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Selected Verse: Revelation 3:14 - Webster

Verse	Translation	Text
Re 3:14	Webster	And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
	King James	And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
Laodiceans--The city was in the southwest of Phrygia, on the river Lycus, not far from Colosse, and lying between it and Philadelphia. It was destroyed by an earthquake, A.D. 62, and rebuilt by its wealthy citizens without the help of the state [TACITUS, Annals, 14.27]. This wealth (arising from the excellence of its wools) led to a self-satisfied, lukewarm state in spiritual things, as Rev 3:17 describes. See on Col 4:16, on the Epistle which is thought to have been written to the Laodicean Church by Paul. The Church in latter times was apparently flourishing; for one of the councils at which the canon of Scripture was determined was held in Laodicea in A.D. 361. Hardly a Christian is now to be found on or near its site. the Amen-- (Isa 65:16, Hebrew, "Bless Himself in the God of Amen . . . swear by the God of Amen," Co2 1:20). He who not only says, but is, the Truth. The saints used Amen at the end of prayer, or in assenting to the word of God; but none, save the Son of God, ever said, "Amen, I say unto you," for it is the language peculiar to God, who avers by Himself. The New Testament formula, "Amen. I say unto you," is equivalent to the Old Testament formula, "as I live, saith Jehovah." In John's Gospel alone He uses (in the Greek) the double "Amen," Joh 1:51; Joh 3:3, &c.; in English Version," Verily, verily." The title happily harmonizes with the address. His unchanging faithfulness as "the Amen" contrasts with Laodicea's wavering of purpose, "neither hot nor cold" (Rev 3:16). The angel of Laodicea has with some probability been conjectured to be Archippus, to whom, thirty years previously, Paul had already given a monition, as needing to be stirred up to diligence in his ministry. So the Apostolic Constitutions, [8.46], name him as the first bishop of Laodicea: supposed to be the son of Philemon (Plm 1:2). faithful and true witness--As "the Amen" expresses the unchangeable truth of His promises; so "the faithful the true witness," the truth of His revelations as to the heavenly things which He has seen and testifies. "Faithful," that is, trustworthy (Ti2 2:11, Ti2 2:13). "True" is here (Greek, "alethinos") not truth-speaking (Greek, "alethes"), but "perfectly realizing all that is comprehended in the name Witness" (Ti1 6:13). Three things are necessary for this: (1) to have seen with His own eyes what He attests; (2) to be competent to relate it for others; (3) to be willing truthfully to do so. In Christ all these conditions meet [TRENCH]. beginning of the creation of God--not he whom God created first, but as in Col 1:15-18 (see on Col 1:15-18), the Beginner of all creation, its originating instrument. All creation would not be represented adoring Him, if He were but one of themselves. His being the Creator is a strong guarantee for His faithfulness as "the Witness and Amen."

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

Laodiceans--The city was in the southwest of Phrygia, on the river Lycus, not far from Colosse, and lying between it and Philadelphia. It was destroyed by an earthquake, A.D. 62, and rebuilt by its wealthy citizens without the help of the state [TACITUS, Annals, 14.27]. This wealth (arising from the excellence of its wools) led to a self-satisfied, lukewarm state in spiritual things, as Rev 3:17 describes. See on Col 4:16, on the Epistle which is thought to have been written to the Laodicean Church by Paul. The Church in latter times was apparently flourishing; for one of the councils at which the canon of Scripture was determined was held in Laodicea in A.D. 361. Hardly a Christian is now to be found on or near its site.

the Amen-- (Isa 65:16, Hebrew, "Bless Himself in the God of Amen . . . swear by the God of Amen," Co2 1:20). He who not only says, but is, the Truth. The saints used Amen at the end of prayer, or in assenting to the word of God; but none, save the Son of God, ever said, "Amen, I say unto you," for it is the language peculiar to God, who avers by Himself. The New Testament formula, "Amen. I say unto you," is equivalent to the Old Testament formula, "as I live, saith Jehovah." In John's Gospel alone He uses (in the Greek) the double "Amen," Joh 1:51; Joh 3:3, &c.; in English Version," Verily, verily." The title happily harmonizes with the address. His unchanging faithfulness as "the Amen" contrasts with Laodicea's wavering of purpose, "neither hot nor cold" (Rev 3:16). The angel of Laodicea has with some probability been conjectured to be Archippus, to whom, thirty years previously, Paul had already given a monition, as needing to be stirred up to diligence in his ministry. So the Apostolic Constitutions, [8.46], name him as the first bishop of Laodicea: supposed to be the son of Philemon (Plm 1:2).

faithful and true witness--As "the Amen" expresses the unchangeable truth of His promises; so "the faithful the true witness," the truth of His revelations as to the heavenly things which He has seen and testifies. "Faithful," that is, trustworthy (Ti2 2:11, Ti2 2:13). "True" is here (Greek, "alethinos") not truth-speaking (Greek, "alethes"), but "perfectly realizing all that is comprehended in the name Witness" (Ti1 6:13). Three things are necessary for this: (1) to have seen with His own eyes what He attests; (2) to be competent to relate it for others; (3) to be willing truthfully to do so. In Christ all these conditions meet [TRENCH].

beginning of the creation of God--not he whom God created first, but as in Col 1:15-18 (see on Col 1:15-18), the Beginner of all creation, its originating instrument. All creation would not be represented adoring Him, if He were but one of themselves. His being the Creator is a strong guarantee for His faithfulness as "the Witness and Amen."

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write - See the notes on Rev 1:20. These things saith the Amen - Referring, as is the case in every epistle, to some attribute of the speaker adapted to impress their minds, or to give special force to what he was about to say to that particular church. Laodicea was characterized by lukewarmness, and the reference to the fact that he who was about to address them was the "Amen" - that is, was characterized by the simple earnestness and sincerity denoted by that word - was eminently suited to make an impression on the minds of such a people. The word "Amen" means "true," "certain," "faithful"; and, as used here, it means that he to whom it is applied is eminently true and faithful. What he affirms is true; what he promises or threatens is certain. Himself characterized by sincerity and truth (notes on Co2 1:20), he can look with approbation only on the same thing in others: and hence he looks with displeasure on the lukewarmness which, from its very nature, always approximates insincerity. This was an attribute, therefore, every way appropriate to be referred to in addressing a lukewarm church. The faithful and true witness - This is presenting the idea implied in the word "Amen" in a more complete form, but substantially the same thing is referred to. He is a witness for God and his truth, and he can approve of nothing which the God of truth would not approve. See the notes on Rev 1:5. The beginning of the creation of God - This expression is a very important one in regard to the rank and dignity of the Saviour, and, like all similar expressions respecting him, its meaning has been much controverted. Compare the notes on Col 1:15. The phrase used here is susceptible, properly, of only one of the following significations, namely, either: (a) that he was the beginning of the creation in the sense that he caused the universe to begin to exist - that is, that he was the author of all things; or. (b) that he was the first created being; or. (c) that he holds the primacy over all, and is at the head of the universe. It is not necessary to examine any other proposed interpretations, for the only other senses supposed to be conveyed by the words, that he is the beginning of the creation in the sense I that he rose from the dead as the first-fruits of them that sleep, or that he is the head of the spiritual creation of God, axe so foreign to the natural meaning of the words as to need no special refutation. As to the three significations suggested above, it may be observed, that the first one - that he is the author of the creation, and in that sense the beginning - though expressing a scriptural doctrine Joh 1:3; Eph 3:9; Col 1:16, is not in accordance with the proper meaning of the word used here - ἀρχὴ archē. The word properly refers to the "commencement" of a thing, not its "authorship," and denotes properly primacy in time, and primacy in rank, but not primacy in the sense of causing anything to exist. The two ideas which run through the word as it is used in the New Testament are those just suggested. For the former - primacy in regard to time - that is properly the commencement of a thing, see the following passages where the word occurs: Mat 19:4, Mat 19:8; Mat 24:8, Mat 24:21; Mar 1:1; Mar 10:6; Mar 13:8, Mar 13:19; Luk 1:2; Joh 1:1-2; Joh 2:11; Joh 6:64; Joh 8:25, Joh 8:44; Joh 15:27; Joh 16:4; Act 11:15; Jo1 1:1; Jo1 2:7, Jo1 2:13-14, Jo1 2:24; Jo1 3:8, Jo1 3:11; Jo2 1:5-6. For the latter signification, primacy of rank or authority, see the following places: Luk 12:11; Luk 20:20; Rom 8:38; Co1 15:24; Eph 1:21; Eph 3:10; Eph 6:12; Col 1:16, Col 1:18; Col 2:10, Col 2:15; Tit 3:1. The word is not, therefore, found in the sense of authorship, as denoting that one is the beginning of anything in the sense that he caused it to have an existence. As to the second of the significations suggested, that it means that he was the first created being, it may be observed: (a) that this is not a necessary signification of the phrase, since no one can show that this is the only proper meaning which could be given to the words, and therefore the phrase cannot be adduced to prove that he is himself a created being. If it were demonstrated from other sources that Christ was, in fact, a created being, and the first that God had made, it cannot be denied that this language would appropriately express that fact. But it cannot be made out from the mere use of the language here; and as the language is susceptible of other interpretations, it cannot be employed to prove that Christ is a created being. (b) Such an interpretation would be at variance with all those passages which speak of him as uncreated and eternal; which ascribe divine attributes to him; which speak of him as himself the Creator of all things. Compare Joh 1:1-3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2, Heb 1:6,Heb 1:8, Heb 1:10-12. The third signification, therefore, remains, that he is "the beginning of the creation of God," in the sense that he is the head or prince of the creation; that is, that he presides over it so far as the purposes of redemption are to be accomplished, and so far as is necessary for those purposes. This is: (1) in accordance with the meaning of the word, Luk 12:11; Luk 20:20, et al. ut supra; and, (2) in accordance with the uniform statements respecting the Redeemer, that "all power is given unto him in heaven and in earth" Mat 28:18; that God has "given him power over all flesh" Joh 17:2; that all things are "put under his feet" the. Joh 2:8; Co1 15:27); that he is exalted over all things, Eph 1:20-22. Having this rank, it was proper that he should speak with authority to the church at Laodicea.

Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886]
Of the Laodiceans (Ααοδικέων) Read ἐν Ααοδικείᾳ in Laodicea. Laodicea means justice of the people. As Laodice was a common name among the ladies of the royal house of the Seleucidae, the name was given to several cities in Syria and Asia Minor. The one here addressed was on the confines of Phrygia and Lydia, about forty miles east of Ephesus, and was known as Laodicea on the Lycus. It had born successively the names of Diospolis and Rhoas, and was named Laodicea when refounded by Antiochus Theos, b.c. 261-246. It was situated on a group of hills between two tributaries of the Lycus - the Asopus and the Caprus. Towards the end of the Roman Republic, and under the first emperors, it became one of the most important and flourishing cities of Asia Minor. One of its citizens, Hiero, bequeathed all his enormous property to the people, and adorned the city with costly gifts. It was the seat of large money transactions and of an extensive trade in wood. The citizens developed a taste for Greek art, and were distinguished in science and literature. Laodicea was the seat of a great medical school. During the Roman period it was the chief city of a Roman conventus or political district, in which courts were held by the proconsul of the province, and where the taxes from the subordinate towns were collected. Cicero held his court there, and many of his letters were written thence. The conventus represented by Laodicea comprised not less than twenty-five towns, and inscriptions refer to the city as "the metropolis." The Greek word διοίκηδις, corresponding to the Latin conventus was subsequently applied to an ecclesiastical district, and appears in diocese. The tutelary deity of the city was Zeus (Jupiter). Hence its earlier name, Diospolis, or City of Zeus. Many of its inhabitants were Jews. It was subject to frequent earthquakes, which eventually resulted in its abandonment. It is now a deserted place, but its ruins indicate by their magnitude its former importance. Among these are a racecourse, and three theatres, one of which is four hundred and fifty feet in diameter. An important church council was held there in the fourth century. The Amen Used only here as a proper name. See Isa 65:16, where the correct rendering is the God of the Amen, instead of A.V. God of truth. The term applied to the Lord signifies that He Himself is the fulfilment of all that God has spoken to the churches. Faithful (πιστός) The word occurs in the New Testament in two senses: trusty, faithful Mat 24:45; Mat 25:21, Mat 25:23; Luk 12:42); and believing, confiding (Joh 20:27; Gal 3:9; Act 16:1). Of God, necessarily only in the former sense. True (ἀληθινὸς) See on Rev 3:7. The veracity of Christ is thus asserted in the word faithful, true being not true as distinguished from false, but true to the normal idea of a witness. The beginning (ἡ ἀρχή) The beginner, or author; not as Col 1:15, the first and most excellent creature of God's hands. "The stress laid in the Epistle to the Colossians on the inferiority of those to whom the self-same name of ἀρχαὶ, beginnings principalities was given... to the One who was the true beginning, or, if we might venture on an unfamiliar use of a familiar word, the true Principality of God's creation, may account for the prominence which the name had gained, and therefore for its use here in a message addressed to a church exposed, like that of Colossae, to the risks of angelolatry, of the substitution of lower principalities and created mediators for Him who was the Head over all things to His Church" (Plumptre). Compare Heb 12:2, ἀρχηγὸν leader.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
To the angel of the church at Laodicea - For these St. Paul had had a great concern, Col 2:1. These things saith the Amen - That is, the True One, the God of truth. The beginning - The Author, Prince, and Ruler. Of the creation of God - Of all creatures; the beginning, or Author, by whom God made them all.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
These things saith the Amen - That is, He who is true or faithful; from אמן aman, he was tree; immediately interpreted, The faithful and true witness. See Rev 1:5. The beginning of the creation of God - That is, the head and governor of all creatures: the king of the creation. See on Col 1:15 (note). By his titles, here, he prepares them for the humiliating and awful truths which he was about to declare, and the authority on which the declaration was founded.

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¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature:
¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are upon earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
¹⁷ And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he may have the pre-eminence.

¹³ I give thee charge in the sight of God, who maketh alive all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate testified a good confession;

¹³ If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

¹¹ It is a faithful saying: For if we are dead with him, we shall also live with him:

² And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house:

¹⁶ So then, because thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of my mouth:

³ Jesus answered and said to him, Verily, verily, I say to thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁵¹ And he saith to him, Verily, verily, I say to you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

²⁰ For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us.

¹⁶ That he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from my eyes.

¹⁶ And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

¹⁷ Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

²⁰ Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
²² And put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,

²⁷ For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted who did put all things under him.

⁸ And he saith to them, Draw out now, and bear to the governor of the feast. And they bore it.

² As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

¹⁸ And Jesus came, and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth.

²⁰ And they watched him, and sent forth spies, who should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him to the power and authority of the governor.

¹¹ And when they bring you to the synagogues, and before magistrates, and powers, be not solicitous how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

¹⁰ And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the works of thy hands.
¹¹ They shall perish; but thou remainest: and they all shall become old as doth a garment;
¹² And as a vesture wilt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed; but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

⁸ But to the Son, he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom.

⁶ And again, when he bringeth in the first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.

² Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

¹⁶ For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are upon earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
² The same was in the beginning with God.
³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

¹ Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,

¹⁵ And having despoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

¹⁰ And ye are complete in him, who is the head of all principality and power:

¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he may have the pre-eminence.

¹² For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

¹⁰ To the intent that now to the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,

²¹ Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:

²⁴ Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power.

³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

¹¹ And when they bring you to the synagogues, and before magistrates, and powers, be not solicitous how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

⁵ And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
⁶ And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments. This is the commandment, that as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

¹¹ For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

⁸ He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

²⁴ Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

¹³ I write to you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write to you, little children, because ye have known the Father.
¹⁴ I have written to you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning: The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.

¹ That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the word of life;

¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning.

⁴ But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

²⁷ And ye also shall bear testimony, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

⁴⁴ Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

²⁵ Then said they to him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith to them, Even the same that I said to you from the beginning.

⁶⁴ But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who he was that would betray him.

¹¹ This beginning of miracles Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee, and manifested his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
² The same was in the beginning with God.

² Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word;

¹⁹ For in those days shall be affliction, such as hath not been from the beginning of the creation which God created to this time, neither shall be.

⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there will be earthquakes in divers places, and there will be famines, and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

⁶ But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female.

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God;

²¹ For then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁸ He saith to them, Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

⁴ And he answered and said to them, Have ye not read, that he who made them, at the beginning made them male and female,

⁹ And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature:

⁵ And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

²⁰ For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us.

²⁰ The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.

² Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature:

⁷ And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth:

¹ Then he came to Derbe and Lystra: and behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain woman who was a Jewess, and believed, but his father was a Greek.

⁹ So then they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

²⁷ Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing.

⁴² And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of provisions in due season?

²³ His lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

²¹ His lord said to him, Well done thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

⁴⁵ Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

¹ For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

¹⁵ Who is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature: