Now that we’ve been exposed to this hermeneutic in Revelation, we should be able to cover ground a little more quickly. We’ll take a look at the context of Philadelphia, we’ll let it shape the way we read the letter, and then we’ll ask where John is drawing his material from in the Old Testament.
Philadelphia is another city that was plagued in the first century by earthquakes. (You might remember the conversation in 1 Thessalonians about parousia and the second coming of a Roman emperor.) In AD 17 there was a major earthquake that destroyed Philadelphia; the rebuilt city was given a new name to honor the Caesar who helped them rebuild: “NeoCaesarea.”
In AD 60, another major earthquake hit and the city was rebuilt again by the Flavian dynasty. They sought to rename the city “Flavia,” but the name was rejected because of how the residents of the city despised the Flavian dynasty. (While the city’s name was changed formally, it appears nobody recognized the new name and it reverted to Philadelphia.)
Among the many things that plagued the early Roman empire, the lack of grain production crippled the Roman economy (think of our dependance on oil and we start to understand the problem). Rome was doing everything they could think of to produce more grain. In fact, one of the references in the book of Revelation (found in 6:6) matches exactly what we’ve found in Roman records; the price mentioned is 500 times the average price prior to the grain shortage.
One of the major exports of Philadelphia was its incredible wine; they loved their wine and were known throughout the land as having wonderful grapes. The Flavian dynasty, in an effort to curb the grain shortage, ordered more than 75% of the grapevines of Philadelphia uprooted. They were replaced with grain fields that never produced healthy grain (and they were certainly warned by experts that the grain wouldn’t grow). In light of this, you can understand the anger of the residents.
Philadelphia was also known as “The Door” to Asia Minor. It was the border between the two regions on the main highway. Once you passed through Philadelphia on your way west, you had entered into the province of Asia.
Now, let’s read the letter to Philadelphia and listen for context:
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
“What he opens no one can shut … See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.” We have a fitting reference to the city known as a doorway into the kingdom of Asia.
“… synagogue of Satan …” Most scholars have based the reference in our discussion about Smyrna on scholarship surrounding this reference in the letter to Philadelphia. It appears to be a similar situation where the Jewish assembly in Philadelphia is denying the acceptance of the Gentiles.
“I am coming soon.” This deliberate reference to a parousia speaks to a city that has experienced at least two of them.
“I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, … I will also write on them my new name.” Three different references to a new name in this letter? That’s more than mere coincidence; this is most certainly a play on the cultural backdrop of a city that’s had its name changed frequently.
But then we need to ask about John’s source material. Consider the following from Isaiah 45:
“This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold ofto subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor,to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:I will go before you and will level the mountains;I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places,so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen,I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.”
Here we see a reference to God opening doors that cannot be shut; Isaiah also spends an unusual amount of time talking about summoning Cyrus by name. Not only this, but the whole passage is about God using a Gentile to save and redeem His own people — a reference directed to the “Synagogue of Satan”?
Now consider Isaiah 62:
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory;you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate.But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah;for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you;as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
It’s another incredibly fitting source from which to grab material for the letter to Philadelphia. John made mention of nobody taking their crown, a reference to a passage that is also filled with references to a new name?
But there’s also one more in 2 Chronicles 3:
For the front of the temple he made two pillars, which together were thirty-five cubits long, each with a capital five cubits high. He made interwoven chains and put them on top of the pillars. He also made a hundred pomegranates and attached them to the chains. He erected the pillars in the front of the temple, one to the south and one to the north. The one to the south he named Jakin and the one to the north Boaz.
John said they would be pillars in the temple of my God. Such a reference would take any Jew’s mind back to the temple of Solomon, because when we were told of Solomon’s project, one of the notable things he did was to set up two pillars. However, as you can see above, he doesn’t just set up two pillars; he does something peculiar —
He gives them names.
And again, I’m forced to recognize the literary genius that is the book of Revelation. We could write much more just on the different “hidden sermons” that are being preached through John referencing these passages (known as remez). May we continue to push in and learn more about the book that has perplexed so many for so long, but may we remember that if we’re going to study the last book of the New Testament, one of the most critical things we better bring with us is the Old Testament.
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