Commentary on Revelation (covers all chapters from 1 thru 22, including Introduction)
Copyright © 2019 by Steve Sewell, Theology First. All Rights Reserved
All Scripture quotations are from the 1901 American Standard Version unless otherwise noted.
About Sardis
Mentioned only here in Revelation (see 1:11).
City of Sardis: In the Manisa Province of Turkey, in the region of Lydia.
Coffman Commentaries:
Quote:
A present-day village named Sart, composed of a few paltry huts, is all that remains of the once proud capital of the Lydian monarchy,[1] and which probably existed even before the Lydian kingdom came into being in 1200 B.C.[2] Great names of ancient history were associated with the place, such as Croesus (with fabulous riches), Cyrus, and Alexander the Great. When Xerxes launched his disastrous invasion of Greece, Sardis was the staging area for his immense army. It was strategically located on top of a plateau protected on three sides by almost perpendicular cliffs overlooking the Hermus valley, giving the city strong military protection. Despite this, however, the city was twice destroyed through their overconfidence in leaving the supposedly unclimbable cliffs unprotected. Such overconfidence is understandable; for on all but the south side, “Its perpendicular rock walls rose 1,500 feet above the valley, and provided a natural citadel.”[3] Both Cyrus in 546 B.C. and Antiochus the Great in 218 B.C. captured Sardis by scaling the undefended cliffs. The great importance of the city in ancient times, however, had sharply declined in apostolic times; and the city itself partook somewhat of the “deadness” that this letter ascribes to the church there. The principal temple of the place was that of Cybele, identified with Artemis, and like all other pagan temples a center of immorality. Ruins of it lie along the Pactolus river in the valley below the cliffs, the once gold-laden sands of which were one source of the city’s wealth. The worship of the emperor was also strong there; and, out of gratitude to Tiberius who had aided financially in rebuilding the city after an earthquake in 17 A.D., they competed for the honor of building a temple to him; but they lost out to Smyrna.[4] Tiberius remitted their taxes for a period, but Sardis never regained its place of importance, except for a brief while in the reign of Diocletian. It existed continuously until 1402 when it was so completely destroyed by Tamerlane that it was never rebuilt.[5] Scott reported that “only two or three shepherds inhabited a hut there” at the time of Arundel’s visit in 1826, and that in 1850 “no human being was found living in the once mighty and populous Sardis.”[6]
The fact that no New Testament records tell of the establishment of the church in Sardis should not be thought strange; because only a small fraction of the activity of the apostles and first generation Christians is mentioned in the New Testament. Sardis probably learned the truth about the same time that other churches in the area were planted, and possibly from the very same sources.
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Wikipedia: Sardis
Outline
Positive:
- Some things still remain
- A few names that have not defiled their garments
Negative:
- In name only
- They are dead
- No works perfect before God
Charge:
- Be watchful
- Establish the things that remain
- Remember and keep
- Repent
Warning:
- Jesus will come as a thief upon them
Promise:
- The faithful will walk with Jesus in white
- They will be arrayed in white garments
- Their name will not be blot out of the book of life
- Jesus will confess their name
Revelation 3:1-6 – (Sardis)
(Rev 3:1) – 1 And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead.
“to the angel”
(See commentary Rev 1:20 and Rev 2:1 – Ephesus)
“seven Spirits of God”
(See commentary on Rev 1:4)
“seven stars”
(See commentary on Rev 1:20)
“I know thy works”
As the all-knowing Son of God, He knew their works — both good and bad, right and wrong. Jesus is the Supreme Overseer of His churches. Nothing escapes His attention. He is ever watching. He observes faithfulness and unfaithfulness. He observes good works and evil works. He observes right teaching and false teaching. He observes true worship and those who merely go through the motions. He observes the quality of ministry to see if it has true depth or if it’s shallow. He observes the spirituality of people to see if it’s genuine. He observes our lives as believers to see if we’re living a separated life unto Him, or walking in worldliness. He observes the pastors (elders) to see if they’re leading and teaching in faithfulness and boldness as true men of God. He looks to see the difference they’re making in people’s lives, whether positive or negative. He looks to see if their teaching and preaching is producing the fruit of changed lives unto Christ.
In the case of Sardis, the works Jesus observed were mostly negative. The church as a whole was unfaithful, which always begins with the leaders — for as goes the leaders so goes the people. Church elders have a huge responsibility to lead in faithfulness to Christ and His teachings.
ASV — “thou hast a name that thou livest, and thou art dead”
WEB — “you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.
As a church, they were an assembly of Christians in name only. They had a reputation for being alive, but were, in fact “dead.” Although they did have some true faithful followers of Christ in their midst, the majority were dead — spiritually dead. Jesus knows the heart and saw many who had a profession of faith, but were in fact people who were deceived about their salvation. They believed themselves to be true Christians, but Jesus knew the truth about them. Others may have known they (themselves) were not true believers, and were merely professing to be Christians — in other words, faking it.
We live in a day of shallow and worldly and materialistic churches, where doctrine and verse by verse teaching has been replaced by the fluff of “felt-needs” topical messages (2 Tim 4:3). We live in a day where the life and gospel of Christ has been reduced to the A, B, C’s of salvation. We have become a community of biblically illiterate people. While we certainly have personal responsibility, I attribute this largely to the leaders. They set the example. They’re the ones who provide the pattern for us to follow. If church leaders themselves don’t place the highest value and priority on the teaching of God’s Word, and if they don’t emphasize the importance of separated, Spirit-filled living, then the people will generally follow suit. Church leaders have been given a great responsibility to lead in faithfulness to the ways of Christ. If they fail to do so, they will give an accounting for it (He 13:7,17; Ja 3:1).
Many pastors today are guilty of such shallow teaching. I think there are many people sitting in churches today who believe they’re true Christians and on their way to Heaven, when in reality, they’re deceived. Pastors must be aware of how important it is to present the Word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ in a manner that produces true followers of Christ. A shallow or incomplete gospel will produce Christians in “name only.”
(Rev 3:2) – 2 Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God.
“Be thou watchful”
Jesus instructed them to be “watchful,” because as we discussed, Jesus Himself is watching. We’re to have the same heart as our Lord. We’re to watch what goes on within our assemblies, and we’re to watch ourselves to make sure that we’re in harmony with the will of God. We need to be watchful to make sure that we’re fulfilling the purpose to which He’s called us as members of His Church and as His representatives in the world. The church in Sardis was doing a very poor job of that.
“establish the things that remain, which were ready to die”
Although this was a church that was generally characterized by a false faith and dead or incomplete works, they still had a few faithful followers of Jesus Christ (vs. 4) who were producing the “things that remain.” Those few were the backbone of that church. Whether there were any leaders among those few, it’s not known. Whatever difference they could make, they were to make the effort. They were to do what they could to influence their assembly to live for Christ and to fulfill the plan and purpose God had for them.
However, in regard to those “things that remain,” Jesus said that they “were ready to die.” Against the majority, it can be overwhelming being among the faithful few, and those in Sardis were apparently losing ground. The majority didn’t want to follow those who were living and serving in the will of God. Nevertheless, as was true then, is true now, we’re to remain faithful to our Lord no matter who opposes us. To this church overall, Jesus commanded them to “establish the things that remain.” Whatever faithfulness they still had left, they were to build upon it, they were to strengthen it before it slipped away and died like the rest of their service to Christ. If they didn’t, they would become fully apostate, where there are no genuine believers left.
Apparently, most of the true believers had left this church by this time, and probably started their own church. Or perhaps, over time the true believers died, leaving mostly unbelievers in this church. Whichever the case, only a few true believers remained and were faithful to Christ.
“for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God”
“perfected” (Gr. pleroo – 4137)
To fill to the full, or to complete to the point of no lack.
Jesus looked upon the church in Sardis and could not find even one thing about them that was perfect or complete in the eyes of God. They lacked in every area of life and ministry. This was a church that was sorely wanting. Whatever they may have been doing for Christ in the beginning, either disappeared or was barely surviving. Whatever they had left was weak and losing ground fast.
What a sad description of any church that represents the Lord Jesus Christ. Every Christian church should be Spirit-led and fully alive, doing the works of the Lord in a manner that is readily approved by the Lord. Then we will one day hear His words, “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21). Every church ought to strive for excellence. We should not accept anything short of that. What we do for Jesus should be done with our whole heart.
(Rev 3:3) – 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
“Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep it, and repent.”
The people were to “remember.” They were to remember their beginning as a true Christian church, filled with true followers of Christ. They were to remember how the life-changing gospel had led them to faith in Christ. Those original believers served as both a witness against them, and as a light to lead them to “repentance” unto true salvation. The few true believers that were left in their assembly also served as a witness to the truth in Christ, so that they were without excuse.
“keep it, and repent”
They were to embrace what they still had as a church – as practiced by the true believers – and return to all that they had departed from.
“If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.”
In verse 2, Jesus instructed them to “be watchful.” They were to be watchful about their spiritual lives personally, and they were to be watchful to make sure that we’re fulfilling the purpose to which Christ had called them to as a church. If they didn’t, if they remained in the same sad spiritual condition that they were in, Jesus would “come as a thief” against them in judgment — whatever judgment that be, and it would catch them by surprise.
Barnes Notes:
Quote:
And ye shall not know what hour I will come upon thee – You shall not know beforehand; you shall have no warning of my immediate approach. This is often the way in which God comes to people in his heavy judgments. Long beforehand, he admonishes us, indeed, of what must be the consequences of a course of sin, and warns us to turn from it; but when sinners refuse to attend to his warning, and still walk in the way of evil, he comes suddenly, and cuts them down. Every man who is warned of the evil of his course, and who refuses or neglects to repent, has reason to believe that God will come suddenly in his wrath, and call him to his bar, Proverbs 29:1. No such man can presume on impunity; no one who is warned of his guilt and danger can feel that he is for one moment safe. No one can have any basis of calculation that he will be spared; no one can flatter himself with any probable anticipation that he will have time to repent when God comes to take him away. Benevolence has done its appropriate work in warning him – how can the Great Judge of all be to blame, if he comes then, and suddenly cuts the sinner off?
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(Rev 3:4) – 4 But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.
“a few names” (the faithful few)
As already discussed, this was once a church filled with true believers, but over time they had drifted in their faith as a church, leaving only a faithful remnant. It’s this remnant of believers that didn’t “defile their garments.”
In other words, since they were true born-again believers, they didn’t drift away from Christ and the true teachings of Christianity. True faith is an abiding faith. True faith continues and is characterized by faithfulness — which is the fruit of salvation. Faithfulness follows what it professes to believe.
“they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.”
This is a clear description of salvation. The color of “white” refers to those who have been cleansed from their sins. Those who profess Christ and remain faithful to Him throughout their lifetime, will walk with Him in the “white” of salvation throughout eternity — for “they are worthy.”
(Rev 3:5) – 5 He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
“He that overcometh”
This is meant to be both an encouragement and a warning. They were to respond to Christ’s words in obedience. For those few true believers, they were to “overcome” by remaining true to what they had “received and heard” (vs. 3), and to endure no matter what they had to go through for the name of Christ. For all the rest, they were to “overcome” unbelief and turn to Christ in true faith.
“shall thus be arrayed in white garments”
“book of life”
Again, “white garments” is a clear description of someone who has been cleansed of their sins and have true salvation in Christ. Thus their names will never be removed from the “book of life.” This speaks of the security that we have in Christ (unconditional security).
It’s uncertain if this is an actual book, because God is all-knowing, and therefore, He doesn’t need a book to remind Him of who’s written in it. So, it may be merely symbolic for the record that God keeps of His redeemed. However, I think it’s possible that an actual book will be presented to us for our own benefit (Rev 20:12,15).
“I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels”
Jesus says these words in Matthew 10:32 and Luke 12:8. Those who confess Christ, He will confess before His Father and before His angels. But what does that really mean? Confessing Christ takes into account who He is: He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity of God. He is the Savior of the world.
Therefore, when someone confesses Christ, they confess Him not only as Savior, but as Lord and King. Meaning, they don’t confess Him as Savior while refusing Him as Lord of their lives. Those who do, reveal a false faith, a false salvation. Confessing Christ is a confession of being one of His followers, that we’ve surrendered our lives to His authority and care. It means we’ve chosen a new Master over our lives, that we’ve chosen to turn from going our own way, to go His way.
When we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He confesses us as His own (John 10:14).
(Rev 3:6) – 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
(See commentary on Rev 2:7)