Laodicea
One of the cities of the Lycus Valley, located in the southwest corner of Phrygia in western Asia Minor. Colossae was 10 miles to the east, and Hierapolis, six miles to the north. The city was founded in the 3rd century
B
.
C
. by Antiochus II, one of the Seleucid kings who ruled Syria after the death of Alexander the Great. Antiochus named the city after his wife, Laodicea.
Laodicea was one of “the seven churches of Asia” to which John’s Revelation was addressed. (Rev. 3:14-22) The spread of Christianity in Laodicea is associated with taking the gospel to Colossae and Hierapolis, neighbor cities in the Lycus Valley (see Col. 2:1; 4:13-16).
Laodicea was at a very important crossroads. To the west were the ports of Ephesus and Miletus, about 100 miles away; and to the east through an easy incline was the central Asian plateau that led to Syria. This highway and the north-south road system were described by Ramsay:
Laodicea was a knot on the road-system. Not merely the great eastern highway and the central route of the Roman Empire....but also the road from Pergamum and the Hermus Valley to Pisidia and Pamphylia passed through its gates; while a road from Eastern Caria, and at least one from Central and West Phrygia, met in the city. In such a situation it only needed peace to become a great commercial and financial centre.
Laodicea’s strategic position on the main road through Asia Minor made it a very substantial trade center at a time when Rome allowed the city to exploit its commercial potential. When the city was destroyed by an earthquake in
A
.
D
. 60, it was able to rebuild without financial help from Rome. Laodicea’s wealth came from good grazing grounds for sheep and from its textile industry. The city was famous for products made of “raven-black” wool. Its competitors in the textile industry were Colossae and Hierapolis.
The city, which lacked a natural water supply, had to receive its water through an aqueduct from a spring four miles away. The tepid water supply was the only drawback to the
city’s location (see Rev. 2:15-16).
Laodicea was a great banking center. It was also a medical center for ophthalmology, with a substance called “Phrygian powder” reportedly being used to cure weak eyes. Given the character and circumstances of the city, this rebuke in Revelation seems entirely appropriate:
I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent. ( Rev. 3:15-19)
Laodicea enjoyed neither the healing, hot water of Hierapolis (see Hierapolis, p. 72) nor the cool, refreshing waters of Colossae (see Colossae, p. 68). Lukewarm water was useful
only as an agent that caused vomiting (see Rev. 3:15-16).
The city prospered financially and thought it needed nothing, while its apathy in spiritual matters left it poor, naked, and blind spiritually. It would have been better for the Laodiceans to turn to Christ for the true riches (“gold refined by fire”), which included the white garments of a pure heart (not the glossy black garments made from its famous wool), and salve to open its eyes to things of the spirit (not the “Phrygian powder” in which Laodicea’s citizens trusted to cure physically weak eyes). Without this spiritual salve, the residents would never see, hear, or conceive in their hearts the things that “God has prepared for those who love him,” which he reveals “through the Spirit.” (1 Cor. 2:9-10)
Hearts set on the things of this world do not hear the Savior knocking at the door:
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. (Rev. 3:20-21)
The gospel reached Laodicea while Paul was at Ephesus (Acts 19:10), through his companion Epaphras (Col. 4:12-13). Paul mentions the “brethren at Laodicea” but apparently never visited them personally (Col. 2:1; 4:13-16). The “letter from Laodicea” (Col. 4:16) has been lost.
Laodicea (Bible Study)
Rev. 1:11; 3:14-22.
Laodicea was one of the seven churches of Asia to receive a letter from John the Revelator. “The Church in Laodicea is lukewarm and self-satisfied. Let her see herself as she is, and humbly seek from Christ the supply of her needs. If she does so, He will richly bless her.”
Rev. 3:17.
The Laodiceans were condemned because of their apathy toward spiritual things (“Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, whose heart turns away from the Lord” [Jer. 17:15]).
Rev. 3:20-21.
The Laodiceans were invited to respond to Christ’s call to come unto him (“Behold, I stand at the door and knock”).
Col. 1:7; 4:12-13.
Epaphras was possibly the missionary who established the Church in Laodicea, working under Paul’s direction. The Church was visited by Mark and Timothy.
Col. 4:16.
The Colossian letter was to be read in Laodicea.
Colossians 2:1
1:
For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
Colossians 4:16
15:
Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
16:
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
Revelation 1:11
11:
Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 3:14-22
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 creation of God;
15:
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16:
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17:
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with 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 raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, 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 any man 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 grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22:
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.