Teaching notes from lecture by Craig Stellpflug given 02/19/2011
The Laodicean Church (Revelations 3:14-22)
In John's vision, recorded in the book of Revelation, Christ instructs John to write a message to seven named churches in Asia Minor. The message to Laodicea is both one of judgment with a call to repentance. Interestingly, there is a “lost epistle to the Laodiceans” that is included in more than 100 manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate (including the oldest, the celebrated codex Fuldensis, 546 CE), as well as in manuscripts of early Albigensian, Bohemian, English, and Flemish versions and all 18 German versions predating Luther. This epistle was removed from the bible by the Council of Florence 1439.
Early History of Laodicea
The city was founded between 261 and 253 B.C. by Antiochus II Theos, king of Syria, and named in honor of his wife, Laodice. "The early population of the city consisted of natives of the area, Hellenized Greeks and soldiers in the army.
The early Church of Laodicea was known for and famous for its extreme poverty as noted in profane Greek literature. They were poor and yet they tithed faithfully and put ALL their trust in God to provide even moment by moment needs. The church was “HOT” for God and the things of God. This church became a law unto itself by tithing faithfully and giving glory to God for their daily sustenance. Then there came about several wonderful turn of events. One was the breeding of black wool which made the Laodiceans the desired wool producers of the world, producing garments that were not dyed with colors that faded, but rather naturally produced raven black, soft wool for garments that would not fade. Thus, Laodicea became a large manufacturer of garments. Another happening on their rise to fame and fortune was the discovery of a vein of rock minerals that was called “Phrygean powder” which was a mineral rich cure for Opthamlia, a scourge of the Eastern culture. According to the first century Greek geographer/historian Strabo, there arose a great school of medicine where a famous ophthalmologist practiced. Along with the eye salve was also a proprietary ear salve made from Spice Nard (Spikenard) developed in Laodicea and sold throughout the known world.
These poor but devoted Jews went from near abject poverty to the height of financial command and prosperity. Banking became an industry in Laodicea and gold became the exchange. The world was coming to their door for these goods. Life was good! The hated Roman Governor Flaccus took a yearly tribute of 20 lbs of gold from the Jewish residents of Laodicea. So rich was this city that when a huge earthquake devastated the city in 60 A.D., the residents refused all financial help from Rome and rebuild the city with their own moneys. 
These riches resulted in the building of the magnificent viaduct for fresh water that stretched from 5 miles south to the City of Laodicea. In the height of prosperity the ruins of Laodicea evidence this viaduct and also of the grand structures of a stadium, gymnasium and multiple theaters.
I wish that you were cold or hot" (3:15-16)
But the water supply to the Laodicea was lukewarm. This is in contrast to the hot springs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_spring> at nearby Hierapolis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierapolis> and the pure and cold water of Colossae <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colossae>. The viaduct for Laodicea carried water from hot mineral springs would have become tepid before entering the city. Strabo <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strabo>, a Turkish philosopher, states that the water there was hard, though drinkable. The imagery gained from the Laodicean aqueduct suggests both hot and cold water are useful, whereas lukewarm water is tasteless and useless. This is the very imagery that Revelations uses for the Church of Laodicea.
"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth"

The Greek word for cold is psuchros meaing frigid cold, icy and in profane literature “dead cold” or dead to the point of completely cold, inert from cold and frigidly rigid from rigor mortis. The Greek word for hot is zestos - boiling, figuratively fervent, where we find our English equivalent of “zest” or full of life, lots of movement. God contrasts death in its consuming completeness and life in its full throttle. But this church was in between. The Laodiceans were religious and compromised with worldliness. God’s Christians whom He would vomit out! Laodicea comes from the Greek word laos and dike’ - justice. This was a city where man’s justice ruled.
The Church of the Laodiceans was being criticized for their neutrality or lack of zeal. This is God’s assessment of His representatives in Laodicea. Based on this understanding, the pejorative term Laodicean is used in the English language to refer to those neutral or indifferent in matters of God and faith. This metaphor has been drawn from the water supply of the city, which was lukewarm and even described by some as “nauseating”.
"Poor, blind, and naked" (3:17-18)
"Because you say, 'I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;' and don't know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see".

“I am rich is in the first person singular, emphatic. “I am rich,” (increasing force) I have become rich, and don’t even have an echo (Greek word) of need, and are unaware (accumulative force) that you are imprisoned for trial talaiporos, in need of compassion eleeinos, poor to the point of beggarly ptochos, blind physically and mentally tuphlos, and completely naked gumnos.

You can see the increasing pride here. Blind pride. Even though these believers lived in a society known and famous for dealing out man’s justice by protecting the innocent and condemning and punishing wickedness, they were themselves imprisoned in the lower bowels of the cruelest prison. As compassionate as they considered themselves to be, they needed compassion. As rich as they were God proclaims them to be paupers or lower. They had the cure for blindness but were themselves unable to see. They had the Armani Suit factories and nicest robes in the neighborhood God calls them naked -open to shame.

“Go to the market” says God, and buy my gold which is true riches and accepted because it is purified by my acceptance of sacrificial fire, that you can be truly rich! Run to the market and by some clothes that are unspotted with sins and free of judgment, sanctified that you can cover your shame. Besmear your eyes with eyesalve that you can see both figuratively and literally.
"Behold, I stand" (3:20)

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with me" Our lesson to take from the Laodiceans is one of humbleness. Psalm 103:2 Bless the Lord, Oh my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Remember when you were poor in spirit? Needy of God? Interestingly, the accusation against the Church of Laodicea was not one of apostasy, following false prophets or rebellion but rather simply of being “lukewarm” indicating self satisfied - self sufficient of their own thinking when in reality it was God who supplied and not man.

The Lord promised to "dine" ("sup" KJV) with the one who would hear His voice and open the door. "The word translated sup is the greek word deipnon. The Greeks had three meals in the day. There was akratisma, breakfast, which was no more than a piece of dried bread dipped in wine. There was ariston, the midday meal. A man did not go home for it; it was simply a picnic snack eaten by the side of the pavement, or in some colonnade, or in the city square. There was deipnon; this was the evening meal; the main meal of the day; people “sat” for this one and lingered over it, for the day's work was done. It was the deipnon that Christ would share with the man who answered His knock, no hurried meal, but that where people lingered in fellowship. If a man will open the door, Jesus Christ will come in and linger long with him."