And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Laodiceans - in the southwest of Phrygia, on the river Lycus, not far from Colosse, lying between it and Philadelphia: destroyed by an earthquake, 62 AD; rebuilt by its wealthy citizens without the help of the state (Tacitus, Annals, 14:, 27). This wealth (arising from the excellence of its wools) led to a self-satisfied, lukewarm state in spiritual things, as Revelation 3:17 describes. Note on Colossians 4:16, on the letter thought to have been written to the Laodiceans by Paul. The church in later times was flourishing; for one of the councils at which the canon of Scripture was determined was held in Laodicea, in 361 AD Hardly a Christian is now to be found near its site.
The Amen - (Isaiah 65:16, Hebrew, 'Bless Himself in the God of Amen ... swear by the God of Amen;' 2 Corinthians 1:20.) He who not only says, but is, the Truth. The saints used Amen at the end of prayer, or the Word of God; none, except the Son of God, ever said, 'Amen, I say unto you:' it is language special to God, who avers by Himself. The New Testament 'Amen, I say unto you,' is equivalent to the Old Testament formula 'As I live, saith Yahweh.' In John's gospel alone He uses the double "Amen" (John 1:52; John 3:3, etc.): English version, "Verily, verily." The title harmonizes with the address. His unchanging faithfulness as "the Amen" contrasts with Laodicea's wavering - "neither hot nor cold" (Revelation 3:16). The angel of Leodices has, with probability, been conjectured to be Archippus, to whom, thirty years previously, Paul had given a needed monition to diligence in his ministry (Colossians 4:17). So the 'Apostolic Constitutions,' 8:, 46, name him as first Bishop of Laodicea: supposed to be the son of Philemon (Philemon 1:2).
Faithful and true Witness. "The Amen" expresses the truth of His promises; "the true Witness," the genuineness of His revelations of heavenly things which He has seen and testifies (John 3:11-12). "Faithful,"
i.e., trustworthy (2 Timothy 2:11; 2 Timothy 2:13). "True" is here х aleethinos (G228)] not truth-speaking х aleethes (G227)], but 'perfectly realizing all that is comprehended in "Witness" ' (1 Timothy 6:13). Three things are necessary:
(1) to have seen with His own eyes; (2) to be competent to relate it;
(3) to be willing truthfully to do so.
In Christ all these conditions meet (Trench).
Beginning of the creation of God - not He whom God created first, but as in Colossians 1:15-18 (note), the Beginner of all creation: its originating instrument. All creation would not be represented adoring Him, if He were but one of themselves (Revelation 5:8; Revelation 5:11; Revelation 5:13). His being the Creator is a guarantee for His faithfulness as 'the Witness and Amen.'