Episode 9: The Church in Laodicea

I had a young couple tell me recently that my Revelation study changed their life, because they no longer felt they needed to be afraid of what the book talks about, and they saw how the book presents the great hope that all those who trust in Jesus will not be judged.

And also that we can have hope for the future, because Jesus' church is advancing. I was greatly encouraged because this is exactly why I have taught through this book to show people you do not need to live in fear, bunker down, and avoid the world. Rather the book of Revelation is an emotionally powerful evangelistic text, that is designed to warn people to trust in Christ, and avoid the fate of Babylon, the Apostate people of God. The study of God's word should not bind us up but set us free.

Many people live in fear because of how some have taught them to read this book. But I can't help but read Revelation and see the revelation of the hope of the world.

If you are interested in a hopeful and hope-filled approach to Revelation, I am now live streaming my Revelation studies on Monday nights. I also post my study notes and where to find my livestream on my blog, and I will now start doing so on Substack as well. We need more hope in the world.

Episode 9: The Church in Laodicea

Tune in at 8pm AEST standard time to Based Christian History to watch the live stream of this study.

The ancient city of Laodicea was colonized by Antiochus in about 250BC, the city was actually named for his wife Laodice. The city was situated at a crossroads, which caused the city to grow, because cross roads mean that many people go past the city in different directions. This aided the economy of the city. Laodicea also had a wool industry which flourished through the production and export of black wool, the manufacturing of common and costly garments, and the invention of an effective eye salve. It had a flourishing medical school which specialized in ear and eye care, and had developed an ointment for treating inflamed eyes. Because of this ointment, the school became world famous. (From Kistemaker, Revelation).

In AD 17 the city was struck by an earthquake, and received Roman financial support to rebuild, as did other cities of the day. In AD 60 it was devastated by an earthquake again, but this time refused the aid because it had enough wealth of its own to rebuild itself, such was the wealth of this city.

The city had a healthy Jewish population. Indeed there was an estimated Jewish male population of about 7500 in AD 62, so it can be seen that once you add woman and children to this number that the city would have had a large Jewish community. The fact that this letter does not mention any opposition from the Jewish populous suggests that the church was not preaching a gospel antagonistic to the Jews or at least not acting in any Christian way that was a obnoxious to the Jewish populous or their religious ideas, just as it likely was with Sardis. It also suffered no persecution from the Gentile population. Kistemaker (Revelation) says, “The church accommodated itself to other religions, basked in material wealth, was content to live a life of ease, and failed to press the claims of Christ. Consequently, Jesus had no word of praise or commendation for this church and similar churches that fail to proclaim this message of salvation.”

We can also glean some information from the archaeology in the area. For example its coins and inscriptions show evidence of the worship of Zeus, Æsculapius (Asclepius), Apollo, and the emperors. Showing that the city was thoroughly pagan in its outlook.

Many sources associate the founding of the church with Epaphras, here are two such sources:

1. “It had probably been founded by the Colossian Epaphras, who shared the care of it with Nymphas, in whose house the faithful used to assemble. Paul asks the Colossians to communicate to the Church of Laodicea the letter which he sends to them, and to read publicly that which should come to them from Laodicea, that is, no doubt, a letter which he had written, or was to write, to the Laodiceans” (Colossians 2:1 sq.). (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08794a.htm)

2. “It is probable that Epaphras was instrumental in establishing the church at Laodicea, and Paul writes that his letter to the church at Colossae (only 8 mi. [13 km.] distant) should be read by the believers at Laodicea (Col 2:1). Paul also wrote a letter to the church at Laodicea (Col 4:16). This letter has not been discovered, although many scholars speculate that the book called "Ephesians" was originally addressed to the church at Laodicea.” (http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,3,7,23,107)

We are limited in our knowledge of the founding of this church indeed we know nothing, so this cannot be certain. The idea that Epaphras helped found it is pure speculation, but based on possible hints from Colossians 1:7-8 and 4:12-13. All this really seems to indicate is that Epaphras had a great love for the people of the churches in Laodicea and Colossae as well as Hierapolis. For all we know it could have been Paul, or any number of other believers in the churches of Colossae or Ephesus, who helped found the Laodicean church. We do know that Paul believed that his letter to the Colossians had import for the people at Philadelphia and vice-versa (cf. Colossians 4:16), and that these churches were in some way connected; perhaps they were sister churches.

Let’s get into our study and examine the last of the lampstands before we get into the incredible visions of Revelation.

1. The introduction to the letter to the Laodiceans stands out from the rest of the letters. Firstly, it is the only one that does not come from the description of Christ’s appearance in Revelation 1:12-20, however it is definitely connected to 1:5. But it is also a direct claim to deity by Jesus, making himself equal to God, and therefore making this one of the greatest of the introductions. I have several questions for this introduction:

1.1. “The words of the Amen” compare this to Isaiah 65:16, which literally in the Hebrew refers to Yahweh as: “The God of Amen” rather than “The God of Truth”. How is this then a claim of divinity for Christ?

1.2. What does Jesus mean by calling himself the “beginning of God’s creation”? Does this not seem to fit really well with the Jehovah Witness’s doctrine that Jesus is the very first thing created by God and through whom everything else was created? (Note the word for beginning here is ajrch [arche]).

1.3. Why does Jesus refer to himself this way at the beginning of this address to the church in Laodicea? Perhaps looking at Colossians 1:15-20 and 4:16 will help you answer this question?

2. In verses 15 and 16 Jesus says, “I know that your works are neither cold not hot. Would that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” Why would God prefer them to be either cold or hot? What does this mean?

3. Jesus is threatening to spit one of the lampstands out his mouth here. Now the lampstands are churches, and churches are full of people. If God spits this church out of his mouth, is he not casting away a community of believers? What is the significance of this action?

4. What does the “for” in verse 17 indicate?

5. Look at what verse 17 says, and also take into account the words of Agur in Proverbs 30:7-9, and Luke 12:13-21, and Luke 16:19-31, and Matthew 19:16-30. These are just some of the passages we could look at. The Scriptures seem to have an aversion to the rich person being saved, as Jesus said it is impossible for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Let’s think very clearly about what these passages teach and ask ourselves this question: How do they apply to us? Is it ok to be rich? Let’s really think about this, because the old Christian adage that being rich doesn’t alter your chance of getting into heaven seems to be discounted by these various passages, as well as others. How should we approach riches in this world?

6. Look at verses 17-19, do you think this is a church of saved people, or a church of unsaved people, or a mixed church? Justify your reasoning based on this text and any other relevant biblical teaching you can bring to bear.

7. What does verse 19 teach us?

8. Verse twenty is often used in evangelistic contexts, where the preacher will exhort the unbeliever that Christ stands ready at the door knocking to be let in. Indeed if you remember the Christian movie, The Boardroom, part of that movie involved Christ standing at the door of the man’s mind read the be ushered in. Is evangelism a valid way to use this text considering its context is addressed to a church? Justify your answer.

9. What does Christ mean by saying he will come in and eat with the person who allows him into their life?

10. Do you think we will eat real food in heaven? Why or why not? (c.f. Isaiah 25:6-7).

11. What on earth could verse 21 mean? We will get to sit down on Christ’s throne, as he has sat down on his Father’s throne?

Now that we have concluded our study of the 7 churches, we will turn to the much more difficult visions of Revelation. We will stick to our focus of seeing what they say, rather than the when, and see if this helps us apply this powerful book to our lives.