Jesus presents Himself as the One who is holy and true, which means He is worthy to judge the church at Philadelphia. He possesses the “key of David” (Rev. 3:7; cf. Isa. 22:22), which means He has the authority to open and close doors of opportunity. He commends the Christians at Philadelphia for their deeds, saying, “I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Rev. 3:8). The Christians at Philade...
Jesus presents Himself as the One who is holy and true, which means He is worthy to judge the church at Philadelphia. He possesses the “key of David” (Rev. 3:7; cf. Isa. 22:22), which means He has the authority to open and close doors of opportunity. He commends the Christians at Philadelphia for their deeds, saying, “I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name” (Rev. 3:8). The Christians at Philadelphia were under persecution from Jewish unbelievers who had aligned with Satan and opposed the gospel message. To these, Jesus said, “I will make them to come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you” (Rev. 3:9). This could be an allusion to a future judgment when all shall bow the knee in recognition of Jesus as Lord (Phil. 2:10). Because of their faithfulness, Jesus promised, “I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth” (Rev. 3:10). “This is an explicit promise that the Philadelphia church will not endure the hour of trial which is unfolded, beginning in Revelation 6. Christ was saying that the Philadelphia church would not enter the future time of trouble; He could not have stated it more explicitly.”[1] When Jesus comes, He will come quickly, and will reward faithful Christians (Rev. 3:11). To those who overcome, Jesus promises, “I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; 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 out of heaven from My God, and My new name” (Rev. 3:12). “The symbolism in this verse would be especially meaningful to people who lived in constant danger of earthquakes: the stability of the pillar, no need to go out or to flee, a heavenly city that nothing could destroy. Ancient cities often honored great leaders by erecting pillars with their names inscribed on them. God’s pillars are not made of stone, because there is no temple in the heavenly city (Rev. 21:22). His pillars are faithful people who bear His name for His glory (Gal. 2:9).”[2] Those with capacity to hear were to listen and comply with the words of Jesus (Rev. 3:13)
[1] John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 939.
[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 579.
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