Between
various languages we can have a few mistranslations. One of which is: Matt 19:24 And again I say
unto you, It is easier for a [camel] to go through the eye of a needle, than
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.KJV Which also appears in Mark
10:25 and Luke 18:25. The word for camel
is mistranslated. The word according to
George M Lamsa is rope, gamla in the Aramaic.
Remember we reviewed last week that the spoken language of the time of
the New Testament was Aramaic. There is
a bit of a difference between a rope and a camel going through a needle. When someone translated this they used the
word for camel instead of rope. When I
was in Israel I asked someone about this and they gave me the same made up
story we hear all over about the city gate being called the eye of the
needle. That may be well and good but
the word here should be rope. If I was
trying to sew, I would not use a huge needle or I would tear the fabric. Understanding that the word should have been
rope makes this clearer. It also makes
the understanding of the Laodicean church clearer to us. They were well off and not passionate about
God because they were comfortable. We
have to realize they were in the Church; these are not necessarily heathens in
the Church, but people who probably confessed Jesus as Lord but didn’t live for
Him.
Rev
3:14 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;
The
second part of this verse is better written as: the Amen, the faithful and true, the witness, the beginning, the
creation, the God. The sometimes
untranslated word, strongs # 3588 appears before these statements of Jesus’
character. We should take special note of these.
Rev
3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert
cold or hot.
Simply
said, they were in the middle; comfortably warm. The majority of the people in
this area were comfortable, similar to the country I live in. The Majority of people living in the USA are
comfortable. They have worked to become
comfortable, they have been proselytized by sales and marketing companies
regarding every new gadget and product to make life easy and comfortable. They have been fed images of the perfect
home, garden, car, and family. Everyone
strives to look and be like those images.
We have believed a sales pitch and we live the role. I might point out
that we do not have to, but we have bought into the “image” of the American
Dream.
Rev
3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth.
Spue NT:1692 emeo
(em-eh'-o); of uncertain affinity; to vomit:KJV - (will) spue.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Mouth NT:4750 stoma (stom'-a);
probably strengthened from a presumed derivative of the base of NT:5114; the
mouth (as if a gash in the face); by implication, language (and its relations);
figuratively, an opening (in the earth); specifically, the front or edge (of a
weapon):KJV - edge, face, mouth.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers
and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003,
2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus
really is going to vomit them out of (ek) his mouth. But why? When we read a little further, we
find out that the Laodiceans do not hear his voice, so while he speaks they
cannot hear him.
Rev
3:17 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:
Rich NT:4145 plousios
(ploo'-see-os); from NT:4149; wealthy; figuratively, abounding with:KJV -
rich.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Increased with goods NT:4147 plouteo
(ploo-teh'-o); from NT:4148; to be (or become) wealthy (literally or
figuratively):KJV - be increased with goods, (be made, wax) rich.(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Need NT:5532 chreia
(khri'-ah); from the base of NT:5530 or NT:5534; employment, i.e. an affair;
also (by implication) occasion, demand, requirement or destitution:KJV -
business, lack, necessary (-ity), need (-ful), use, want.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Wretched NT:5005 talaiporos
(tal-ah'-ee-po-ros); from the base of NT:5007 and a derivative of the base of
NT:3984; enduring trial, i.e. miserable: KJV - wretched.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Miserable NT:1652 eleeinos
(el-eh-i-nos'); from NT:1656; pitiable:KJV - miserable.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Poor NT:4434 ptochos
(pto-khos'); from ptosso (to crouch; akin to NT:4422 and the alternate of
NT:4098); a beggar (as cringing), i.e. pauper (strictly denoting absolute or
public mendicancy, although also used in a qualified or relative sense; whereas
NT:3993 properly means only straitened circumstances in private), literally
(often as noun) or figuratively (distressed):KJV - beggar (-ly),
poor.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded
Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and
International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Look
at how strong these words are, the Laodiceans thought they were abounding in
wealth without needing employment and they may very well have been. They may have had many wealthy people,
employing servants and employees to work for them. Yet Jesus says they are the opposite. Simply, to be naked may infer that we earn
garments as rewards, as we will see in verse 18. Their comfortable lifestyle may have kept
them from pursuing the ministry of God, thinking they could be self sufficient
without being troubled with working for God.
Yet they are also blind and miserable. Just to clarify, wealth isn’t
bad, it’s the attitude that people can have when they are wealthy that is bad. This
is why Jesus thought it was harder for a rope to be threaded through the eye of
a needle than a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. There would be a lot of
pushing and squeezing to get the fibers of a rope into the opening of a sewing
needle, which is a picture of those who live comfortably. They are self sufficient, and they did it on
their own, why do they need God? Jesus
spoke of the children of the world being wiser than the children of God in the
parable of the wicked steward, Luke 16:1:13, let’s look at the Messages’ translation.
Luke
16:8-9 "Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And
why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter
in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking
for angles, surviving by their wits. 9 I want you to be smart in the same way —
but for what is right — using every adversity to stimulate you to creative
survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live,
really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior." (from THE
MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All
rights reserved.)
There
is a commendation for being smart in business, or streetwise; but there is
another issue at stake. What if your
streetwise behavior makes you wealthy? What
will your attitude be like then? Using
wealth to build the kingdom is laying up treasure in heaven, but using wealth
to fulfill the lust of the flesh, is not wise.
An example to consider is your vehicle.
Everyone needs transportation but what you use for transportation is the
issue. Compare a Rolls Royce to a Prius.
Compare a suburban home to a mansion on multiple acres. Within reason,
what you need and what you want are two different things.
Rev
3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be
rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy
nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest
see.
Shame NT:152 aischune
(ahee-skhoo'-nay); from NT:153; shame or disgrace (abstractly or
concretely):KJV - dishonesty, shame.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's
Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright ©
1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Eye salve NT:2854 kollourion
(kol-loo'-ree-on); neuter of a presumed derivative of kollura (a cake; prob
akin to the base of NT:2853); properly, a poultice (as made of or in the form
of crackers), i.e. (by analogy) a plaster: KJV - eyesalve.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
Anoint NT:1472 egchrio
(eng-khree'-o); from NT:1722 and NT:5548; to rub in (oil), i.e. besmear:KJV -
anoint.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Mayest see NT:991 blepo
(blep'-o); a primary verb; to look at (literally or figuratively):KJV - behold,
beware, lie, look (on, to), perceive, regard, see, sight, take heed. Compare
NT:3700.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus
advises them to purchase or redeem gold kindled out of the fire so that they
may be increased with goods and dress in white clothes so that they cover their
disgrace. This may allude to the fact
that these people in Laodicea were investors.
We tend to think the stock market was a recent invention; however we see
Jesus using the parable of investing, referring to banking and gaining
interest, Luke 19:11-27. Let’s view the Message again.
Luke
19:23-26 Why didn't you at least invest the money in securities so I would have
gotten a little interest on it?'24 "Then he said to those standing there,
'Take the money from him and give it to the servant who doubled my stake.' 25
"They said, 'But Master, he already has double . . .' 26 "He said, 'That's what I mean: Risk
your life and get more than you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up
holding the bag. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002
by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
Bank NT:5132 trapeza
(trap'-ed-zah); probably contracted from NT:5064 and NT:3979; a table or stool
(as being four-legged), usually for food (figuratively, a meal); also a counter
for money (figuratively, a broker's office for loans at interest):KJV - bank,
meat, table.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
He
also says to them to rub a poultice on their eyes, not something smooth like
oil but in other words ‘rub your eyes with crackers’. Ouch. ‘Scrape out the gunk so you can truly
see’. Jesus was pointing out that their
comfortable lives would cost them dearly if they didn’t instead do something
for Him. They were to buy gold that has
come out of the fire, which would mean they were to put themselves in service
to others. Remember Jesus washing the
feet of the disciples, that act is a service of gold that becomes purer by
putting off pride and haughtiness.
Rev
3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Love NT:5368 phileo
(fil-eh'-o); from NT:5384; to be a friend to (fond of [an individual or an
object]), i.e. have affection for (denoting personal attachment, as a matter of
sentiment or feeling; while NT:25 is wider, embracing especially the judgment
and the deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and
propriety: the two thus stand related very much as NT:2309 and NT:1014, or as
NT:2372 and NT:3563 respectively; the former being chiefly of the heart and the
latter of the head); specifically, to kiss (as a mark of tenderness):KJV -
kiss, love.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Rebuke NT:1651 elegcho
(el-eng'-kho); of uncertain affinity; to confute, admonish:KJV - convict,
convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's
Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright ©
1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Chasten NT:3811 paideuo (pahee-dyoo'-o); from
NT:3816; to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (by implication) discipline (by
punishment):KJV - chasten (-ise), instruct, learn, teach.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Zelous NT:2206 zeloo
(dzay-lo'-o) or zeleuo (dzay-loo'-o); from NT:2205; to have warmth of feeling
for or against:KJV - affect, covet (earnestly), (have) desire, (move with)
envy, be jealous over, (be) zealous (-ly affect).(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
But all I have affection for, those I admonish
and educate. Be zealous and change your thinking. At least if he loves us he educates and
corrects us. If he didn’t he would be
very unfair, how would we know if we were not living correctly? This is why we
have the word of God for doctrine, reproof, and correction, which is
instruction in right living. This is a
very good reason for the bible to be our only rule for faith and practice. We have this book as a life manual for a
correct way to live. Sadly many people
either don’t bother reading it or change it to suit themselves. But here, the Laodiceans were in need of
educating and Jesus was correcting them.
Again let’s remember from our last blog that there was about 1100 years
where the bible was not in the common language and not available to everyone,
but only to church officials. Those were
very dark years.
Rev
3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Stand NT:2476 histemi
(his'-tay-mee); a prolonged form of a primary stao (stah'-o) (of the same
meaning, and used for it in certain tenses); to stand (transitively or
intransitively), used in various applications (literally or figuratively): KJV
- abide, appoint, bring, continue, covenant, establish, hold up, lay, present,
set (up), stanch, stand (by, forth, still, up). Compare NT:5087.(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Voice NT:5456 phone
(fo-nay'); probably akin to NT:5316 through the idea of disclosure; a tone
(articulate, bestial or artificial); by implication, an address (for any
purpose), saying or language:KJV - noise, sound, voice.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
I will come in NT:455anoigo
(an-oy'-go); from NT:303 and oigo (to open); to open up (literally or
figuratively, in various applications):KJV - open.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive
Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary.
Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
Will sup NT:1172 deipneo
(dipe-neh'-o); from NT:1173; to dine, i.e. take the principle (or evening)
meal:KJV - sup (X -er).(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and
Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006
Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus
is knocking on each individual person’s door; this is not to the group as a
whole but to each person who is the ekklesia,
the church. He is going to knock at the
door outside your house and for those who hear he will open the door and will
come in and dine together with you. This
is for every individual person to hear him and dine with him, not just the rich
or the elders or the leaders, but for everyone. If you hear the knocking it would be wise to
invite him in. If we think about this, we could actually be sitting next to
someone every week at church who cannot hear his voice. It may be that they are
wealthy in this world but truly they are wretched and poor.
Rev
3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I
also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
Sit NT:2523 kathizo
(kath-id'-zo); another (active) form for NT:2516; to seat down, i.e. set
(figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down); figuratively, to settle
(hover, dwell):KJV - continue, set, sit (down), tarry.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Throne NT:2362 thronos
(thron'-os); from thrao (to sit); a stately seat ("throne"); by
implication, power or (concretely) a potentate:KJV - seat, throne.(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Father NT:3962 pater
(pat-ayr'); apparently a primary word; a "father" (literally or
figuratively, near or more remote):KJV - father, parent.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Here
the word “in” is properly supplied. To
the overcomer he will give to sit in His throne just as he sits “in” His
Father’s throne. Those people will have
a dwelling in the center of His throne.
Jesus says he has a dwelling in the center of His Fathers’ throne as
well.
Rev
3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Again
this is written to all the churches not just one. This admonition is for everyone, if you hear
his voice, he will open the door and come in and eat with you. We can understand that worldly wealth can keep
us from hearing His voice and that would be a terrible condition for
eternity. If we keep our focus on
eternity we will use our worldly wealth to add to the kingdom, and that is a
better position to be in than the Laodiceans.
End notes
LAODICEA[LAY
ah duh SEE uh] — a city in the fertile Lycus Valley of the province of
PHRYGIA where one of the seven churches
of Asia Minor was situated (Rev 3:14). About 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of
Ephesus and about 16 kilometers (10 miles) west of Colossae, Laodicea was built
on the banks of the river Lycus, a tributary of the Maeander River.
The
words of the risen Christ to Laodicea in Rev 3:14-22 contain allusions to the
economic prosperity and social prominence of the city. Founded by the SELEUCIDS
and named for Laodice, the wife of Antiochus II (261 B.C. - 247 B.C.), Laodicea
became extremely wealthy during the Roman period. For example, in 62 B.C.
Flaccus siezed the annual contribution of the Jews of Laodicea for Jerusalem
amounting to 20 pounds of gold. Moreover, when the city was destroyed by an
earthquake in A.D. 60 (along with
Colossae and Hierapolis), it alone refused aid from Rome for rebuilding
(compare the self-sufficient attitude of the church of Laodicea in Rev 3:17).
Laodicea was known for its black wool industry; it manufactured garments from
the raven-black wool produced by the sheep of the surrounding area.
The
apostle Paul does not seem to have visited Laodicea at the time he wrote Col
2:1. Epaphras, Tychicus, Onesimus, and Mark seem to have been the early
messengers of the gospel there (Col 1:7; 4:7-15). A letter addressed to the
Laodiceans by Paul (Col 4:16) has apparently been lost; some consider it to be
a copy of the Ephesian letter. A church council was supposedly held at Laodicea
( A.D. 344-363), but all that has come down to us are statements from other
councils.
The
site of Laodicea is now a deserted heap of ruins that the Turks call Eski
Hisar, or "old castle."
According
to the comments about the church at Laodicea in the Book of Revelation, this
congregation consisted of lukewarm Christians (Rev 3:14-22). The living Lord
demands enthusiasm and total commitment from those who worship Him.
(from
Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson
Publishers)
