1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
In most of the letters to the seven churches the Lord Jesus makes reference to aspects of His appearance as John saw Him in chapter 1. This reference is related to the message for that church. In the letter to the church at Ephesus, Jesus describes Himself as the One “that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” The One who holds the seven angels of the seven churches in His right hand has authority over those churches. The One who walks in the midst of the seven churches has fellowship with the churches and superintends their spiritual condition. The phrase is like that used in Leviticus 26:12 of God’s desired fellowship with Israel: And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
2I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Each message to each church begins the same way: “I know thy works.” This is a word of comfort to every body of believers living in close fellowship with Christ, but it is a sobering word of warning to every church that has grown slack in its fellowship with Christ. No one gains eternal life by their works, as Paul said in Titus 3:5 : Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, but after a person is saved, works are an indicator of the condition of his or her spiritual life.
Christ recognized the labor, patience, and passion against evil and against religious imposters shown by the Ephesian believers. It is interesting to compare His words to the church in Ephesus with Paul’s words to the church in Thessalonica: We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father (I Thessalonians 1:2-3). Paul used the same three words that are found in verse 2 above: work, labor, and patience. But Paul spoke of the Thessalonians’ work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope. In consideration of what Jesus says to them in verse 4, it seems that the Ephesians had maintained works, labor, and patience but failed to keep the heart motivation of faith, love, and hope.
4Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
In verse 2 the Lord Jesus emphasized your works, your labor, and your patience. The contrast in verse 4 is thus made emphatic: “I have something against you.” “You have left your first love.” This sentence is one of the most sobering words in the seven messages to the seven churches, made even more striking by its contrast with the otherwise favorable words in verses 2 and 3. It is significant that in the last verse of Paul’s letter to this church he says, Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity (Ephesians 6:24). We can only stop and examine ourselves to see if we, too, have gone on in duty while having left behind our first love for Christ Himself.
5Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Though the church at Ephesus was going on in labor and endurance, the Lord said that they had fallen because they had left their first love for Him. He tells them to repent. In fact, He tells five of the seven churches to repent.
What is repentance? The Greek word translated "repent" means "change your mind". For a person who has not yet put faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, repentance means to begin to recognize the need for Him as the only One who can cleanse a person from his or her sins. For a person who has already put faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior but has become distant from Him, repentance means to make a decision to confess to God his or her sin and to seek His will first. The church at Ephesus was in the second category. What would change when they had repented? Jesus said that they would again do the works they were doing before they left their first love for Him.
In the introduction to His message to the Ephesian believers, Jesus said that He is the One who walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks. Now Jesus says that if the Ephesian believers do not repent, He will remove their candlestick. Christ uses as lightbearers only those churches where He is loved.
6But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.
We don’t know who the Nicolaitanes were. It seems clear that they were a group which had interaction with some of the churches and that their deeds were evil. It is really only here that the Lord Jesus recognizes in the Ephesian church a passion that is kindred with His passion. It is right for believers to hate what Jesus hates.
7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Each of the messages to the churches has in its conclusion the words “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” God said to Israel they had eyes but did not see and ears but did not hear (Jeremiah 5:21). May God give us ears that hear His Word.
It is Jesus Christ who spoke the words of this message to the church in Ephesus: “These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” (verse 1). It is also the Holy Spirit who spoke the words of this message to the church in Ephesus: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (verse 7). The Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit of God are One.
Each of the messages to the churches contains a promise “to him that overcomes.” Who are these overcomers? John, who penned these letters to the seven churches, said, For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (I John 5:4-5). Every person who has true faith in Jesus as the Son of God has new life that is born of God and is an overcomer.
What is the tree of life? In the Scriptures we first see the tree of life in Genesis 2:9. It was in the garden of Eden. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were put out of the garden of Eden to prevent them from eating of the tree of life. God said that anyone who ate of the tree of life would live forever (Genesis 3:22-24). Forever life was not for Adam and Eve yet, because their sin had not yet been paid for. We see the tree of life again at the end of the book of Revelation. It is in the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. It grows beside the river of water of life which flows out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:14 is helpful for us to consider here: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” The people who have right to the tree of life and the people who may enter in through the gates into the city are the same people. They will live forever with God.
Peter spoke of another tree, too. He said that Christ “bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (I Peter 2:24). The cross where Jesus died was for Him a tree of death, but it became for us a tree of life. At His cross Adam and Eve’s sin and our sins were paid for. Anyone who puts their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior is given the right to eat of the tree of life.
8And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
The name “Smyrna” means “myrrh,” a resinous gum taken from a certain type of bush. Myrrh was used as a burial spice (John 19:39-40). This name is fitting to the message about to be given to this church. In this introduction to the message to the church at Smyrna, Jesus identifies Himself as the One who had no predecessor and will have no successor. He is Lord. He also identifies Himself as the One who died and now lives again. This introduction is to comfort and encourage the believers in Smyrna, who are facing severe persecution.
9I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.
The believers in Smyrna were under great pressure. Their poverty may have come as a result of social and economic persecution. The Lord assures them that in His eyes they are rich. They exemplify the latter words of Proverbs 13:7 : There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. In His words to the Ephesians the Lord Jesus spoke of “them which say they are apostles, and are not” (verse 2). Here He speaks of “them which say they are Jews, and are not.” Paul explained what it means to be truly Jewish: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God (Romans 2:28-29). Jesus called these unbelieving Jews who were maligning the believers in Smyrna a “synagogue of Satan.” These words are consistent with what Jesus said to some of the Jews while He was here in His first coming: Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do (John 8:44).
10Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.
God will allow the believers at Smyrna to suffer. He will allow the devil to cast some of them into prison. Some of them may be unjustly put to death. Their faith will be tested. The purpose of the test is not to see whether or not they will pass. The purpose of the test is to bring out into the open the pure faith that is in them. Peter said, That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ (I Peter 1:7). Also, the Lord desires to give them a reward, the crown of life. A crown is something external; the elders in Revelation 4:10 cast their crowns before the throne of God. The crown of life is not itself life; it is a reward, here given to those who give up their earthly lives to be faithful to Christ. There are other crowns mentioned in Scripture. James said concerning the crown of life, Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him (James 1:12). Our love for the Lord is proven by our faithfulness in trial.
It is important to note that the devil was not bound at the time the Lord gave this message to the church at Smyrna. The devil will not be bound until the return of the Lord Jesus (Revelation 20:1-3).
The trouble to be suffered by the believers in Smyrna would last ten days. The specifics of their suffering are very literal (poverty, maligning, prison, death), so it seems right to assume that the ten days are literal, too. The Christian leader Polycarp lived in Smyrna from 69 A.D. until 155 A.D. The ancient document The Martyrdom of Polycarp (translated by J.B. Lightfoot)a records that Polycarp was the twelfth martyr in Smyrna. The ten days could, for example, have been ten times that the believers in Smyrna were raided by the Romans. The Lord Jesus told these believers in advance that the time of trouble they were about to experience would be very bad but would be limited in duration.
Later chapters of the book of Revelation frequently speak of a period of three and a half years of great tribulation which will come on the earth. Clearly, the Lord Jesus did not mean that period of tribulation when he told the church in Smyrna about the ten days they would experience. There is no other mention of ten days of tribulation in the book of Revelation.
11He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
The message to the church at Smyrna contains no criticism. The church is pure and faithful. As in the messages to the other churches, there is a concluding promise to all true believers in the church: “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” The second death is the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14; 21:8). Both this promise of deliverance from the second death and Christ’s identification of Himself as the One “which was dead, and is alive” (verse 8) are assurances to these believers who may face death for their faith.
12And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
That Christ should introduce Himself in this message as “he which hath the sharp sword with two edges” implies that He is ready to issue the word to judge those who are bringing harm in the church in Pergamos.
13I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
There were many temples to idols in Pergamos. The Lord Jesus said that Satan’s throne was in Pergamos. The believers in Pergamos dwelled in the same city where Satan dwelled. Again, we see clearly that Satan is not bound today. He will be bound at Christ’s second coming (Revelation 20:1-3).
One of the believers, a person named Antipas, had been killed in Pergamos because of his witness for Christ. Yet the church had held fast the name of Christ and had not denied their faith in Him. The Lord Jesus did take their circumstances into account as He evaluated their spiritual condition.
14But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
Though the problem that the Lord will speak of is very serious, He speaks softly to the church in that He says “I have a few (Greek ολιγα) things against thee.” It seems that the church was not itself in idolatry or in fornication yet, but was tolerating the presence of people among them who had an agenda to draw believers into sin. Balaam was a prophet who was unfaithful to God. In Numbers 22-24 Balac (Balak) the king of Moab tried to pay Balaam to curse Israel, but whenever Balaam opened his mouth, blessing for Israel came out instead. Finally Balaam and Balak separated from one another. But in Numbers 25, we read that the men of Israel began to form relations with the women of Moab and thus were drawn away into idolatry. Behind the scenes Balaam had told Balak how to weaken Israel. In a similar way, there were people present in the church at Pergamos who had an agenda to have the believers eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. Why would they do this? To weaken the church by leading the believers into sin is part of the agenda of Satan. Satan plants his workers in churches to do this.
Paul also spoke to the problem of believers eating things that had been sacrificed to idols. In I Corinthians, Paul said that meat is just meat. Eating meat that has been sacrificed to an idol is not sinful in itself. But, Paul said that some believers may eat it as a thing offered unto an idol (I Corinthians 8:7) and violate their own consciences. Also, Paul said that flagrantly eating with the idol in mind is wrong because behind the idols are demons: But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils (I Corinthians 10:20).
Jesus told the church at Pergamos that they ought not to tolerate the presence among them of those who have an agenda to draw God’s people into sin.
15So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate.
The church in Ephesus was commended by Jesus because the church hated the deeds of the Nicolaitanes. In the church at Pergamos there were some who embraced the sinful teaching of the Nicolaitanes. The fault of the church as a whole was that they did not put out of the church those who embraced that teaching.
16Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
The Lord Jesus is jealously protective of His church. He will come and deal with the problem. He said, “I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them.” He Himself will fight with the sword of His word against those in the church who have an agenda to draw away His people into sin. But the church as a whole is told to repent. The church’s failure to put out those with the sinful agenda is also sin.
17He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
These are beautiful promises for the true believers in the church at Pergamos. The same promises are for the true believers in every church. What is “the hidden manna”? When Israel came out of Egypt, God gave them food to eat called manna (Exodus 16). In speaking of spiritual understanding, Jesus said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes (Matthew 11:25). God feeds real believers with truth. He will continue to feed us throughout eternity. But God hides His truth from people who think that they are wise in themselves.
What is the white stone? The only other New Testament occurrence of this word is found in the book of Acts. Before Paul was saved he wanted Christians to die. In his dialog with King Agrippa in Acts 26:10, Paul said …many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. The word “voice” in this verse is the same word that is translated “stone” in Revelation 2:17. Apparently Paul gave his voice against the Christians by voting against them with a “thumbs down” stone. Christ always votes for every true believer in Him. That “thumbs up” stone will be our property forever. Written on that stone will be a new name that is private between the believer and Christ. This promise of an individual new name is similar to but not the same as the promise to Israel of a national new name: And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name (Isaiah 62:2). Both promises will be fulfilled.
18And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
When John saw the Lord Jesus in chapter 1, he saw one who was “like unto the Son of man” (1:13), the same words that Daniel used to describe the Messiah in his vision (Daniel 7:13). The One whom John saw in chapter 1 now refers to Himself as the Son of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is both the Son of Man and the Son of God. The title “Son of Man” reveals Him as Mediator between God and man; the awaited Prophet, Priest, and King; the Messiah. The title “Son of God” clearly states His Deity. Jesus said, “the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (John 5:22). The use of the title “Son of God” in this verse, along with the emphasis on His eyes as being like a flame of fire and His feet as being like fine brass, anticipate a solemn word of judgment for the church in Thyatira.
19I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
The Lord Jesus first gives wonderful words of encouragement to the believers in Thyatira. He recognizes their love (“charity” : Greek “agape”), faith, service, endurance, and that their last works (unlike those of the church at Ephesus) exceeded their first works. These are characteristics of a very alive church.
20Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
This word reminds us of Jesus’ words to the church in Pergamos in verse 14. The problem is similar, but in this case the one who is the source of the false teaching is a woman “who calls herself a prophetess.” Jesus calls her Jezebel. In the Old Testament, Jezebel was the daughter of the king of Sidon. Ahab, who reigned in the northern kingdom of Israel at that time, married Jezebel and worshipped her god, the idol Baal. The false prophets of idols ate at Jezebel’s table (I Kings 16:31-32; 18:19). The woman in the church at Thyatira was like Jezebel. She had an agenda to draw away Christ’s true servants into idolatry and sexual immorality. She claimed that her teaching was a word from God. By allowing her to continue, the church at Thyatira was like Ahab; the church was married to Jezebel (the majority of the Greek manuscripts say “your woman [wife] Jezebel.”) The fault of the church at Thyatira was that they tolerated her.
21And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
God graciously gave this woman time to repent. This word implies both a demand by God that she stop what she was doing and a willingness to give her a measure of time to respond. The church should have done likewise. The church should have uncompromisingly taken the position that what she was doing was wrong and that she must stop and should have distanced her to keep her from influencing others while giving her time to change her mind. But this woman did not want to repent.
22Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
The nearness of the words “cast her into a bed” and “them that commit adultery with her” seems to imply that God will not allow the woman’s sin to go on in secrecy. He will bring out into the open who in the church is involved in her sin. Those believers will be disciplined by God with great trouble. “Great tribulation” here, as in Acts 7:11, has no article; it is not “the great tribulation,” as in Revelation 7:14.
We might ask ourselves, “Why didn’t God just stop her?” Jesus said to the church, “I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel.” The word “suffer” here means “allow.” Stopping Jezebel was a responsibility that belonged to the church (see Matthew 18:18).
The woman called Jezebel in these verses is in some ways like the whore of false religion in Revelation 17. False religion is seductive and must not be tolerated in any church. When a religious leader says that sexual immorality or compromise with the worship of other gods is OK, that religious leader is a Jezebel.
23And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
Who are this woman’s children? Sadly, when believers go after false teaching that says that sin is okay, other people also are influenced. The believers who sin are disciplined by God with “great tribulation,” but the others never learned the truth at all. Jesus said He would “kill them with death.” That may mean infectious disease in this life and may mean eternal death in the future.
Jesus is One who knows everyone’s secrets and real motives. His judgment would serve as a warning to the other churches, too. The statement “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” is very similar to the words in Jeremiah 17:10: I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. By using such similar words, Jesus is clearly claiming that He is the LORD, Yahweh.
Jesus will give to every person according to their works. In context, this means that He will give great trouble to believers who embrace false doctrine that allows sin. What about Jezebel? What will happen to her? Because the Lord called her “Jezebel,” we may understand that this woman’s destruction will come, as did the destruction of the historical Jezebel (II Kings 9:30-37).
24But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
The other believers in Thyatira had not followed the teaching of the woman that Jesus called Jezebel. The Satanic nature of this teaching is shown in the clause “as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak.” It seems that this false prophetess was asserting that through her teaching one could know the depths of Satan and thus be made wise. The worst of evil was being taught within the church by a person who claimed to be speaking for God.
25But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
These words are clearly a reference to the promises given to the Messiah in Psalm 2:8-9 : Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. That is why Jesus said, “even as I received of my Father.” He is the Messiah, the Son of God. The same psalm is referred to in Revelation 12:5 (“And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron”) and in 19:15 (“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron”). But Jesus said that he would give to the true believers in Thyatira authority to rule over the nations with Him. That has not happened yet. As we will read in chapters 4 and following in the book of Revelation, Jesus will return to rule over the earth. His rule will be a reign of righteousness. He will not tolerate rebellion in His kingdom. He promised that every true believer will rule with Him.
28And I will give him the morning star.
In the last chapter of the Old Testament book of Malachi there is a promise of Christ’s coming: But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings (Malachi 4:2). At the end of the book of Revelation Jesus says, “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star” (Revelation 22:16). Jesus is the Sun of righteousness spoken of by Malachi, and He is the morning star spoken of twice in the book of Revelation. Astronomers tell us that in the physical universe the morning star is actually a planet that looks like a star. It shines more brightly than the stars and shines with a steady light. It may be visible before sunrise. There is a lesson for us in the metaphor of morning star and sun. The anticipation of the Old Testament was the coming of Christ to establish His kingdom on earth. The anticipation of the church (every true believer today) is the coming of Christ to take us to be with Himself (coming as the morning star) before His coming as King (sunrise). This anticipation of the church is spoken of by Paul in I Thessalonians 4:16-17: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Jesus promised that He will give to every true believer the morning star. He will give every true believer the privilege of meeting Him in the air when He comes.
29He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
May God give us a spiritual ear that hears with understanding.
ahttps://christianhistoryinstitute.org/study/module/polycarp
Note: All Scriptures are quoted from the King James Version of the Bible.