And to the angel of the church in Laodicea
write . . . “I know your works; you are neither cold
nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation
3:14-16 NRSV)
The divine assessment of the works of the Laodicean
Christians is a perfect example of the need to read the Scriptures again “for
the first time.”
Sermon after sermon has tied the temperatures mentioned here
to levels of Christian commitment. The logic is simple and consistent: God’s
greatest desire is that Christians are hot – fiery, ablaze — in their
commitment. If they are not hot, he had rather them be cold — without
commitment and at least honest about. The worst spiritual condition is to be
lukewarm — a partial, “sometimes,” incomplete, inconsistent commitment — that
is neither hot with commitment or cold without commitment.
The only problem here is that this is not what the text
says. Equating “hot” with good and “cold” with bad (but at least honest) is not
at all point of the passage.
The angelic messenger condemns the works of the Laodicean
church — the way they act, the way they practically live out their faith in the
world. If read literally, either hot or cold works are desirable to God. Only
lukewarm works are condemned.
This leads to a very different interpretation of the
passage. The angel’s message offers a metaphor of usefulness. Hot water is
useful — it cleanses, disinfects, soothes, heals, and drives out impurities.
Cold water is useful — it quenches thirst, refreshes, and restores to strength.
But lukewarm water is not useful — at least not when compared with the
usefulness of hot or cold water.
The angelic pronouncement concerning the Laodicean works is
a call to usefulness — let your works cleanse, purify, refresh, and restore and
do not be satisfied with lukewarm works which make no useful difference in the
world around you.
Randy Richards and Brandon O’Brien, in their Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes,
tell of visiting the ruins of ancient Laodicea. Across the Lycus River, just to
the north, lies the twin city of Hieropolis, famous for its hot springs that
even today attract thousands of visitors. Just to the east, up the river a bit,
lies the ancient city of Colossae, known for its natural springs of cold
refreshing water. Laodicea stood between these two water sources — one hot and
one cold — but having no water source of its own. All water came to Laodicea
via aqueduct and with its flow lost its temperature. Surrounded by hot water on
one side and cold on the other, the water in Laodicea ran lukewarm.
Alluding to the water supply to the city, the messenger
called the Laodicean Christians to useful works — either hot or cold — and away
from useless, tepid, lukewarm works.
Good comment, Joe, on a frequently misunderstood passage. Back in the day, some preachers even placed the three temperatures in a hierarchy, with cold being last (usually in reference to some despised form of Christianity that was perceived to be too formal--God's frozen chosen). Hot was always to be preferred (usually referring to Pentecostals). Actually, as you've pointed out, the real issue is usefulness.
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