Revelation 3:14 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:
Revelation gives over 30 distinct names and titles for Jesus, most of which are straightforward. However, some require deeper study, such as “the Beginning of the creation of God” in Revelation 3:14. Some have misinterpreted this title to mean that Jesus was the first being created by God, suggesting He was merely the initial act of creation. This is a false and heretical view.
The Greek word for “beginning” (arche) means “origin” or “first cause.” Jesus is not a created being; instead, He is the Creator Himself, existing before all things. John affirms this in John 1:1-3, declaring:
John 1:1-3 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.
3 God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
Paul echoed this truth 30 years earlier in his letter to the Colossians, a church closely linked to Laodicea (Colossians 4:13; Colossians 4:16). In Colossians 1:15-18, he describes Jesus as:
- The image of the invisible God
- The firstborn over all creation (preeminent, not created)
- The One through whom all things were made, visible and invisible
- The sustainer of all things
Colossians 1:15-18 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
Since Colossae and Laodicea were in the Lycus River Valley (modern Turkey), it is possible that the same Christological error that Paul corrected in the 60s AD still lingered in Laodicea when Revelation was written 30+ years later. Jesus settles the issue definitively, emphasizing that He is the source, origin, and Creator of all things.
This truth was especially relevant for the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-22. They were wealthy, self-sufficient, and complacent, believing they were in control. But Jesus reminds them that He alone controls creation—He is the very source of their wealth and power.
This is a powerful reminder for us today: Everything we have belongs to Christ. He is the Originator, the Sustainer, and the Sovereign over all creation.
Do you have any questions about the Book of Revelation or the End Times you’d like >SM to answer? If so, leave them in the comments below. I am learning and following Jesus like anyone else, so I welcome your biblical insight. Your questions and insights help me grow in my faith as I search the Scriptures for God’s answers.
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