Philadelphia
Philadelphia is a city of Lydia in the Roman province of Asia and one of the seven churches addressed in the Revelation letters. It is named on the opening list and then receives its own letter from the holder of the key of David.
On the list of seven
The Patmos vision charges the seer to send the book to seven named congregations, with Philadelphia sixth in the order: "saying, What you see, write in a book and send [it] to the seven churches: to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamum, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea" (Re 1:11).
The letter to Philadelphia
The dictated letter opens with a self-identification keyed to access and authority: "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and none will shut, and who shuts and none opens" (Re 3:7).
The opened door
The first commendation matches the self-identification — a door opened that no one can close: "I know your works (look, I have set before you a door opened, which none can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my speech, and did not deny my name" (Re 3:8). The praise is paired with an honest measure: "a little power." What is commended is faithfulness — the church kept the speech and did not deny the name.
The synagogue of Satan reversed
The promise that follows turns a hostile synagogue's claim against itself: "Look, I give of the synagogue of Satan, of those who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie; look, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you" (Re 3:9). The opponents will be made to acknowledge that the church is loved.
Kept from the hour of trial
The kept-word becomes the basis for a corresponding kept-from: "Because you kept the speech of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, that [hour] which is to come upon the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth" (Re 3:10). The summons is to hold what has already been received: "I come quickly: hold fast that which you have, that no one takes your crown" (Re 3:11).
Pillar in the temple, new name
The promise to the overcomer is fixed permanence and triple inscription: "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more: and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God, and my own new name" (Re 3:12). The closing formula is the standard call to hear: "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Re 3:13).