a3:18
b1 Cor 3:12-15

‏ Revelation of John 3:18

3:18  a Jesus’ prescription for Laodicea required a complete change of attitude from self-reliance to dependence on God.

• buy gold from me: Materially, they could buy whatever they wanted, but they needed to acquire the treasures of heaven so they would have spiritual riches through faith in Christ.

• purified by fire: While material wealth will not withstand God’s purging by fire (cp. 1 Cor 3:12-15  b), spiritual wealth has eternal value.

• White garments represent spiritual purity. Black wool cloth and garments were prized exports of the city of Laodicea. This famous black wool cloth was a source of Laodicea’s material wealth; it probably represents the Laodiceans’ proud and unredeemed spiritual condition.

• Laodicea’s material prosperity was also due to their well-known Phrygian eye ointment, which may have been used there in the eye clinic associated with the famed physician Demosthenes Philalethes. The Laodiceans needed to buy ointment from Christ through faith. Only his eye salve would enable them to see their sin and repent.
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