Revelation Study 3: Chapter 2, Verses 1-7

“Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-6

The late Francis Schaeffer once observed that “the meaning of the word Christian has been reduced to practically nothing… Because the word Christian as a symbol has been made to mean so little, it has come to mean everything and nothing” (The Mark of the Christian [Downers Gove, Ill: InterVarsity, 1970], 11). The term Christian in contemporary usage can mean anyone who is not Jewish, anyone who lives in “Christian” nation (as opposed, for example, to a Buddhist or an Islamic one), or anyone who claims any kind of allegiance to Jesus Christ. The term evangelical is following the same trend toward imprecision.

– John MacArthur, Revelation 1-11, 53-54.

To the seven churches in Asia, write…

  • Each of these churches were real local congregations
  • Each of these churches correlate to various stages that churches go through
  • These stages may include the local church as well as church on the larger scale (ex. American church)

Seven churches: wide spectrum of variation

These churches were located in the Roman province of Proconsular Asia

Ephesus was the capital??? (Ionia)

Ephesus, the City:

1.“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

  • Ephesus
  • Most important city in Asia minor
  • Roman governor resided there
  • Guessed to be about 250,000-500,000 in population
  • Enormously wealthy
  • “By law incoming Roman governors had to enter Asia through Ephesus
  • Contained many public buildings
  • “The Great Theater” which could seat 25,000
  • The Celsus Library was built in 115-125 A.D.
  • Several Gymnasiums, baths, and public latrines
  • The Basilica of Saint John
  • Church of the Virgin Mary (Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.)
  • Located on the Cayster River
  • Ephesus was located at the junction of four of the most important Roman roads in Asia minor
  • It was a major port city
  • Silt form the river was filling up the harbor and there was a fight to keep the channel open, which was eventually lost
  • Ruins of Ephesus are located 6 miles inland from the sea
  • It was home to many temples used by various pagan cults
  • Most famous for being the center of the goddess Artemis (Diana) (Acts 19:27; 35)
  • The temple of Artemis was Ephesus’ most prominent landmark (one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World as well as a major source of income)
  • Important source of income for the city (Acts 19:24)
  • Artemis was believed to have fallen from heaven (Acts 19:35)
  • Temple grounds consisted of priests, prostitutes, bankers, criminals, musicians, dancers, and hysterical worshipers
  • Ephesus also had a faithful group of Christians
  • The description from the sender of the message: Jesus Christ
  • This is parallel to what we saw in Chapter 1 (13-16)
  • This is a statement of authority and right
  • It shows Jesus’ right to “[walk] among the golden lampstands” which is a statement of judgment (examination)
  • It is the right of Christ to look upon His people and call out their sin as well as state his approval (Smyrna and Philadelphia)

2 I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

Know (Oida)- complete and full knowledge; perfect knowledge

Christ began by acknowledging their deeds and what they were doing right

“toil and perseverance”

“toil”

  • κόπον (kopon)
  • laborious toil, involving weariness and fatigue
  • denotes labor to the point of sweat and exhaustion; describes an all out effort, demanding all that a person has to give, physically, mentally, and emotionally (John MacArthur, Revelation 1-11, 59.)

The Ephesians were not just putting complete effort into their service for Christ, but they also demonstrated “perseverance” meaning that they did not quit (see verse 3)

WERE NOT LAZY!!!

Aggressively evangelistic

“perserverance”

  • ὑπομονή (hupomoné)
  • endurance, steadfastness, patient waiting for
  • Patience under trial

“cannot tolerate evil men”

  • “youput to the test those who call themselvesapostles, and they are not, and you found themto befalse”
  • The Ephesians put all apostles to the test
  • They were careful who they listened to (like the Bereans (Acts 17)

“Paul had commanded them not to give the devil an opportunity and they were still reluctant to do so (Ephesians 4:27)” (John MacArthur, Revelation 1-11, 59.).

“you put to the test those who call themselves apostles”

  • “you found them to be false”
  • You had to be careful in Ephesus
  • Had to be doctrinally sound

3and you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary.

They were people who exhibited the fruit of longsuffering

“and have endured”

  • βαστάζω (bastazó)
  • I carry, bear, (b) I carry (take) away

“take up your cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24)

They did this for Jesus’ “name’s sake”

“name’s sake”

  • ὄνομα (onoma)
  • name, character, fame, reputation
  • the manifestation or revelation of someone's character, i.e. as distinguishing them from all others

They took being associated with Jesus seriously

Jesus commended them for several things and they did all of it without growing weary

How?

4 But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

In spite of the things that they were doing right, Jesus still has something against them and it was the charge of leaving “your first love”

5'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent.

They were commanded to first remember from where they had fallen

“from where they had fallen” was their focus on God

  • They needed to remember this and return to Him (not talking about salvation)
  • This means going to Him, falling down before Him, and confessing their sin

Second, they needed to repent

  • Once you confess, you need to follow that up with genuine repentance

They had left their first love, and they needed to regain that desire that they had for Him when their salvation was new. It is only from a heart that carries the deep love and passion that we can please God.

And then, “do the deeds [they] did at first”

  • Once their relationship with God was right, they could do the deeds that they did at first because He would give them the power, strength, and courage to do so

Hosea 14:1-4

Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity. Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips. “Assyria will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’ To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy.” I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them.

“or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place--unless you repent”

this phrase tells the seriousness of the problem; the problem had the potential to result in the removal of the church

6 Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

Who are the Nicolaitans?

  • Νικολαΐτης (Nikolaités)
  • a Nicolaitan, possibly a follower of Nicolaus (a heretic at Ephesus)

1. Heretical followers of Nicolas of Antioch

  • (Acts 6:5)
  • Nicolas was one of the first deacons; evidently, he turned from the faith and into apostasy
  • Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Eusebius are big sources of this argument

2. This was not a reference to any particular sect; instead the name is symbolic

νίκος (nikos) "victory," and λαός (laos) "people,"

3. This was a group of Satanic followers who practiced magic associated with pagan ritual

  • They did incorporate pagan practices, some of which included sorcery

4. An early cult that was started a man named Nicolas, and the movement disappeared when Nicolas died.

“it has been supposed that some person now unknown, probably of the name Nicolas, or Nicolaus, was their leader, and laid the foundation of the sect. This is by far the most probable opinion, and to this there can be no objection. It is in accordance with what usually occurs in regard to sects, orthodox or heretical, that they derive their origin from some person whose name they continue to bear; and as there is no evidence that this sect prevailed extensively, or was indeed known beyond the limits of these churches, and as it soon disappeared, it is easily accounted for that the character and history of the founder were so soon forgotten.”

-Albert Barnes

5.Something else that we do not know

What did the Nicolaitans believe?

  • Obviously heretical (only thing we know for sure)
  • Why heretical?
  • Their influence was widespread
  • They were a problem in Pergamum as well (Rev. 2:15)
  • Exaggeration of the doctrine of Christian liberty (sexual immorality)?
  • In fact, worshipped sex
  • Based upon the practice of pagan worship
  • Practiced eating foods offered to idols
  • Were believed to have adhered to the doctrine of Gnosticism

7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat ofthe tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.'

Every conclusion to the churches has this phrase

  • Also an exhortation and a promise are included
  • Here, it is the promise to overcomers, and it is to be able to eat of the tree of life in the Paradise of God

Of course, everyone has an ear. The issue is, “will you hear.”

The lesson is that having the right doctrine, or any act of goodness means nothing if your heart is not right.