Revelation 3:14 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

The church of the Laodiceans— Laodicea lay south of Philadelphia in the way to Ephesus; and if you inspect the maps, you will find the seven churches to lie in a kind of circular form; so that the natural progress was from Ephesus to Smyrna, from Smyrna toPergamos, from Pergamos to Thyatira, from Thyatira to Sardis, from Sardis to Philadelphia, from Philadelphia to Laodicea, and from Laodicea round to Ephesus again; which is the method and order that St. John has observed in addressing them, andwas probably the circuit that he took in his visitation. That there was a flourishing church in Laodicea in the primitive times of Christianity, is evident from St. Paul's Epistle to the Colossians, wherein frequent mention is made of the Laodiceans; as well as from this Epistle of St. John. But the doom of Laodicea seems to have been more severe and terrible than that of almost any other of the churches: for it is now utterly destroyed and forsaken of men, and is become an habitation only for wolves, foxes, and jackals, a den of dragons, snakes, and vipers: and that because the Lord hath executed the judgment that he hath pronounced upon her; that all the world might know and tremble at the fierce anger of God against impenitent, negligent, and careless sinners and apostates. For such was the accusation of the lukewarm Laodiceans, who grew proud and self-conceited, thinking themselves much better than they really were. Wherefore because they were neither hot nor cold, they were loathsome to Christ, and he therefore assured them, that he would spit them out of his mouth, Revelation 3:15-16. The ruins shew it to have been a very great city, situated upon six or seven hills, and encompassing a large space of ground. Some notion may be formed of its former greatness and glory from three theatres and a circus, which are remaining, one of which is truly admirable, as it was capable of containing above thirty thousand men; into whose area they descended by fifty steps. The city is now called Eski Hisar, or the Old Castle; and though it was once the mother church of sixteen bishopricks, yet it now lies desolate, not so much as inhabited by shepherds; and, so far from shewing any of the ornaments of God's ancient worship, it cannot now boast an anchorite's or hermit's chapel, where God's name is praised and invoked. Such is the state and condition of these seven churches, and there cannot be a stronger proof of the truth of prophesy, nor a more effectual warning to other Christians. The first bishop of Laodicea ordained by the apostles, is said to have been Archippus, in the Apostolical Constitutions. See Colossians 4:17. The Amen, is one of God's titles in Isaiah 65:16. (in the Hebrew). That prophesy seems to be applied to the Messiah, and therefore relates to our case. The words which follow, are synonymous, explaining this; for the faithful and true Witness is the same as the Amen. The confession and promises of Christ are true, and certain to every persevering believer: he was firm and unmoved in his confession, and he will never fail his faithful saints in what he has promised, and sealed with his blood. Instead of the beginning of the creation of God, Fleming renders it the efficient cause of God's creation; and the word αρκη has frequently that signification. The meaning is, that the whole creation was produced by him, and he is the Head and Governor of all that he has made.