The Seven Churches of Revelation: Laodicea
William C. Baber
BIBL450: Daniel-Revelation (B01)
September 22, 2025
Interpretive Exposition
The message to the church in Laodicea stands as a sobering word from Jesus to one of
the seven churches in the book of Revelation. It is a letter directed at a wealthy and self-satisfied
community, and its contents are a stark contrast to the praise He offers to other congregations.
The message to Laodicea begins with Jesus’ self-introduction, which serves as a
foundation for the rebuke to come. He addresses them as “the Amen, the Faithful and True
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Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God” (Revelation 3:14, New King James Version)
Walvoord notes, “The word ‘Amen,’ meaning ‘so be it,’ refers to the sovereignty of God which is
behind human events.”1 “The Faithful and True Witness” reiterates His reliability and
truthfulness, and as the “Beginning of the creation of God” He asserts His preexistence and
ultimate authority, setting a high standard against which the Laodiceans’ spiritual condition
would be measured. Swindoll writes, “Given the immediate context and the content of the
letter to the Laodiceans, Christ seems to be using archē to identify Himself as the Source and
Ruler of all creation.”2 This introduction prepares the reader for the serious and penetrating
nature of the message that follows.
Unlike the other churches, the Laodicean congregation receives no commendation.
Jesus’ rebuke is severe, describing them as “lukewarm,” a state that is utterly abhorrent to Him.
Walvoord writes, “their being lukewarm spiritually was evidenced by their being content with
their material wealth and their being unaware of their spiritual poverty.”3 The spiritual
significance of this term would have been clear to the Laodiceans, as their city’s water supply,
piped from Hierapolis, arrived neither hot and healing nor cold and refreshing, but lukewarm
and unpalatable. Fanning notes, “The context suggests that ‘lukewarm’ is the only negative
here, and ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ are equally desirable alternatives.”4 This spiritual condition was a
permanent fixture of their church life, a state of indifference and apathy that was disgusting to
Jesus. Their lukewarmness stemmed from their self-satisfaction and material contentment. They
believed themselves to be “rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing.” (Revelation
3:17) However, Jesus’ true assessment of their state was a stark contrast, labeling them as
“wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17) Fanning writes, “the most
1 John F. Walvoord, “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed.
J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 940.
2 Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on Revelation, (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2014), 103.
3 Walvoord, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 940.
4 Buist M. Fanning. Revelation, (Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2020),
284-286. 5 Ibid. 286-288.
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important point of the verse is that the remedy in each case is something beyond their own
vaunted resources.”5
In His loving exhortation, Jesus provides a way for them to escape their dire spiritual
condition. He urges them “to buy from Me gold refined in the fire” (Revelation 3:18) which does
not refer to material wealth but to genuine spiritual richness that glorifies God. Koester writes,
“The ‘gold refined by fire’, which the Laodiceans are to obtain from the risen Christ in Rev 3.18,
is primarily an image for the future reward of the faithful, although it might also have secondary
overtones of abundant faith.”5 While the city of Laodicea was renowned for its banking and
material wealth, the church lacked this true spiritual richness. He also tells them to buy “white
garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed,”
(Revelation 3:18) a symbolic covering of righteousness to replace their spiritual nakedness. This
was a striking command because Laodicea was famous for its black wool. Koester notes,
“Although the text is sometimes thought to contrast the black wool of the local market with the
white garments that Christ provides, the explicit contrast is between white garments and
nakedness.”6 Finally, He exhorts them to “anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see,”
(Revelation 3:18) a plea for spiritual sight that was particularly relevant given the city’s medical
school and its well-known eye-salve. According to Köstenberger, “The savvy bankers in Laodicea
needed to buy spiritual gold from Jesus; the city’s fashion-conscious needed to buy white
garments; and ophthalmologists needed to buy eye salve from Jesus to restore their spiritual
vision.”7 This message is a penetrating one, directed at a church that was typical of many,
content with their worldly possessions and unaware of their profound spiritual need. Jesus’
rebuke is born out of love, and it is a call to be earnest and to repent, promising that this love
would bring about chastisement.
5 Craig R. Koester, “The Message to Laodicea and the Problem of its Local Context: A Study of the Imagery
in Rev 3.14-22.” New Testament Studies 49, no. 3 (2003): 421.
6 Koester, “The Message to Laodicea and the Problem of its Local Context,” 423.
7 Andreas J. Köstenberger, Handbook on Hebrews Through Revelation, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,
2020), 278-279.
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The message concludes with a dramatic and personal promise. Jesus depicts Himself as
standing outside the door, knocking, with the appeal directed to those who will hear and open it
from the inside. This imagery highlights that He has been excluded from the fellowship of the
church. He promises to the one who opens the door, “I will come in to him and dine with him,
and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20) This signifies a restoration of intimate fellowship and sharing
in the grace of God. This appeal is to believers, not non-Christians, and raises the important
question of the closeness of one’s relationship with Christ. To those who do hear and respond,
He makes the ultimate promise to give them the right to “sit with Me on My throne,”
(Revelation 3:21) sharing in His victory. The final appeal, “He who has an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit says to the churches,” (Revelation 3:22) serves as a timeless call to all believers, urging
them to heed the warnings and promises within the letter.
Application for Original Audience
The application of the message to the 1st century church in Laodicea was a rebuke for
their repulsive and useless conduct. The message was not primarily about a lack of zeal, but
rather about their ineffectiveness and self-sufficiency, which made them spiritually displeasing
to
Jesus.
The message to the Laodicean church uses the metaphor of hot, cold, and lukewarm
water to describe their spiritual condition. For the 1st century audience, this imagery would have
been understood in a specific way that is different from modern interpretations. Fanning
suggests that both hot and cold states were considered desirable by Jesus. Hot water was
valued for its therapeutic or warming properties, while cold water was valued for its refreshing
and life-giving qualities. In this context, both were useful and purposeful. In contrast, lukewarm
water, particularly for drinking, was considered repulsive and useless. This is the state the
Laodicean church was in. Their spiritual conduct was described as being neither useful nor
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refreshing to Jesus, making it an offense to Him. It was not a matter of being apathetic; their
actions were a source of revulsion.
Fanning connects this lukewarmness to a deeper issue, the church’s self-sufficiency and
contentment with material wealth. Their wealth had lulled them into a state where they
believed they had no need for anything, including Jesus’ spiritual provision. This mindset led to
conduct that was ineffective and displeasing to Him. Therefore, the message was a call for them
to abandon their self-reliant attitudes and return to a state of being useful and purposeful in
their spiritual lives.
Application for the Church Today
The message to the church in Laodicea, while originally a rebuke to a specific 1st century
congregation, has several legitimate and powerful applications for the church today. The core
issues of lukewarmness, self-sufficiency, and spiritual ineffectiveness are still relevant, even if
the surrounding cultural context has changed. The central message is a call to be useful and
purposeful, rather than spiritually inert. For today’s church, this means a “cold” faith can be
seen as one that is actively counter-cultural and provides a clear, refreshing contrast to the
world’s values. A “hot” faith is one that is therapeutically engaged in the world, bringing healing
and restoration. The church today must ask itself if its actions and witness are either refreshing
to the spiritually thirsty or healing to the spiritually sick. If the church is just a reflection of the
surrounding culture, it is lukewarm and serves no real purpose. The Laodicean church was
rebuked for being useless. The modern church should examine its works to ensure they are
making a tangible difference in the lives of people and the community. This goes beyond just
being busy; it is about being effective in fulfilling the Great Commission and living out the
Gospel.
The Laodicean church’s wealth led to a dangerous sense of self-sufficiency. This is a
perpetual temptation for the modern church, especially in prosperous societies. The message
warns against mistaking material wealth for spiritual health. Just as the Laodiceans declared, “I
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am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” (Revelation 3:17) many churches
today may gauge their success by the size of their budget, the number of attendees, or the
grandeur of their buildings. The message reminds us that true spiritual wealth is found in Christ,
not in earthly possessions or metrics of success. The message to the Laodicean church also
warns against ignoring spiritual needs. They were “wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked”
(Revelation 3:17) despite their material riches. This applies to the modern church that may be
prosperous on the outside but lacks spiritual depth, genuine love for one another, and a
dependence on God. The solution is Christ-like character, righteousness, and spiritual insight
from Christ.
Finally, the message concludes with a call to be zealous and to repent. This is a timeless
exhortation for any Christian community. The word “zealous” in Revelation 3:19 is a call to be
earnest and passionate for God’s purposes and is a direct antidote to the lukewarm state.
Today’s church must rekindle its passion for Jesus and His mission. Repentance is not just a one-
time event but an ongoing process. The Laodicean church needed to change its mind and
actions, turning away from its self-sufficiency and ineffective ways. For the modern church, this
means being willing to self-examine, admit shortcomings, and make real changes to align with
God’s will. By applying these principles, the modern church can avoid the pitfalls of the
Laodicean church and fulfill its true purpose as a vibrant, purposeful, and Christ-dependent
body.
Bibliography
Fanning, Buist M. Revelation. Grand Rapids: HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2020.
Koester, Craig R. “The Message to Laodicea and the Problem of its Local Context: A Study of
the Imagery in Rev 3.14-22.” New Testament Studies 49, no. 3. (2003): 407-24.
Köstenberger, Andreas J. Handbook on Hebrews Through Revelation. Grand Rapids: Baker
Academic, 2020.
Swindoll, Charles R. Insights on Revelation. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2014.
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Walvoord, John F. “Revelation,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the
Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2. Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985.
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