1. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write: these things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars: I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest and art dead. 2. Be watchful and strengthen the remaining things which are about to die: for I have not found thy works full before God. 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard; and observe, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know in what hour I will come upon thee. 4. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white; because they are worthy. 5. He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. 6. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 7. And unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: these things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth. 8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door and no one is able to shut it: because thou hast a little power, and hast kept My Word, and hast not denied My name. 9. Behold, I will give from the synagogue of Satan, those who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and adore at thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11. Behold, I come quickly; hold fast that thou hast, that no one take thy crown. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of My God; and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God; and My new name. 13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. 14. 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 work of God. 15. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot. I would thou wert cold or hot. 16. Therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of My mouth. 17. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. 18. I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white garments that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve that thou mayest see. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent. 20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock: If anyone hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. 21. To him that overcometh will I give to sit with Me on My throne, as I overcame, and sit with the Father on His throne. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

THE SPIRITUAL SENSE

The contents of the whole chapter

This chapter treats of those in the Christian world who are in dead worship, which is without charity and faith; who are described by the church in Sardis (n. 154-171). Those who are in truths from good from the Lord; who are described by the church in Philadelphia (n. 172-197). Those who alternately believe from themselves, and from the Word, and thus profane holy things; who are described by the church in Laodicea (n. 198-223). All of these likewise are called to the New Church of the Lord.

The contents of each verse

Verse 1. "And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write," signifies to those and concerning those, who are in dead worship, or in worship which is without the goods of charity, and without the truths of faith (n. 154). "These things saith He that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars," signifies the Lord, from whom are all truths, and all the knowledges of good and truth (n. 155). "I know thy works," signifies that the Lord sees all their interiors and exteriors at once (n. 156). "That thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead," signifies that it may be seen and believed by themselves and by others, that they are spiritually alive, when yet they are spiritually dead (n. 157). Verse 2. "Be watchful," signifies to be in truths and in a life according to them (n. 158). "And strengthen the remaining things which are about to die," signifies that the things which pertain to their worship may receive life (n. 159). "For I have not found thy works full before God," signifies that the interiors of their worship are not conjoined with the Lord (n. 160). Verse 3. "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard," signifies that they should consider that all worship in the beginning is natural, and afterwards by truths becomes spiritual, besides many other things (n. 161). "And observe and repent," signifies that they should attend to these things, and give life to their dead worship (n. 162). "If therefore thou shalt not watch," signifies here the same as above (n. 163). "I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know in what hour I will come upon thee," signifies that the things which are of worship shall be taken from them, and that they shall not know when and how this is done (n. 164). Verse 4. "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis," signifies that among them there are also some who have life in their worship (n. 165). "Which have not defiled their garments," signifies who are in truths, and have not defiled worship by evils of life and falsities thence derived (n. 166). "And they shall walk with Me in white,"* signifies that they shall live with the Lord, because they are in truths from Him (n. 167). Verse 5. "He that overcometh shall be clothed in white garments," signifies that he who is reformed becomes spiritual (n. 168). "And I will not blot out his name out of the book of life," signifies that he shall be saved (n. 169). "And I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels," signifies that they will be received who are in Divine truths from the Lord (n. 170). Verse 6. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 171). Verse 7. "And unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia write," signifies to those and concerning those, who are in truths from good from the Lord (n. 172). "These things saith He that is holy, He that is true," signifies the Lord as to the Divine truth (n. 173). "He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and no one shutteth, and shutteth and no one openeth," signifies who alone has omnipotence to save (n. 174). Verse 8. "I know thy works," signifies here, as above (n. 175). "Behold, I have set before thee an open door," signifies that heaven is open to those who are in truths from good from the Lord (n. 176). "And no one is able to shut it," signifies that hell cannot prevail against them (n. 177). "Because thou hast a little power," signifies because they know that they can do nothing from themselves (n. 178). "And hast kept My Word," signifies because they live according to the Lord's commandments in His Word (n. 179). "And hast not denied My name," signifies that they are in the worship of the Lord (n. 180). Verse 9. "And I will give from the synagogue of Satan," signifies those who are in falsities as to doctrine (n. 181). "Who say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie," signifies who say that the church is with them, and yet it is not (n. 182). "Behold I will make them to come and adore at thy feet," signifies that many who are in falsities as to doctrine, will receive the truths of the New Church (n. 183). "And to know that I have loved thee," signifies that they shall see that they are loved and received into heaven by the Lord (n. 184). Verse 10. "Because thou hast kept the Word of My endurance," signifies because they have fought against evils (n. 185). "I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth," signifies that they will be protected and preserved in the day of the Last Judgment (n. 186). Verse 11. "Behold I come quickly," signifies the Lord's coming (n. 187). "Hold fast that thou hast," signifies that in the meantime they should remain in their truths and goods (n. 188). "That no one take thy crown," signifies lest wisdom should perish, from which is eternal felicity (n. 189). Verse 12. "Him that overcometh," signifies they who persist in truths from good (n. 190). "Will I make a pillar in the temple of My God," signifies that truths from good from the Lord, with those in whom they abide, sustain the church (n. 191). "And he shall go no more out," signifies that they shall remain there to eternity (n. 192). "And I will write upon him the name of My God," signifies that Divine truth shall be inscribed on their hearts (n. 193). "And the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem," signifies that the doctrine of the New Church shall be inscribed on their hearts (n. 194). "Which cometh down out of heaven from My God," signifies which will be from the Divine truth of the Lord such as it is in heaven (n. 195). "And My new name," signifies the worship of the Lord alone, with new things which were not in the former church (n. 196). Verse 13. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 197). Verse 14. "And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write," signifies to those and concerning those, in the church, who alternately believe from themselves, and from the Word, and thus profane things holy (n. 198). "These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true Witness," signifies the Lord as to the Word, which is the Divine truth from Him (n. 199). "The beginning of the work of God," signifies the Word (n. 200). Verse 15. "I know thy works," signifies here, as before (n. 201). "That thou art neither cold nor hot," signifies that they who are such, sometimes deny that the Word is Divine and holy, and at other times acknowledge it (n. 202). "I would thou wert cold or hot," signifies that it is better for them either from the heart to deny the holy things of the Word and of the church, or from the heart to acknowledge them (n. 203). Verse 16. "Therefore because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of My mouth," signifies profanation and separation from the Lord (n. 204). Verse 17. "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods," signifies that they believe they possess in all abundance the knowledges of good and truth, which are of heaven and the church (n. 206). "And have need of nothing," signifies that they have no need of more wisdom (n. 207). "And knowest not that thou art wretched," signifies that all things which they know concerning them do not at all cohere (n. 208). "And miserable and poor," signifies that they are without the understanding of truth, and without the will of good (n. 209).** Verse 18. "I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich," signifies an admonition to acquire to themselves the good of love from the Lord by means of the Word, that they may become wise (n. 211). "And white garments that thou mayest be clothed," signifies that they should acquire to themselves the genuine truths of wisdom (n. 212). "And that the shame of thy nakedness may not appear," signifies lest the good of celestial love should be profaned and adulterated (n. 213). "And anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see," signifies that their understanding may be healed (n. 214). Verse 19. "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten," signifies that because they are now beloved, they cannot but be admitted into temptations (n. 215). "Be zealous, therefore, and repent," signifies that this should be done from the affection of truth (n. 216). Verse 20. "Behold I stand at the door, and knock," signifies that the Lord is present to everyone in the Word, and is there pressing to be received, and He teaches how (n. 217). "If anyone hear My voice, and open the door," signifies he who believes in the Word and lives according to it (n. 218). "I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me," signifies that the Lord conjoins Himself with them and they with Him (n. 219). Verse 21. "To him that overcometh," signifies such as are in conjunction with the Lord by a life according to His precepts in the Word (n. 220). "Will I give to sit with Me in My throne," signifies that they will have conjunction with the Lord in heaven (n. 221). "As I overcame, and sit with the Father in His throne," signifies as He and the Father are one and are heaven (n. 222). Verse 22. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," signifies here, as before (n. 223). * The original Latin omits "for they are worthy." ** The original Latin omits, "and blind and naked."

THE EXPLANATION

Verse 1. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write, signifies to those and concerning those, who are in dead worship, or in worship which is without the goods of charity and without the truths of faith. That they who are in such worship are meant by "the church in Sardis," is evident from what is written to it when understood in the spiritual sense. By dead worship is meant worship alone, which is to frequent temples, to hear preachings, to go to the Holy Supper, to read the Word and books of piety, to talk about God, of heaven and hell, of the life after death, especially of piety, to pray morning and evening, and yet they do not desire to know the truths of faith, nor do they will to do the goods of charity, believing that they have salvation by means of worship alone; when yet worship without truths, and without a life according to them, is only the external sign of charity and faith, within which there may lie concealed all kinds of evils and falsities, if charity and faith are not in them; for of these genuine worship consists; or else the worship is like the skin or surface of any kind of fruit, in which there lies concealed putrid and worm-eaten pulp, which fruit is dead. That such worship reigns in the church at this day, is known.