Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 3:7

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth:" — Revelation 3:7 (ASV)

The letter to the church in Philadelphia begins with the speaker’s identifying himself as “him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens, no one can shut; and what he shuts, no one can open.” Each of these identifications calls attention to Jesus as the true Messiah. “Holy and true” relates to God himself and describes aspects of his presence among us (cf. 6:10; cf. Hosea 11:9). Holiness is the attribute of God whereby we sense the presence of the “Wholly Other,” and truth means that he is wholly trustworthy and reliable in his words and actions. For this congregation whom Christ has commends, these titles would bring encouragement, despite their “little strength” (v.8), to go on in their faithfulness. The reference to the “key of David” alludes to Isa 22:20ff. and the incident of transferring the post of secretary of state in Judah from the unfaithful Shebna to the faithful Eliakim. The “key” (GK 3090) signifies the power of the keys that were normally held by the king himself, unless delegated to another. The use of the name “David” points to Christ as the Messiah, who alone determines who will participate in his kingdom and who will be turned away. This may allude to the false claims of certain Jews at Philadelphia who argued that they, not the heretical Nazarenes, would inherit the kingdom of David (v.9) and thus excluded the followers of Jesus. But the true Messiah, Jesus, will exclude them instead!