Jesus’s message to the church in Philadelphia, positioned in Asia Minor (now Turkey), was unique from His messages to the six other churches mentioned within the book of Revelation. Philadelphia received the one message that carried no correction or rebuke but as a substitute offered unqualified praise, mentioning specifically their good works and patient endurance in keeping His Word and never denying His name. Clearly, a church worthy of attention and study.
What Does Jesus Say to the Church in Philadelphia (Rev. 3)?
The apostle John received the book of Revelation, a book of biblical prophecy, while exiled on the island of Patmos positioned within the southeastern Aegean Sea. The opening reads, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to indicate to his servants the things that must soon happen. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,” (Revelation 1:1 ESV).
The word revelation in Greek is apokalypsisis, meaning an uncovering, an unveiling, a revealing of truth. The focus of this New Testament prophecy is the tip times, and most readers will readily see that the word apocalypse, currently most frequently related to the tip of the world, derives from apokalypsisis.
John wrote this prophetic book in the shape of a letter addressed to seven churches positioned in Asia Minor:
- Ephesus
- Smyrna
- Pergamum
- Thyatira
- Sardis
- Philadelphia
- Laodicea
Jesus spoke a selected message to every. Each message to those churches followed an identical pattern. They opened with a greeting, a title or descriptor of Jesus, a summary of the church’s condition including commendations, warnings, and corrections (except the church in Philadelphia), and a promise for individuals who overcome.
This is His message to the church in Philadelphia recorded in Revelation 3:7-13 ESV:
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the important thing of David, who opens and nobody will shut, who shuts and nobody opens. I do know your works. Behold, I even have set before you an open door, which nobody is in a position to shut. I do know that you may have but little power, and yet you may have kept my word and haven’t denied my name. Behold, I’ll make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they’re Jews and should not, but lie—behold, I’ll make them come and bow down before your feet, and they’re going to learn that I even have loved you. Because you may have kept my word about patient endurance, I’ll keep you from the hour of trial that’s coming on the entire world, to try those that dwell on the earth. I’m coming soon. Hold fast what you may have, in order that nobody may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I’ll make him a pillar within the temple of my God. Never shall he exit of it, and I’ll write on him the name of my God, and the name of the town of my God, the brand new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my very own recent name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Following the greeting, as is true with all seven churches, is the descriptor for Jesus, which on this letter is “the holy one, the true one, who has the important thing of David, who opens and nobody will shut, who shuts and nobody opens.” He assures the church in Philadelphia that He knows their works and has set before them “an open door, which nobody is in a position to shut.”
Jesus commends them that while they’ve little power, they’ve kept His Word and never denied His name. He guarantees to make the “synagogue of Satan who say they’re Jews and should not” bow before their feet to learn that He loves the church there in Philadelphia. During the time of the early church, there was much contention against those that followed Jesus, or “the Way” that got here from the Jews who didn’t accept Jesus as Messiah, other religions, and from cults or counterfeits of the brand new faith. These are strong words from Jesus, but deception and false religions muddy the waters for individuals who must hear the true gospel.
Jesus also guarantees to maintain the church in Philadelphia from the hour of trial coming on the entire world and assures them He is coming soon.
He urges them to carry fast to what they’ve.
To the conquerors or overcomers, He guarantees to make them pillars within the temple of God. (In this earthquake-prone area of the world, strong pillars were essential to the steadiness of each surviving structure.) He will write on each conqueror the name of God and the name of the town of God, the brand new Jerusalem and His own recent name.
As with most biblical prophecy, this message likely contained messages specifically for the believers within the church in ancient Philadelphia in addition to messages related to the tip times still to return.
Where Was the Church in Philadelphia Located?
The ancient biblical times church in Philadelphia was named for a king’s brother. According to Titus Kennedy (Drive Thru History), “An inscription present in the ruins suggests that Philadelphia was founded no less than as early because the 2nd century BC in the course of the reign of King Eumenes II of Pergamum, who named the town after his younger brother, Attalus II, who was called Philadelphus in honor of his love and loyalty to his brother the king.” It was positioned in the world then often called Asia Minor, further inland and northeast of Ephesus and well west of Galatia.
Of course, early churches most frequently met in homes so there are few buildings that might need served as churches as we currently would recognize them, but that’s very true on this earthquake-prone area of the world. Whatever stays of the traditional city of Philadelphia (which was conquered by the Ottomans in 1390) is buried beneath the fashionable city of Alaşehir, Turkey.
Americans, after all, will immediately associate the name of the traditional church in Philadelphia with the town of the identical name founded by William Penn within the state of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, within the Greek, means brotherly (adelphos) love (philos). There’s no specifically cited reason that Penn selected this name for the American city, even though it’s clearly aspirational. Penn was a Quaker and had suffered religious persecution, so it’s believed he hoped to create a community of freedom, where people of all faiths could live together in peace.
What Is the “Open Door” Jesus Said He Has Placed before Them?
Jesus refers to Himself as “the holy one, the true one, who has the important thing of David, who opens and nobody will shut, who shuts and nobody opens.” Then, He guarantees the church in Philadelphia that He has set before them “an open door, which nobody is in a position to shut.”
There is an ancient oracle concerning Israel in Isaiah 22:22 with similar wording that refers to a servant of the Lord named Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. “And I’ll place on his shoulder the important thing of the home of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” This signifies a granting of honor, authority, and regional power, much as in our modern times, a one that has done an heroic deed could also be bestowed “the important thing to the town.”
In the New Testament, references to “open doors” generally related to opportunities for ministry (e.g.1 Corinthians 16:8-9, 2 Corinthians 2:12). In Colossians 4:3-4 ESV Paul writes, “At the identical time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I’m in prison— that I could make it clear, which is how I must speak.”
What Lessons Can We Learn from the Church in Philadelphia?
While this passage of Scripture requires context, understanding of biblical prophecy, and clever counsel to review and apply to actually mine its depths, there are no less than 4 lessons every believer can take from Jesus’s message to the church in Philadelphia.
- Jesus sees us and knows our situation. Clearly, this church endured a situation that tested and tried their faith. They have suffered much on account of a bunch of people that should not what they portray themselves to be. Jesus is gentle with them, assuring, and guarantees a greater end result than they’re currently experiencing. Jesus warned His disciples that on this world they’d have trouble, but to not lose heart because He has overcome the world. We can take that assurance for ourselves once we endure trials and are oppressed by posers and pretenders on this side of glory.
- Jesus knows our strength but additionally knows our faithful endurance. The church in Philadelphia had little strength or power. We could also be in similar circumstances in relation to the world. Jesus tells them to “hold fast” to what they do have. Sometimes holding our ground is the win. Remaining faithful even when we’re not seeing the outcomes we desire matters to Jesus and so it also needs to matter to us.
- Jesus opens doors for ministry, and like Paul, we will pray for those open doors, trusting Him to maintain them open and never allow anyone else to shut them. Do you may have a burden for a selected group of individuals, a nation, or an unreached section of the world? Pray for open doors for ministry and ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out staff.
- Every believer is sensible to read Revelation, not specifically to discern information in regards to the end times but to higher know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Each of those letters reveals more of His heart, His nature, and His power. They hold guarantees from Him for us. Revelation shows us facets of Christ we don’t see as clearly in other books of the Bible, so it is worth it to read, even when all of it isn’t clear, with the intention to know Him more.
The heart of Jesus is for us. He died to avoid wasting us, rising again to everlasting life which He offers to everyone who believes in His name and chooses to show from sin and follow Him. The church of Philadelphia reminds us that while following Him may lead to suffering and trials on this side of glory, He sees us, He is with us, and He makes all things right in the approaching Kingdom when we are going to see Him face-to-face.
**If you found this text while looking for a modern-day church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, there are several online directories that may also help, including:
Church Finder: https://www.churchfinder.com/churches/pa/philadelphia?
Church Advice: https://www.churchadvise.com/directory/PA/Philadelphia?
The Gospel Coalition Church Directory: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/churches/
Image created using AI technology and subsequently edited and reviewed by our editorial team.
This article is a component of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more in regards to the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that designate Biblical truths. You don’t must fear or worry in regards to the future!
The Second Coming of Jesus
Who Are the 144,000 in Revelation?
Who Are Gog and Magog within the Bible?
What Is the Apollyon?
Is the Apocalypse Mentioned within the Bible?
Signs of the End Times and the Rapture
, was unique from His messages to the six other churches mentioned within...){kind=link}