The Church of Laodicea
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;” (Rev 3:14a KJV)
Laodicea was 45 miles southeast of Philadelphia and 90 miles east of Ephesus. It was an important trade center and was famous for its medical school. It was a wealthy city and was filled with Greek culture. The area was prone to earthquakes and is in ruins today. The Church in Laodicea was considered a lukewarm Church. It had gone into apostasy and was ruled by the laity. There were no positive words or commendation given to the Laodiceans.
The Amen
“These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness,” (Rev 3:14b KJV)
These phrases are descriptions of Jesus’ character. Jesus is the Amen, the faithful witness, and the truth. There is none more faithful and dependable.
Amen – 281 ἀμήν amen {am-ane’}
Meaning: 1) firm 1a) metaph. faithful 2) verily, amen 2a) at the beginning of a discourse – surely, truly, of a truth 2b) at the end – so it is, so be it, may it be fulfilled. It was a custom, which passed over from the synagogues to the Christian assemblies, that when he who had read or discoursed, had offered up solemn prayer to God, the others responded Amen, and thus made the substance of what was uttered their own.
Faithful – 4103 πιστός pistos {pis-tos’}
Meaning: 1) trusty, faithful 1a) of persons who show themselves faithful in the transaction of business, the execution of commands, or the discharge of official duties 1b) one who kept his plighted faith, worthy of trust 1c) that can be relied on 2) easily persuaded 2a) believing, confiding, trusting 2b) in the NT one who trusts in God’s promises 2b1) one who is convinced that Jesus has been raised from the dead 2b2) one who has become convinced that Jesus is the Messiah and author of salvation
True – 228 ἀληθινός alethinos {al-ay-thee-nos’}
Meaning: 1) that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real, true genuine 1a) opposite to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated or pretended 1b) it contrasts realities with their semblances 1c) opposite to what is imperfect defective, frail, uncertain 2) true, veracious, sincere
Witness – 3144 μάρτυς martus {mar’-toos}
Meaning: 1) a witness 1a) in a legal sense 1b) an historical sense 1b1) one who is a spectator of anything, e.g. of a contest 1c) in an ethical sense 1c1) those who after his example have proved the strength and genuineness of their faith in Christ by undergoing a violent death
The Beginning of the Creation
“the beginning of the creation of God;” (Rev 3:14c KJV)
One possible explanation of this phrase is that Jesus is the Creator. The Greek word for beginning, arche, literally means ‘the person that causes’. We know that Jesus was the Creator.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
(Joh 1:1-3 KJV)
Beginning – 746 ἀρχή arche {ar-khay’}
Meaning: 1) beginning, origin 2) the person or thing that commences, the first person or thing in a series, the leader 3) that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause 4) the extremity of a thing 4a) of the corners of a sail 5) the first place, principality, rule, magistracy 5a) of angels and demons
Creation – 2937 κτίσις ktisis {ktis’-is}
Meaning: 1) the act of founding, establishing, building etc 1a) the act of creating, creation 1b) creation i.e. thing created 1b1) of individual things, beings, a creature, a creation 1b1a) anything created 1b1b) after a rabbinical usage (by which a man converted from idolatry to Judaism was called) 1b1c) the sum or aggregate of things created 1c) institution, ordinance