Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 3

CHAPTER III

THE EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH AT SARDIS

The contents of the epistle to the church at Sardis (Revelation 3:1–6) are:

1. The usual salutation to the angel of the church (Revelation 3:1).
2. The usual reference to the attributes of the Saviour—those referred to here being that He had the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars (Revelation 3:1).
3. The assurance that He knew their works (Revelation 3:1).
4. The statement of the peculiarity of the church, or what He saw in it—that it had a name to live and was dead (Revelation 3:1).
5. A solemn direction to the members of the church, arising from their character and circumstances, to be watchful, and to strengthen the things which remained, but which were ready to die; to remember what they had received, and to hold fast that which had been communicated to them, and to repent of all their sins (Revelation 3:2–3).
6. A threat that if they did not do this, He would come suddenly upon them, at an hour which they could not anticipate (Revelation 3:3).
7. A commendation of the church as far as it could be done, for there were still a few among them who had not defiled their garments, and a promise that they should walk before Him in white (Revelation 3:4).
8. A promise, as usual, to him that should be victorious. The promise here is, that he should walk before Him in white; that his name should not be blotted out of the book of life; that he should be acknowledged before the Father, and before the angels (Revelation 3:5).
9. The usual call on all persons to hear what the Spirit said to the churches.

Sardis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lydia, one of the provinces of Asia Minor, and was situated at the foot of Mount Tmolus, in a fine plain watered by the river Pactolus, famous for its golden sands.

It was the capital where the celebrated Croesus, proverbial for his wealth, reigned. It was taken by Cyrus (B.C. 548), when Croesus was king, and was at that time one of the most splendid and opulent cities of the East. It subsequently passed into the hands of the Romans, and under them sank rapidly in wealth and importance.

In the time of Tiberius it was destroyed by an earthquake, but was rebuilt by order of the emperor.

The inhabitants of Sardis bore an ill repute among the ancients for their voluptuous modes of life. Perhaps there may be an allusion to this fact in the words which are used in the address to the church there: Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments.

Successive earthquakes, and the ravages of the Saracens and Turks, have reduced this once celebrated city to a heap of ruins, though still exhibiting many remains of former splendour.

The name of the village which now occupies the place of this ancient capital is Sart. It is a miserable village, comprising only a few wretched cottages, occupied by Turks and Greeks. There are ruins of the theatre, the stadium, and of some ancient churches. The most remarkable of the ruins are two pillars supposed to have belonged to the temple of Cybele; and if so, they are among the most ancient in the world, the temple of Cybele having been built only three hundred years after that of Solomon. The Acropolis serves well to define the site of the city.

Several travellers have recently visited the remains of Sardis, and its appearance will be indicated by a few extracts from their writings. Arundell, in his "Discoveries in Asia Minor," says, "If I were asked what impresses the mind most strongly in beholding Sardis, I should say its indescribable solitude, like the darkness of Egypt, darkness that could be felt. So the deep solitude of the spot, once the 'lady of kingdoms,'—produces a corresponding feeling of desolate abandonment in the mind, which can never be forgotten."

The Rev. J. Hartley, in regard to these ruins, remarks: "The ruins are, with one exception, more entirely gone to decay than those of most of the ancient cities which we have visited. No Christians reside on the spot: two Greeks only work in a mill here, and a few wretched Turkish huts are scattered among the ruins. We saw the churches of St. John and the Virgin, the theatre, and the building styled the Palace of Croesus; but the most striking object at Sardis is the temple of Cybele. I was filled with wonder and awe at beholding the two stupendous columns of this edifice, which are still remaining: they are silent but impressive witnesses of the power and splendour of antiquity."

The impression produced on the mind is vividly described in the following language from a recent traveller, who lodged there for a night:

"Every object was as distinct as in a northern twilight; the snowy summit of the mountain [Tmolus], the long sweep of the valley, and the flashing current of the river [Pactolus]. I strolled along towards the banks of the Pactolus, and seated myself by the side of the half-exhausted stream.

"There are few individuals who cannot trace on the map of their memory some moments of overpowering emotion, and some scene, which, once dwelt upon, has become its own painter, and left behind it a memorial that time could not efface. I can readily sympathize with the feelings of him who wept at the base of the pyramids; nor were my own less powerful, on that night, when I sat beneath the sky of Asia to gaze upon the ruins of Sardis, from the banks of the golden-sanded Pactolus. Beside me were the cliffs of the Acropolis, which, centuries before, the hardy Median scaled, while leading on the conquering Persians, whose tents had covered the very spot on which I was reclining. Before me were the vestiges of what had been the palace of the gorgeous Croesus; within its walls were once congregated the wisest of mankind, Thales, Cleobulus, and Solon. It was here that the wretched father mourned alone the mangled corpse of his beloved Atys; it was here that the same humiliated monarch wept at the feet of the Persian boy who wrung from him his kingdom. Far in the distance were the gigantic tumult of the Lydian monarchs, Candaules, Halyattys, and Gyges; and around them were spread those very plains once trodden by the countless hosts of Xerxes, when hurrying on to find a sepulchre at Marathon.

"There were more varied and more vivid remembrances associated with the sight of Sardis than could possibly be attached to any other spot of earth; but all were mingled with a feeling of disgust at the littleness of human glory. All—all had passed away! There were before me the shrines of a dread religion, the tombs of forgotten monarchs, and the palm-tree that waved in the banquet-hall of kings; while the feeling of desolation was doubly heightened by the calm sweet sky above me, which, in its unfading brightness, shone as purely now as when it beamed upon the golden dreams of Croesus."—Emerson's Letters from the Aegean, p. 113 and following. The present appearance of the ruins is indicated by the following engraving.

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis. (See Barnes on Revelation 1:20).

These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God. (See Barnes on Revelation 1:4).

If the phrase, "the seven spirits of God," as there supposed, refers to the Holy Spirit, there is great propriety in saying of the Saviour, that He has that Spirit, inasmuch as the Holy Spirit is represented as sent forth by Him into the world (John 15:26–27; 16:7, 13-14).

It was one of the highest characteristics that could be given of the Saviour to say, that the Holy Ghost was His to send forth into the world, and that that great Agent, on whose gracious influences all were dependent for the possession of true religion, could be given or withheld by Him at His pleasure.

And the seven stars. (See Barnes on Revelation 1:16).

These represented the angels of the seven churches (See Barnes on Revelation 1:20), and the idea which the Saviour would seem to intend to convey here is, that He had entire control over the ministers of the churches, and could keep or remove them at pleasure.

I know thy works. (See Barnes on Revelation 2:2).

That thou hast a name that thou livest. You profess attachment to Me and My cause. The word life is a word that is commonly employed in the New Testament to denote religion, in contradistinction from the natural state of man, which is described as death in sin. By the profession of religion, they expressed the purpose to live to God, and for another world; they professed to have true, spiritual life.

And art dead. That is, spiritually. This is equivalent to saying that their profession was merely in name; and yet this must be understood comparatively, for there were some even in Sardis who truly lived to God (Revelation 3:4). The meaning is, that, in general, the profession of religion among them was a mere name. The Saviour does not, as in the case of the churches of Ephesus and Thyatira, specify any prevailing form of error or false doctrine; but it would seem that here it was a simple want of religion.

(Regarding "know": see Revelation 2:2.)

(Regarding "livest": see 1 Timothy 5:6.)

Be watchful. Be wakeful; be attentive and earnest—in contrast to the drowsy condition of the church.

Strengthen the things which remain. This refers to the true piety that still lives and lingers among you. Whatever religion there was among them, it was important to strengthen it, so that the love of the Savior might not become wholly extinct. An important duty in a low and languishing state of religion is to "strengthen the things that still survive." This involves cultivating all the graces that exist, nourishing all the love of truth that may linger in the church, and confirming, by warm exhortation and by a reference to the gracious promises of God's word, the few who may be endeavoring to do their duty and who, amid many discouragements, are aiming to be faithful to the Savior.

In the lowest state of religion in a church, there may be a few, perhaps quite obscure and of humble rank, who are mourning over the desolations of Zion and sighing for better times. It is the duty of the ministers of religion to comfort and encourage all such, for it is in their hearts that piety may be kept alive in the church—it is through them that it may be hoped religion may yet be revived.

In the apparent hopelessness of doing much good to others, good may always be done for the cause itself by preserving and strengthening what life there may be among those few, amid the general desolation and death. It is a great thing to preserve life in grain sown in a field through the long and dreary winter when all seems to be dead—for it will burst forth with new life and beauty in the spring. When the body is prostrate with disease, life just lingers, and death seems to be approaching, it is a great thing to preserve the little strength that remains and to keep the healthy parts from being invaded, so that there may still be strength to recover.

That are ready to die. This means things that seem just ready to become extinct. So sometimes, in a plant, there seems to be only the least conceivable life remaining, and it appears that it must die. So, when we are sick, there seems to be only the feeblest glimmering of life, and it is apparently just ready to go out. So, when a fire dies away, there seems only a spark remaining, and it is just ready to become extinct. And thus, with religion in the soul—religion in a church—religion in a community—it often seems as if it were just about to go out forever.

For I have not found thy works perfect before God. I have not found them complete or full. They fall short of what is required. Of what church, of what individual Christian, is this not true? Whom might the Savior not approach with the same language? It was true, however, in a marked and eminent sense, of the church at Sardis.

Remember therefore how you have received. This may refer either to some peculiarity in the manner in which the gospel was conveyed to them—as, by the labors of the apostles, and by the remarkable effusions of the Holy Spirit; or to the ardor and love with which they embraced it; or to the greatness of the favors and privileges conferred on them; or to their own understanding of what the gospel required, when they were converted. It is not possible to determine in which sense the language is used; but the general idea is plain, that there was something marked and unusual in the way in which they had been led to embrace the gospel, and that it was highly proper in these circumstances to look back to the days when they gave themselves to Christ. It is always well for Christians to call to remembrance the "day of their espousals," and their views and feelings when they gave their hearts to the Savior, and to compare those views with their present condition, especially if their conversion was marked by anything unusual.

And heard. How you did hear the gospel in former times; that is, with what earnestness and attention you did embrace it. This would rather seem to imply that the reference in the whole passage is to the fact that they embraced the gospel with great ardor and zeal.

And hold fast.

1. Hold fast the truths which you did then receive;
2. Hold fast what remains of true religion among you.

And repent. Repent in regard to all that in which you have departed from your views and feelings when you embraced the gospel.

If therefore you do not watch. The speaker evidently supposed that it was possible that they would not regard the warning; that they would presume that they would be safe if they refused to give heed to it, or that by mere inattention and indifference they might suffer the warning to pass by unheeded. Similar results have been so common in the world as to make such a supposition not improbable, and to make proper, in other cases as well as that, the solemn threatening that he would come suddenly upon them.

I will come on you as a thief. In a sudden and unexpected manner. See Barnes on 1 Thessalonians 5:2.

And you shall not know what hour I will come upon you. You shall not know beforehand; you shall have no warning of my immediate approach. This is often the way in which God comes to men in his heavy judgments. Long beforehand, he admonishes us, indeed, of what must be the consequences of a course of sin, and warns us to turn from it; but when sinners refuse to attend to his warning, and still walk in the way of evil, he comes suddenly, and cuts them down.

Every man who is warned of the evil of his course, and who refuses or neglects to repent, has reason to believe that God will come suddenly in his wrath, and call him to his bar (Proverbs 29:1). No such man can presume on impunity; no one who is warned of his guilt and danger can feel that he is for one moment safe.

No one can have any basis of calculation that he will be spared; no one can flatter himself with any probable anticipation that he will have time to repent when God comes to take him away. Benevolence has done its appropriate work in warning him;—how can the Great Judge of all be to blame, if he comes then, and suddenly cuts the sinner off?

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis. The word names here is equivalent to persons; and the idea is, that even in a place so depraved, and where religion had so much declined, there were a few persons who had kept themselves free from the general contamination. In most cases, when error and sin prevail, there may be found a few who are worthy of the Divine commendation; a few who show that true religion may exist even when the mass are evil. (Romans 11:4).

Which have not defiled their garments. (Jude 1:23).

The meaning is, that they had not defiled themselves by coming in contact with the profane and the polluted; or, in other words, they had kept themselves free from the prevailing corruption. They were like persons clothed in white walking in the midst of the defiled, yet keeping their garments from being soiled.

And they shall walk with me in white. White is the emblem of innocence, and is therefore appropriately represented as the color of the garments of the heavenly inhabitants. The persons here referred to had kept their garments uncontaminated on the earth, and as an appropriate reward it is said that they would appear in white garments in heaven. (Revelation 19:8).

For they are worthy. They have shown themselves worthy to be regarded as followers of the Lamb; or, they have a character that is fitted for heaven. The declaration is not that they have any claim to heaven on the ground of their own merit, or that it will be in virtue of their own works that they will be received there; but that there is a fitness or propriety that they should thus appear in heaven. We are all personally unworthy to be admitted to heaven, but we may show such a character as to demonstrate that, according to the arrangements of grace, it is fit and proper that we should be received there. We have the character to which God has promised eternal life.

He that overcometh. (See Barnes' notes on Revelation 2:7).

The same shall be clothed in white raiment. Whoever overcomes sin and the temptations of this world will be admitted to this glorious reward. The promise is made not only to those in Sardis who are victorious, but to all in every age and every land. The hope that is thus held out before us is that of appearing with the Redeemer in his kingdom, clad in robes expressive of holiness and joy.

And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. The book which contains the names of those who are to live with him forever. The names of his people are thus represented as enrolled in a book which he keeps—a register of those who are to live forever. The phrase "book of life" frequently occurs in the Bible, representing this idea. (See Barnes' notes on Philippians 4:3).

(Revelation 20:12, 15; Revelation 21:27).

(Revelation 22:19). The expression "I will not blot out" means that the names would be found there on the great day of final account, and would be found there forever.

It may be remarked that since no one can have access to that book but the one who keeps it, there is the most positive assurance that this will never be done, and the salvation of the redeemed will, therefore, be secure.

And let it be remembered that the time is coming when it will be felt to be a higher honor to have one's name enrolled in that book than in the books of heraldry—in the most splendid catalog of princes, poets, warriors, nobles, or statesmen that the world has produced.

But I will confess his name, etc. I will acknowledge him to be my follower. (See Barnes' notes on Matthew 10:32).