Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 3:17

"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art the wretched one and miserable and poor and blind and naked:" — Revelation 3:17 (ASV)

The deeper problem in the Laodicean church was not simply their indifference. It was their ignorance of their real condition: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ ” This indictment is related to the general condition of the populace at large—rich in material possessions and self-sufficient. The spirit of the surrounding culture had crept into the congregation and had paralyzed their spiritual life. But did they claim to be materially rich or spiritually rich? Most likely both were involved; the Laodiceans probably interpreted their material wealth as a blessing from God and thus were self-deceived as to their true spiritual state. Christ’s revelation of the Laodiceans’ actual situation shatters their illusions and calls them to repentance: “But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.” Note the contrast with Jesus’ evaluation of the church at Smyrna, “I know... your poverty—yet you are rich!” (2:9). Probably the first two characteristics—“wretched” (GK 5417) and “pitiful” (GK 1795)— are to be linked together, while the latter three explain this twofold condition in more detail (cf. v.18). To be “wretched” physically describes life when everything one owns has been destroyed or plundered by war. Here it refers to the Laodiceans’ spiritual destitution and pitiableness before God. “Poor, blind and naked” refers to the three sources of their miserable condition (see comment on v.18). “Lukewarmness,” then, does not refer to the laxity of Christians but the condition of not really knowing Christ as Savior and Lord and thus being useless to him. The people at Laodicea knew what lukewarm meant. In nearby Pamukkale, hot pools and lukewarm pools are still being used.