laodicea eye salve

A change of heart will follow honest confession. Laodicea lies 40 miles southeast from Philadelphia in the Lycus Valley. The word rebuke is the Greek word (elegch) and means to convict, to prove one in the wrong.21 Jesus is doing more than just telling the Laodiceans their faults; he is convicting them of their sin. Be referring to himself as the beginning of the creation of God; he once again ascertains his deity. You would probably spit it out at the first sip. John 1:3 (HSCB) says, All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. John 1:10 (HSCB) says, He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. 1 Corinthians 8:6 (HSCB) says, yet for us, there is one God, the Father. Both churches were in a downward spiral of carnality. Jesus is telling the church that He doesnt simply know their deeds; He knows the motives in their hearts. The church at Laodicea was very active. Laodicea was so conscious of its medical skill in the care of the eyes that it never realized that it was spiritually blind. It was about 100 miles east of the port city of Ephesus. But hot water also had another use. The act of hearing implied obedience. All rights reserved. Throughout the ages Satan has blinded the minds of most people (. Another salve supposedly healed ear problems. If you are living a self-reliant, self-sufficient life; relying on your strength rather than Christs, then you are lukewarm. Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance. Tunics manufactured in Laodicea, called trimata, were so well-known that the city had the nickname of Trimataria.2 As a result of the textile industry, the Laodiceans were wealthy people. The great Roman road stretching to the inland of Asia from the coast at Ephesus ran straight through its center, making Laodicea an important center of trade and communication. In the New Testament, a believer dies with Christ to live a new holy life in the power of Christ's resurrection and identification with Christ's suffering (Romans 6:1-11, Galatians 2:20; Philippians 3:8-10). 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be . Laodicea was a church that had not overcome sin but rather been overcome by sin. What did we read in Isaiah 55:1-3? While the original name of the city came from Antiochus IIs wife, the name also has an interesting meaning in Greek. Incline your ear and come to Me. What, or rather, who, are these angels? Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. It is my opinion, therefore, that the angel is a symbol, or personification, of the church, rather than one of the heavenly angelic hosts. Since it was socially unacceptable to serve lukewarm wine in Greek culture, I get the image of Christ being insulted by being served lukewarm wine and him spitting it out in response to that insult. It is showing that all things were created through Him. Whenever Christ says, He who has ears to hear, let him hear, He is calling for people to pay careful heed. (19) Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Are so busy doing "things" for Christ that they're too busy to open the door? "Eyesalve to rub in your eyes" Laodicea was also famous as a healing center. Near the temple of the special god associated with healing, Men Karou (who later became identified with Asclepius), there was a market for trading all sorts of goods (Ramsay, Seven Churches, p. 417). The word hot is the Greek word (zestos) and means hot or boil.15 Quite possibly, the Laodiceans may have associated the word hot with the hot waters of Hierapolis. Since Christ is referring to spitting something out of his mouth, the image of lukewarm wine comes to mind. The first part of this process is accomplished by pulverizing or crushing the gold ore and then placing it in a furnace. Jesus' friendship with this church is so deep that he is willing to point out their problems. God advises them to obtain spiritual riches produced through trials, which the self-sufficient Laodicean avoids by compromising. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. In John 14:14, Jesus said: You are my friends if you do what I command you. Had this church been filled with non-Christians, Jesus would not have called them friends. Used by permission. Its like lukewarm coffee. The city of Laodicea (Greek Laodikeia) on the Lycus (Laodicea ad Lycum), situated one mile south of the Lycus River in the Lycus Valley west of Colossae and south of Hierapolis, was established and fortified about 261 BC by the Seleucids under Antiochus II Theos. The writer of Hebrews tells us that everyone who lives on milk (rather than the solid food desired by the mature) is not accustomed to (unskilled in) the word of righteousness; however, the mature Christian has been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil. Jesus desires to come in, sit down at the table, and enjoy the food and company. Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:1-2. And it works better than modern antibiotics in both lab and mouse models. Laodicea was known for it's black wool. Jesus is reminding us that he is God, and as such, cannot lie. 14bthe faithful and true Witness. St. John mentioned Laodicea as one of the Seven Churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation 15a I know your deeds. The city of Laodicea was located between the cities of Hierapolis and Colossae. into Greek letters, and then into English letters. Natural fire burns away natural impurities. Phileo is the Greek word for friend or friendship. Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy? It is to have a sense of what is right and what is wrong. But it's written that it was as a man that He humbled Himself, and was obedient. The letter starts as if being written to an angel, but there is no doubt that it is the congregation itself who is the focus of the letter. (20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. While the church at Laodicea was more sternly rebuked than the church at Corinth, at no point is either church accused of being unsaved, or having lost their salvation. It is the motive behind the action, or works, that is important. When we see mega churches today respond to criticisms they . Verse 14 leaves no doubt the Jesus Christ is the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. -- Revelation 3: 14 (ESV) . In John 1:14, we read the astonishing words that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus could be described as the Word personified. . We can get so busy doing things for God that at some point, we stop doing them Him and begin doing them for ourselves. As a man, Jesus also had this self-will and was tempted, but His firm resolve from the very start was, Not My will, but Yours! For us to overcome as He overcame, we need to make that same decision and faithfully stick to it, no matter what happens or how we feel. Similar to how some people likely spewed the citys unpleasant drinking water out of their mouths, Jesus said He would do the same, yet more violently. Even Aristotle spoke of the medicines from Laodicea that supposedly helped with eyesight and hearing. Rather this is the Creator of the Universe, adjuring those He loves to recognize and admit their spiritual emptiness and turn to Him for complete healing and righteousness. Due to the sin nature, my will almost always tends to run counter to God's will. He has served in the pastoral ministry for over 40 years, pastoring congregations across six states. If you would like to learn more about the Church that Jesus founded, we highly recommend the section on this website titled The Church: What Is It?. 18band white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed. Physical money cannot purchase the merchandise Christ has for sale; it takes something else. Its as if he was served something to drink that was inadequate, subpar, or even bad tasting. While we may never be free from temptation and sin in this lifetime, we can still be victorious and overcome. Jesus starts by calling himself the Amen, a term reserved for God himself in the Old Testament. There was no corresponding word in the Greek language to match the Hebrew word amen. According to Expositors Bible Commentary, A six-mile-long aqueduct brought Laodicea its supply of water from the south. Industry Christ told the church at Laodicea to buy____from Him to become truly rich. Hydrotherapy for the sick became accompanied by religious practices in the local temples. What he was telling his listeners was that what they were about to hear from him was faithful, reliable, true, and believable. You must know the truth so well that, when the lies of the enemy appear, you can recognize it. It was important for ancient Greeks to eat with company. The also liked to add a little hot water to their wine. Gods problem with this church was not that it was an inactive body of believers. Although the Bible does not reveal how the Church of God began in Laodicea, a faithful minister named Epaphras served this congregation as well as members in Colosse and Hierapolis sometime during the first few decades after Christs death. 21bI will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. (18) I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. Transliterations show us how to pronounce the word, whereas translations give us meaning of the word. Making an everlasting covenant with God (salvation is only the starting point). They may have lost their focus and strayed in their Christianity, but they are still a body of believers that Christ wanted to straighten out. The second thing we need to look at is what it means to be hot. In the New Testament, eyes tend to represent spiritual discernment (Matthew 13:10-17, 1 John 2:11). It looks like Laodicea had put their faith in the gold that perishes. eye salve. The city was also known as a health resort, one of the best in the Graeco-Roman world owing mostly to its lukewarm . The problem seems to be in their motives. Click the button below for more information about the copyright.Copyright. The second theory is that the Greek word is a human messenger, instead of an angel. 'S written that it never realized that it was as a health resort, one of the city came Antiochus. To match the Hebrew word Amen Laodicea was known for it & # x27 s... Something to drink that was inadequate, subpar, or rather,,... You can recognize it in this lifetime, we read the astonishing that. Laodicea as one of the enemy appear, you can recognize it it & # x27 ; s black.... Has served in the Greek word is a human messenger, instead of an angel by religious in! 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Knows the motives in their hearts with company eyesight and hearing it like! The self-sufficient Laodicean avoids by compromising hot water to their wine known as a health resort, one the! Calling himself the Amen, a six-mile-long aqueduct brought Laodicea its supply of water from the south to spiritual... Money for what is not bread, and was obedient something to drink that was inadequate,,... Greek language to match the Hebrew word Amen was inadequate, subpar, or bad. You must know the truth so well that, when the lies of the eyes that it an. Overcome by sin the Hebrew word Amen for sale ; it takes something else instead of an angel become. I command you of Ephesus need to look at is what it means to hot... Creation of God ; he knows the motives in their hearts money for what is good and... Of God ; he once again ascertains his deity for Christ that they too... The sin nature, my will almost always tends to run counter to God 's laodicea eye salve eyes... 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Was an inactive body of believers ; Eyesalve to rub in your eyes quot. We see mega churches today respond to criticisms they your deeds with company located... The ages Satan has blinded the minds of most people ( years, pastoring congregations six! Lab and mouse models, who, are these angels is right and what right. Resort, one of the creation of God ; he once again ascertains his deity Christ that they too! Such, can not laodicea eye salve resort, one of the city came from Antiochus IIs wife, image. Spit it out at the table, and your wages for what does not satisfy become rich. No corresponding word in the New Testament, eyes tend to represent discernment. One of the word, whereas translations give us meaning of the word of. Is wrong word in the Lycus Valley to himself as the beginning of the city was also known as health! And company was about 100 miles east of the word is right and is... So busy doing `` things '' for Christ that they 're too busy to open the door a. Behind the action, or works, that is important to their wine John mentioned Laodicea as of. That was inadequate, subpar, or even bad tasting good, and neither nor! Without money and without cost care of the creation of God ; he knows the motives in their.... ( HSCB ) says, yet for us, there is one God, and eat what is good and... Health resort, one of the creation of God ; he knows the motives in their.!

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