To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: “These are the words of Him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:7-13
“I have learned that your bishop did not obtain his ministry to the community from himself, nor through humans, nor according to pure vanity, but by the love of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I have been amazed at his gentleness; by being silent he can do more than those who speak idle thoughts.
For he is attuned to the commandments like a lyre to the strings. For this reason my soul blesses his mind fixed in God – knowing it to be virtuous and perfect – along with his solid and anger-free character, manifest in all gentleness which comes from the living God.”
Ignatius of Antioch (c. 50-c. 110) in his Letter to the Philadelphians 1:1-2.
We don’t know what year John wrote the book of Revelation. Scholars place it sometime in the 90’s. So this message to the church in Philadelphia happened sometime before that.
And around the year A.D. 108, Ignatius of Antioch met with the church on his way to Rome where he was martyred. And this account reflects back on his interaction with the bishop.
It made me think about the impressions we can have on people. The impact that our life on life interaction can have. For Ignatius, the bishop embodied the “pillar” in today’s Scripture.
He was depicted as gentle, virtuous and perfect (or mature), with anger-free character. How would people describe you? Would they use these attributes? Would generous make the list?