The Letter to the Church

of Philadelphia

The message to the church of Philadelphia can be tremendously inspiring when witnessed as God’s instruction to the faithful church who have not bowed their knee to some alternative god and were true to Christ.  It is to this church that Christ speaks.

The recurring theme of this letter is that God presides above history.  The Bible does not advocate trust in anything else but in God alone (Prov. 3:5, 6).  He alone can be trusted and man’s faith must rest in Him.  The world is unstable, but God declares I am “he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Rev. 3:7).  It is because God presides above history that He declares there is a door of opportunity (Rev. 3:8).

Location of the Church

Philadelphia is a city in the Roman province of Asia, that is, in the west of what is known today as Asiatic Turkey.  It is alleged that Eumenes, king of Pergamum, founded the city in the 2nd century BC.  Apparently, Eumenes named Philadelphia after his brother Attalus.  Therefore, the name Philadelphia came to mean “brotherly love.”

It was located near the upper end of a broad valley that leads down through Sardis to the sea that was near Smyrna.  Philadelphia was on the verge of a quite fertile territory of plateau country.  This geographical area contributed much of the commercial prosperity of the city.  Philadelphia was noted for its elaborate religious festivals and remarkable temples.  Today, the town of Ala?ehir occupies the site.

The residents of Philadelphia experienced frequent earthquakes, such as one in 17 AD that destroyed the city.  As earthquakes increased more of the residents moved their homes to outside of the city.  An imperial bounty helped the city to recover from the devastation and in gratitude the city changed its name to Neocaesarea.  At a later point, the name of the city was changed again.  The new name, Flavia, reflected another imperial bounty from Vespasian.1

Historical Circumstances

The letter “to the angel of the church in Philadelphia” (Rev. 3:7-13) is selected among other churches to receive a message from the Lord.  It would appear that this church is selected due to the particular issues that it faced which would be relevant to churches throughout the church age.  Seven churches are selected since the number indicates completeness.  First Corinthians 10:11 would indicate that God has chosen certain events and the character of individuals to admonish others.  The church in Philadelphia was such an example.  Summers comments as follows:

One of the marvelous things about the book is the impression that conditions in churches of every age, including the twentieth century, are illustrated by the conditions of these churches.  The message is one of universal application.  Wherever the conditions exist, the corrective procedure indicated will find application.2

The name Philadelphia came to mean “brotherly love” because of the loyalty of Philadelphus to his brother Attalus.  The church of Philadelphia is identified with this “brotherly love” which carries over into the church’s loyalty to Jesus Christ.  The church is commended because they have kept God’s Word and have stayed loyal to His name (Rev. 3:8).  They have also exercised patience towards the Word of God (Rev. 3:10).

Philadelphia stood as a gateway to the East.  It was the farthest city of the Greek civilization in that area.3  Physically speaking, the city was at the threshold (“open door”) of a fertile geographical area from which it could derive its wealth.  From a spiritual standpoint, there were numerous barbarous tribes beyond the city of Philadelphia that afforded the church a door of opportunity for missionary activity (Rev. 3:8).  The church has been loyal to Christ in the past, but two doors lay before them.  One offers physical blessing whereas the other offers spiritual blessing.  Perhaps the letter to this church serves to remind them of their responsibility to God and that they would examine which “open door” was more important.

 The mention of a “crown” and the “pillar” in the following verses indicate a point of contrast of the eternal with the recurring instability of a city plagued with never ending earthquakes (Rev. 3:11, 12).  Those who “overcometh” are promised eternal blessings.

The church in Smyrna and Philadelphia had both come against intense opposition from the Jewish religious leaders (Rev. 2:9; 3:9).  The Philadelphian church is exhorted to “hold that fast which thou hast” amidst the ongoing rejection because they will receive acceptance from their Lord (Rev. 3:8).  Again, a contrast is made between the temporal and the eternal.

The historical background of this church provides unique insights as to why the church received this message.  This church was faced with heathenism, earthquakes, and Jewish rejection on an ongoing basis.  Nevertheless, the church has remained loyal to Christ.  They are encouraged to continue in their separation from Judaism and heathenism (Rev. 3:9-11).  As the church would have to journey outside of the city frequently due to the earthquakes there will come a day that they “shall go no more out” (Rev. 3:12).  The exhortation to this church is that they remain faithful to Christ with their hope set on those things that are eternal.

Chronological Aspects

Many competent Bible teachers believe that the seven historical churches in Revelation of the first century provide a sample of the types of churches that will be present throughout the history of the church.  Revelation 1:19 does provide a chronological template in understanding the Book of Revelation.  For instance, there are “the things which thou hast seen” (Rev. 1), “the things which are” (Rev. 2-3), and “the things which shall be hereafter” (Rev. 4-22).

“The things which are” does relate to the current church age as can be witnessed in the Lord’s recurring command:  “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).  However, this does not mean that the seven historical churches provide a pattern of the various types of churches throughout history.  The historical-prophetic interpretation of the seven churches not only finds application from each of the letters, but also believes that one type of church will be dominant in a particular period of church history. Fruchtenbaum provides an outline representative of this interpretation.

The above interpretation seems to read more into Scripture than what is actually the original intent.  For instance, the seven churches would not have understood the letters in such a manner as proposed by the historical-prophetic interpretation.  In rejecting such an interpretation, Summers writes,

…these were actually seven churches in Asia Minor.  It stays by the principle announced that the book must be interpreted in a way that would have been meaningful and helpful to those Christians who first received the message.  Hence, it rejects the frequently confronted approach that the seven churches represent seven stages in the development of apostasy of the church.5

Therefore, none of the seven churches are still with Christians today.  Nevertheless, there are applications for the churches throughout the centuries.  It is apparent that the churches selected were chosen because of their representative character.  Every church can find some circumstance, trial, or temptation within these letters that will admonish it to live holy in a godless world in light of the Lord’s imminent return.

God’s Message to the Church

The message begins with Christ’s presentation of Himself as “holy” and “true.”  He is the one that holds “the key of David” (Rev. 3:7).  This is a reference to Isaiah 22:22 and thus indicates the authority of Christ.  He alone is the sovereign.  God opens and closes according to His divine will.  There is none that can thwart His eternal decrees.

The church in Philadelphia is commended for four things (Rev. 3:8):  (1) taking advantage of the opportunities given them by God (“I know thy works”), (2) display of some spiritual maturity (“thou hast a little strength”), (3) keeping the Word of the Lord, and (4) faithfulness to God’s calling (“hast not denied by name”).  It is because of the devotion of the Philadelphian church to Christ that five promises are given to them.

 The first promise given to the church is that their Jewish enemies (“synagogue of Satan”) would be humbled before them (Rev. 3:9).  Secondly, they will be kept “from the hour of temptation” (or “tribulation,” cf. Mt. 13:21; Mk. 4:17; Lk. 8:13).  This second promise is noteworthy since many Bible students to teach the pretribulational rapture commonly cite it.  It is common to hear Revelation 3:10 cited as proof of a pretribulational rapture, but there are problems with such references.  Thomas writes:

The statement does not refer directly to the rapture.  What it guarantees is protection from the scene of the “hour of trial” while that hour is in progress.  This effect of placing the faithful in Philadelphia (and hence, the faithful in all the churches; cf. 3:13) in a position of safety presupposes that they will have been removed to another location (i.e., heaven) at the period’s beginning.6

Therefore, it would be best to understand Revelation 3:10 as promising the church in Philadelphia a 1st century deliverance from the tribulation period, but also extending that promise in a general manner to the church throughout the centuries (cf. Rev. 3:13).  Thomas is correct that the passage does not directly teach the pretribulational rapture.  However, this is not to say that the passage does not relate to the rapture of the church.  It is as Walvoord states, “If the rapture had occurred in the first century preceding the tribulation which the book of Revelation described, they were assured of deliverance.”7

The phrase kept “from the hour of temptation” is significant for several reasons.  For instance, the word “hour” (horas) designates deliverance not only from the “trial,” but also deliverance from the period of time in which the trial exists.  Ryrie comments:

In the Septuagint translation the ek indicates an external, not internal preservation. Ek also is used in the same way of external protection in Joshua 2:13 and in Psalm 33:19; 56:13.8

If the writer had intended to teach preservation through (rather than from) the tribulation the correct grammar to use would be en te hora (in the hour).  Significantly, John states ek tes haras (“from the hour”).  The same Greek preposition is used in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 where Paul states the same:  “even Jesus which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

The third promise is that the Lord will come quickly (Rev. 3:11).  Walvoord aptly notes that the “expression ‘quickly’ is to be understood as something which is sudden and unexpected, not necessarily immediate.”9  Fourthly, the church in Philadelphia would also be honored in the temple of God (Rev. 3:12a).  It is significant that they “shall go no more out.”  In other words, that which is eternal and unmovable would replace the unstable earthly dwelling that they were accustomed to.  Lastly, the church would receive a new name (Rev. 3:12b).  This will indicate their eternal identification with God.

Pastoral Comments

When asked which of the seven churches describes his church, a friend and local bay area pastor (name withheld) responded that at times all of them corresponded to his church.  The most prominent ones that he made mention of were Ephesus (“thou hast left thy first love”), Philadelphia (“kept my word, and hast not denied my name”), and Laodicea (“thou are neither hot or cold”).

The pastor was then asked what steps could be taken in his church to respond to the Lord’s evaluation of it.  First, he mentioned that the church needs a greater awareness of God’s holiness and man’s sinfulness.  It is his belief that if the people of God truly understood the wrath that they have been delivered from, then they would not grow accustomed to living as “comfortable Christians.”  The pastor is strong on teaching the doctrine of election and man’s responsibility.  “The church needs to understand the sovereign choice of God in election and also their accountability to God,” he stated.

The late Dr. Walvoord makes a great point when he writes, “It remains true, however, that many casual worshipers in Christian churches today who are quite familiar with the Sermon on the Mount are not aware of the existence of these seven messages of Christ.”10  Dispensationalism needs to be an emphasis in teaching.  The Sermon on the Mount is dealing with kingdom living, and yet letters that are addressed specifically to the church are not dealt with regularly.  Even most prophecy teachers will emphasize chapter 1 and then chapters 4-22 of Revelation and then give a surface analysis of the letters to the seven churches.  This is tragic, but it needs to be an exhortation to pastors that these things need to be an emphasis in the church.

Conclusion

The church in Philadelphia is given precious promises from the Lord.  Yet, the exhortation to hold fast is also applicable to the church today.  The world today can be deeply depressing without any appearance of hope.  However, this is when Christians can stick out like sore thumbs due to the blessed hope of Christ’s imminent return (Rev. 3:11; cf. Tit. 2:13).  The suddenness (“I come quickly”) in which Christ will return is also an incentive for holiness and evangelism that Christians should not be caught unaware when our Lord returns for His church.

1 W. M. Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches (Peabody:  Hendrickson, 1994), pp. 286-302.

2 Ray Summers, Worthy Is the Lamb (Nashville:  Broadman Press, 1951), p. 107.

3 Ramsay, Seven Churches, pp. 296-297.

4 Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah (Tustin:  Ariel Ministries Press, 1983), p. 36.

5 Summers, Worthy, p. 107.

6 Robert Thomas, Revelation 1-7 (Chicago:  Moody Press, 1992), p. 288.

7 John Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ (Chicago:  Moody Press, 1966), p. 87.

8 Charles Ryrie, Come Quickly, Lord Jesus (Eugene: Harvest House, 1996), p. 133.

9 Walvoord, Revelation, p. 87.

10 Ibid., p. 51.