Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Revelation
Book: Revelation
Chapter: 3
Overview:
Epistles to the
Church at
Sardis;
(1-6) at
Philadelphia;
(7-13) and
Laodicea.
(14-22)
1-6. The
Lord Jesus is He that hath the Holy
Spirit with all
his powers, graces, and operations. Hypocrisy, and lamentable
decay in religion, are sins charged upon
Sardis,
By One who knew
that
Church Well, and all her
Works. Outward things appeared
Well to men, but there was only the form of
Godliness, not the
power; a name to live, not a principle of
Life. There was great
deadness in their souls, and in their services;
Numbers were
wholly hypocrites, others were in a disordered and lifeless
state. Our
Lord called upon them to be watchful against their
enemies, and to be active and
Earnest in their duties; and to
endeavour, in dependence
On the
Grace of the Holy
Spirit, to
revive and strengthen the
Faith and spiritual affections of
those yet alive to
God, though in a declining state. Whenever we
are off our watch, we lose ground. 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; when the
Spirit is wanting, the form cannot long remain. In seeking a
revival in our own souls, or the souls of others, it is needful
to compare what we profess with the manner in which we go
On,
that we may be humbled and quickened to
Hold Fast that which
remains.
Christ enforces his counsel with a dreadful threatening
if it should be despised. Yet our blessed
Lord does not leave
this sinful people without some encouragement. He makes
honourable mention of the
Faithful remnant in
Sardis, he makes a
gracious promise to them. He that overcometh shall be clothed in
White raiment; the purity of
Grace shall be rewarded with the
perfect purity of
Glory.
Christ has his
Book of
Life, a register
of all who shall inherit eternal
Life; the
Book of remembrance
of all who live to
God, and keep up the
Life and power of
Godliness in evil times.
Christ will bring forward this
Book of
Life, and show the names of the
Faithful, before
God, and all
the angels, at the great
Day.
7-13 The same
Lord Jesus has the
Key of government and
authority in and over the
Church. 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 shuts the door
of
Heaven against the foolish, who sleep away their
Day of
Grace; and against the workers of iniquity, how vain and
confident soever they may be. The
Church in
Philadelphia is
commended; yet with a gentle reproof. Although
Christ accepts a
little strength, yet believers must not
Rest satisfied in a
little, but strive to grow in
Grace, to be strong in
Faith,
giving
Glory to
God.
Christ can discover this his favour to his
people,
So that their enemies shall be forced to acknowledge it.
This,
By the
Grace of
Christ, will soften their enemies, and
make them desire to be admitted into
Communion with his people.
Christ promises preserving
Grace in the most trying times, as
the reward of past faithfulness; To him that hath shall be
given. Those who keep the
Gospel in a time of peace, shall be
kept
By Christ in an
Hour of
Temptation; and the same Divine
Grace that has made them fruitful in times of peace, will make
them
Faithful in times of
Persecution.
Christ promises a
glorious reward to the victorious believer. He shall be a
monumental
Pillar in the
Temple of
God; a monument of the free
and powerful
Grace of
God; a monument that shall never be
defaced or removed.
On this
Pillar shall be written the new name
of
Christ;
By this will appear, under whom the believer fought
the good fight, and came off victorious.
14-22 Laodicea was the last and worst of the
Seven churches of
Asia. Here our
Lord Jesus styles himself, "The
Amen;" one steady
and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises. If religion
is worth anything, it is worth every thing.
Christ expects men
should be in
Earnest. How many professors of
Gospel doctrine are
neither hot nor cold; except as they are indifferent in needful
matters, and hot and fiery in disputes about things of lesser
moment! A severe
Punishment is threatened. They would give a
false opinion of Christianity, as if it were an unholy religion;
while others would conclude it could afford
No real
satisfaction, otherwise its professors would not have been
heartless in it, or
So ready to seek pleasure or happiness from
the world. One cause of this indifference and inconsistency in
religion is, self-conceit and self-delusion; "Because thou
sayest." What a difference between their thoughts of themselves,
and the thoughts
Christ had of them! How careful should we be
not to cheat our owns souls! There are many in
Hell, who once
thought themselves far in the way to
Heaven. Let us
Beg of
God
that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves.
Professors grow proud, as they become
Carnal and formal. Their
state was wretched in itself. They were
Poor; really
Poor, when
they said and thought they were rich. They could not see their
state, nor their way, nor their danger, yet they thought they
saw it. They had not the garment of
Justification, nor
Sanctification: they were exposed to
Sin and shame; their rags
that would defile them. They were
Naked, without
House or
harbour, for they were without
God, in whom alone the soul of
Man can find
Rest and safety. Good counsel was given
By Christ
to this sinful people. Happy those who take his counsel, for all
others must perish in their sins.
Christ lets them know where
they might have true riches, and how they might have them. Some
things must be parted with, but nothing valuable; and it is only
to make room for receiving true riches. Part with
Sin and
self-confidence, that you may be filled with his hidden
treasure. They must receive from
Christ the
White raiment he
purchased and provided for them; his own imputed
Righteousness
for
Justification, and the garments of
Holiness and
Sanctification. Let them give themselves up to his
Word and
Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and
their
End. Let us examine ourselves
By the rule of his
Word, and
pray earnestly for the teaching of his Holy
Spirit, to take away
our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinners ought to take
the rebukes of
God's
Word and rod, as tokens of his
Love to
their souls.
Christ stood without; knocking,
By the dealings of
his
Providence, the warnings and teaching of his
Word, and the
influences of his
Spirit.
Christ still graciously,
By his
Word
and
Spirit, comes to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those
who open to him shall enjoy his presence. If what he finds would
make but a
Poor Feast, what he brings will supply a rich one. He
will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts. In the
conclusion is a promise to the overcoming believer.
Christ
himself had temptations and conflicts; he overcame them all, and
was more than a conqueror. Those made like to
Christ in his
trials, shall be made like to him in
Glory. All is closed with
the general demand of attention. And these counsels, while
suited to the churches to which they were addressed, are deeply
interesting to all men.