“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.”
I know your works
Jesus gives no commendation to the church at Laodicea.
Jesus was attentive to everything that happened in the church at Laodicea. He also discerns each church in the twenty-first century; He knows whether it is good, bad, or indifferent.
that you are neither cold nor hot
The word “cold” metaphorically means without enthusiasm. This church did not have an absolute cold chill on its spirituality. It was not so frigid that we could characterize their walk with God as being in a deep freeze. They were neutral in their walk. Their kind of Christianity did not have unmistakable reality. It was surreal and unreal. Their hearts were cold and without heart.
Neither was the church at Laodicea “hot.” The word “hot” means to boil or to be fervent. The idea is boiling hot. Metaphorically, the church was not at the boiling point in its spirituality. Its heart was not favorable to God’s plan for its life.
This rebuke by Jesus had a notable impact on the church of Laodicea because their city water supply started hot from mineral springs in Denizli, but by the time it arrived in Laodicea, it was lukewarm. Like their water supply, they were tepid in their spirituality because they were content with material things. Self-satisfaction leads to spiritual death.
I could wish you were cold or hot.
The church at Laodicea was neither cold nor hot; it was lukewarm. As a lukewarm church, their spiritual water was unpalatable, and Jesus spits it out. Jesus is not in the casual business.
The word “wish” indicates an unattainable wish and carries the idea of ought. If one had his wish, this ought to be done. Jesus wishes they would come to grips with where they were spiritually. They diluted themselves into thinking they were right in taking this middle-of-the-road position. Taking no clear position always leads ultimately to spiritual disaster.
PRINCIPLE:
A tepid heart indicates spiritual indifference; a boiling heart for God indicates spiritual dynamic.
APPLICATION:
Can Jesus draw the charge of an indifferent heart against you? Being cold or hot is better than being in between. If Jesus is real to us, our hearts cannot be definitive toward Him. It is impossible to maintain a neutral spirituality. An aggressive enemy is better than treacherous barrenness.
As long as we live in an in-between life, we will never live a dynamic Christian life. Apathetic and mediocre spirituality is delusional. Some churches feel that they dare not go to any extreme. They would never be as cold as ice or hot as fire. They love being halfhearted. Middle-of-the-road Christianity never accomplishes much. Passionate people always outstrip indifferent people. A neutral church is nauseating, as seen in the next verse.
Bruce, thanks for your good insights. I believe that it is possible to interpret “cold” as refreshing; such interpretation taken from cultural surroundings. A number of more recent commentators take that view. However, it was not John (who was in the Lycus Valley during his ministry) but Jesus who made this statement and He never was in the Lycus Valley. John quotes Jesus’ view of “cold” and “hot” here. Jesus used cold (??????) as a metaphor for waning zeal in Mt 24:12.
If you are right, then “cold” would carry the idea of refreshing and “hot” would mean vibrant. However, another problem arises in that it would not allow for the contrast between cold and hot that Jesus makes. The metaphors of cold and hot are here metaphors for “for me” and “against me.” I suppose “cold” could mean refreshing in contrast but the general context of Rev 3 does not seem to portray that idea. Jesus is talking about a dead or dying church that needs rebuke and needs to come alive again. That, to me, is the pure context, that is, the context of the passage.
It seems that many recent interpreters use interpolation from culture to “read into” Scripture. Obviously, we need to seriously understand the cultural context but not over Scriptural context.
Thanks again for you excellent blog.
Grant
This is a great resource. Thanks so much for all the work.
Regarding the metaphorical application of “cold” as being “without enthusiasm”, might we be imputing a modern Western idiom into a 1st-Century Palestinian context? Could not the metaphorical value of “cold” actually be closer to its literal root; that is, the cold/refreshing waters of nearby Colossae (ref commentary on 3:14)? There’s a certain amount tension in ascribing a desire to Christ that anyone be “cold” in his faith over being “lukewarm”. If Christ were to have meant to contrast the healing/therapeutic value of the hot springs at Hierapolis and the pure/refreshing value of the potable cold water of Colossae with the tepid waters of Laodicea that were valuable for neither, the tension disappears and the danger of injecting a contemporary idiom into an ancient context is also avoided–unless we do have corroborative evidence that “cold” and “hot” were also used as gauges of enthusiasm at the time this was written.
Having said that, I certainly agree on the application of lukewarm faith being of no value. My only concern is possibly maintaining the integrity of the text in its original context. The healing-refreshing-nonpotable contrast provides, I think, an equally valuable lesson in the hot-cold-lukewarm metaphor.
Thanks again so much to you and your contributors (here Dr. Richison) for the dedication to and respect you show toward Scripture. I remain eagerly teachable…
V/R – Bruce Judisch
Dr. Grant,
Praise the name of the Most High Almighty God whose love endures forever, whose grace is ever sufficient, whose mercies are new every morning, whose loving kindness is constant and unfailing.
basically, I would like to thank you endlessly for your effort to serve the LORD and MASTER Jesus Christ through this kind of verse-to-verse commentary. I am glad we still have ministers of your callibre who will not rest until people come to the true knowledge, synthesis, analysis, comprehension, and true interpretation of God’s holy, unchanging Word.
I am writing from Kampala-Uganda: In a few days time, I will be preaching in a church’s prayer overnight at St. Paul’s Church-Mulago, Kampala on the theme: REVELATION 3:15 and so I had visited the net to see whether God can also speak to me and to my knowledge while seated in front of this PC. And guess what?? I fall on your commentary. I am blessed.
Go on with this work. All that we do for the LORD is not in vain, my friend. Give up not, brother.
Greetings to all Christians in the whole world who will be chanced to use this resourceful commentary, verse-by-verse!
Blessings, Dr. Grant AND YOUR MINISTRY PARTNERS.
In His Vineyard,
………………
Samuel A. Bakutana
National Director
Public Integrity Research Consultancy Organization (PIRCO-Uganda)
P.O. Box 10262, Kampala-UGANDA
Mobile Telephone: 256 782 163416
Thank you for your encouraging words, Samuel.
Grant
I think the fact that we are taught from an early age that the only objective truth today falls somewhere in some sort of secular belief or ideal has caused a dichotomy between the public and private. Religious beliefs are taught to be compartmentalized (only allowed in personal life) and are relative to the one that holds those views. We are taught to look to science and reason as if they have replaced God. When these secular ideals are accommodated/accepted you are internally conflicted within trying to live a life accepting two separate ideals. Until we come to terms that God and His Word are applicable to all of reality and our views are solely based on biblical principals, biblical truth, I don't think we will see any significant changes within the Church today. The whole person has to be surrendered to Christ not just part of it. In other words the heart as well as the mind must be renewed. The only way to do this is to turn inward to meet Him in the Holy of Holies. As it is stated in 1 Corinthians, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit not an external structure. Through this turning inward Christ brings us to total surrender out of reverence for Him and we learn how to die to ourselves and live in obedience. The only effort on our part is to yield to Him. Through the yielding to the Holy Spirit, we are given knowledge, wisdom, understanding, a discerning heart and mind, and His fruit is produced within us.
There are many false doctrines within the Church today being proclaimed as truth leading many astray due to the believers confidence in the pulpit. 1 John tells us we do not need anyone to teach us because we have the anointing (Holy Spirit) as well as Jesus telling us in John 14 & 16 that the Holy Spirit whom he is sending will remind us of all things and lead us into all Truth. Satan is no longer fighting with the sword for the most part. Now he fights doctrine on doctrine. Satan doesn't have access to the heart unless given but he does have access to the mind. It is vital that we renew our minds! We need to immerse ourselves in God's Word, meditating on it daily and praying the scripture , and turn inward to meet Him in the Holy of Holies. Through this He will bring about the changes neccessary.
Neither Cold Nor Warm, Is There Any Connection With Be Honest And Dishonest
Jose, not really except maybe from a long distance. The issue here is the degree of commitment or spiritual dynamic to the Lord. To be hot or cold is to have a burning conviction about walking with the Lord or not.
I enjoyed all the comments and the commentary on the scripture.
Thank You