Revelation 3:14-22 - Indepthbible.org

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3.19 I, whomever I love, I reprove and I discipline. Be zealous, therefore,
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(...continued)
almost certainly be blinded to the realities of the Kingdom of God! Aune mentions that “During
the first century A.D. there was a medical school at Laodicea (Strabo 12.8.20), where a
famous opthalmologist, Demosthenes Philalethes, practiced.” (P. 260)
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Note the emphasis on the first person pronoun in this statement.
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The present active subjunctive verb is öéë, philo, “I may love,” not avgapw/, agapo,
the verb most commonly used for the divine love for humanity (avgapa/|, agapa, “he loves,” is
the verb used in the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:12). The risen Lord is their true "friend,"
even though He speaks so straight-forwardly and critically to them.
R. H. Charles is correct in noting that "Reproof and chastisement are evidence not of
Christ's rejection of the Laodiceans, but of His love for them. Love is never cruel, but it can be
severe." (P. 100)
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The present indicative active verb evle,gcw, elegcho , “I reprove,” “i chasten,” occurs
only here in Revelation; however, there is divine "reproof" to be found in the majority of the
seven letters to the churches. In John 16:8, Jesus tells his followers that when the divine
"Comforter," the Set-apart Spirit has come, He will "reprove" (evle,gxei, elegksei) the world
concerning missing-of-the-mark, and concerning right relationships and concerning justice.
Certainly this has been the task of the Spirit of God speaking through the mouths of the divine
Spokespersons throughout the Jewish Bible! YHWH "reproves" his children, whom He loves!
Compare Proverbs 3:12 as quoted in the next footnote.
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The present indicative active verb ðáéäåýù, paideuo means "I bring up," "I instruct,"
"I train," "I educate"; "I practice discipline," "I correct," "I give guidance." The verb also has
connotations of "disciplining with punishment.”
“My son, do not despise YHWH's discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because
YHWH disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in.” (Proverbs 3:11-12)
Hebrews 12 quotes this passage from Proverbs in its entirety, and then adds: “Endure
hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his
father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate
children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us
and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our innermost
beings and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God
disciplines us for our good, that we may share in His set-apartness. No discipline seems
pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of right relationship
and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:7-11)
This letter of the risen Lord to the church at Laodicea is a living example of the Fatherly
rebuke and discipline that Jesus exercises on behalf of His people whom He loves.
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