SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:15
Yo conozco tus obras, que ni eres frío, ni hirviente. ¡Bien que fueses frío, o hirviente!
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 3:15
Verse 15. Thou art neither cold nor hot] Ye are neither heathens nor Christians-neither good nor evil-neither led away by false doctrine, nor thoroughly addicted to that which is true. In a word, they were listless and indifferent, and seemed to care little whether heathenism or Christianity prevailed. Though they felt little zeal either for the salvation of their own souls or that of others, yet they had such a general conviction of the truth and importance of Christianity, that they could not readily give it up. I would thou wert cold or hot] That is, ye should be decided; adopt some part or other, and be in earnest in your attachment to it. If ever the words of Mr. Erskine, in his Gospel Sonnets, were true, they were true of this Church:- "To good and evil equal bent, I'm both a devil and a saint." They were too good to go to hell, too bad to go to heaven. Like Ephraim and Judah, Hos. vi. i5: O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it passeth away. They had good dispositions which were captivated by evil ones, and they had evil dispositions which in their turn yielded to those that were good; and the Divine justice and mercy seem puzzled to know what to do to or with them. This was the state of the Laodicean Church; and our Lord expresses here in this apparent wish, the same that is expressed by Epictetus, Ench., chap. 36. ena se dei anqrwpon, h agaqon, h kakon, einai. "Thou oughtest to be one kind of man, either a good man or a bad man."
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. I know thy works , etc.] Which were far from being perfect, and not so good as those of the former church: that thou art neither cold nor hot ; she was not cold, or without spiritual life, at least in many of her members, as all men by nature are, and carnal professors be; she was alive, but not lively: nor was she wholly without spiritual affections and love; to God, and Christ, to his people, ways, truths, and ordinances; she had love, but the fervency of it was abated: nor was she without spiritual breathings and desires altogether, as dead men are; or without the light and knowledge of the Gospel, and a profession of it, and yet she was not hot; her love to God and Christ, and the saints, was not ardent and flaming; it was not like coals of fire, that give most vehement flame, which many waters cannot quench the had not fervency of spirit in the service of the Lord; nor was she zealous for the truths of the Gospel, and for the ordinances of it, and for the house of God and its discipline; nor did she warmly oppose all sin, and every error and false way. I would thou wert cold or hot ; which must be understood, not absolutely, but comparatively; and not that it was an indifferent thing to Christ whether she was one or the other; but he alludes to what is natural among men, it being generally more agreeable to have anything entirely hot, or entirely cold, than to be neither; and so uses this phrase to show his detestation of lukewarmness, and that it is better to be ignorant, and not a professor of religion, than to be a vain and carnal one; Christ desires not simply that she might be cold, but that she might be sensible of her need of spiritual heat and fervency.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 14-22 - Laodicea was the last and worst of the seven churches of Asia. Here ou Lord Jesus styles himself, "The Amen;" one steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises. If religion is worth anything, it is worth every thing. Christ expects men should be in earnest. How man professors of gospel doctrine are neither hot nor cold; except as the are indifferent in needful matters, and hot and fiery in disputes abou things of lesser moment! A severe punishment is threatened. They woul give a false opinion of Christianity, as if it were an unholy religion while others would conclude it could afford no real satisfaction otherwise its professors would not have been heartless in it, or s ready to seek pleasure or happiness from the world. One cause of thi indifference and inconsistency in religion is, self-conceit an self-delusion; "Because thou sayest." What a difference between their thoughts of themselves, and the thoughts Christ had of them! Ho careful should we be not to cheat our owns souls! There are many in hell, who once thought themselves far in the way to heaven. Let us be of God that we may not be left to flatter and deceive ourselves Professors grow proud, as they become carnal and formal. Their stat was wretched in itself. They were poor; really poor, when they said an thought they were rich. They could not see their state, nor their way nor their danger, yet they thought they saw it. They had not the garment of justification, nor sanctification: they were exposed to sin and shame; their rags that would defile them. They were naked, withou house or harbour, for they were without God, in whom alone the soul of man can find rest and safety. Good counsel was given by Christ to thi sinful people. Happy those who take his counsel, for all others mus perish in their sins. Christ lets them know where they might have tru riches, and how they might have them. Some things must be parted with but nothing valuable; and it is only to make room for receiving tru riches. Part with sin and self-confidence, that you may be filled with his hidden treasure. They must receive from Christ the white raiment he purchased and provided for them; his own imputed righteousness for justification, and the garments of holiness and sanctification. Le them give themselves up to his word and Spirit, and their eyes shall be opened to see their way and their end. Let us examine ourselves by the rule of his word, and pray earnestly for the teaching of his Holy Spirit, to take away our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinner ought to take the rebukes of God's word and rod, as tokens of his love to their souls. Christ stood without; knocking, by the dealings of his providence, the warnings and teaching of his word, and the influence of his Spirit. Christ still graciously, by his word and Spirit, come to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those who open to him shall enjo his presence. If what he finds would make but a poor feast, what he brings will supply a rich one. He will give fresh supplies of grace and comforts. In the conclusion is a promise to the overcomin believer. Christ himself had temptations and conflicts; he overcam them all, and was more than a conqueror. Those made like to Christ in his trials, shall be made like to him in glory. All is closed with the general demand of attention. And these counsels, while suited to the churches to which they were addressed, are deeply interesting to all men __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
οιδα 1492 5758 σου 4675 τα 3588 εργα 2041 οτι 3754 ουτε 3777 ψυχρος 5593 ει 1488 5748 ουτε 3777 ζεστος 2200 οφελον 3785 ψυχρος 5593 ειης 1498 5751 η 2228 ζεστος 2200
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. Cold (yucrov). Attached to the world and actively opposed to the Church. "This," as Alford remarks, "as well as the opposite state of spiritual fervor, would be an intelligible and plainly-marked condition; at all events free from the danger of mixed motive and disregarded principle which belongs to the lukewarm state: inasmuch as a man in earnest, be he right or wrong, is ever a better man than one professing what he does not feel."
Hot (zestov). From zew to boil or seethe. See on fervent, Acts xviii. 25.
