“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
My Notes
What Does Revelation 3:6 Mean?
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." This refrain appears seven times in Revelation 2-3 — once at the end of each letter to a church. The repetition is itself the message: hearing is not automatic. Having ears is physical. Using them is spiritual. Everyone in the church has ears. Not everyone hears.
The phrase "what the Spirit saith" identifies the speaker: the Holy Spirit. The letters are Christ's words (1:11) delivered by the Spirit. The Spirit speaks to the churches through the written word. The medium is text. The speaker is divine.
The conditional — "he that hath an ear" — implies some people don't have spiritual ears. The physical organ is present. The spiritual capacity may not be. Having an ear is a prerequisite for hearing, but having the organ doesn't guarantee using it. The instruction is to anyone who has the capacity: use it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Are you hearing what the Spirit says to your church — or just reading words?
- 2.Why does Jesus repeat this instruction seven times?
- 3.What's the difference between having ears and using them?
- 4.What is the Spirit saying to your specific community that you might not be hearing?
Devotional
He that has an ear — let him hear. Seven times. After every letter. The same instruction, repeated until you can't claim you missed it: if you have the capacity to hear, then hear. Use the ears you have.
The repetition across seven churches means the instruction is universal: every church needs this reminder. Not one church that's particularly deaf. All seven. Every community of believers risks having ears that don't hear. The capacity is present. The hearing isn't guaranteed.
The Spirit speaks to churches — plural. Not to individuals in isolation but to communities gathered around the word. The hearing is communal before it's individual. The churches hear together, and then the individual within the church applies what was heard. The personal hearing happens within the corporate listening.
The conditional 'he that hath an ear' is both invitation and warning. Invitation: you have the capacity. Use it. Warning: having the capacity doesn't mean you're using it. Ears that don't hear might as well not be ears. The organ without the function is a biological ornament.
Seven times Jesus says this. After seven letters with seven different messages to seven different churches. And every time: hear. Hear. Hear. The repetition is the point. If you've heard this instruction seven times and still aren't hearing what the Spirit says — how many more repetitions do you need?
Are you hearing? Not reading. Not knowing. Hearing — the kind that produces response, change, obedience?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
He that hath an ear, let him hear,.... See Gill on Rev 2:7.
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