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unto the rest in Thyatira, As many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden : 25 But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come.

26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

27 (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers :) even as I

trine of Jezebel, which she had taught. They had suffered her to teach her errors, ver. 20, by which she had seduced God's servants to spiritual fornication, and led them to eat things sacrificed to idols. Upon those in Thyatira who had not this doctrine, God would put no other burden than that which he had already enjoined upon them, viz., that of rooting the influence of Jezebel out of the church. * Depths of Satan, as they speak. They, of course, did not acknowledge them to be depths of Satan; but they called them depths, i. e., profound matters. The Greek word for depths is not of very frequent occurrence in the New Testament. It may be found, Matt. xiii. 5; Mark iv. 5; Luke v. 4; Rom. viii. 39; xi. 33. In 1 Cor. ii. 10, it is put for “the deep things of God.” See also 2 Cor. viii. 2; Eph. iii. 18. The heathen boasted much of their deep mysteries, which were connected with their idolatrous practices, and to this boasting it seems probable the revelator refers.

25. But that nihich ye have already. – Viz., those things which had been commended in them, - their works, their charity, their service, faith and patience; ver. 19. They were directed to hold these fast until the coming of the Son of man. "I Till I come. — This is the language Christ employed to denote his coming at the destruction of Jerusalem; John xxi. 22, 23. “The time was not far distant when they might expect this.” —(Prof. Stuart.) See also the long and valuable note of Dr. Hammond on this place, who defines the end, (ver. 26,) and the coming, (ver. 25,)

as referring to the coming of Christ for the destruction of the Jews, and the judging of the nations according to their works. 26. He that overcometh, to him mill I give poner over the nations.—You shall go out and propagate the gospel, and reign spiritually in the hearts of men. 27. Rod of iron. — The power of the gospel shall break them in pieces, like a potter's vessel. This is evidently a quotation from the 2d Psalm, where it is said of Jesus that he shall break the nations with a rod of iron, (or iron sceptre,) and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel; and hence it is said in Revelation, “He shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers.” I Even as I received of my Father. —Is not this a direct reference to the authority given him in that Psalm ? Wherein does Jesus rule the nations and dash them in pieces? Not as an earthly monarch, but as a spiritual ruler. How are the kingdoms of this world to become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ In what sense is Jesus to reign forever and ever? Not as an outward prince. He reigned when in his flesh, in all his humility; he reigned even on the cross; yes, when dying, he reigned with greater power than at any other time. His followers shall reign with him; the saints shall judge the world, and overturn the ancient order of things, until Jesus shall be everywhere acknowledged. 28. The morning-star. To get the sense here, observe that the Son of God was encouraging the faithful

faithful followers.

received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning-star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

CHAPTER III. ND unto the angel of the

church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and

Christians at Thyatira with the promise that they should share the glories and honors belonging to himself. He shared the glories and honors of the Father, and they should share the glories and honors of the Son. Jesus said, when on earth, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was ;” John xvii. 5. This primitive glory might be called the glory of the morning-stars, because it was when the foundations of the earth were laid, that “the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy;” Job xxxviii. 6, 7. The same f glory was to be shared by Christ's “Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am ; that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world;” John xvii. 24. “And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one;” Idem. 22. Hence Jesus promised to his followers, that they should reign with him in his kingdom, and like him sway the nations with an iron sceptre. Their glory should be like his glory. Daniel, whose style the revelator closely imitates, had said, “They that be wise, shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever and ever;” xii. 3. In chap. i. 16, it had been said of the Son of man, “his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” The Christians were called “the light of the world;” Matt. v. 14. Jesus, being preéminently the light of the church, called himself “the bright and morning-star;” Rev.

xxii. 16. But even this glory he was willing to share with his followers. “I will give him that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end,” i.e., unto the time when I come, “the morning-star.” “He shall share my full glory, the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I will clothe him with radiance like that of the morning-star.” 29. He that hath an ear. — See the notes on verses 7, 11, 17.

CHAPTER III. EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH IN SARDIs.

1. Angel. The angel of the church was its minister, or presiding officer. See the notes on ii. 1, 8, 12, 18. Paul was an angel of God; Gal. iv. 14. T Sardis. – In the Scriptures we find Sardis mentioned only by the revelator; i. 11; iii. 1, 4. It was an ancient city of Lydia, the capital of the monarch of the country. It was situated at the foot of Mt. Trmolus, on the river Pactolus, which run through the place. It was a city of great wealth, Croesus the rich being one of the Lydian kings; and the influences which were exerted here were almost altogether unfavorable to the prosperity of Christianity. A miserable village called Sart is now found on the site of this once famous city. The seat of royalty, of wealth, of human greatness, we ought not to be surprised to learn that the gospel declined more rapidly here than in either of the seven churches. "I Seven spirits of God. We have largely considered this form of expression under ch. i. 4, to which we refer. It is not designed to represent God as septiform; but the figure is drawn from the customs of ancient monthe seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that

are ready to die; for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard,

archs, who kept seven confidential ! ministers or agents continually near

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their persons. , T Seven stars. The Son of God held the seven stars in his right hand. See the notes on i. 16. This description is intended to show that it is the same glorious personage who addresses this church that had addressed John, as described in chap. i. He is scarcely described to either two of the churches under the same similitude; but yet the description is such to every one, that it is evident the same personage was intended in all the cases. I I know thy norks. I know what thou hast done, and what thou art doing; I know fully thy character. T Linest and art dead. — Thou hast the credit of having life, but thou art dead. This was a deeper abasement than was ascribed to either of the other of the seven churches. This church maintained the form of religion, and professed to adhere to Christ, but its spiritual life was nearly extinct. Life and death are used by the sacred writers metaphorically. There is no figure more common in the Scriptures. We meet with it in the account of the transgression of our first parents, and it is continued, with more or less frequency, through the entire Bible. “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth;” 1 Tim. v. 6. See, also, John xi. 25, 26; 1 John iii. 14; Jude 12. The fact here stated is so generally known, that we need not make further references. The church in Sardis had a name to live, i.e., it professed to have spiritual life, and perhaps was regarded by the world as possessing it; but in the sight of Him who “knew what was in man,” there was little or no life in that church. It was dead. The church at Ephesus was

charged by the revelator as having

lost its first love. To this Paul seems to refer, when he says to the same church, “Awake, thou that sleepest, and rise from the dead;” Eph. vi. 14. This is the same figure; but the church at Ephesus was not so thoroughly paralyzed as that at Sardis. 2. Strengthen the things which remain. As though he had said, “Your case is not utterly desperate. You may yet recover from your fallen state. Be watchful, -strengthen the things that remain, and those that are ready to die. I have not found thy works what they ought to have been in the sight of God; but thou mayest with diligence recover thy former estate.” 3. Hon, thou hast received and heard. — That is, remember the manner in which thou hast received and heard the gospel; remember what advantages thou hast enjoyed; the effect which the preaching of the gospel had upon thee, when first thou didst hear it. T Hold fast. — Hold fast that which remains. Let thy Christian character no further die. Hold fast to the profession of thy faith, and let thy works honor the name of Christ. I Repent. Repentance is put here for a change of habits, a reformation of life. Too many suppose that repentance is an act to be performed once for all, in a man’s life, – a change of views and feelings. But we are persuaded it signifies here a reformation of life, – a turning away from what had been condemned in the church in Sardis, and a change to newness of life. T As a thief. — But if thou wilt not watch, I will come in judgment upon thee; thou shalt be recompensed according to thy works. The comparison, to come “as a thief,” was one which our Lord and his apostles freand hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief,

and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names

quently used to show the manner of his coming. This is the first time we have met with it in the Apocalypse. It is a very striking one, if we understand it with due limitations, and obtain the precise idea which the revelator intended to convey. The thief comes at night, when men are asleep, and are off their watch. He is more likely to come, too, at an hour when he is not expected. It was for these reasons that our Lord compared his own coming to that of a thief. “Watch, therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready : for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh;” Matt. xxiv. 42— 44. Paul uses the same comparison, 1 Thess. v. 2, 4; and Peter uses it, 2 Epis. iii. 10. It will appear still more striking, if we consider the state of the church at Sardis at this time. They were not watchful. They had fallen into a state like profound sleep, or spiritual death; they were exposed, therefore, to be taken unawares by the approaching judgment; or, as it is said in the verse, “Thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” We see, by the figure before us, the utter folly of pushing the Scripture metaphors and comparisons too far. When we have ascertained the one object which the writer had in view in using the figure, that is sufficient. We are not to push the comparison to every point. Readers of the Bible, ay, and preachers too, Sometimes carry out a comparison at all points. They think their duty is to get as much truth as possible out of the Bible. Hence, in the parables of the New Testament, they must find a meaning for everything, however

trivial. For instance,"in interpreting the parable of the good Samaritan, (Luke x.,) which was designed merely to show that our benevolence should not be confined to our friends, our countrymen, or the professors of the same religion, the interpreters referred to must have a spiritual meaning for Jerusalem ; for Jericho; for the thieves ; for stripping the wounded man; for leaving him half dead; for the priest; for the Levite ; for their passing by on the other side ; for the oil, and wine, with which the Samaritan bathed the wounds; for the inn ; and for the beast on which he bore the sufferer thereto. There can scarcely be anything more fatal to truth, than such a manner of interpreting the symbolical language of the Scriptures. In the case before us, the point to be illustrated was, that our Lord would come in an hour when he was not looked for, and when men were asleep. This was sufficient to justify the comparison, and to lead him to represent himself as being about to come like a thief in the night. But, if we push the application to all points, we could proceed to show that our Lord came to steal, to kill, and to destroy, (for this is the purpose for which thieves generally come,) than which nothing could be further from the truth. We see, then, that much discretion is to be used in the application of scriptural similitudes ; and that there is more need of sound judgment to aid us in that matter, than of a vivid fancy. 4. A fen, names. – Names are put for persons. Nothing is more common in the Old Testament than the use of the word name for Jehovah, his person, his nature, his statutes. To praise, or call on the name of the Lord, was to praise, or call on God himself. To trust in the name of the Lord was to trust in Him. So, the even in Sardis, which have not

defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white ; for they are worthy.

5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life,

heathen were said to call on the name of their gods. We read in Acts i. 15: “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of the names together were about a hundred and twenty.”) Here names again are put for persons. The word names, it is possible, may have been used, in the verse before us, in reference to the roll of the church, in the following sense : “Thou hast a few names enrolled, even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments.” . Even in Sardis. – Here the city is referred to as a very wicked place; it seems to have been somewhat remarkable that even a few were found there. From all that is said of Sardis in the Apocalypse, we should conclude that of the seven Apocalyptic churches, this had fallen furthest from Christ. They had the reputation of living, but were dead, with the exception of the few names referred to ; and these were certainly worthy of the greater praise for showing such an example of steadfastness in the midst of a general decline. "I Walk neith me in white. Garments are used to represent the conduct and character of men. Sin is sometimes expressed under the idea of nakedness; Rev. iii. 17; and sometimes under that of mean clothing; Job viii. 22; Rev. xvi. 15. But righteousness and purity are spoken of as clean, pure, beautiful garments. Men called on to leave their sins and turn to righteousness, are exhorted to put on their beautiful garments; Isa. lii. 1. So the saints are said to walk in white, the emblem of purity. “Let thy garments be always white;” Eccl. ix. 8. “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow;” Isa. i. 18. The Ancient of Days had on garments white as snow; Dan. vii.

raiment was white as the light; Matt. xvii. 2. The angels are supposed to be clothed in white; Matt. xxviii. 3; Acts i. 10. Thus the redeemed are said, in the verse before us, to walk with Christ in white, i. e., all pure. The same sense is expressed in the following verse. —See Dr. Campbell's note on John xvii. 11. 5. Overcometh. This is another instance of the phraseology of John. Compare 1 John v. 4, 5, with Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 26; iii. 5, 12, 21; xxi. 7. * White rainent. See the remarks under the preceding verse. White raiment was supposed by the Jews to be worn in the presence of God; and heralds from the invisible world are clothed in white raiment in the descriptions of the sacred writers. The |four-and-twenty elders, that sat round about the throne, were clothed in white raiment, and had crowns of gold upon their heads; Rev. iv. 4. White raiment was a mark of purity, distinction, and honor. It was a sign of acceptance with God. Hence men were exhorted to obtain it; Rev. iii. 18. The wedding garment, mentioned Matt. xxii. 11, 12, was a long white robe; and garments of that kind, in many cases, especially at the weddings of the rich, were prepared and presented to the guests. – See Whittemore's Illus. of Par., 289—291. * Out of the book of life. Here it is presumed that his name was in the book of life, – the promise is, that it shall be retained there. The greater part of the names attached to the church in Sardis were to be blotted out; but a few had the promise that their names should not be affected by this expurgating process. The names of God's servants are supposed metaphorically to be enrolled in a book. It was the custom of earthly kings to

9. When Jesus was transfigured, his

keep rolls of those they had under

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