“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
The church in Philadelphia probably didn’t have a copy of Paul’s epistle to the Romans. But then, they didn’t need it. This verse, practiced in Philadelphia for us all to see, glorifies our living Lord!
Philadelphia became a town under Attalus II who was King of Pergamum. It was named Philadelphia (brotherly love) as a tribute to his brother Eumemes II whom he succeeded as King of Pergamum (159-138BC). The next king, Attalus III, died in 133BC and bequeathed Anatolia to Rome. Rome annexed it in 129BC. This is a very young town, as is Laodicea, compared to the other five churches steeped in idolatry to Greek and Roman gods. In Philadelphia, it was primarily Dionysus, or in Rome, Bacchus. This is the god of wine and fruitfulness.
Philadelphia was a small expansion town under the jurisdiction of Sardis. It was a Greek cultural center where Greek philosophy had become so dominant that Greek was spoken in Philadelphia more than native Lydian. It was located on the junction of several trade routes considered the “gateway to the East.”
Earthquakes and tremors were more common here than the surrounding regions. Rome did not come to the aid of Philadelphia to rebuild damaged parts of the city. They did give them a five year reprieve on paying taxes but this was another closed door creating hardship in this local community who lived primarily in the field around the city. Caesar Tiberius (14BC-37AD), on the other hand, had provided aid to Philadelphia for the earthquake of 17AD.
The city was located on rich volcanic soil which was ideal for growing grapes. Philadelphia became famous for its grapes and wine. On the other hand, Rome had their own wines and grapes and Philadelphia was a competitor. Domitian, the brother of Titus who destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem in 70AD, tore out the grape fields in Philadelphia replacing them with corn. This happened a few years prior to the writing of this epistle. Destruction of this primary industry in Philadelphia set a tone of rejection in Philadelphia’s relationship with Rome, a door was shut on the prosperity of Philadelphia during the season of Domitian’s reign (81-96AD).
Rome can pull out the grapes of work against the people of Philadelphia but God will provide and care for His own! God’s door is righteousness, truth and life. No one can enter these doors without coming through the shepherd of our soul, Jesus the Christ.
The early Jewish believers (the Way) were a sect within the Jewish Synagogue. These Philadelphia believers in this Jewish synagogue accepted Jesus as the Messiah within the gospel of redemption. As the doctrine of Christianity became more visible, the Jewish synagogue excluded them from both worship and fellowship. These believers became persecuted as outsiders because of their devotion to Jesus, whom the Jews had crucified. Their faith became more compelling; Jesus became their living Messiah. John MacArthur tells us some Philadelphia Christians were martyred with Polycarp at Smyrna. Polycarp was martyred in 155AD; for reference, the church at Ephesus was planted around 52AD.
This small Jewish sect of believers, in Jesus, were faithful to their risen Savior even though they were excluded from both local personal fellowship and loss of work at the local vineyards. They actually became a living vineyard producing divine fruit!
It is interesting that Jesus, on the night before His crucifixion, meeting with his disciples, used the vine and its fruit as an example how to live within the righteousness of Jesus, producing no fruit, fruit and much fruit; “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I am in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”
Here is a group of believers who faithfully stood against the crowd, against the community and experienced the resurrection life of Jesus in their personal life becoming a living witness, and to those passing thru the City of Philadelphia, “a light shining in a dark place.”
The first of each epistle letter to the churches begins by identifying the divine authority for each individual letter. The previous five letters sourced divine attributes from out of John’s vision in chapter one. These descriptions of God, observed by John in his vision, are seen according to the needs within each church.
In Ephesus it is: “The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.” In Smyrna it is: “The words of the first and the last, who died and came back to life.” In Pergamum it is: “The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.” In Thyatira it is: “The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.” In Sardis it is: “The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars.” In Philadelphia it is: “The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.”
This letter to Philadelphia, and the following letter to Laodicea, does not conform to this “vision” pattern of the first five churches! Our Philadelphia epistle sources the Old Testament, exercising divine authority from the Kingdom throne of David. These believers in Philadelphia were Jewish in tradition and looked to the One who is Holy and True; they looked to the One with the absolute authority of THE living King who is their resurrected Messiah. Having the authority to open and shut doors is the prerogative of the King who holds the Keys to the Kingdom of God.
“THE WORDS OF THE HOLY ONE.”
The “holy one” is an OT term used for Israel’s God. Jesus is also the “Holy One of God” whom an evil spirit recognized in Mark 1:24. The Jewish community in Philadelphia was familiar with this term; He is the God who provides their sacrifice, their Jehovah Jireh.
On a personal note: “I am crucified with Christ …,” “But as He who has called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘For you shall be holy, for I am holy.’”
“THE TRUE ONE.”
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” The early church met in homes; they were not a denomination, they were known as “the Way.” Jesus, the Way, leads us into absolute Truth. The truth of humanity is relative; human truth is a partial truth leading us into a more “better” understanding. Jesus is the True One. This is why the Jews followed Moses into the wilderness, God made the water come out of the rock, they saw it, and they drank the water! The believers in Philadelphia experienced the Life of Jesus in themselves; it was Truth so they began walking in the Way, drinking the water of life!
On a personal note: The Way leads us into The Absolute Truth and the Truth is fully revealed in the Life of Jesus … who is created NEW within believers, the old is passed away.
“WHO HAS THE KEY OF DAVID.”
Isaiah 22 is the narrative where Israel did not trust the Lord; Shebna had the key of David!
Shebna did not live up to his calling and lost his reward; it was given to Eliakim. Israel and Philadelphia are in the right hand of Jesus Christ, He has the Key of David.
Jesus has the keys to death and hell. It is God who passed the key of David from Shebna to Eliakim. It is God who lives in eternity; He is not of our world, He created it in the first place. Our world is sinful and ruled by a fallen evil spirit. Our God of eternity is absolute in holiness; He is righteous truth expressing Himself into our humanity so that He may rescue us into His shepherd arms of agape love.
On a personal note: God is speaking to us thru Jesus with ultimate authority. Jesus prayed to His Father, “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus is a person; knowing Him is our task, our calling and reward.
“WHO OPENS AND NO ONE SHUTS, WHO SHUTS AND NO ONE WILL OPEN.”
The Isaiah narrative concerning the Key of David also includes opening and shutting the doors. The emphasis for Philadelphia (and us) is poignant.
The Philadelphia synagogue shut their door to their Jewish Christian believers. Jesus calls them the “synagogue of Satan” but the door that really matters, Jesus opens; it is the door to life eternal in the Philadelphia church and no one can shut this door. In fact, Jesus says the people who shut fellowship doors to believers will bow down to them whom God loves.
On a personal note: Once we are born again, created Spiritually in Christ, His door is open to us. It is up to us to open our own heart door to receive the gift of grace already given to us. “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.” -Jesus, Revelation 3:20.
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie - Behold, I will make them come down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one will seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’
Jesus gives this small church three beholds: I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
Jesus shares His sensitivity about their small group. This is why He says they have little power as compared to a larger group with a larger impact! Even in this small vulnerable situation, they have been faithful with the divine power they have in Christ Jesus. It is small when compared to God’s available power for those equipped to use it! Our personal power is small compared to the capacity of grace given to us. One of our challenges is to give up self, so that, His power is more operative in our character and impact, so that we, like Paul, may know Him and the power of His resurrection. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.
“Behold”s number two and three: Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie - Behold, I will make them come down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.
These Philadelphian believers may have been low in class, poor in earthly goods but they are children of God, an eternal Spiritual people! When we are of humble c
ircumstances, sometimes there is a temptation to question our unfair conditions. When our friends close the door of friendship, we may go within our own self … but in Christ there is a friend who is closer than a bother. Jesus will affirm to them who are of the “synagogue” that you are loved and to you they will bow down! These humble, meek souls of Philadelphia are in the business of glorifying our loving Lord. Their strength may be small on the outside, but inside, this is a different story!
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
The is one of the passages affirming the rapture of believers before the tribulation. There are three NT passages speaking of believers during this tribulation period. None of these passages refer to suffering by church believers. There are also unnumberable non-believers during the 7 year tribulation period who become believers, both Jews and gentiles. This is the time referred to as the Seventieth Week in Daniel and “the time of Jacob’s trouble” in Jeremiah.
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one will seize your crown.
These Philadelphia believers knew what it was to be set free from the corruption that is in the world. But the daily confrontation of the world was pressing hard on these faithful followers of Jesus. This epistle from Jesus, thru the apostle John, was a reminder that God’s divine power granting to them all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called them, and us, to His own glory and excellence.
The crown of life is an eternal gift to believers whom are created new in Christ Jesus. But there are also crowns of rewards to those faithful believers who are overcomers and press for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
The original Temple built by Solomon had two bronze pillars a person would pass through going into the Temple. The one on the left (south) was named Jachin (upright, strength) and the one on the right (north) was Boaz (power and might). The occult has taken these Biblical pillars as images and interpreted them into many various forms of esoteric meanings. But for us they might represent passing through this mortal life of corruption, leaving flesh behind while entering into God’s Spirit filled eternal life of righteous truth, holiness and purity. In God’s temple, the one who conquers will be a pillar of strength!
We enter into God’s eternity but we also enter into the intimacy of seeing Jesus as He is! He will write on us His name because we already belong to Him and we live in the intimacy of His own Person! We will be qualified to wear the name of our holy God. Our personal identity will be known by the agape love of Jesus; our existence will walk in His presence without flesh!
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Each and every church has this challenge. We are to hear what the Spirit is saying to each and every church; it is what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Our challenge is to hear the Spirit. Our natural self has to be disciplined by our soul to focus on our righteous Spiritual identity in Christ Jesus. We are Spiritual, given Spiritual discernment but it requires exercise in our fleshly clay container. God will provide daily our sacrifice for life in His Spirit, Jehovah Jireh!