Revelation 2: 1 – 7 Ephesus
The letters to the
seven churches of Asia all follow the same pattern:
1. Each is addressed to “the angel of
XXX”
2. From – a graphic description of
Jesus drawn from John’s vision of the Son of Man.
3. I
see your… or I know of your… The Greek used here emphases the clarity with
which Jesus sees
everything that happens. (Robertson, 297)
4. but, I have this against you…
5. A Challenge:
6. A Threat:
7. A Reward:
Ephesus, which means
“Desired One,” was, in the first century, an important city with a long
history. It was located at the mouth of the river Cayster and was the first
stop along the trade routes through Asia Minor. Acts chapters 19 – 20 tell us
that the city of Ephesus was well known throughout the world as “the Guardian
of the Temple of Artemis (or Diana – the goddess of fertility and “nature in
the wild”),” and that the residents were heavily involved in magic. In addition
to this, Ephesus had a temple devoted specifically to the worship of the Roman
Emperors. It was a cultural center boasting such attractions as art, science,
and gladiators. The main street, Arcadian Way, ran from the harbor to the
theater (which could seat 24,500 people) and on the way one could stop at the
gymnasium, the public baths, the public library, and the brothel. It was also
the city of John the Baptizers followers (Acts 19: 1 -7) and, according to Irenaeus,
the Apostle John’s home. (Irenaeus, 3.3.4)
Ephesus was also a
center of Jewish occultism: there the Apostle Paul during his three year stay,
met the seven sons of Sceva. They were itinerant Jewish exorcists who used
spells and incantations to try to drive out demons. There were many others in
Ephesus who also practiced magic and had large collections of occult books.
In this hot-bed of
religious quackery the Ephesian church toiled and persevered. In his message to
the church of Ephesus, Paul warned them that “fierce wolves” would come into
the church to destroy the gospel of truth. But of all of Paul’s epistles, his
letter to Ephesus was the only one that contained no word of doctrinal
correction. The Ephesian Christians had maintained in the name of Christ,
something that must have been difficult to do in the swirling confusion of
religious ideas of Ephesus.
The Greek word for
“Church” is ekklesia which literally
means “those who are called-out.” The Ephesians had been called out of the
pagan idolatry and sorcery of their neighbors. They had tried those who claimed
to be apostles but were false. A few years later, Ignatius would praise the Christians
of Ephesus for stopping their ears to false doctrine (Ignatius, 9.1)
But for all their good
work and perseverance in truth, the Ephesians had one complaint against them:
they had left their first love. Apparently in their zeal for proper doctrine,
they had calloused their hearts against others. They were no longer motivated
by love for their fellow man. They had fallen into a sort of spiritual apathy.
In their desire to be separate from (“called-out” from) the wickedness of their
neighbors, they had forgotten how to love their neighbors. The challenge to the
Christians of Ephesus was to remember the heights from which they had fallen,
to repent for their lack of love and to do the deeds they had done at first.
Love is more than just a sentimental feeling – love is an action. Love demands
action.
If they will not
repent, Christ warns them, he will come to them in judgment – to remove their
lampstand from its place. The church is to be the light of the world, but if
the church refuses to shine that light into the darkness of the world, Jesus
will come to take it away.
Still, Christ commends
them for their steadfastness. “You hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I
also hate.” The second century bishop St. Irenaeus says that the Nicolaitans
are “the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to
the deaconate by the apostles (Acts 6:5). They lead lives of unrestrained
indulgence…teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery,
and to eat things sacrificed to idols.” (Irenaeus, 1.26.3)
It’s sometimes questioned
whether or not Irenaeus was correct in identifying the cult as followers of
Nicolas, but it is evident that the Nicolaitans and the followers of “Baalam”
in Pergamum (2:14) are participants in the same group. (2:14 – 15) (but perhaps Balaam doesn't deserve such a bad reputation, after all...)
Nicolaitan and Balaam
both mean the same thing in Greek and Hebrew respectively: “Overcomer of the
people” or “Conqueror of the people” They apparently were overcoming the people
with an exceedingly liberal approach to the faith. They flouted the ethical
constraints of Christianity, allowing adultery and idolatry as acceptable practices.
(Numbers 22 – 24; 31; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11)
The Ephesians are
commended for “hating” the Nicolaitans just as Christ hated them. This seems
harsh, and “unchristian,” but the word “hate” doesn’t involve personal
animosity. “What is meant here is akin to the wrath of God Who hates sin and
sinners insofar as they are attached to sin but does desire their repentance
and longs to forgive them. In the same way, people may speak about hating sin
but not the sinner." (Ford, 387) Perhaps the Christians in Ephesus had
fallen from their first love by moving from hating the sin to hating the sinner
as well.
The Christians there
are encouraged to Overcome (nikao)
those who would overcome them (the Nicolaitans.) “And this is the victory that
has overcome the world – our faith” ‘It’s not a matter of victory or failure –
Christ has already won the victory. It’s a matter of victory or treason (Chilton,
99).”
It is curious to note
that these words to the church at Ephesus were described as coming from “him
who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden
lampstands” – that is Jesus, (2:1). But in verse 7 those who have ears to hear
are admonished to hear what “the Spirit” has to say to the churches. Is this to be understood as a equating of
Jesus with the Holy Spirit? Maybe
not. In the non-canonical apocalyptic
work, The Ascension of Isaiah, Isaiah
was taken up to the seventh heaven where he saw the glorified Christ and
another “Glorious One” who looked very much like Christ. When Isaiah asked who this second figure was
told, "Worship Him, for He is the
angel of the Holy Spirit, who speaketh in thee and the rest of the righteous.” (Ascension,
9:36). “Apparently, as in Revelation,
the spirit of inspiration and prophecy is different from but intimately
connected with Christ. By indirection
John may be claiming the Spirit as his source of inspiration, since the
promises he offers are made in the name of Christ and the Spirit (Rist, 382).”
To the one who
overcomes Christ promises the privilege of eating from the Tree of Life in the
Paradise of His God. There were two special trees in the Garden of Eden: The
Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and the Tree of Life. The fruit of the
Tree of Life would have given immortality to Adam and Eve had God allowed them
to remain in the Garden. (Genesis 2:9) But to those who overcome, the flaming
sword of the cherubim would be removed and the saints allowed to enjoy the
fruit and its benefits.
In one sense, the cross
of Christ is the Tree of life. The Cross has long been used in Christian art as
a symbol of Tree of Life, and there is the suggestion that Christ was actually
crucified on a living tree (Acts 5:30; 10:39; 13:29; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter
2:24). The reward that is promised to the overcomer is the privilege of
enjoying the presence of Christ and the eternal life that he gives.
Chilton, David, The Days of Vengeance: an Exposition of
the Book of Revelation Dominion Press, Ft. Worth TX, 1987.
Ford, J. Massyngberde, Revelation: Anchor Bible Vol. 38, Doubleday, Garden City NY, 1975.
Ignatius, Epistle to the Ephesians
Ford, J. Massyngberde, Revelation: Anchor Bible Vol. 38, Doubleday, Garden City NY, 1975.
Ignatius, Epistle to the Ephesians
Irenaeus Against Heresies
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Rist, Martin, “Revelation: Exegesis” in Volume XII of The
Interpreter’s Bible, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN. 1957.
Robertson, A. T., Word Pictures in the New Testament vol. 6 Broadman Press, Nashville TN, 1933.
Robertson, A. T., Word Pictures in the New Testament vol. 6 Broadman Press, Nashville TN, 1933.
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