Verse 17
17. Self-sufficiency is the fatal danger of a lukewarm state (see on :-).
thou sayest—virtually and mentally, if not in so many words.
increased with goods—Greek, "have become enriched," implying self-praise in self-acquired riches. The Lord alludes to :-. The riches on which they prided themselves were spiritual riches; though, doubtless, their spiritual self-sufficiency ("I have need of nothing") was much fostered by their worldly wealth; as, on the other hand, poverty of spirit is fostered by poverty in respect to worldly riches.
knowest not that thou—in particular above all others. The "THOU" in the Greek is emphatic.
art wretched—Greek, "art the wretched one."
miserable—So one oldest manuscripts reads. But two oldest manuscripts prefix "the." Translate, "the pitiable"; "the one especially to be pitied." How different Christ's estimate of men, from their own estimate of themselves, "I have need of nothing!"
blind—whereas Laodicea boasted of a deeper than common insight into divine things. They were not absolutely blind, else eye-salve would have been of no avail to them; but short-sighted.
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