As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
(Proverbs 3:11-12.) So Manasses (2 Chronicles 33:11-13).
As many. All. 'And shalt thou be an exception? If excepted from the scourge, thou art excepted from the number of the sons' (Augustine). An encouragement to Laodicea not to despair, but to regard the rebuke as a token for good, if she profit by it.
I love, х filoo (G5368)] - gratuitous affection, independent of grounds for esteem in the object loved. But Philadelphia (Revelation 3:9), "I have loved thee" х eegapeesa (G25)] with love of esteem, founded on the judgment. Note my 'English Gnomon' of Bengel, John 21:15-17,
I rebuke. "I" stands first emphatically. I in my dealings, so unlike man's, rebuke all whom I love. х Elengchoo (G1651) is the same verb as in John 16:8, '(the Holy Spirit) will convince (rebuke to conviction) the world of sin.']
Chasten - `chastise' х paideuoo (G3811): in classical Greek, to instruct; in the New Testament, to instruct by chastisement (Hebrews 12:5-6)]. David was rebuked unto conviction when he cried, "I have sinned against the Lord:" the chastening followed, when his child was taken (2 Samuel 12:13-14). In divine chastening, the sinner at once winces under the rod and learns righteousness.
Be zealous - habitually. [Present, zeeleue (G2206): a lifelong course of zeal, opposite of "lukewarm."] I The alliteration marks this: Laodicea had not been "hot," х zestos (G2200)], she is therefore urged to "be zealous" х zeeleue (G2206)]: both are from the same х zeoo (G2204), to boil].
Repent, х metanoeeson (G3340), aorist] - of an act to be done once for all, and at once.