{In Sardis} (en Sardesin). Some thirty miles south-east of
Thyatira, old capital of Lydia, wealthy and the home of Croesus,
conquered by Cyrus and then by Alexander the Great, in B.C. 214
by Antiochus the Great, at the crossing of Roman roads, in a
plain watered by the river Pactolus, according to Pliny the place
where the dyeing of wool was discovered, seat of the licentious
worship of Cybele and the ruins of the temple still there, called
by Ramsay (_op. cit._, p. 354) "the city of Death," city of
softness and luxury, of apathy and immorality, "a contrast of
past splendour and present unresting decline" (Charles). Along
with Laodicea it was blamed most of all the seven churches. {That
hath the seven Spirits of God} (ho ech(936e) ta hepta pneumata tou
theou). For which picture of the Holy Spirit see  1:4 . {And the
seven stars} (kai tous hepta asteras). As in  1:16,20 . {A name
that thou livest} (onoma hoti z(8869)s). A name in contrast with
reality. The hoti clause in apposition with onoma. {And thou
art dead} (kai nekros ei). "The paradox of death under the name
of life" (Swete). Not complete (a nucleus of life) death (verse
 2 ), but rapidly dying. See the picture in  Jas 2:17  2Co 6:9  2Ti 3:5 .