The New Testament frequently turns prophetic texts inside out. In Revelation 3, for instance, Jesus applies prophecies that originally promised that Gentiles would bow to Jews to Jews bowing to the (largely Gentile) church of Philadelphia (3:9; cf. Isaiah 60:14). In one respect, the import is . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus sets up the victors of Philadelphia as pillars in the house, and then writes names on them. Numbers 17 is in the background, where the names of tribal leaders are written on rods and placed in the house of God. The rod that blossoms with almond (watcher) blossoms is the rod of the priest. . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus promises to write a triple name on the pillars that are in the temple (Revelation 3:12). The three uses of the word ????? are the name of “My God,” the name of the city, which is New Jerusalem, and Jesus’ own new name. This has got to be a Trinitarian formula. “My . . . . Continue Reading »
The victors in Philadelphia ( not the 76ers) will become pillars in the house of God (Revelation 3:12). Structural pillars are replaced by people-pillars because the temple is replaced by a people-house. The structural and decorative pillars of Solomon’s temple were cut to pieces and shipped . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus warns two of the churches in Asia about the “hour” that is coming (Sardis, Revelation 3:3; Philadelphia, 3:10). In John’s gospel, Jesus talks about the “hour” with reference to the hour of the cross, which is also the hour of glory. Now, Jesus speaks of the . . . . Continue Reading »
Martyred saints under the altar cry out for vengeance (Revelation 6:10). They call to the “holy and true” to avenge their blood. To whom are the crying? We might think that it’s the Father, but Revelation 3:7 makes it clear that Jesus is “the holy, the true.” They want . . . . Continue Reading »
Jesus has keys to open and shut (Revelation 3:7). That makes him a new Eliakim, successor to Shebna as the overseer of the house of David (Isaiah 22). It also makes Him a new Nebuchadnezzar, who locks up the cities of the Negev so that no one can open them as he carries Judah into exile (Jeremiah . . . . Continue Reading »
Over the past century and a half a number of writers have written monographs that attempt to link the letters of Jesus to the seven hurches with the history and culture of each city. The supposed connections are not always persuasive, but some are. Sardis, for instance, though its fortress was . . . . Continue Reading »
In the letter to Sardis, Jesus charges that the church has a “name” of being alive but is dead. At first blush, “name” means merely reputation, but I suspect that Jesus has more in mind. The church is the people of Jesus, who is the “firstborn from the dead” . . . . Continue Reading »
The message to the church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1-6) is framed by several word repetitions. The word “name” appears in v 1, and three times in verses 4-5 (trans. once as “people” in the NASB). Jesus says at the outset that the people of Sardis have a “name” for . . . . Continue Reading »
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