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Message to Laodicea

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Message to Laodicea THE REVELATION OF JOHN Bible Study 12 Study by Lorin L Cranford Text: Rev. 3:14-22 All rights reserved © QUICK LINKS 1. What the text meant. Exegesis of the Text: Historical Aspects: A. Command to write, v. 14a External History B. Situation of the church, vv. 14b-20 Internal History C. Victory Promise and Command to Hear, vv. 21- 22 Literary Aspects: 2. What the text means. Genre Literary Setting Literary Structure Message to Laodicea Greek NT La Biblia de las Américas NRSV NLT 14 Καὶ τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς 14 Y escribe al ángel de la 14 And to the angel of the 14 Write this letter to the ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ ἐκκλησίας iglesia en Laodicea: church in Laodicea write: angel of the church in Laodi- γράψον· “El Amén, el Testigo fiel y The words of the Amen, cea. Τάδε λέγει ὁ ἀμήν, verdadero, el Principio de la the faithful and true witness, This is the message ὁ μάρτυς ὁ πιστὸς καὶ creación de Dios, dice esto: the origin of God’s creation: from the one who is the ἀληθινός, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς κτίσεως 15 ‘Yo conozco tus obras, 15 I know your works; you Amen -- the faithful and true τοῦ θεοῦ· que ni eres frío ni caliente. are neither cold nor hot. I wish witness, the ruler of God’s 15 οἶδά σου τὰ ἔργα ¡Ojalá fueras frío o caliente! that you were either cold or creation: ὅτι οὔτε ψυχρὸς εἶ οὔτε 16 ‘Así, puesto que eres tibio, hot. 16 So, because you are 15 I know all the things ζεστός. ὄφελον ψυχρὸς ἦς ἢ y no frío ni caliente, te vom- lukewarm, and neither cold you do, that you are nei- ζεστός. 16 οὕτως ὅτι χλιαρὸς itaré de mi boca. 17 ‘Porque nor hot, I am about to spit you ther hot nor cold. I wish you εἶ καὶ οὔτε ζεστὸς οὔτε dices: “Soy rico, me he en- out of my mouth. 17 For you were one or the other! 16 ψυχρός, μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι riquecido y de nada tengo say, “I am rich, I have pros- But since you are like luke- ἐκ τοῦ στόματός μου. 17 ὅτι necesidad”; y no sabes que pered, and I need nothing.’ warm water, I will spit you λέγεις ὅτι πλούσιός εἰμι καὶ eres un miserable y digno You do not realize that you are out of my mouth! 17 You say, πεπλούτηκα καὶ οὐδὲν χρείαν de lástima, y pobre, ciego y wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, ‘I am rich. I have everything ἔχω, καὶ οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι σὺ εἶ desnudo, 18 te aconsejo que and naked. 18 Therefore I I want. I don’t need a thing!’ ὁ ταλαίπωρος καὶ ἐλεεινὸς de mí compres oro refinado counsel you to buy from me And you don’t realize that καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ τυφλὸς καὶ por fuego para que te hagas gold refined by fire so that you you are wretched and miser- γυμνός, 18 συμβουλεύω rico, y vestiduras blancas may be rich; and white robes able and poor and blind and σοι ἀγοράσαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ para que te vistas y no se to clothe you and to keep the naked. 18 I advise you to buy χρυσίον πεπυρωμένον ἐκ manifieste la verguenza de tu shame of your nakedness gold from me -- gold that has πυρὸς ἵνα πλουτήσῃς, καὶ desnudez, y colirio para ungir from being seen; and salve to been purified by fire. Then ἱμάτια λευκὰ ἵνα περιβάλῃ tus ojos para que puedas ver. anoint your eyes so that you you will be rich. And also buy καὶ μὴ φανερωθῇ ἡ αἰσχύνη 19 ‘Yo reprendo y disciplino a may see. 19 I reprove and white garments so you will τῆς γυμνότητός σου, καὶ todos los que amo; sé, pues, discipline those whom I love. not be shamed by your na- κολλ[ο]ύριον ἐγχρῖσαι τοὺς celoso y arrepiéntete. 20 ‘He Be earnest, therefore, and re- kedness. And buy ointment ὀφθαλμούς σου ἵνα βλέπῃς. aquí, yo estoy a la puerta y pent. 20 Listen! I am standing for your eyes so you will be 19 ἐγὼ ὅσους ἐὰν φιλῶ llamo; si alguno oye mi voz y at the door, knocking; if you able to see. 19 I am the one ἐλέγχω καὶ παιδεύω· ζήλευε abre la puerta, entraré a él, y hear my voice and open the who corrects and disciplines οὖν καὶ μετανόησον. 20 Ἰδοὺ cenaré con él y él conmigo. door, I will come in to you and everyone I love. Be diligent ἕστηκα ἐπὶ τὴν θύραν καὶ 21 ‘Al vencedor, le con- eat with you, and you with me. and turn from your indiffer- κρούω· ἐάν τις ἀκούσῃ τῆς cederé sentarse conmigo en 21 To the one who con- ence. 20 Look! Here I stand φωνῆς μου καὶ ἀνοίξῃ τὴν mi trono, como yo también quers I will give a place with at the door and knock. If you θύραν, [καὶ] εἰσελεύσομαι vencí y me senté con mi Pa- me on my throne, just as I my- hear me calling and open the πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ δειπνήσω dre en su trono. 22 ‘El que self conquered and sat down door, I will come in, and we μετʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετʼ tiene oído, oiga lo que el Es- with my Father on his throne. will share a meal as friends. ἐμοῦ. píritu dice a las iglesias. 22 Let anyone who has an ear Page 1 21 Ὁ νικῶν δώσω listen to what the Spirit is saying 21 I will invite every- αὐτῷ καθίσαι μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἐν to the churches. one who is victorious to τῷ θρόνῳ μου, ὡς κἀγὼ sit with me on my throne, ἐνίκησα καὶ ἐκάθισα just as I was victorious μετὰ τοῦ πατρός μου and sat with my Father ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ αὐτοῦ. 22 on his throne. 22 Anyone Ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω who is willing to hear τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς should listen to the Spir- ἐκκλησίαις. it and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches. INTRODUCTION This seventh message of Christ continues the pat- tern that we have observed in the previous six mes- sages. The literary structure is identical to these other messages. But, the content is different and is custom- ized to the historical situation of the Christian commu- nity at Laodicea. The church in this very wealthy city of the Roman province of Asia faced many challenges, and struggled with several major problems.1 Out of that individual message to this ancient con- gregation then comes an enduring message with rele- vance to our day and time. 1. What did the text mean to the first readers? Again the background issues play a significant role in correct understanding of the content of this passage. Thus we explore them first in order to set a backdrop for exegeting the passage. Historical Aspects: However, in the Novum Testa- Both the history of the hand copying of the mentum Graece (27th rev. ed) text ap- passage as well as the internal history within the pas- paratus, which provides a full listing of sage is important for understanding the content. variations no matter what their signifi- External History. As was cance, some seventeen places where true with the previous message to variations of readings are listed.3 Philadelphia, none of the text varia- 3Offenbarung 3,14 (καὶ is inserted between ὁ ἀμήν and ὁ μάρτυς) *א tions of readings were considered suf- * και ficiently important to impact the trans- * ο 2050. 2053. 2351 pc syh bopt (καὶ between πιστὸς and lation of the passage by the editors of ἀληθινός is replaced wither with ὁ or καὶ ὁ) C pc bopt א και ο | The Greek New Testament (UBS 4th | txt A M (syph (καὶ is inserted between ἀληθινός and ἡ ἀρχὴ א rev. ed.). Thus no variations are list- * και (κτίσεως is replaced with ὲκκλησίας) *א ed in the text apparatus of this printed *| εκκλησιας Greek text.2 Offenbarung 3,15 1“Laodicea (3:14–22) was rebuked by the Lord in the harshest * A 1006 pc (ὄφελον is omitted) tone of all the seven churches. No word of praise is accorded it. It Offenbarung 3,16 had not even the redeeming fact of ‘a few names that did not defile * ου 1006. 1841. 1854. 2053. 2351 MK; Bea (οὔτε is replaced their garments,’ as had Sardis.” [H.E. Dana, The Epistles and the with οὐ) Apocalypse of John: A Brief Commentary, p. 110] * A P (2050) pc ar vg syph sa; Vic Apr (ζεστὸς οὔτε ψυχρός is 2One should remember that part of the reason here comes from transposed) the very small number of now existing manuscripts of the New * ελεγχω σε εκ et *σου 2329 (μέλλω σε ἐμέσαι ἐκ is replaced Testament that contain the book of Revelation. Many factors play by one of these two options) *א a role in this, not the least of which is the very late acceptance | παυσε et σου of Revelation into the canon of the New Testament. With a much Offenbarung 3,17 (M vgmss; Spec Bea (ὅτι is omitted א * smaller pool of existing manuscripts, one would normally expect there to be fewer places of variations in the wording of the text. Page 2 When one carefully examines each of these variations, sage. And thus it needs to be treated here as a back- it becomes clear that they originated either as stylis- drop to understanding the content of the passage. tic improvements or as careless mistakes in copying. Located in the Lycus valley close to both Colossae These represent isolated manuscripts that largely are and Hierapolis,4 Laodicea was the most affluent city of on the periphery of manuscript evaluation procedures.
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