Conquering Kingship for a Compliant People: Revelation 3:14–22, Part 2

Theological Ethics for the Laodiceans and for Us

(avg. read time: 9–19 mins.)

Part 1

Verses 18–20: Exhortation

Jesus advises the Laodiceans to buy from him gold refined by fire so that they may be rich, white robes for clothing so that they may hide their shameful nakedness, and salve for their eyes so that they may see. This is another point at which scholars try to connect the imagery with local references of banking, textile production of black wool, and medical facilities.¹ However, these connections are also questionable because it is not clear how much banking contributed to Laodicea’s wealth at this time, there is no evidence that Laodicea in particular was noted for its eye salve (even if Phyrgia in general was known for its powder that would contribute to such treatment for the eyes), and a direct textile contrast of white garments with black wool is unlikely in light of the prevalence of white garments in Revelation in general and in light of how Christ also promises white garments to the conquerors in Sardis (3:5; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13–14; 19:14).² As such, the available evidence once again demands that interpreters not become overly attached to the idea of local referents for Christ’s language. The metaphors are still comprehensible without such referents.

In this first exhortation Christ uses a verb (συμβουλεύω) that, “deliberately understates (using language of advice for a command) the seriousness of the situation,” meaning that it is imperative in force, but not in form.³ After all, Christ has already stated the seriousness of the situation in vv. 16–17. What he therefore advises them to do is a threefold response to their actual condition of being poor, naked, and blind.

First, they should buy from him gold refined by fire. The idea of buying something from God despite having no wealth has but one precedent in Isa 55:1–3, which is in the context of covenant renewal. In Isaiah as here, the point of the ironic imagery is that the object of purchase, “cannot be bought; it must be accepted as a gift on the basis of faith.”⁴ Based on the few precedents this imagery has, the refined gold is a symbol of purified life and richness of faithfulness proven by trials of suffering (cf. Ps 66:10; Prov 27:21; Zech 13:9; Mal 3:2–3; 1 Pet 1:7).⁵ Due to the Laodiceans’ compliant character, they had a distinct lack of suffering for their faith and they were accommodating to their pagan environment to the point of undermining their allegiance to Christ. Thus, despite their claims to be rich, they are in desperate need of this refined gold in order to be truly rich. This refined gold is also not something they can produce of themselves—as they might be inclined to think in light of their self-sufficient mindset—but it is a gift they can obtain only from Christ, the one who has carved the path of faithfulness through suffering that leads to resurrection and enthronement.

Second, they should purchase white garments to hide their nakedness. As noted above, the imagery of white garments appears at multiple points throughout Revelation and it is noted as heavenly attire provided only by God. This attire is one of the distinctive marks of the saints, those who have conquered by their faithfulness to Jesus and have attained these garments as a sign of their victorious faith. The Laodiceans are currently lacking in this attire and thus they are naked. By their compliance and apparent refusal to join the cosmic conflict, they had unwittingly aligned themselves with the impoverished and losing side of the conflict. Their attainment of white garments would thus become a sign of their renewed faith and holiness in distinction from their environment.⁶

Third, they are to attain from Christ the salve for their eyes, so that they will no longer be blind to their condition. This note is especially fitting for the apocalyptic nature of this work, since apocalypses allow the audience to see what is happening behind the curtain of empirical reality, to view events, persons, and institutions from a heavenly perspective. Christ is now revealing the true state of the Laodiceans to them in order to guide them to restoration.⁷ With these three different images, Christ speaks against the Laodiceans’ claim of self-sufficiency and their non-committal allegiance while portraying himself as the provider for all of their needs if they will only repent, as is the instruction in the next verse.

Christ reaffirms that his fundamental relationship with the Laodiceans is one of love; otherwise, he would not reprove (ἐλέγχω) and discipline (παιδεύω) them. This terminology is reminiscent of some descriptions of God’s relationship with Israel and the righteous (Deut 8:5; Ps 94:12–15; Prov 3:11–12; Jer 5:3; 2 Macc 6:12–17; Pss. Sol. 10:1–3; 14:1; Heb 12:4–11). Robert Thomas notes that there is a slight distinction between these verbs in a context such as this one: “Elenchō refers to a verbal rebuke designed to bring a person to acknowledge his fault. It attempts to correct by word as compared with paideuō, which accomplishes the same goal by act. The latter word has the basic connotation of ‘instruct’ or ‘educate’ and developed a meaning of ‘chasten’ when the education process was expedited with correction.”⁸ Christ is thus taking all of the necessary steps to correct the Laodiceans and guide them back to the path that they had left.

At this point, Christ uses the first formal imperatives of this letter when he instructs the Laodiceans to be zealous (ζήλευε) and repent (μετανόησον). The first verb is a hapax legomenon in the NT that represents a decided change from the church’s lukewarm condition (Num 25:11–13; 1 Macc 2:24–27; cf. the noun form in John 2:17; Rom 10:2; 2 Cor 7:7, 11; 9:2; Phil 3:6). David Mathewson suggests that the present tense of the first verb “could emphasize and describe the condition for their repentance, summarized with the aorist μετανόησον.”⁹ As such, the second imperative carries the most weight in Jesus’s instruction.

Repentance likewise represents a profound change from the current condition of the Laodiceans as it entails a change in the direction of one’s life and adopting a change of agenda that guides one’s life. It is both an act and a way of life defined by turning away from the current direction in one’s life, confessing the wrongness of action taken in that direction, and accepting a new direction and agenda for one’s life. In this specific context, repentance is more of a return to the previous orientation of life than the acceptance of an entirely new direction.¹⁰ Only by repentance would the Laodiceans proceed to live the victorious life that Christ meant for them for it is only by repentance that they can be reconciled to Christ. Indeed, the subsequent image in v. 20 of Jesus standing at the door and knocking invokes this process of meeting divine forgiveness with repentance.

The famous image of Jesus in v. 20 has been subject to both eschatological and personal interpretation (i.e., that this image refers to Jesus’s eschatological coming or to Christ’s appeal at a personal level without reference to the eschatological coming).¹¹ This debate depends on whether one ties this verse closer to v. 19 or v. 21. Although there is not sufficient space to engage this debate fully, the personal interpretation of this image is more likely for three reasons. One, v. 20 fits better as the outworking of vv. 18–19 as it provides an image encapsulating the directives and the implementation thereof. Two, v. 20 also provides a proper conclusion to the act of repentance as it leads to reconciliation with Christ. Three, the participle that begins v. 21 is typically a marker of a new subsection in each of the letters, specifically the subsection of promise for conquerors (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12).

This image describes the process of reconciliation—which is especially necessary for this church with no commendable qualities—in terms of hospitality and fellowship.¹² The broken nature of the relationship requires the most intimate of settings in the ancient world to restore it. It begins with Jesus standing at the door and knocking, thereby extending his offer of forgiveness. This offer is in stark contrast to his earlier condemnation by which he expressed the imminence of his vomiting of the Laodiceans out of his mouth. It also illustrates the radical graciousness of Jesus: he is still willing to seek the fellowship of the Laodiceans in spite of their failure to keep covenant with him in distinction from their environment. Indeed, Christ is the one who takes the initiative in offering forgiveness to the people by extending the offer of renewed fellowship.

Since Christ has already taken the initiative to initiate contact, the Laodiceans are in a position to respond by signifying their repentance. When they hear and open the door, they show that they have listened to what Christ has said to them in the rest of the message and that they are responding appropriately (for similar links between hearing and obeying, see Matt 7:24–25 // Luke 6:47–48; Matt 13:1–23 // Mark 4:1–20 // Luke 8:4–15; John 5:24–29; 8:44–47; 10:27; Acts 2:37–38; 3:22–23; Heb 3:7–19; 1 John 2:7–8; 3:11–24; 4:4–6; 2 John 6; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:3, 6, 13, 22). Their repentance entails that they have returned to living the victorious life that Christ offers rather than the compliant life that currently defines them.

Finally, Christ enters and engages in the mutual act of dining with the Laodiceans, as signified by the fact that Christ emphasizes that the Laodiceans will eat with him as he eats with them (δειπνήσω μετ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς μετ’ ἐμοῦ). The mutual relationship has been reestablished in this scenario, meaning that reconciliation has occurred. After all, reconciliation is the initial act and subsequent process in which the offended one’s forgiveness meets the offender’s repentance. When reconciliation occurs, the relationship is properly restored and the parties involved begin forging a renewed life together. The result of this restoration and renewal, if it should occur, is the subject of the promise in v. 21.

Verses 21–22: Climactic Promise and Closing Formula

The climax of this letter comes with the promise of conquering kingship for this presently compliant people. In order to attain this promise, they must join those who conquer (cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12). Those who conquer will be enthroned on Jesus’s throne, even as Jesus’s conquest led to his enthronement on God’s throne. As all of the letters indicate, those who conquer are those who are faithful in spite of all resistance and against all temptations to alter allegiances and to assimilate to the world that currently stands in opposition to God (3:10; 6; 8–9; 11:7–10, 17–18; 13; 14:9–20; 16; 17:1–5, 8, 14–18; 18:2–3, 9–24; 19:1–3, 15–21; cf. John 7:7; 1 John 2:15–17; 3:1, 13, 16–17; 4:1, 3–5, 17; 5:19).¹³

Richard Bauckham is likely correct that this promise appears here as the last in the series of seven promises in order to anticipate the throne room scene in the next two chapters, which also features the announcement of Christ’s victory.¹⁴ However, I argue that there is more to the function of this promise in this text and in the book as a whole. On the one hand, it introduces the theme of believers sitting on thrones, although it is explicitly Jesus’ throne, indicating the participatory character of their rule.¹⁵ On the other hand, it climaxes the victory theme in the letters and anticipates references to victory thereafter by clearly establishing the participatory nature of victory (5:5; 12:11; 15:2; 17:14; 21:7). The references to different subjects of victory are balanced hereafter (5:5 and 17:14 refer to Christ as victor, while 12:11; 15:2; and 21:7 refer to believers as victors), but the framework of Christ’s victory shapes all such texts, meaning that the victory of believers is simply participation in the victory of Christ.¹⁶

Victory terminology is more common in Revelation than in the rest of the New Testament combined. Particularly, seventeen of the twenty-eight NT occurrences of the verb νικάω appear in this book. The beast is the subject twice, Christ is the subject five times, and believers are the subject ten times. However, 3:21 clearly establishes the participatory nature of the believers’ victory. It participates in the pattern of faithfulness unto death and resurrection by which Christ attained his enthronement with the Father. That is the nature of the victorious life: it involves suffering faithfulness held against the tide of the world, refusal to abandon allegiance in order to assimilate to the world, and perseverance in allegiance to God until death. This life is the victorious life because it follows the path of Christ to the cross in order to follow him out of the empty tomb and to the designated throne.¹⁷ Victory is assured because the result has already happened once.

This text is only the beginning of this theme of participatory victory in Revelation. In 5:5 the victory of Christ—explained in 5:9 as his being slaughtered and ransoming the saints for God by his blood—becomes the basis for the victory of others, specifically the saints whom he has made a kingdom and priests that will reign on the earth (5:10). His kingship becomes their kingship by derivation, as in 3:21. Likewise, in 12:11 the saints conquer the devil by the blood of the Lamb—the symbol of the Lamb’s victory, as noted above—and by their faithful testimony to Christ in the face of death. The statement of 17:14 also links believers to Christ when he conquers the kings who array in war against him. Finally, 21:7 presents the consummate promise to those who conquer, that they will inherit the new creation and new Jerusalem. The sweep of Revelation’s story indicates that this new reality will be the victory of God’s creative purposes over all forces that might resist. The new reality also represents the triumph of God’s covenantal promises, as 21:7 evokes the common covenantal formula that represents the ideal, renewed relationship between God and the covenant people, which is some variation of, “I will be their God and they will be my people” (Exod 6:7; 29:45–46; Lev 26:12; Deut 26:18–19; Jer 11:4; 24:7; 30:22; 31:1,33; 32:38; Ezek 11:20; 14:11; 34:30; 36:28; 37:23, 27; Hos 1:9; 2:23, 25; Zech 8:8; 13:9).¹⁸

The other aspect of v. 21 is that those who conquer will sit on Christ’s throne with him as Christ has sat on the throne with the Father. The importance of this imagery to Revelation as a whole is clear from the fact that John often refers to God as the one who sits on the throne (1:4; 4:2–3, 5–6, 9–10; 5:1, 6–7, 11, 13; 6:16; 7:9–11, 15; 8:3; 12:5; 14:3; 16:17; 19:4–5; 20:11–12; 21:3, 5; 22:1, 3; cf. Acts 7:49; Heb 1:8; 4:16; 8:1; 12:2). In other cases, John refers to God on the throne and Christ in close proximity to indicate their equal honor and authority (5:13; 6:16; 7:9–10; 12:5; 22:1, 3). In other cases, believers—whether generically or as represented by the twenty-four elders—sit on their own thrones (4:4; 11:16; 20:4–6; cf. Matt 19:28 // Luke 22:30), whereas this text explicitly states that their throne is Christ’s throne (cf. 1:6, 9; 5:10; 12:10–11; 20:6; 22:5). Given the future tense of these promises (esp. 1:6; 3:21; 5:10; 20:4–6; 22:5) and the parallel of the promise in v. 21 with the third christological title in v. 14 (wherein Christ is both beginning and ruler of the new creation), the reality of believers participating in Christ’s rule is an expectation associated with the new creation. The extent to which they can implement that rule in the present depends on the extent to which they implement the victorious life.

These references to the rule of the saints as participating in the rule of God may be fulfilling Dan 7:18 and 27, which present the promise that believers will participate in the reign of God in the kingdom of God.¹⁹ If this imagery is a deliberate allusion to Dan 7, it would be unsurprising given the frequent allusions to Dan 7 throughout Revelation (1:6–7, 13–15; 5:11; 12:14; 13:1–7; 17:3, 7, 12; 20:10; 22:5). It is also possible that this promise is reminiscent of Ps 110, the most common text used to refer to Christ’s triumphant enthronement because of its reference to the one sitting at the Lord’s right hand (Matt 22:43–45 // Mark 12:35–37 // Luke 20:41–44; Matt 26:64 // Mark 14:62 // Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33–36; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20–23; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12–13; 12:2; 1 Pet 3:21b–22). Timothy Decker observes that this possible subtle allusion, “is a universalization of this messianic Psalm applied to the saints, something very similar to Rev 2:26-27 with Ps 2:8-9 and the theme of reigning.”²⁰ Given the aforementioned participatory nature of the believers’ victory and reign, such an allusion would make functional sense to convey that Jesus’s people participate in the rule that fulfills this text.

The letter then closes as formulaically as it opened: ὁ ἔχων οὖς ἀκουσάτω τί τὸ πνεῦμα λέγει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις (“The one who has an ear should hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches”; cf. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13).²¹ This closing reiterates the importance of hearing and responding appropriately to what the audience hears, as in v. 20. The formulaic reference to the churches also indicates that these letters were circular. Even as specific messages addressed specific churches, all of the churches were to heed all of the words of the Lord. Finally, the fact that the words of Christ are identified as the words of the Spirit indicates one can no more separate the words of Christ and the Spirit than separate the throne of Christ and the Father.

Conclusion and Application

Every aspect of this letter contributes to Christ’s call to participatory victory in anticipation of participatory rule in the new creation. The three ways Christ identifies himself point to this telos of new creation because they all testify to how he has established the way of faithful testimony to God unto death that leads to resurrection and enthronement. These qualities assure the audience that he can address the problems of the unfaithful Laodiceans, which are problems born from their assimilation to their environment and consequent shirking of the victorious life. Despite their unfaithfulness, Christ extends the offer for restoration to the victorious life by reconciliation with him. Finally, the climactic promise assures the ones who do return to victorious life that their victory will lead to enthronement with Christ, even as Christ’s victory led to enthronement with the Father. When Christians follow the path to the cross, they also follow the path out of the empty tomb and to the throne. When they live faithfully, Christ’s victory becomes their victory, his throne becomes their throne.

Churches today need to hear all aspects of this message to Laodicea, not only because the warnings, exhortations, and promises therein will always be relevant to the Church, but also because many churches today face the same temptations as the Laodiceans. Today, as in the days of Rome, the temptation to compromise allegiance for the sake of assimilation persists. Any complete assimilation to any culture inevitably compromises allegiance to Christ, who critiques and redeems people of all cultures. Whether in an environment of persecution—which much of the church across the world faces—or in an environment of accommodation and favor—which much of the church in America faces to varying degrees—the temptation to assimilate remains active and the need to guide believers away from that temptation remains imperative. In such environments, people need both words of warning about where assimilation can lead and words of encouragement to hold fast in the midst of the tempest of temptation. Regardless of a church’s particular stance—whether it resembles the complete assimilation of Laodicea or the struggling opposition of Smyrna—all need to remember that victorious life involves transcending the surrounding world in allegiance to Christ.

For those churches that are like Laodicea in being indistinguishable from the surrounding environment and thinking of themselves more highly than they ought due to the superficialities of material assets or some kind of numerical superiority, Revelation presents a humbling message about looking through the eyes of Jesus and responding appropriately with zealous repentance. Such compliant churches have forsaken the way of victorious life, which is the way of faithfulness to God unto death against all obstacles. A compliant church that can never challenge the culture can never be a congregation of conquering kings. The only way to resolve the contradiction between that state and the promise of God is meeting the gracious offer of forgiveness with repentance, thereby accepting a new agenda that defines the victorious life. They do not need to concern themselves with the acquisition of material wealth; instead, they should concern themselves with attaining the richness of faith that characterizes the victorious life. They do not need the clothing of their own accolades; instead, they should concern themselves with acquiring the clothing of holiness that is the gift of God. They should not see themselves with haughty self-regard; instead, they need the union with Christ that will grant them the vision to see themselves as he sees them.

Finally, the theme of participatory victory provides an important framework for ethical directives. When one obeys the commands of Jesus and faithfully follows him, one is thereby participating in Jesus’s victorious reign over worldly and otherworldly evils. This framework provides the context for empowerment to live faithfully while making clear that believers do not bring about the final victory—which belongs to Christ—but they can participate in it through how they live now. This theme of participatory victory and participatory rule (i.e., conquering kingship) is an important piece of Revelation’s hope with feet on the ground, its eschatology with ethics, and its grand narrative that calls for personal involvement. For Christians around the world who are persecuted, the message of conquering kingship is a message of empowerment, comfort, and assurance of the telos of their lives. For Christians around the world who are compliant with the world around them, the message of conquering kingship is a call to action and a most gracious promise for those who heed the call and respond with repentance.

1. Blount, Revelation, 82; Hemer, Letters, 194–201; Osborne, Revelation, 208–10; Thomas, Revelation 1-7, 312; Worth, Seven Cities, 216–19.

2. Koester, “Message,” 417–19; Prigent, Revelation, 211.

3. Osborne, Revelation, 208.

4. Ibid., 209.

5. Thomas, Revelation 1-7, 314.

6. Cf. Koester, “Message,” 423–24.

7. Ibid., 423.

8. Thomas, Revelation 1-7, 319.

9. Mathewson, Revelation, 55.

10. J. Behm, “μετανοέω, μετάνοια,” TDNT 4:975–1008; Osborne, Revelation, 117; N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, vol. 2 of Christian Origins and the Question of God (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1996), 246–58. Repentance was a prevalent subject of exhortation in the OT, NT, and Second Temple literature precisely because it was essential for reconciliation with God. For examples, see Deut 30:1–10; Pss 7; 51:13; 78:34–39; Isa 9:12–21; 10:20–34; 55:7–11; Jer 3; 31:16–40; Ezek 18:21–31; 33:9–19; Dan 9:13; Hos 14:1–4; Joel 2:12–14; Amos 4:6–11; Jon 3:8–10; Wis 5:3; 11:23; T. Dan 5:8–9; Jub 1:15–18, 22–25; Hel. Syn. Pr. 11:5–8, 10; Matt 3:11 // Mark 1:4 // Luke 3:3; Luke 13:3, 5; 17:3–4; Acts 2:38; Rom 5:6–11; 2 Cor 2:5–10; Heb 6:4–6; 2 Pet 3:9; Josephus, J.W. 3.135–137; 5.360–419; 6.96–111.

11. Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy: Studies in the Book of Revelation (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1993), 107–8; Beale, Revelation, 308; Hemer, Letters, 207; Osborne, Revelation, 217; Smalley, Revelation, 102.

12. Osborne, Revelation, 213.

13. On cosmic conflict in other Johannine works, see Harriman, “Take Heart,” 305–7.

14. Bauckham, Climax, 6. Cf. Smalley, Revelation, 105.

15. Aune explains the sharing of one throne by multiple occupants as involving a bisellium, which would be a familiar image from mythology and politics (Revelation 1–5, 262).

16. Although they do not fit this pattern, two other references are noteworthy. In both 11:7 and 13:7 the beast is the subject of victory, being allowed to conquer the two witnesses and the saints, but only for a time. The limited nature and duration of these victories in contrast to Christ’s everlasting victory illustrate how these victories are only possible because of God’s allowance, which in turn assures the suffering audience that God is sovereign over the direction of history. Furthermore, the fact that the beast has such temporary victories contributes to his portrayal as a parody of Christ.

17. Beale, Revelation, 171.

18. Cf. the more extensive analysis of these victory motifs in Jens-Wilhelm Taeger, “‘Gesiegt! O himmlische Musik des Wortes!’ Zur Entfaltung des Siegesmotivs in den johanneischen Schriften,” ZNW 85 (1994): 38–41.

19. Aune, Revelation 1–5, 261.

20. Decker, “‘Live Long,’” 427. Cf. Osborne, Revelation, 215.

21. The translation reflects the suggestion of Mathewson to convey the strength of the directive in the third person imperative as focusing on the subject performing the action (Revelation, 22).