Revelation of John 3:5

white--not a dull white, but glittering, dazzling white [GROTIUS]. Compare Mat 13:43. The body transfigured into the likeness of Christ's body, and emitting beams of light reflected from Him, is probably the "white raiment" promised here. the same--Greek, "THIS man"; he and he alone. So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, and most of the ancient versions, "shall THUS be clothed," &c. raiment--Greek, "garments." "He that overcometh" shall receive the same reward as they who "have not defiled their garments" (Rev 3:4); therefore the two are identical. I will not--Greek, "I will not by any means." blot out . . . name out of . . . book of life--of the heavenly city. A register was kept in ancient cities of their citizens: the names of the dead were of course erased. So those who have a name that they live and are dead (Rev 3:1), are blotted out of God's roll of the heavenly citizens and heirs of eternal life; not that in God's electing decree they ever were in His book of life. But, according to human conceptions, those who had a high name for piety would be supposed to be in it, and were, in respect to privileges, actually among those in the way of salvation; but these privileges, and the fact that they once might have been saved, shall be of no avail to them. As to the book of life, compare Rev 13:8; Rev 17:8; Rev 20:12, Rev 20:15; Rev 21:27; Exo 32:32; Psa 69:28; Dan 12:1. In the sense of the "call," many are enrolled among the called to salvation, who shall not be found among the chosen at last. The pale of salvation is wider than that of election. Election is fixed. Salvation is open to all and is pending (humanly speaking) in the case of those mentioned here. But Rev 20:15; Rev 21:27, exhibit the book of the elect alone in the narrower sense, afte…

Here we have three more of the epistles of Christ to the churches: I. To Sardis (Rev 3:1-6). II. To Philadelphia (Rev 3:7-13). III. To Laodicea (Rev 3:14 to the end).

3:5 Having one’s name recorded in the Book of Life (see 20:12-15; Dan 7:10) symbolizes having assurance of God’s acceptance and eternal life (see Rev 17:8; 20:12; Phil 4:3; see also Luke 10:20). For God to erase a name implies condemnation and eternal death (see Exod 32:32-33; Ps 69:28).