by Ptr. Art Calaguas<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shalom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We proceed to do a line-by-line study of the letter to the messenger of the church in Laodicea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Destination<\/strong> \u2013 Revelation 3:14. The letter is addressed to an individual messenger-leader (Greek \u03b1\u03b3\u03b3\u03b5\u03bb\u03bf\u03c2, \u201cangelos\u201d) of the last of the 7 churches in Revelation 2 & 3; in \u039b\u03b1\u03bf\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u03b5\u03af\u1fb3 (Laodicea).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Description of Jesus Christ<\/strong> \u2013 Revelation 3:14. Jesus reveals himself in 3 ways: as \u201cthe Amen;\u201d the \u201cfaithful and true witness;\u201d and \u201cthe beginning of the creation of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Greek word \u1f00\u03bc\u03ae\u03bd, \u201camen\u201d is with the definite article here; hence \u201cthe Amen.\u201d It is actually a borrowed word from Hebrew (\u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b5\u05df). In the New Testament (NT), \u201camen\u201d is used more than 140 times, especially in the Gospels (the Gospel of Matthew uses it in 32 verses) and 9 times in Revelation. The Gospel of John has 25 verses where the word is used twice in any given verse (a usage unique to the Apostle John), thus counting 50 occurrences of \u201camen\u201d in this Gospel alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most Christians know this word and its usage as translated, as \u201ctruly\u201d or \u201cverily\u201d if used as part of the introduction of a scripture passage; or \u201cso be it,\u201d or \u201cmay it be fulfilled\u201d if it used as a part of the conclusion. The Gospel of John uniquely uses the word twice in its verses to make a more impactful assurance or confirmation. Thayer\u2019s Greek Lexicon calls this usage as equivalent of having \u201cthe force of a superlative\u201d assertion (https:\/\/biblehub.com\/greek\/281.htm<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the words \u201cverily, verily\u2026\u201d is read in the King James Version or \u201ctruly, truly\u2026\u201d in other translations of John\u2019s Gospel; the underlying Greek words said by our Lord Jesus are actually: \u1f00\u03bc\u03ae\u03bd, \u1f00\u03bc\u03ae\u03bd\u2026, \u201camen, amen.\u201d This may point to the self-revelation of the divinity of the Lord Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The self-identification of our Lord Jesus as \u201cthe Amen\u201d to the messenger of the church in Laodicea is a reminder of Isaiah 65:16. Most English translations render the Hebrew phrase \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b5\u0594\u05df \u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u05d0\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05a3\u05d9 as \u201cin\/by the God of truth.\u201d However, the literal translation is actually, \u201cin\/by the God of Amen.\u201d Isaiah 65:16 actually uses \u05d0\u05b8\u05de\u05b5\u05df \u201camen,\u201d twice in the verse; the first is when one blesses and the next is when one swears. The context of Isaiah 65:16 and the following verses and even up to Isaiah 66 reveal that the \u201cGod of Amen\u201d will create \u201cnew heavens and a new earth\u201d (Isaiah 65:17) and reiterates this as something definite and sure: \u201cFor as the new heavens and the new earth that I make\u2026\u201d (Isaiah 66:22). From the context, it is clear that it is the LORD God who is declaring these new things in Isaiah. Hence, the self-description of Messiah Jesus as \u201cthe Amen\u201d in Revelation 3:14 is an identification that Jesus Christ is also the LORD God speaking in these Isaiah verses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Hebrew meaning is the same as the Greek: \u201cverily\u201d or \u201ctruly\u201d or \u201cso be it.\u201d Both the Hebrew and Greek meanings of the word \u201cAmen\u201d convey a faithful assurance to the messenger of the church in Laodicea that the source of the message is trustworthy and true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then after identifying the originator of the message as \u201cthe Amen,\u201d the Lord Jesus backs this declaration and continues to tell his messenger that he is \u201cthe faithful and true witness.\u201d This is an echo of Revelation 1:5 where the Lord greets the churches as \u201cthe faithful witness.\u201d In Revelation 2:13, in the message to the pastor-leader of the church in Pergamum, Antipas is called \u201cmy witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you.\u201d The same Greek word translated as \u201cwitness\u201d is used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Greek word \u03bc\u03ac\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c2, \u201cmartus\u201d meaning \u201cwitness,\u201d in those trying times of persecution during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian (and even earlier, under Emperor Nero) was already having a double meaning. As more and more believers where being killed for their faith in Jesus Christ, the word \u03bc\u03ac\u03c1\u03c4\u03c5\u03c2, \u201cmartus\u201d became the word meaning \u201cmartyr\u201d as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n