Our study today comes from Revelation 3:7-13, Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia. Unlike most of the other churches in Revelation, Jesus offers no condemnation, only praise. Despite their small numbers and limited influence, the believers in Philadelphia were commended for keeping His word and remaining loyal to His name. This passage powerfully highlights the enduring importance of devotion and faithfulness to Christ.
Transcript
Are you familiar with the stories of early followers of Christ who were martyred for their faith, such as Stephen, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Perpetua, and Felicity? Or those who came later, like John Hus, William Tyndale, and others during the Reformation? What about those in more recent decades, such as Jim Elliot and his fellow missionaries to the Waodani, and Graham Stains and his sons in India? What about the countless Christ-followers dying daily all around the world?
Their stories of extreme devotion thrill and inspire us. They touch our hearts and stir our emotions. We wonder how people can be so devoted to Jesus that they are willing to endure extreme physical suffering and even death. Would you and I be willing to pay the ultimate price for our devotion to Jesus?
Why do these kinds of stories stir something profound within us? Part of it is that the qualities of devotion, loyalty, and genuine love are so lacking in contemporary society. People’s allegiances shift on a whim, whether it’s as inconsequential as their favorite sports team or as consequential as their marriage.
Our study today is from Revelation 3:7-13, Jesus’ message to the church at Philadelphia. I’ve titled my teaching, “The Church of Notable Devotion.”
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
One notable fact about the assembly in Philadelphia is that the Lord of the Church has no accusation against them. In this way, it is similar to the letter to the church in Smyrna. However, before we examine the Lord’s message, we must first understand the setting in which this church existed, as that context provides better insight into the text.
While there is some debate about who first established the city of Philadelphia, there is no ambiguity about the name’s meaning. It is “the city of brotherly love.” It was located in the fertile Hermus River valley on an easily defended hill at the base of Mt. Tmolus. This area was noted for its fine wines and, predictably, its chief God was Bacchus (Dionysius), the Roman god of wine, revelry, agriculture, fertility, and ecstasy. It was a party city.
In AD 17, the town, like others in that earthquake-prone region, was nearly destroyed by a significant quake. Tiberias Caesar rebuilt it and was temporarily renamed in his honor. More importantly, Sir William Ramsay called it a missionary city. No, not what you’re thinking. It was intentionally founded as an outpost of Hellenism, that is, to disseminate Greek and Roman culture into the provinces of Lydia and Phrygia. It was nicknamed “Little Athens.”
As we examine Jesus’ message, we will see how the details about this city and its influence impact what He had to say to there.
Like the church at Smyrna, this church is the only other one that receives all praise and no criticism. Both cities are said to have assemblies of Satan, and it is expressly stated that they are not Jews, but false professors of Judaism.
Jesus uniquely identifies Himself to this assembly, as He did to each of the other churches. There are four descriptions of Christ, each preceded by the definite article. The holy one, the genuine one, the one with the key of David, and the one who opens and no one can shut.
In John 6:68-69, in response to Jesus’ question about whether the disciples would leave Him, Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” In Mark 1:24, a demon confesses Jesus as “the Holy One of God.” Peter’s sermon at Pentecost quotes Psalm 16:10, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.”
In 1 John 5:20, we read, “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” Jesus identified Himself as “The Truth” in John 14:6.
What then do we conclude about the key of David? Here, we turn to Isaiah 22:21-22. In this passage, Eliakim is described as follows: “He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open.” Eliakim was granted full authority, symbolized by the keys, to act on behalf of King Hezekiah within his household.
In our text, Jesus applies these words to Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus, “the Root and Offspring of David,” has final and complete authority to act on His Father’s behalf. He stated this clearly in Matthew 28:18, the Great Commission. Furthermore, in Revelation 1:18, He is described as possessing the keys (authority) over Sheol and Death.
Jesus doesn’t permit anyone to usurp His authority; however, He voluntarily shares it with those who commit themselves to Him. After Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16, Jesus said, “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Jesus is Lord of the Church; He ultimately determines who is genuine and who will have access.
Now, let’s focus on Jesus’ words of commendation.
Commendation
Once again, the familiar words, “I know your works.” Comforting words or frightening words, depending on the condition of our hearts.
What did Jesus know? “I have given you a door standing open.” Remember what kind of city this was? An outpost of Greco-Roman culture with a regional influence far beyond its walls. The open door most likely refers to their countercultural missionary efforts despite the hostility toward them. Paul used the same expression, “an open door,” in Acts 14:27 and 1 Corinthians 16:9 in connection with preaching the Gospel.
That “open door” may also speak to the entrance of the Gentiles into the family of God. “The conversion of Roman pagans to Israel’s God, according to Acts 15, constitutes nothing less than the rebuilding of David’s tent as God’s house for all nations.”[1] James’ quote is taken from Amos 9:11-12. The tent, or tabernacle of David, is now merged with the house of God.
The wall of hostility between Jew and Gentile has been broken down, Ephesians 2:14. All are welcome regardless of ethnicity or other criteria. This is the door no one can shut! “How sad when He who is holy and true opens the door, and His followers tremble on the threshold, faltering to go and do His work.”[2]
Jesus also knew that the church in Philadelphia had only a little strength, yet they had faithfully kept His Word. Most likely, the converts in Philadelphia came from the lower classes of people, so they had little power, weight, or influence in the city. Some translations render it like this: “you are poor in numbers and worldly resources.”
In John 17:6, Jesus, praying to His Father, says, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.” Despite their few numbers and lack of influence, Jesus commended the Believers in Philadelphia for keeping His Word. Today, wherever there is any vitality in a church, Jesus will furnish ample opportunity that it may be employed in His service.
Furthermore, they did not deny Jesus’ name, even amid their trials. The grammar here indicates that the refusal to deny Jesus was a personal matter. This was the acid test in the Roman Empire, particularly in this city, which was intended to serve as a model of Greco-Roman culture for the broader region. The pressure to deny Jesus and confess Caesar as king was intense. These faithful ones refused to yield to that pressure.
Jesus goes on to address another challenge facing the church in Philadelphia. “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 worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.”
A traditional interpretation of this verse holds that the Jews, because of their unbelief and rejection of Jesus, are no longer Jews in a spiritual sense; they are of the synagogue of Satan. Followers of Christ are now the “spiritual” Jews. In this view, the church has replaced Israel as the people of God. However, Paul’s teaching in Romans chapters 9-11 challenges that conclusion.
There are serious flaws in this viewpoint. First, the term synagogue is of Greek origin, not Hebrew. Also, in the 1st century, it denoted any assembly or gathering, including pagan ones. Further, and this is key, Jesus specifically stated that those in this assembly of Satan were NOT Jews! The only way to apply this to Jews is to twist the plain meaning of the text.
We know that non-Jews came under Jewish influence in the early church, so much so that 3 times Jews were expelled from Rome because prominent Roman families were becoming sympathetic to them, even becoming proselytes. Acts 18:1-2 informs us that one of these expulsions happened under the reign of Claudius; history tells us it was the third one.
These seven churches in Asia Minor were likely composed of many former pagans who had come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah. Jewish people who embraced the Messiah may have been in the minority in these assemblies. It is possible that some of these, “the assembly of Satan,” were overzealous proselytes to Judaism who insisted that Gentile converts must obey the Law of Moses. As you know, this issue led directly to the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, which concluded that the Gentiles did NOT need to become Jews to be followers of the Messiah.
Jesus said, “Behold, I will make them come and worship before your feet, and understand that I have loved you.” He authenticated the status of these non-Jewish Believers by promising to approve His love for them publicly. This explains what He had just said and shows that He means that the enemies of His church will yet be constrained to acknowledge that it enjoys God’s favor, and that, instead of being persecuted and reviled, it should be respected and loved.
We must remember that Jews were a protected minority in the Roman Empire, even Jewish followers of the Messiah. Jews and pagans did not accept Gentile Christ-followers, so they had no legal protection. That’s why they faced such enormous difficulties. Despite this, Jesus said they were patiently enduring hardship, expecting the return of Christ.
In response to their patient endurance, Jesus promised, “I will keep you out of (ek not dia– through) the hour of testing that is coming upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.” This promise likely referred to events in the near future of these precious Believers. There is still a church in Ala-Sheher, the modern Turkish town on the site of ancient Philadelphia.
However, within the broader context of biblical prophecy, this likely refers to the testing of the unbelieving world during the Great Tribulation.
Let’s remember that the door of Gospel proclamation is still held open by the Lord of the Church. As we patiently await His return, we must be busy sharing the Good News.
Exhortation
As you have observed, the bulk of this letter is commendation, but in verse 11, we move to the exhortation. It is short and to the point. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” The promise to come quickly conveys more the idea of suddenness than imminence. John wrote these words nearly 2,000 years ago, and we are still awaiting Jesus’s return. But when He returns, it will catch many by surprise.
He admonishes the church to hold fast to what you have so that no one can take your crown. Patient endurance is critical to the follower of Jesus. James 1:12 confirms this. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
To begin well is not enough. Jesus said in Matthew 24:12-14, “Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
If the early Christians needed this reminder and encouragement to endure, how much more is it needed today?
Compensation
“The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.” This is the reward, the compensation, the pay-off.
Pillars have dual significance: they are firmly fixed and provide stability to the building. If you’re familiar with the ruins of ancient cities, often, the pillars are the only things still standing. Those words must have resonated deeply with residents of an earthquake-prone city. The overcomer would be a pillar in God’s Temple, never removed!
What is this temple Jesus speaks about, since there is no need for a temple in the Heavenly Jerusalem? Paul told Timothy, “These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” This concept is very similar to what Jesus promised the overcomers and reminds us that the Temple of God is His presence in the lives of His people.
The one who overcomes shall absolutely not go out anymore (he will be like a stationary pillar)! And I will write upon him, the victor, a threefold name, “God, the city of God, and Christ.” This is identity, proof of ownership! Contrast this with those who receive “the mark of the beast, in Revelation 13:17. The overcomers will have a secure name and place in the New Jerusalem.
What would Jesus have to say about your level of devotion and mine? Is it notable? Would He commend us as He did the church in Philadelphia? Today, the door of Gospel proclamation is open wider than ever. We have more resources than any previous generation to fulfill Christ’s last command. Are we using what little strength we have to obey His Word and confess His name?
Are we patiently waiting and diligently working as we anticipate the return of Jesus? Would Jesus describe us as pillars in His temple? Does our lifestyle demonstrate that we bear His name and identify with Him and His people?
Remember, “the one who has an ear, MUST hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
[1] Lizorkin- Eyzeberg, Eli, and Shir, Pinchas, Hebrew Insights from Revelation, p. 125
[2] Smith/Yoder, A Revelation of Jesus Christ, p. 42
