Charles Ellicott Commentary Revelation 3:9

"Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." — Revelation 3:9 (ASV)

Behold, I will make.—Better, Behold, I give some. There is no word to express this in the original, but as a word must be supplied to complete the sense, it is better to adopt “some” rather than “them” from the Authorised version, as it is not a promise that all from the synagogue of Satan will come.

Of the synagogue of Satan.—Here we see a reappearance of the same troubles which afflicted the Church of Smyrna: the fixed and contemptuous exclusiveness of the Judaizing party was their trial. But a time was coming (perhaps the hour of temptation spoken of in the next verse) when these faithful ones, now abused and excommunicated by the fanatical synagogue, would be courted, acknowledged—indeed, their aid invoked.

I will make them to come and worship before my feet, and to know that I have loved thee.—Some see in this a hint that the power of a large-hearted party to protect the Judaisers would be derived from the influence of the Gentiles, whose presence in the Church had been a stumbling-block to the Jewish party.

This may have been, and doubtless was, often the case. But the promise seems to have a higher fulfilment. The course of events would show that the so-called latitudinarian was the nearest to Christ; time would transform the suspected into the respected.

The Amorites would come, and the disinherited Jephthahs would be brought to be head of Gilead. In days of such trouble, their strongest opponents would become their warmest supporters.

An illustration of this will occur to the mind of the reader in the marvellous support which has been given to the growth of Christianity by Jews with the tongue, with the pen, with the harp and organ. Let the names of Neander, Rossini, and Mendelssohn stand for hundreds more.