Revelation 3:9 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Behold, I Who have all power, and when I exert it they must then comply; will make them Who are indeed of the synagogue of Satan And under all the solemn guise of religious worship are carrying on Satan's cause and interest; which say they are Jews Pretend to be my people, but are not; I will make them to come and worship, or bow down, before thy feet To pay thee the lowest homage; and to know that I have loved thee That all depends on my love; and that thou hast a place therein; or to find that I evidently support thy cause and interest against all that oppose it. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience That gospel which I have myself, by such patient suffering in my human nature, established in the world, and by which I at once exercise and support the faith and patience of my people; I also will keep thee O happy exemption from that spreading calamity! from the hour of temptation Or of trial. I will partly preserve thee from it, and partly support thee under it. In other words, My hand shall remarkably appear in defending thee from the dangers by which others fall; and in strengthening thee in proportion to the trial. The word hour denotes the short time of its continuance; that is, at any one place. At every one it was very sharp, though short, wherein the great tempter was not idle, Revelation 2:10. Which shall come upon all the world Upon the whole Roman empire, as the original expression frequently signifies. It went over the Christians, and over the Jews and heathen, though in a very different manner. This was the time of the persecution under the seemingly virtuous emperor Trajan. The two preceding persecutions were under those monsters, Nero and Domitian. But Trajan was so admired for his goodness, and his persecution was of such a nature, that it was a temptation indeed, and did thoroughly try them that dwelt upon the earth.