Last Words: Perseverance in Philadelphia

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 and bow 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 may 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 (Rev. 3:7-13).

Among the seven churches in Revelation, the church of Philadelphia was the most faithful. There are no words of hesitation or condemnation (except against the enemies of the church).

Philadelphia was created by King Attalus II (159–138 B.C.), who was given the nickname Philadelphus, which means “brother lover” (he was very fond of his brother). The city lay some twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis. As with the other cities around it, Sardis was prosperous, having a rich vine-growing district, as well as leather and textile industries. The church’s faithfulness can be seen in the fact that long after all the surrounding country had succumbed to Muslim control under Turkey, Philadelphia held out as a Christian populace till 1392.

Holding the Key of David

The speaker (Christ) identifies Himself as “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.” These characteristics reflect back on several aspects of Jesus.

Holiness is an essential characteristic of God (and Jesus, being God-incarnate). Without holiness, God would cease to be God. While of course including freedom from any type of moral impurity, holiness embodies all the other characteristics of God (love, justice, mercy, etc.). It is similar to white light that contains all other colors together. Jesus therefore claims to be God-incarnate, the One to whom all mankind will give account.

The true one reflects back to Jesus’ statement, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6, emphasis added). Not only does Jesus speak the truth, but He is the embodiment of truth. No truth exists outside Him, and all truth is His truth. Paul was right in mentioning “the belt of truth” (Eph. 6:14). Truth holds all things together.

Who has the key of David refers to Christ as the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. David was told that his seed would rule the kingdom forever. It also refers to Jesus’ statement to Peter about giving the keys to the kingdom (Matt. 16:15). In Israel, the King always held the keys, unless he delegated someone else to act in his authority. Christ alone grants entrance into the Kingdom of God. (This is likely to combat the teaching of the Jews in that city that they alone were the gatekeepers to the Kingdom.)

The Open Door

Christ begins by using His key. He tells the church, “I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut.” The sense is, “Because I know your works, I have opened the door to you, and no one can shut it.” The “works” He mentions here are elaborated on:

• You have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. The ‘power’ referred to here is likely political or physical power. The church appears weak to the world, but their faith is strong. That faith has enabled them to publicly confess their allegiance to Christ and keep His commandments.
• You have kept my word about patient endurance. Patience and endurance always refers to perseverance in the midst of trials and persecution. Rather than complaining or losing hope, the church of Philadelphia has endured patiently as good soldiers of Christ (2 Tim. 2:3).

The church had remained faithful even in the face of persecution by “those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie.” This likely refers to the Jews who vehemently (and often violently) oppose the teaching that Jesus is the Messiah and persecute those who teach this doctrine. Because Christ has the key of David, He thus is denying the Jews’ claim that they are the true people of God. The open door, then, is assurance of entrance into the Kingdom.

Preservation Because of Perseverance

Because the church has kept His Word and has been patiently enduring persecution, Christ promises that those Jews will acknowledge that Christ is Lord and that “I have loved you.” The church is not called to conquer those Jews and force them to bow. Rather Christ Himself will come and make them bow, acknowledging the rightness of the church’s belief and standing before God.

Not only that, but the church is also promised to be kept “from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” This promise has caused much debate over the centuries, particularly in the Rapture/Tribulation debate, since Christ mentions the trial that is coming on the whole world” and to “try those who dwell on the earth.” This seems to indicate that all who are on the earth will experience that great trial (often known in the OT as the “Day of the Lord”).

Will the church go through the great tribulation? The phrase “keep you from the hour of tribulation” could have two meanings: 1) removal from the tribulation; or 2) keeping safe in the midst of the tribulation. Either of these is a likely rendering in the context of the letter. It’s not necessary, therefore, to answer that question to understand the meaning. The bottom line of the promise is that the church will be protected, whether by removal from or by preservation in the midst of the the tribulation. Whichever view one takes of that question should be held loosely.

One final promise is given; “I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God.” This is a promise of a permanent place in the Kingdom of God. It also speaks of the believers collectively as the Temple of Christ. We are the pillars of that temple, having been built on the foundation of Christ (1 Cor. 3:10-11). And again, this speaks to an assurance that the believers will be granted entrance into the Kingdom. For those faithful to Christ, their place in the Kingdom and the Temple of God is assured.

Next: Lukewarm Laodiceans