Revelation 3:7

To the Church in Philadelphia

3:7 “To ¹  the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: ² 

“This is the solemn pronouncement of ³  the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors ⁴  no one can shut, and shuts doors ⁵  no one can open:

Exodus 15:11

15:11 Who is like you, ⁶  O Lord, among the gods? ⁷ 

Who is like you? – majestic in holiness, fearful in praises, ⁸  working wonders?

Isaiah 6:3

6:3 They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy ⁹  is the Lord who commands armies! ¹⁰  His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!”

[3:7]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.

[3:7]  ² tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.

[3:7]  ³ tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.

[3:7]  ⁴ tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, quran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.

[3:7]  ⁵ tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.

[15:11]  ⁶ tn The question is of course rhetorical; it is a way of affirming that no one is comparable to God. See C. J. Labuschagne, The Incomparability of Yahweh in the Old Testament, 22, 66-67, and 94-97.

[15:11]  ⁷ sn Verses 11-17 will now focus on Yahweh as the incomparable one who was able to save Israel from their foes and afterward lead them to the promised land.

[15:11]  ⁸ tn S. R. Driver suggests “praiseworthy acts” as the translation (Exodus, 137).

[6:3]  ⁹ tn Some have seen a reference to the Trinity in the seraphs’ threefold declaration, “holy, holy, holy.” This proposal has no linguistic or contextual basis and should be dismissed as allegorical. Hebrew sometimes uses repetition for emphasis. (See IBHS 233-34 §12.5a; and GKC 431-32 §133.k.) By repeating the word “holy,” the seraphs emphasize the degree of the Lord’s holiness. For another example of threefold repetition for emphasis, see Ezek 21:27 (Heb. v. 32). (Perhaps Jer 22:29 provides another example.)

[6:3]  ¹⁰ tn Perhaps in this context, the title has a less militaristic connotation and pictures the Lord as the ruler of the heavenly assembly. See the note at 1:9.