Tool Beta
The Ancient World Behind the Text
Pick a passage anywhere in the New Testament. See the customs and ideas a first reader knew without being told.
Revelation 3:14-22, Laodicea, lukewarm and rich
To Laodicea the faithful and true witness says the church is neither cold nor hot but lukewarm, and he will spit it out. It thinks itself rich but is poor, blind and naked; he counsels it to buy gold, white clothes and eye salve, and stands at the door and knocks.
Revelation 3:14-22, in every translation this tool compares.
Laodicea's church is comfortable and pleased with itself, and Jesus says its half-hearted faith disgusts him, like a drink that is neither refreshing nor warming. They think they are wealthy, but he calls them poor, blind and exposed, and urges them to get true riches, proper clothing and healing for their sight from him instead. He corrects them because he loves them, and pictures himself knocking at their door, ready to share a meal with anyone who lets him in. What the hot and cold imagery stands for is debated.
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/seven-churches-of-asia\/","n":"The seven cities of Asia","s":"Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, proud cities of the Roman province of Asia, strung along a road a courier could walk. Each letter in Revelation 2 and 3 speaks into its own city's history, trades and temples.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/hospitality\/","n":"Hospitality to travelers","s":"Taking in travelers was one of the great virtues of the ancient Mediterranean, above all among Jews. Messengers could travel light because they expected to be housed.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/eating-together\/","n":"Eating together","s":"Sharing a table made a bond of friendship, so who you ate with told everyone whose side you were on.","r":""}
- {"u":"https:\/\/jayms.com\/bible-study-tools-2\/ancient-world-ideas\/messianic-banquet\/","n":"The banquet of the age to come","s":"The feast Jews expected God to spread for the righteous when his kingdom came, with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at the table.","r":""}
Laodicea, a banking city, rebuilt after the earthquake of AD 60 (Keener; AD 61 for Wright), refusing relief offered, in differing accounts, by Rome (Keener), the emperor (the cultural backgrounds article Laodicea), Nero (the atlas) or the Senate (the Zondervan dictionary). Its black wool, medical school and eye salve make verse 18 a reply to the city's boasts (Keener; the cultural backgrounds notes; Wright); the dictionary thinks the salve was probably made from Hierapolis's thermal mud. Keener writes that "Laodicea lacked a natural water supply"; piped water arrived lukewarm and full of sediment (the cultural backgrounds notes; the article). Its source is disputed: hot springs six miles south (Keener); springs to the south, temperature unstated (the article; the atlas); or Hierapolis, which the others place to the north, with warm, soda-laden water (the dictionary). With Hierapolis's hot springs and Colossae's cool water nearby (the atlas; the cultural backgrounds notes), Keener, the cultural backgrounds notes, the ESV Study Bible and Wright read hot and cold as both useful and lukewarm as useless; Beale reports hot as zeal and cold as rejection, and blames an ineffective witness. A shared meal bound host and guest (the cultural backgrounds notes; Keener).
- Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, introduction to Revelation 3:14-22, and on 3:15-16, 3:17-18 and 3:20
- NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, notes on Revelation 3:15, 3:17, 3:18 and 3:20, and article Laodicea
- ESV Study Bible, study notes on Revelation 3:14-22 and 3:15-16
- N. T. Wright, Revelation for Everyone, comment on Revelation 3:14-22
- G. K. Beale, The Book of Revelation: A Commentary on the Greek Text, on Revelation 3:15-16
- Carl G. Rasmussen, Zondervan Atlas of the Bible, The Seven Churches of Revelation, Laodicea
- Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary, entries Laodicea and trade and travel
