Jesus who is clothed in a robe (Rev. 1:13), bound with a golden sash (Rev. 1:13), and given authority from the Father (Rev. 1:16, 20) over the churches – he will have the government of the church on his shoulders (Isa. 9:6) and with the authority of the keys he will grant or deny access to His throne of grace. To the Philadelphia church, access has been granted and no one can reverse that. To those who are persecuting the church – this “synagogue of Satan” – their access has been denied.

Jesus’ letter to the church in Philadelphia is full of commendation with, contrary to every other church, no condemnation. And yet, there is still exhortation for they, like every other church, have not yet persevered to the end. They must “hold fast [to what they] 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” (Rev. 3:11-12).              

What must they persevere through and overcome as conquerors? It seems, persecution. Specifically, Jewish persecution against them for following Jesus and claiming he is the Messiah and that the church of Christ is now God’s blessed people. “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” (vs. 9-10).              

In other words, don’t give up following Christ. Don’t give up proclaiming Christ. Ironically, the local Jewish community in Philadelphia believed they are doing the Lord’s work in persecuting the Christian church, but they were in fact doing the work of Satan. Jesus’ encouragement to the church was not to falter in the midst of their ill-informed harassment. Don’t give up following Christ. Don’t give up proclaiming Christ.            

This may be the meaning behind verse 8 where Jesus says, “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.”  Even though the church isn’t influential, from a worldly perspective they have “little power” and are probably despised, still they have an open door of evangelism. Many commentators point to Paul’s words in 1 Cor. 16:8-9 where he says, “I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (see also 2 Cor. 2:12; Col. 4:3; and Acts 14:27).     

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