Bible Study Library

Dear Disciples:

Laodicea may not be familiar to you or me, but in the first century it was an important and wealthy city.

• Paul wrote a letter to the church there which, unfortunately, has not been preserved (see mention of it in Col. 4:16).
• As for wealth, the economy of the city was so strong that when it was destroyed by a great earthquake in A.D. 60, the city financed its own rebuilding. Other cities that were also wiped out had to rely on funding from imperial government to rebuild them.

Where did such great wealth come from?

• Three major roads converged in Laodicea, which contributed to the city becoming a primary center of banking.
• Laodicea was also home to a major medical university. At that university, “Phrygian Powder” was invented and produced, which was used in making an eye salve used throughout the world at the time.
• Additionally, a black wool was produced in Laodicea that was particularly desirable for clothing.

Banking, eye salve, and exquisite black wool clothing — these were the foundations of Laodicea’s strong economy. Isn’t it Interesting, then, that Jesus tells this wretched, pitiful church that they were poor, blind, and naked (3:17)? We’ll come back to that shortly.

Side Note:Laodicea today is the city of Denizli in Turkey. It is still a thriving city — in 1990 its population was around 200,000. In 2006 it was around 400,000! However, according to at least one source I consulted, there is no church of any type in Denizli today

In 3:14 Jesus is called Truth (the word “amen” simply means “true”). He is the faithful and true witness. What He says can be trusted. He is also called the “ruler” of God’s creation.

Side Note: In reality He’s called the “arch-creation.” The Greek word translated “ruler” in the NIV is translated “beginning” in other versions. The word is “arche” (αρχη), from which we get the prefix “arch” as in archenemy, archetype, archbishop, etc. It simply means most important, primary, the extreme best. We know from other scriptures that everything was created through Jesus (e.g., John 1:3 and 1:10). Also notice the many times Jesus is called the “firstborn” of something in the New Testament (e.g., Col 1:15-18; Rom 8:29; Heb 1:6; Rev. 1:5; 1Cor 8:6; etc.).

Mia and I both love a good cup of coffee. Mia enjoys her coffee iced as well as hot. For me, I like it piping hot. What we (and I think most coffee drinkers) agree on is that room temperature coffee is nasty. I’ve accidentally sipped from a cup of lukewarm coffee, and my first response is to spit. I wish it would either be hot (and I’d drink it) or cold (and I’d give it to Mia). But no one wants lukewarm coffee.

That’s the criticism Jesus directed at the church of Laodicea (3:15-16). He could take them hot or cold, but they were lukewarm. And for that He was about to spit them out. They were repulsive to Him — the word translated “spit” (emeo, εμεω) really means “vomit.” They made Him want to puke.

There are many similarities between the church at Sardis (3:1-6) and the church at Laodicea.

• Both churches were prosperous
• Both seemed healthy, based on their deeds
• Both were deceiving themselves, according to Jesus
• Both churches lacked conviction, passion, the fire of the Holy Spirit
• Both were self-focused and self-satisfied, emphasizing the external over the internal

But Sardis had a remnant of faithful Christians (3:4). None are mentioned at Laodicea.

They likely thought they were hot, but they were using the wrong type of thermometer. They might say “but Jesus, we’re 100 degrees!” But Jesus said “no, you’re not. You’re only 38 degrees” because they measured in Fahrenheit while He measured in Celsius. They measured inaccurately themselves by externals, He accurately measured them by internals. Their degrees were deeds, His degrees were submission.

Notice that just as with Sardis, no one seemed to be interested in this church – they had no false teachers to combat, no Jews were taunting them, no one was persecuting them. Satan didn’t need to attack this church because they by their indifference were doing the job for him! False teachers, taunting Jews, and persecutors all seek out controversy, but they wouldn’t have found any at Laodicea.

Notice how Jesus describes the way they feel about themselves — You say ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing’ (3:17). The church was indifferent, complacent, and felt self-sufficient.

And no wonder, considering all we learned about their environment. Materially, they were rich and didn’t need a thing. But in reality they were wretched (and “retched”!), pitiful, poor, blind, and naked (3:17). 

There was still a chance to repent before Jesus spit them out. Only Jesus could give them what they needed.  All they had to do was buy the following things from Jesus (3:18):

• Gold refined by fire (to become rich again)
• White clothes (to cover their nakedness)
• Eye salve (to cure their blindness)

That had to hit them hard (assuming they still had any sensitivity about them). It will be a surprise to many people on the judgment day to find out they weren’t who they thought they were:

Matt. 7:21-23: Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (NIV)

Now check how that passage is paraphrased in The Message!

Matt. 7:21-23: Knowing the correct password - saying ‘Master, Master,’ for instance - isn’t going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience - doing what my Father wills. I can see it now - at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, ‘Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.’ And do you know what I am going to say? ‘You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don’t impress me one bit. You’re out of here.’

Our works simply won’t get us into the kingdom. We know that. But how often do we look at works (programs, ministries, baptisms, worship services) to assess spiritual temperature?

In warning them that He’s is about to spit them out, Jesus isn’t interested in “zapping” the Laodicean church or “punishing” them. He’s rebuking and disciplining (same root word as “discipling”) them because He loves them (3:19).

Proverbs 9:8 says: Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebike a wise man and he will love you.

If we want to be wise, we must learn to love people for rebuking us; all the more we should love Jesus for rebuking us because we know it comes from His love for us.

Finally Jesus promises that if they will overcome they will have the right to sit on His throne with Him, who Himself sits on His Father’s throne (3:21-22). We Christians will one day rule with Christ in His messianic kingdom.

Christ is already on the throne. His reign as Messiah is not something that begins some day later; He’s already reigning. But only the eye of faith can see that right now. Someday it will be plain to everyone.

Next Sunday we will step sideways to do a topical study: the relationship between the Israel, the church, and Jesus’ kingdom. Though we won’t specifically study Revelation next week, what we learn will help us understand Revelation better.