John Gill Commentary Revelation 3:14

"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God:" — Revelation 3:14 (ASV)

And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write ,
&c.] Of the city of Laodicea, (See Gill on Revelation 1:11); there was a church here in the times of the Apostle Paul; its founder is not known; it is mentioned in (Colossians 2:1Colossians 2:2) (Colossians 4:13Colossians 4:15Colossians 4:16) . Who was the angel, or pastor of it, whether Epaphras, who is there named, or another, is not certain. According to the Apostolical Constitutions ^F20 , Archippus was ordained bishop of it by the apostles; see (Colossians 4:16Colossians 4:17) . There was a church here in the second century, for Sagaris, bishop of it, suffered martyrdom during the time of Antoninus Verus ^F21 ; and in the "fourth" century, this church was famous for two eminent bishops, Theodorus and Gregory; and in the "fifth" century, it was the metropolitan church of Phrygia, as it was in the "seventh" century, during which time Tyberius, bishop of this place, was at the sixth synod in Constantinople ^F23 ; but now it is even without inhabitants ^F24 .

This church represents the state of the church, from the end of the spiritual reign of Christ, till the time of his personal appearing and kingdom, to judge the quick and dead; for after the spiritual reign is over, professors of religion will sink into formality, a lukewarm spirit, and great spiritual sloth and security, (Revelation 3:15Revelation 3:16) , which will make those times like the times of Noah and Lot; and such will be the days when the son of man comes to judge the world.

Its name signifies either "the righteousness of the people"; and so may point at that popular and external righteousness, which the majority of professors of religion in this period will be boasting of and trusting in; being self-sufficient, and self-dependent, when at the same time they will be naked, poor, and blind, (Revelation 3:17Revelation 3:18) .

Or it signifies "the judging of the people"; for this church state, at its end, will bring on the general judgment; the Judge will indeed now be at the door, standing and knocking; and those who are ready to meet the bridegroom when he comes will be admitted into the nuptial chamber and sit down with him on his throne in the thousand years' kingdom, at the close of which will be the second resurrection, when all people, small and great, will be judged, (Revelation 3:19–21) .

These things says the Amen ;
see (Isaiah 65:16) ; The word "Amen" is a name for a divine Person among the Jews, and it seems to be the second Person; for concerning those words in (Proverbs 8:30) ; "then was I by him as one brought up with him", they observe ^F25 , do not read "Amon", the word used there, but "Amen"; and, a little later, "Amen", they say, is the "notaricon," or sign of (Nman Klm la) , "God the faithful King"; They make ^F26 "Amen" one of the names of the second "Sephira," or number in the Cabalistic tree, by whom the second Person in the Godhead seems to be designated: and they say ^F1 , that the word "Amen", by gematry (or numerically) answers to the two names "Jehovah, Adonai". Christ may be so called because he is the God of truth and truth itself; and it may be expressive of his faithfulness, both to God his Father and to his people, in whom all the promises he either made or received are yes and amen; and also of the firmness, constancy, and immutability of Christ in his nature, person, and offices, in his love, fullness of grace, power, blood, and righteousness; and is very appropriately assumed by him now, as he was about to give the finishing stroke to all covenant engagements and to all promises and prophecies; see (Revelation 1:18) .

The faithful and true witness ;
who as he was during the days of his flesh, (See Gill on Revelation 1:5); so he will be at the day of judgment, a swift witness against all ungodly men; and he may the rather take up this title, not only on that account, but to show that the description he gives of the state and condition of this church is just, (Revelation 3:15Revelation 3:16) ; and to engage it to take his advice the more readily, (Revelation 3:18) ; and to assure it of the nearness of his coming, (Revelation 3:20) ; and to strengthen the faith of his people and quicken their hope and expectation of the happiness with him promised, (Revelation 3:21) ; The same character is given to the Logos, or Word of the Lord, by the Targumist in (Jeremiah 42:5) , let the Word of the Lord be to us (Nmyhmw jwvq Kyhol) , "for a true and faithful witness"; the very phrase used here.

The beginning of the creation of God ;
not the first creature that God made, but the first cause of creation; the first Parent, producer, and efficient cause of every creature; the author of the old creation, who made all things out of nothing in the beginning of time; and of the new creation, the everlasting Father of everyone who is made a new creature; the Father of the world to come, or of the new age and Gospel dispensation; the Maker of the new heaven and new earth; and so a very fit person to be the Judge of the whole world, to summon all nations before him and pass the final sentence on them. The phrase is Jewish, and it is a title the Jews give to Metatron, by whom they sometimes mean the Messiah; So concerning those words in (Genesis 24:2) , and Abraham said to his eldest servant of his house, they paraphrase thus ^F2 ;

"and Abraham said to his servant", this is Metatron (or the Mediator), the servant of God, "the eldest of his house"; for he is (Mwqm lv wytwyrb tlxt) , "the beginning of the creation of God", who rules over all that he has; for to him the holy blessed God has given the government of all his hosts.'' Christ is the (arch) , "the Prince," or Governor of all creatures.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F20: L. 7. c. 46.
• F21: Euseb. Hist. Eccl. l. 4. c. 26. & l. 5. c. 24.
• F23: Eccl. Hist. Magdeburg. cent. 4. c. 2. p. 3. cent. 5. c. 7. p. 418. cent. 7. c. 2. p. 3. c. 7. p. 112. c. 10. p. 254.
• F24: Smith. Notitia, p. 150.
• F25: Zohar in Deut. fol. 121. 4. so in T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 119. 2. & Sanhedrin, fol. 111. 1. Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 46. 1.
• F26: Cabal. Denud. par. 2. p. 7.
• F1: Lex. Cabal. p. 130. & Baal Hatturim in Deut. xxviii. 15.
• F2: Zohar in Gen. fol. 77. 1.