SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:18
Yo te amonesto que de mí compres oro afinado en fuego, para que seas hecho rico, y seas vestido de vestiduras blancas, para que no se descubra la vergenza de tu desnudez; y unge tus ojos con colirio, para que veas.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Revelation 3:18
Verse 18. I counsel thee] O fallen and deceived soul, hear Jesus! Thy case is not hopeless. Buy of me. Gold tried in the fire] Come and receive from me, without money and without price, faith that shall stand in every trial: so gold tried in the fire is here understood. But it may mean pure and undefiled religion, or that grace or Divine influence which produces it, which is more valuable to the soul than the purest gold to the body. They had before imaginary riches; this alone can make them truly rich.
White raiment] Holiness of heart and life.
Anoint thine eyes] Pray for, that ye may receive, the enlightening influences of my Spirit, that ye may be convinced of your true state, and see where your help lies.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 18. I counsel thee , etc.] Christ is a Counsellor, and is every way fit to be one, for he is the all wise God, the Ancient of days, and the Father of his people, and, as Mediator, the Wisdom of God; and he was concerned in the council of peace from everlasting; and when he was here on earth he gave counsel in person, and now he gives it by his Spirit, and by his word and ministers; and the substance of it is, to come to him for grace, life, and salvation; for pardon, peace, and righteousness; for spiritual light and knowledge, and every supply of grace; and his advice is always wholesome, good, and suitable, is hearty, sincere, and faithful, and is freely given, and is wise and prudent; and, being taken, infallibly succeeds; the counsel here given follows: to buy of me gold tried in the fire ; by which is meant either a more pure and glorious state of the church, such as was in the former period, or greater; or a larger measure of light and knowledge in the Gospel, which is better than fine gold; or some particular graces, and a comfortable exercise of them, as fervent love and strong faith, which is much more precious than gold; or rather, all spiritual riches in general, which are in Christ, and are unsearchable, solid, substantial and satisfying; are lasting and durable, precious, excellent, and incorruptible: and the buying of this gold is not to be understood in a proper sense, by giving a valuable consideration for it, for no such is to be given, but in an improper sense; it is a buying without money and without price; Christ and his grace are given freely; Christ of whom it is to be had and of him only, does not sell it, but he gives it to those that come to him for it, and desire to have it, and are willing to part with all, so they may but enjoy it; for that it is to be understood in such a sense, is clear from the character of the persons who are advised to buy, who were poor, or beggars, ( Revelation 3:17); the end of it is, that thou mayest be rich ; for though this church was rich, yet not in spirituals; and though she was rich in her own conceit, yet not really so: persons are not to be accounted truly rich who have only this world's goods; none are rich but those who have an interest in Christ and his grace; and they who are poor in this world, and yet have grace, are really rich: the next thing advised to is, and white raiment ; that is, and buy white raiment, by which some understand the heavenly glory, robes of immortality, a being clothed upon with the house which is from heaven; this may be compared to raiment, for it is a glory, an immortality, an incorruption to be put on; and fitly enough to white raiment, for the purity and spotlessness of it; and being clothed with this, no nakedness, or shame of it will appear; and this is to be had from Christ, and in the same way as gold is to be bought of him; the design of this advice may be to quicken the desires of the church after heavenly things; though it rather seems to respect something suitable to her in this present state: wherefore others think that by it are meant good works, holiness of life and conversation; but these are never called white raiment, but even rags, yea, filthy ones, in the best; and whatever cover they may be from nakedness in the sight of men, they are no cover from it in the sight of God, nor do they preserve from shame and blushing: rather then by it is meant the righteousness of Christ, which may be compared to raiment; it is upon the saints, and is put upon them as such; it covers as a garment does, protects from injuries, keeps warm, beautifies and adorns, as raiment does; and it may be compared to white raiment for its purity and perfection; now this is to be bought of Christ, it is to be had of him, and is to be had of him freely, without money and without price; it is a free gift of grace; and even faith itself, which receives it, is the gift of God: the ends of giving this advice are, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; the soul may be naked when the body is well clothed; and notwithstanding a man's moral righteousness, he may not be clothed; they, and they only are clothed, who have on the righteousness of Christ; nakedness arises from want of, righteousness, which is only covered by the righteousness of Christ; and from hence also springs shame, which Christ's righteousness hides: and anoint thine eyes with eye salve ; by which may be meant the word of God, particularly the Gospel; and anointing with it is making use of it for the gaining of light and knowledge: all without this divine revelation are in darkness, and such who reject the authority of it go astray; the Scriptures are the only directory, and rule of faith and practice; the law is a means of enlightening persons to see their sin and misery, and the danger they are in; and the Gospel is a light, whereby is beheld the glory of Christ, of his person and office, of his grace and righteousness, and of salvation by him; and this is the Gospel of Christ, and is to be had of him freely, even the saving knowledge of it. The Jews have adopted the very Greek word here used into their language, and apply it to the law; says R. Chija f125 , speaking of the law, y[l tyrwlyq , it is a salve for the eye, a plaster for a wound, etc. it is a salve for the eyes, as is written ( Psalm 19:8). or else the illumination of the Spirit is meant, by which the eyes of the understanding being enlightened, men see themselves, the impurity of their hearts and nature, the imperfection of their righteousness, their impotency to all that is spiritually good, and that they are lost and undone in themselves; and by which they see Christ and salvation by him, that it is in him, and in no other, and that it is full and suitable, and for the chief of sinners, and that it is all of free grace, and that they have an interest in it; by this they have light into the doctrines of the Gospel, and have some glimpse of the glories of another world; and this is to be had of Christ, who gives his Spirit freely, and an understanding to know spiritual things: and the end of the advice is, that thou mayest see ; who, notwithstanding the conceit she had of herself, was blind; persons may have much human prudence, much knowledge in things moral, yea, in things evangelical, notionally, and yet be blind as to true spiritual light and experience; they only see spiritually and savingly who have the Spirit of God.
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
συμβουλευω 4823 5719 σοι 4671 αγορασαι 59 5658 παρ 3844 εμου 1700 χρυσιον 5553 πεπυρωμενον 4448 5772 εκ 1537 πυρος 4442 ινα 2443 πλουτησης 4147 5661 και 2532 ιματια 2440 λευκα 3022 ινα 2443 περιβαλη 4016 5643 και 2532 μη 3361 φανερωθη 5319 5686 η 3588 αισχυνη 152 της 3588 γυμνοτητος 1132 σου 4675 και 2532 κολλουριον 2854 εγχρισον 1472 5657 τους 3588 οφθαλμους 3788 σου 4675 ινα 2443 βλεπης 991 5725
Vincent's NT Word Studies
18. I counsel (sumbouleuw). With a certain irony. Though He might command, yet He advises those who are, in their own estimation, supplied with everything.
To buy. Compare Isa. iv. 1; Matt. xiii. 44, 46. Those who think themselves rich, and yet have just been called beggars by the Lord, are advised by Him to buy. The irony, however, covers a sincere and gracious invitation. The goods of Christ are freely given, yet they have their price - renunciation of self and of the world.
Gold (crusion). Often of gold money or ornaments. So 1 Pet. i. 18; Acts iii. 6; 1 Pet. iii. 3. Also of native gold and gold which has been smelted and wrought (Heb. ix. 4). There may very properly be a reference to the extensive money transactions of Laodicea.
Tried in the fire (pepurwmenon ek porov). The verb means to burn, to be on fire: in the perfect passive, as here, kindled, made to glow; thence melted by fire, and so refined. Rev., refined by, fire. By fire is, literally, out of the fire (ejk; see on Chapter ii. 7).
White raiment. Rev., garments. See on verse 4.
Mayest be clothed (peribalh). Rev., more literally, mayest clothe thyself. See on verse 5.
Do not appear (mh fanerwqh). Rev., more literally, be not made manifest. See on John xxi. 1. Stripping and exposure is a frequent method of putting to open shame. See 2 Sam. x. 4; Isa. xx. 4; xlvii. 23; Ezekiel xvi. 37. Compare also Matt. xxii. 11-13; Col. iii. 10-14.
Anoint thine eyes with eye-salve (kollourion egcrison touv ofqalmouv sou). The correct reading is egcrisai, the infinitive, to anoint, instead of the imperative. So Rev., eye-salve to anoint thine eyes. Kollourion, of which the Latin collyrium is a transcript, is a diminutive of kollura a roll of coarse bread. See 1 Kings xiv. 3, Sept.; A.V., cracknels. Here applied to a roll or stick of ointment for the eyes. Horace, describing his Brundisian journey, relates how, at one point, he was troubled with inflamed eyes, and anointed them with black eye-salve (nigra collyria. Sat., i., v., 30). Juvenal, describing a superstitious woman, says: "If the corner of her eye itches when rubbed, she consults her horoscope before calling for salve" (collyria; 6., 577). The figure sets forth the spiritual anointing by which the spiritual vision is purged. Compare Augustine, "Confessions, vii., 7, 8. "Through my own swelling was I separated from Thee; yea, my pride-swollen face closed up mine eyes.... It was pleasing in Thy sight to reform my deformities; and by inward goads didst Thou rouse me, that I should be ill at ease until Thou wert manifested to my inward sight. Thus, by the secret hand of Thy medicining, was my swelling abated, and the troubled and bedimmed eyesight of my mind, by the smarting anointings of healthful sorrows, was from day to day healed." Compare 1 John ii. 20, 27.
