Revelation 3:18

_ _ Gentle and loving irony. Take My advice, thou who fanciest thyself in need of nothing. Not only art thou not in need of nothing, but art in need of the commonest necessaries of existence. He graciously stoops to their modes of thought and speech: Thou art a people ready to listen to any counsel as to how to buy to advantage; then, listen to My counsel (for I am “Counselor,” Isaiah 9:6), buy of ME” (in whom, according to Paul’s Epistle written to the neighboring Colosse and intended for the Laodicean Church also, Colossians 2:1, Colossians 2:3; Colossians 4:16, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge). “Buy” does not imply that we can, by any work or merit of ours, purchase God’s free gift; nay the very purchase money consists in the renunciation of all self-righteousness, such as Laodicea had (Revelation 3:17). “Buy” at the cost of thine own self-sufficiency (so Paul, Philippians 3:7, Philippians 3:8); and the giving up of all things, however dear to us, that would prevent our receiving Christ’s salvation as a free gift, for example, self and worldly desires. Compare Isaiah 55:1, “Buy ... without money and price.”

_ _ of me — the source of “unsearchable riches” (Ephesians 3:8). Laodicea was a city of extensive money transactions [Cicero].

_ _ gold tried in, etc. — literally, “fired (and fresh) from the fire,” that is, just fresh from the furnace which has proved its purity, and retaining its bright gloss. Sterling spiritual wealth, as contrasted with its counterfeit, in which Laodicea boasted itself. Having bought this gold she will be no longer poor (Revelation 3:17).

_ _ mayest be rich — Greek, “mayest be enriched.”

_ _ white raiment — “garments.” Laodicea’s wools were famous. Christ offers infinitely whiter raiment. As “gold tried in the fire” expresses faith tested by fiery trials: so “white raiment,” Christ’s righteousness imputed to the believer in justification and imparted in sanctification.

_ _ appear — Greek, “be manifested,” namely, at the last day, when everyone without the wedding garment shall be discovered. To strip one, is in the East the image of putting to open shame. So also to clothe one with fine apparel is the image of doing him honor. Man can discover his shame, God alone can cover it, so that his nakedness shall not be manifested at last (Colossians 3:10-14). Blessed is he whose sin is so covered. The hypocrite’s shame may be manifested now; it must be so at last.

_ _ anoint ... with eye-salve — The oldest manuscripts read, “(buy of Me) eye-salve (collyrium, a roll of ointment), to anoint thine eyes.” Christ has for Laodicea an ointment far more precious than all the costly unguents of the East. The eye is here the conscience or inner light of the mind. According as it is sound and “single” (Greek, “haplous,” “simple”), or otherwise, the man sees aright spiritually, or does not. The Holy Spirit’s unction, like the ancient eye-salve’s, first smarts with conviction of sin, then heals. He opens our eyes first to ourselves in our wretchedness, then to the Savior in His preciousness. Trench notices that the most sunken churches of the seven, namely, Sardis and Laodicea, are the ones in which alone are specified no opponents from without, nor heresies from within. The Church owes much to God’s overruling Providence which has made so often internal and external foes, in spite of themselves, to promote His cause by calling forth her energies in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints. Peace is dearly bought at the cost of spiritual stagnation, where there is not interest enough felt in religion to contend about it at all.