that you have a name like you are alive, and you have the life according to God, the virtuous life, but you are dead because of your sins.

And to the angel of the church of Sardis, write: These things saith he, that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast the name of being alive: but thou art dead. Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain, which were ready to die.

Be vigilant, and confirm the things that remain, lest they soon die out. For I do not find your works to be full in the sight of my God.

And another Scripture says, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." This means that those who are perishing must be saved. For it is indeed a great and admirable thing to establish not the things which are standing, but those that are falling.

He rebukes those idle persons who do not trust in God with the whole mind and keep the right faith only hypocritically. They are Christians in name only. And so they are said to be living, but in fact they are dead. For that reason they are rebuked that they might be vigilant and strengthen what remains of that from which they had fallen.

QUESTION: What is meant by for I find not thy works full before my God? ANSWER: A leader's works are not full before God if he does not strive to rouse others as well, however innocent he may seem to people.

Therefore, keep in mind the way that you have received and heard, and then observe it and repent. But if you will not be vigilant, I will come to you like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you.

If therefore you will not watch, he says, and become like one who rises from sleep in sluggishness, I will come to you as a punisher when you do not expect it. The holy apostle also speaks concerning other matters: "But when they say, 'Peace and safety,' then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman." (1 Thess. 5:3)

I will come upon you as a thief. As in the parable of the gospel, so here by the example of a thief to be avoided, he warns to be vigilant.

Have in mind therefore in what manner thou hast received and heard: and observe, and do penance. This sentence can be ascribed to both senses. Indeed he had heard, Whosoever shall keep the whole law, but offend in one point, is become guilty of all, [James 2:10] as well as If thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. [Matt.

But you have a few names in Sardis who have not defiled their garments. And these shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.

Whoever prevails, so shall he be clothed in white vestments. And I will not delete his name from the Book of Life. And I will confess his name in the presence of my Father and in the presence of his Angels.

Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.

And to the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia write: Thus says the Holy One, the True One, he who holds the key of David. He opens and no one closes. He closes and no one opens.

These things, moreover, as I judge, he gives forth only and truly by participation in the divine Spirit. There is need of the same power for those who prophesy and for those who hear the prophets. No one can rightly hear a prophet unless the same Spirit who prophesies bestows on him the capacity of grasping his words.

His kingdom is called "the key of David," for this is a symbol of authority. And, moreover, the Holy Spirit is the key of the book of the Psalms and of every prophecy, for through him the treasures of knowledge are opened. He received the first key according to his humanity, but the second key he possesses according to his deity, which has no beginning.

All the judgments of Scriptures refer to this one judgment; hence, He is called the Prince of Peace. Wherefore just rewards come forth from Him. He, then, "has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts." And such a key is the mystery of union.

I know your works. Behold, I have set an open door before you, which no one is able to close. For you have little power, and you have observed my word, and you have not denied my name.

The sixth class is the mode of life of the best election. The habit of saints is set forth; of those, to wit, who are lowly in the world, and unskilled in the Scriptures, and who hold the faith immoveably, and are not at all broken down by any chance, or withdrawn from the faith by any fear.

He shows the reason why the church has merited these gifts: because she does not have confidence in her own powers but in the power of Christ the king. And confessing that she has but little power, she is glorified, having been redeemed not in herself but in the Lord.

And it was said to the Angel of Philadelphia, who was the sixth, "Thus says the holy one, the true one, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one shuts, and who shuts and no one opens: I know thy works.

Behold, I will take from the synagogue of Satan those who declare themselves to be Jews and are not, for they are lying. Behold, I will cause them to approach and to reverence before your feet. And they shall know that I have loved you.

"Behold, those from the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie: behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and learn that I have loved you." At that time he promised to the universal church that there will be "one flock and one Shepherd." We should note that it was not only in Philadelphia that there were believers from the synagogu…

Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not. He promised this to the whole Church at that time, because not only in Philadelphia did they believe from the synagogue of the Jews, as we find in the Acts of the Apostles.

Behold, I will bring of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and adore before thy feet. And they shall know that I have loved thee. In this passage is foretold the faith of the Jews, according to this: until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in, and so all Israel should be saved. [Rom.

Since you have kept the word of my patient endurance, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall overcome the whole world in order to test those living upon the earth.

" Also to the angel of the church in Pergamus (mention was made) of Antipas, the very faithful martyr, who was slain where Satan dwelleth. Also to the angel of the church in Philadelphia (it was signified) that he who had not denied the name of the Lord was delivered from the last trial.

Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial. He speaks of the persecution of Christians that occurred under Emperor Domitian, who was the second persecutor after Nero, as Eusebius records in both his Ecclesiastical History and his Chronicon Canon.

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, etc. The word of patience is what the Lord showed in example when he prayed on the cross for his persecutors, [Luke 23:34] and taught in words, saying, In your patience you shall possess your souls.

Behold, I am approaching quickly. Hold on to what you have, so that no one may take your crown.

For confession [of Christ] does not make one immune from the snares of the devil. Nor does it defend one who is still placed in the world with a perpetual security against worldly temptations and dangers and onsets and attacks.

I am coming quickly, he says, having taken hold of you. Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. And what do you hold fast? The genuine love toward the Lord, evidently, in which, having persevered until the end, you will receive the crown of life (James 1:12). For to those who endure, belong the victories.

I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast. The Lord says he will come quickly, so that no one should give up in the struggle. For everything that passes happens quickly. What he tells him to hold fast is the conduct of heavenly life, and he gives the reason, adding, that no other man take thy crown.

Whoever prevails, I will set him as a column in the temple of my God, and he shall not depart from it anymore. And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that descends out of heaven from my God, and my new name.

"He that overcometh shall be made a pillar in the temple of God." For even as a pillar is an ornament of the building, so he who perseveres shall obtain a nobility in the Church.

[I will write on him the name of my God] so that he might be signed with the divine name and be adorned with the glory of immortality and might receive the name of the divine city of Jerusalem, which is the vision of peace, and so fully enjoy the society of perpetual quiet and security.

This passage establishes that it was those who were upon Mount Sion who were sealed; also, that one of the angels who were to pour out the bowls — and, fittingly, it was the sixth — showed him the city the measure of which was a hundred and forty-four cubits.

Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.

And to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea write: Thus says the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, who is the Beginning of the creation of God:

This (heresiarch) makes the following statement. There are three unbegotten principles of the universe, two male (and) one female. Of the male (principles), however, a certain one, is denominated good, and it alone is called after this manner, and possesses a power of prescience concerning the universe.

Since in the person of the one Christ humanity is said to have been assumed, he says, "who is the beginning of the creation of God." It is appropriate to regard the Lord Christ as the beginning of God's creation because of the mystery of the incarnation.

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. Amen translates to "true," which we should take as referring to that Truth which said about itself, I am the truth.

I know your works: that you are neither cold, nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot.

Moreover, the seventh association of the Church declares that they are rich men placed in positions of dignity, but believing that they are rich, among whom indeed the Scriptures are discussed in their bedchamber, while the faithful are outside; and they are understood by none, although they boast themselves, and say that they know all things,-endowed with the confidence of lea…

In this passage we recognize persons of nobility in the world, whom he says are neither hot nor cold but lukewarm, because, although they possess an abundance of wealth, they are empty of works of piety, nor are they inflamed by any feeling of compassion toward good works.

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold, nor hot. I would thou wert cold, or hot. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, nor hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. The cold ones are those whom either the perfidy of the Jews or the error of the Gentiles keeps bound, because the one who said, I will sit in the sides of the North, [Is.

But because you are lukewarm and are neither cold nor hot, I will begin to vomit you out of my mouth.

For you declare, ‘I am wealthy, and I have been enriched further, and I have need of nothing.’ And you do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

He imputes to the Ephesians "forsaken love; " reproaches the Thyatirenes with "fornication," and "eating of things sacrificed to idols; " accuses the Sardians of "works not full; " censures the Pergamenes for teaching perverse things; upbraids the Laodiceans for trusting to their riches; and yet gives them all general monitions to repentance-under comminations, it is true; but…

He regards those as "naked" who are destitute of the works of righteousness, whom he also regards as "blind." However, he is clothed with white garments who is vested with the baptism of Christ, and he enjoys that faith "working through love," for "as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." When he says that the eyes must be anointed with salve, he advises…

Because thou sayest: I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing: and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind.

I urge you to buy from me gold, tested by fire, so that you may be enriched and may be clothed in white vestments, and so that the shame of your nakedness may disappear. And anoint your eyes with an eye salve, so that you may see.

Us, moreover, Jesus, the Father's Highest and Great Priest, clothing us from His own store -inasmuch as they "who are baptized in Christ have put on Christ"-has made "priests to God His Father," according to John.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich. But what is this gold refined by the spiritual fire? The prophet teaches, saying "the words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined and tested seven times on the earth" (Ps. 11:7), symbolizing the Gospel proclamation.

I counsel thee to buy gold fire-tried, that thou mayest be made rich. Gold in this passage is taken to mean God's wisdom incarnate, concerning which it is said elsewhere, Take wisdom as gold. [Variant of Prov. 16:16] It is right for this gold to be called fire-tried, because our Redeemer was tested by the fire of the Passion.

Those whom I love, I rebuke and chastise. Therefore, be zealous and do penance.

Let us strive, then, to bear the injuries that are inflicted by the evil one, that the struggle to maintain our self-control may put to shame the enemy's efforts. If, however, through imprudence or even of our own free will we draw down upon ourselves some misfortune, we should submit with equal patience to that which we impute to ourselves.

Do the proud and wicked souls who commit serious sins seem happy to you because they do not suffer evil in this world? Listen to what the Scriptures say about such people: "They are not in the labors of men: neither shall they be scourged with other men. Therefore their pride has held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.

Such as I love, I rebuke and chastise. Rebuke is about words, chastisement is about whips. There is nothing more that needs explaining in this sentence, but it just needs to be embraced willingly. Be zealous therefore, and do penance. As if he were saying, "If you do not take whip blows temporarily here with them, you shall be subjected to eternal torments without them."

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will hear my voice and will open the door to me, I will enter to him, and I will dine with him, and he with me.

To the terrible one among the kings of the earth. This is understood also according to the letter. But may God grant to us also that we may be kings of the earth: kings of the earth, that we may rule over our flesh.

Behold, it says, 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 demonstrates to His own as the gentle and peaceful One. For the Devil strikes with "an axe and a chisel" the doors of those who do not receive him, according to the voice of the prophet (Ps. 73:6).

QUESTION: What is meant by Behold, I stand at the gate, and knock? ANSWER: I am in any case knocking at your heart's door with the hand of exhortation, and if you receive it willingly, you shall be considered worthy to have me as an inhabitant and coheir.

Whoever prevails, I will grant to him to sit with me on my throne, just as I also have overcome and have sat down with my Father on his throne.

For avoiding it, remedies cannot be lacking; since, even if they be lacking, there remains that one by which you will be made a happier magistrate, not in the earth, but in the heavens.

[In the image of the Son] sitting with [the Father], he shows that the Son participates in the power of the Father. For what else does it mean that he is seated on the throne of the Father than that he is of one and the same substance? And just as he conquered the devil and sat at the right hand of the Father, so also he who conquers will sit with him.

To him that shall overcome, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also have overcome, and am set down with my Father in his throne. The Lord victorious sits in the Father's throne because, after the Passion and Resurrection, he showed that he was equal to the Father.

Whoever has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.”

Revelation of John3