“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God’“
And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write
Laodicea was an important city of Phrygia in Asia Minor on the Lycus River strategically situated where three highways intersect. A large colony of Jews resided there. Christianity took footing there (Co 2:1; 4:13,15f). Laodicea was the most prosperous, commercial city of the seven. It is situated on a plateau in the fertile southern Lycus River valley. It was an important banking center. The city also produced glossy black wool. It was a medical center especially famed for ophthalmology. Today, doctors in the United States military wear the symbol of a staff with two serpents wrapped around it. This is the symbol of Aesculapius, a medical cult in Laodicea.
Antiochus II named Laodicea after his wife Laodice in the third century BC. Nero supplied aid after a calamitous earthquake in AD 60 (Tacitus, Ann. 14.27).
Laodicea did not have a good water supply in its own region, so it caught its water through an aqueduct from a spring four miles to the north. These waters came from the waters of Hierapolis (the famous hot springs) and probably arrived lukewarm.
The gospel came to Laodicea, probably while Paul was in Ephesus (Acts 19:10). Although Paul mentions this church (Co 4:12-16), he may have never personally visited the city. The cities of Colossi and Hierapolis (Co 2:1; 4:13-16) were in the Lycus Valley as well. Epaphras, a companion of Paul, worked in these three cities.
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God’
Jesus calls Himself by three descriptions. First, He refers to Himself as “the Amen.” “Amen” means so be it, it is true. God’s promises find their fulfillment in Christ (2 Co 1:20). He is the culmination of all history. Jesus is true to His Word. He is unchangeable in His promises. He is true to His Word.
Is 65:16, “So that he who blesses himself in the earth
Shall bless himself in the God of truth;
And he who swears in the earth
Shall swear by the God of truth;
Because the former troubles are forgotten,
And because they are hidden from My eyes.”
Jesus calls Himself “the Amen” to authenticate His message to this church. His message was authoritative. Whenever Jesus uses the term “Amen,” it always indicates some significant truth. Jesus is the object of faith and the foundation for all truth. We can trust Him because He keeps His promises.
Secondly, Jesus calls Himself “the Faithful and True Witness.” Jesus’ testimony about revelation was true to truth. We can fully and confidently believe Him. There is nothing false or pretentious about Him. God is unchangeable in the truth of His revelations. Whatever He says in this message, the Laodiceans can count on His attestations. Jesus not only tells the truth, but He tells all the truth — He is “faithful” to the truth. He does not hide behind “partial truths.” Jesus faithfully reveals what God is like. God is invisible, so to understand Him, we must receive faithful revelation of Him.
Thirdly, Jesus calls Himself “the Beginning of the creation of God.” Does this mean that Jesus was created? The word “creation” means a founding, foundation, ordained. Jesus is the origin of all history. History begins and ends with Him. He is the first cause, the Creator and Sustainer of creation. The word “Beginning” is the word first. Jesus is first in priority (Jn 1:3; Co 1:16-17; Re 1:8; 21:6). Jesus is the source of all creation; He is the Creator of time and space. Jesus is not here the beginning of natural creation but the beginning of supernatural creation (Jn 1:3; Co 1:15-18; He 1:2).
Again, Jesus’ threefold affirmation about Himself to the Laodiceans focuses on His Person. These attestations about Himself give gravity to His statements to follow.
PRINCIPLE:
Materialism spawns a lukewarm spirituality, but Christ-centeredness puts us at the core of Christianity.
APPLICATION:
The wealth of the church in Laodicea produced a self-satisfied, lukewarm attitude toward Jesus. The “hot” springs of Hierapolis were famous for their medicinal properties, and the “cold” waters of Colossi were prized for their purity. The tepid waters of Laodicea, however, were both abundant and bad. Though the church thinks itself rich and lacking nothing, it is actually “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind and naked” (v. 17).
North American culture is consumed by consumerism. Materialism dominates the core values of these societies. Materialism gives an allusion of self-sufficiency, of autonomy from God. This weakens individual Christian living at its core. Lukewarmness vetoes deep fellowship with the Lord.
God’s answer to materialism is to place Christ at the center of our lives. He will satisfy our core and true need. He does not promise us an easy life but a fulfilling life.
Sir,
Certain scholars view the letters to 7 churches as the seven ages of the church.Whats your say on it?
Sherin, It seems to me that there is no evidence for 7 ages of the church in the text. The arguments for it appear to me appear to be interpolations into the text.
why did jesus use this verse to address the laodicean Amen, Faithful , true witness, begining.
Beverley, that answer is found in the commentary.
Sir, many thanks for your commentary on Revelation 3:14. I have no quarrel with the first part of your explanation “…These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness,” But I beg to disagree with your views on the last part of the verse under reference to wit: “…the beginning of the creation of God.” You asked the question, which you didn’t really answer in the course of your explanation of this part of the verse, “Does this mean Christ was created?”
From all scriptural. point of view, the clear answer to your question is that, yes, Jesus Christ was created – in fact, the very first of the creatures of God Almighty, the Father! That was why Apostle Paul described Christ as “…the image of the invisible God, the FIRSTBORN of every creature” (Colossians 1:15) Emphasis mine. This means that, without a doubt, Christ is the first of God’s creatures to be born (created). Creation means to bring into existence something that is previously not in existence, which Christ himself attested to in his revelation to Saint John on the Island of Patmos in that Revelation 3:14. God Almighty, the Father, was not created and lives from everlasting to everlasting (Psalms 90), but Jesus Christ, the Son, has a beginning of life – in other words, he (Christ) was created or given life by his Father (the Almighty God. Christ himself made an emphatic statement to that effect when he said, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” – John 5:26. Jesus Christ was created by God Almighty before all other things, hence he was with God in the beginning after his Father created him (John 1:1-4). God Almighty thereafter commissioned him (Christ) to create all other things, visible and invisible (Ephesians 3:9) Jesus Christ, according to the Bible, is the Wisdom of God personified (1 Cor.1: 24), and concerning whom Solomon spoke prophetically about his (Christ’s) creation thus: “The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was BROUGHT FORTH; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I BROUGHT FORTH:…When he prepared the heavens, I was there:…Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;” (emphasis mine)- Proverbs 8:22-30.
It is no gainsaying, therefore, that Jesus Christ was indeed created by God Almighty his Father, who only is uncreated.
Johnathan, I am Indonesia right now and do not have time to respond to your post because of my heavy schedule here. However, in the mean time, go to my study on Colossians 1 to see my response to your point there.
according to Gensis 41:52 Ephraim is the second born of Joseph whereas in Jeremiah 31:9 God says Ephraim is my firstborn. Therefore, in the biblical language when word firstborn is used it does not always mean the first created. Same goes with the phrase of biginning of the creation of God.
We can understand it this way also that Jesus is true witness of biginning of the creation of God.
Jesus is created by the power of the Highest that overshadowed Mary. Jesus is the Son of God. God the Father, whom Jesus called my Father, is the only self-existent.
Carolina, Jesus was eternal God Himself. See my study here: https://versebyversecommentary.com/2016/07/25/john-12b/
Clearly, the Bible teaches that Jesus is NOT created. If you have come to any other conclusion you have not been honest with the text and have not looked to the hundreds of Old Testament verses that are alluded to in Revelation. John 1:1. Thanks,
Walter, thanks for answering that question. After my trip to Indonesia, I ended in the hospital for a week and forgot about answering that question.