What was Jesus’ message to the church in Laodicea in Revelation?

Jesus’ message to the church in Laodicea is found in Revelation 3:14-22. Laodicea was one of the seven churches Jesus addressed in Revelation chapters 2-3. Each letter contains commendation, condemnation, warning, and a call to repentance. The Laodicean church represents the final period of church history before Christ’s return.

Here are the key points from Jesus’ message to the Laodiceans:

• Jesus introduces himself as “the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation” (v.14). This reminds the Laodiceans of Christ’s eternal nature, faithfulness, and sovereignty over all creation.
• Jesus rebukes them for being lukewarm – neither hot nor cold (v.15-16). Their spiritual indifference and lack of zeal angered Jesus. He would rather they be hot or cold instead of apathetic.
• The Laodiceans boasted of their wealth and thought they had need of nothing, but Jesus said they were “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” before God (v.17). Their material richness blinded them to their spiritual poverty.
• Jesus counsels them to buy spiritual gold, white garments, and salve to anoint their eyes that they may see their true condition (v.18). The gold represents faith tested by fire, white garments represent Christ’s righteousness, and eye salve represents spiritual discernment.
• Jesus rebukes and disciplines those He loves. Therefore, the Laodiceans should “be zealous and repent” (v.19).
• Jesus stands outside the door of their hearts and knocks. If anyone hears His voice and opens the door, He will come in and dine with them (v.20). Fellowship is restored only through repentance.
• Those who overcome will share Christ’s throne, as He overcame and sat down with His Father on His throne (v.21). This is a promise of reigning with Christ.
• Jesus says “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (v.22). We must be spiritually attuned to what the Spirit is saying to the churches today.

In summary, Jesus rebukes the Laodicean church for their spiritual apathy, self-sufficiency, and blindness to their true condition. He counsels them to repent and pursue genuine faith, righteousness, and spiritual discernment. Their restoration will come only as they hear Christ knocking and open the door to fellowship with Him. This message serves as a wake-up call to all churches that have fallen into complacency and lukewarm faith. Christ disciplines those He loves and promises rich rewards to those who overcome. May we hear what the Spirit is saying and respond in repentance and revival.

Background on the City of Laodicea

To better understand Jesus’ message, some background on the city of Laodicea provides helpful context. Laodicea was located in the Lycus River Valley of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and was one of three major cities in the region along with Colossae and Hieropolis (Colossians 4:13). Laodicea had experienced significant growth and prosperity in the 1st century AD. Three major factors contributed to this thriving economy and affluence:

• Banking – Laodicea became a prominent banking center renowned for its great wealth.
• Garments – Laodicea had a flourishing textile industry and was especially known for their glossy, raven-black wool.
• Medicine – The city was a renowned center of ancient medicine and produced an expensive powdered eye salve that was exported across the region.

The Laodicean church reflected the affluence and complacency of the city as a whole. They felt self-sufficient in their wealth and commerce. This increased their sense of independence, causing them to rely less on God. Jesus used imagery related to the city’s banking, clothing, and medicine to rebuke the church’s pride and call them to repentance. Only through sincere repentance could their nakedness be clothed, their blindness healed, and their faith refined as gold.

Historical Context of the Seven Churches

It is also helpful to understand the broader historical context of Revelation and the circumstances of the seven churches of Asia Minor addressed in Revelation 2-3. The apostle John wrote the book of Revelation around AD 95 while exiled on the island of Patmos. The churches of Asia Minor were experiencing increasing persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian. Many believe Revelation was written to encourage these churches to remain strong and faithful during this time of suffering and martyrdom.

The seven churches addressed in Revelation 2-3 depict the progression of the church throughout history. Ephesus represents the early apostolic church, Smyrna the persecuted church, Pergamum and Thyatira the compromised church, Sardis the spiritually dead church, Philadelphia the faithful missionary church, and Laodicea the apathetic, lukewarm church of the modern era.

Laodicea as the final church depicts the state of Christianity at the end of the church age right before Christ’s return. A once vibrant faith has stagnated into lukewarmness, complacency, and reliance on material wealth. This spiritual condition demands a wake-up call to revival and renewal to finish the church age well. He who has ears to hear must repent.

Exegetical Analysis of Revelation 3:14-22

Now we will conduct a verse-by-verse exegesis of Jesus’ message to the Laodiceans to glean deeper insight into its meaning and application for today:

Revelation 3:14 – Christ’s Self-Description

And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation.

Jesus describes Himself to the Laodicean church using three titles:

1. The Amen – As “the Amen,” Jesus is the truth, the One whose words are faithful and true, the One who confirms God’s promises. He is the “so be it” and “verily, verily” of God (2 Corinthians 1:20).
2. The Faithful and True Witness – Jesus bore witness of the truth He heard from the Father. He is the perfect and ultimate Prophet who reveals God to us.
3. The Beginning of God’s Creation – Jesus is the source, origin, and ruler of all creation as the eternal Word (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-17).

He begins His message to Laodicea by reminding them of His divine identity and supreme authority. As the eternal, faithful, and sovereign Son of God, Jesus has the right to examine and judge the church.

Revelation 3:15-16 – Hot or Cold, Not Lukewarm

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Jesus condemns the Laodicean church for being lukewarm in their faith, works, and zeal for God. He expresses that He would rather have them be spiritually hot or cold rather than lukewarm:

• Hot – Hot signifies spiritual fervency, passion, and enthusiasm for Christ. It means being on fire for God, pursuing Him wholeheartedly, serving Him selflessly, and making His glory our chief aim. The Thessalonians and Ephesians were commended for their hot faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3; Revelation 2:2-3).
• Cold – Cold signifies the unbelievers who make no pretense of faith in Christ. They outwardly reject God. Jesus says it is better to be cold than to profess faith in Christ while inwardly remaining lukewarm.
• Lukewarm – Lukewarm signifies a half-hearted faith, apathy, and complacency toward spiritual things. The Laodiceans professed faith in Christ but lacked sincere commitment, obedience, and zeal.

Jesus says He will reject (“spit out”) the lukewarm. Neutrality and indifference anger Him. The Laodiceans’ self-sufficiency led to spiritual stagnation. Their wealth had blinded them to their need for Christ. He calls them to radical repentance.

Revelation 3:17 – Wretched, Pitiable, Poor, Blind, Naked

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The affluent Laodiceans boasted of their wealth and thought they had need of nothing. But Christ says in reality they were:

• Wretched – They were miserable, distressed, and pitiful in God’s eyes.
• Pitiable – They deserved not envy but pity for their blindness to their spiritual poverty.
• Poor – They were destitute of true spiritual wealth, righteousness, and vision.
• Blind – They were blind to both their own pitiful state and Christ’s supreme worth.
• Naked – They lacked the righteous garments that come from Christ. Before God they were shamefully exposed in their sin.

Outward riches too often lead to inward poverty. The Laodicean church was spiritually bankrupt despite material prosperity. Their complacency left them naked before God. True riches are found only in Christ.

Revelation 3:18 – A Call to Repentance

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.

Christ calls the Laodiceans to repentance with three urgent exhortations:

• Buy refined gold – This represents faith tested and refined by fire (1 Peter 1:7). They must buy this gold from Christ, exchanging their worthless earthly riches for genuine spiritual wealth.
• Buy white garments – Garments represent righteous living (Revelation 19:8). Only Christ’s perfect righteousness can cover the stain of sin and clothe our nakedness before God (Isaiah 61:10).
• Buy eye salve – This ointment represents the spiritual discernment to see themselves and God clearly. Christ alone opens blind eyes (John 9:6-7).

The goods Christ offers are only obtained through repentance. He counsels them to renounce their proud self-sufficiency and seek true spiritual riches from Him. Only through sincere contrition and reliance on Christ can their nakedness be covered.

Revelation 3:19 – Be Zealous and Repent

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Christ reminds the Laodiceans that His rebuke is an act of love intended to bring repentance and restoration. As Hebrews 12:6 says, “The Lord disciplines the one he loves.” His harsh words reveal His heart of affection toward them.

Jesus calls them to repent with “zeal,” conveying urgency, fervency, and passion. True repentance is not half-hearted but earnest and sincere. The same Greek word is used to describe hot temperature in verse 15. Their spiritual coldness must be exchanged for zeal and fire to please Christ.

Revelation 3:20 – Open the Door

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Christ stands patiently at the door of the heart and knocks. He will not force Himself upon anyone. The initiative remains with the individual to hear, open the door, and dine with Him. This depicts the warm fellowship and communion restored through repentance and reconciliation.

Jesus as the seeking Shepherd pursues the lost sheep. But they must open the door in response to His knock. He longs to come in and restore intimate relationship. But unless we open our hearts in trust and humility, He remains shut outside.

Revelation 3:21-22 – Overcoming and Listening

The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Those who overcome trials and temptations through faith will share in Christ’s reign. As He overcame and sat on His Father’s throne, so believers will sit with Christ on His throne (2 Timothy 2:12). This depicts our future reign and judgment with Christ (1 Corinthians 6:2-3; Daniel 7:27).

Jesus closes with a call to hear the Spirit’s words to all the churches. The seven letters are not just for seven churches but for the whole church throughout the ages. May we have ears to hear what the Spirit says to revive and renew the church in every generation until Christ returns.

Principles for Application

What principles can we apply from Christ’s message to the Laodiceans? Here are some key applications for the church today:

• Examine your heart for areas of spiritual apathy, complacency, or lukewarmness. We are prone to wander from our first love (Revelation 2:4).
• Beware of allowing wealth, comfort, or success make you self-reliant and create a sense of “needing nothing.” Our sufficiency is only in Christ.
• Cultivate zeal, passion, and wholehearted devotion to Christ above all else. Guard against drifting into religious routine.
• Never be content with comfortable Christianity. Pursue deeper communion with Christ and greater conformity to His image.
• Remember Christ disciplines those He loves. His rebukes are merciful wake-up calls for our good.
• Maintain a repentant heart. Humility keeps us dependent on Christ’s provisions of grace.
• Open every door of your life to Christ’s presence and lordship. Yield to the Spirit’s prompting.
• Persevere in faith through trials and testing. The refinement produces greater spiritual maturity.
• Keep eternal perspective amidst earthly troubles and focus on reward (Romans 8:18; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18).

May Christ’s message produce zeal and renewal in the church today! As we heed the Spirit’s words, Christ will draw near to dine and fellowship with all who open their hearts in repentance and faith. Then the church will shine with the brilliance of pure gold refined, radiating the glory of Jesus Christ to all.