He that it [true] HOLY.—See Mark 1:24. Luther's special message was “Justification by faith”—real holiness. One of the theses on the door was, “Those who truly repent of their sins have a full remission of guilt and penalty.”
He that hath the key of David.—“All power in Heaven and earth.” (Matt. 28:18; Luke 1:32.) Luther's theses were antagonistic to the system actually ruling all over the world. When a representative came warning that his death would surely follow failure to recant, and asking him where he could go when all had orders not to harbor him, he replied, “I will abide under the cope of heaven.”
[He] AND that openeth.—See Luke 24:32.
And no man [shutteth] SHALL SHUT.—“No doubt all the powers of Satan were exerted to close the door then opened; but ‘He that is true’ had said, ‘which no man can shut.’ ”—Z. '16-347; Isa. 22:22.
And shutteth and no man [openeth] SHALL OPEN.—The door of opportunity for the Roman Catholic Church to repent swung shut the day Luther was excommunicated. (Rev. 2:21.) “Luther was not in the least disconcerted by this sentence, which he had for some time expected. He renewed his appeal to the general council; declared the pope to be that Antichrist or Man of Sin whose appearance is foretold in the New Testament; declaimed against his tyranny with greater vehemence than ever; and at last having assembled the University he cast the canon law, together with the bull of excommunication, into the flames.”—Buck.
3:8. I know thy works.—A striking feature of Luther's character was his promptness to do whatever he saw to be the Lord's will. When the great test came, Luther said to Erasmus: “You desire to walk upon eggs without crushing them.” Erasmus replied: “I will not be unfaithful to the cause of Christ at least so far as the Age will permit me.” “I will go to Worms,” shouted Luther, “though the devils were combined against me as thick as tiles upon the housetops!”
Behold I have set before thee an open door.—See 1 Cor. 16:9; Acts 14:27.
[And] WHICH no man can shut [it].—“While the Roman pontiff thought everything safe and settled, and all pious and good men were nearly in despair of the religious reformation, so earnestly desired, a certain obscure and inconsiderable monk in Saxony, a province of Germany, suddenly opposed himself single-handed with incredible resolution to the power of Rome. This was Martin Luther.”—Mosheim.
For thou hast a little strength.—“Compared with the mighty hosts of their enemies, the little band of Reformers had but ‘a little strength;’ but they knew that they had the Truth, and they fully trusted the Giver.”—Z. '16-347.
And hast kept My Word.—“Whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.”—1 John 2:5.