Revelation 3:20 Meaning of I Stand at the Door and Knock

Revelation 3:20
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

Explanation and Commentary on Revelation 3:20

Jesus has given frank judgment to the first-century churches. In Revelation 3:19 he gives his motive, “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.” The master of the house is home, and expects us to be waiting and ready for him.

If we hear him knocking and calling to us, and we open the door to him, he will enter and be at home with us, enjoying our fellowship at the table. This is an invitation to continue to follow him. He will stand at the door and knock when he returns, and we should be ready (Mt 24:36). He is standing at the door and knocking now by his Spirit and his Word.

Pray that God would give you “ears to hear” (Rev 3:22) so that you can be sensitive to his discipline when he gives it. He loves you and will come into you if you want him to. Jesus doesn’t just want to be our God who we worship, he wants fellowship with us. He wants to lead us as a friend. But he will also come in judgment. We must be ready to open the door when he knocks.

Breaking Down the Key Parts of Revelation 3:20

#1 “Here I am!”
Christ is there, and he is here. Since he sat down next to the Father (Rev 3:21) and sent his Spirit, he is with us. As the only Son of the “I Am” (Ex 3:14) he bears his nature perfectly. “Jesus is” present in each moment. The goal is to open to him and walk with him.

#2 “I stand at the door and knock.”
Jesus isn’t just present, he is seeking entrance to our lives and hearts. If there was ever any biblical justification for the common adage, “Just invite Jesus into your heart,” this is it. In this sense, that would be the proper response. The alternative is that the Lord of the universe is standing outside trying to get your attention, because he loves you, and you are stubbornly closing your ears in order to avoid his lordship.

#3 “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,”
We must be given ears to hear (Mt 11:15) and eyes to see (Mt 13:16) God. This is the work of pure grace that does not take away our freedom of will to choose to put our faith in God. God is merciful to give ears to hear, and he holds us accountable for hearing. Open the door when he knocks. If you find yourself able to repent of sin then do it. If Jesus is speaking, even in discipline, open the door and invite him in.

#4 “I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
He comes to us and if we invite him in, he will share in our hospitality and offer his own to us. He will eat with us at our table, but more importantly, he will invite us to eat at his table. The wedding feast of the Lamb (Rev 19:7-10) is a clear image in the New Testament. Those who are invited will need to decide if they want to attend, and they will need to be properly dressed in the white robes of redemption and trust in the Lord (Mt 22:12).

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Biblical Translations of Revelation 3:20

NIV
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

NLT
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”

ESV
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

KJV
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

NKJV
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”