Behold, I stand at the door and am knocking; if any one hear my voice and open the door, I will come in unto him and sup with him, and he with me.
These words close the last of the seven letters in Revelation 2–3, addressed to the church at Laodicea. The startling thing is where the Lord stands — outside His own church, asking them to open the door, speaking not to the group but to whoever will listen.
Christ Outside His Own Church
The Lord had just threatened to reject this church. Before He acts on that threat, He takes a place outside the door.
The Lord threatens to reject this church (v. 16). Before He carries that out, He takes a place outside: "Behold, I stand at the door." In this way He disowns the whole body of people who claim the name of Christ. The Lord both knocks and speaks. What a rich display of grace in the worst of circumstances! The Lord does not order them to buy (v. 18), and He does not force His way in. In the one case He advises; in the other He knocks.
You can read the same fact from either side of the door. Both readings are true.
These words show that the Lord has taken a place outside the church of Laodicea. That is a solemn thing. Its wretched moral state forced Him to take this position. On the other hand, it is just as true that Laodicea has shut its door on Christ. They have shut Him out and left Him outside.
Knocking That Does Not Stop
Shutting Him out does not change how He feels about them. The wording points to knocking that keeps going.
They may close their door upon Him, but they cannot close His heart against them. If they thrust Him out in utter indifference, He will wait at their door with perfect patience. He does not knock once or twice and then leave. He can say, "I stand at the door and am knocking." He keeps knocking, and He will go on knocking until the day of grace runs out.
From the Church to the Individual
The letter has spoken to the church as a whole. Here the words "if anyone" narrow it down to one listener.
Here in Laodicea the Lord takes a place outside. The church in name only has in practice moved into the position Israel once held. So the Lord takes His stand outside, and He calls to individual souls who are inside: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice." He wants to gain their attention. He wants them to let Him in. He warns the church of what is coming on it — real judgment. But until He carries that judgment out, He still acts in His own blessed grace. That grace now reaches individuals, because He has given up the church.
Hearing Without Opening
Hearing and opening are two different steps. One commentator warns that a person can do the first and never do the second.
Notice the order of the response. First comes hearing His voice — His call to repentance. Then comes opening the door. The bride heard His voice, but she had no energy to open the door until it was too late. So hearing His voice is not enough. Many believers hear it and still stay where they are, tied to evil company.
A Meal That Runs Both Ways
The promise moves in two directions.
First, "I will come in to him" — not into Laodicea, whose doom is settled. He comes in to the person who, by grace, has opened the door… "I will eat with him." That is, "I will come down to where he is, and share fellowship with him in his things." How wonderful that He should come down so low! But He eats with the one who opened the door for a reason. He wants to lead that person up into the higher blessing of eating with Him, of sharing fellowship with Him in His things, of communion with Himself.
Set beside the other six letters, this promise stands out for when it is kept.
The letters to the first five churches hold no promise that comes true on earth. The letter to Philadelphia holds a promise that comes true as they are caught up from earth. But this last letter holds a promise to enjoy down here — the presence of Christ in close, blessed fellowship.
Use of the Verse in the Gospel
The verse is often preached to those outside the faith, and commentators differ over whether that use fits the setting. Some allow that use, but insist on what the verse first means:
Here the Lord makes this most solemn and weighty appeal not to the sinner outside, but to the professing Church. Christ is not knocking at the door of the sinner's heart, true as that is too. He is knocking at the door of those inside the professing Church.
Others go further. They argue that the letter as a whole rules this out:
Is this how Christ offers Himself as a Saviour to the unconverted? If it is, there is nothing else like it in the Scriptures… To hold this view is also to assume that the unconverted have power of their own. Opening the door goes far beyond simply believing the gospel message.
Summary
- Outside — Laodicea's state pushed Christ out of His own church, and He disowns the body that claims His name.
- Knocking — He does not force the door and does not walk away; He keeps knocking while the day of grace lasts.
- Anyone — He has given up the church, so the call goes to single souls still inside it: "if anyone hears."
- Opening — hearing is only half the response; the bride heard and stayed put until it was too late.
- Supper — He comes down to where the person is, then draws that person up into His own fellowship. It is a promise to enjoy now, on earth.