Revelation 2

       For the collector of curious facts that mean nothing, we also have letters by Paul directed to seven different churches. The seven letters now before us do share this in common with Paul’s letters. They are the word of God, timeless truth for all to hear and heed.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”  Christ repeats this to them all, for the message to one is to be heard and heeded by all (cf. 1:3).

     Most people probably feel more at home with these seven letters than with the rest of the Revelation.  It speaks literal facts to literal churches, a view of the world that though different, is still from a perspective we are used to.  Nevertheless, symbols are introduced here that reoccur here and there throughout the book.  What we understand here can help us later, and what is revealed later can help uncover the mystery here.  The tree of life, the hidden manna, the morning star, the white garments, etc. are all things that tie the book together into a unity.  Notice that three of the churches receive some commendation and some condemnation.  One (Sardis), receives condemnation except for a few individuals, and one (Laodicea) has no good thing to commend, yet opportunity to repent still knocks at her door.  But there are two (Smyrna and Philadelphia) who receive nothing but praise and encouragement to continue in their faithfulness.  Each of the seven is given to understand that what they do will be either rewarded or punished at the final judgment.  Thus this opening section of the book is parallel with the following six, ending with a reminder of Christ’s second coming, and of what will happen then.

     2:1-7.  Ephesus: “A Church Strong, Orthodox in Doctrine, Order, and Morals, but having left its first love” (James Ramsey).

     The elders of Ephesus had heeded well Paul’s farewell warnings to them of the coming of enemies of the gospel, not only from without, but from within their own number (Acts 20:28 ff.).  But it is so difficult for us to keep proper balance between uncompromised truth and the pursuit of peace and love.  They are, of course, never really in conflict.  But whenever a strong defense of the truth is needed, sometimes it is easy to forget that love is the fulfillment of the law.  And the unrepentant guilty are always quick to reject admonishment as the unloving judgmentalism of legalistic hypocrites.  The Ephesians were right to test and expel evil men and false apostles.  It was the loving thing to do to protect the sheep from the wolves.  But now, they were in danger of forgetting to care for the poor and foolish sheep as they ought, or even to love Christ as they ought (4).  This could be fatal to the church if they did not repent (5).  But Jesus again strongly encouraged them in their defense of the truth (6), lest in their repentance they overcorrect, for he also hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans.  Why they are called that seems not to be known, but their deeds were probably the same as in v. 14 (cf. 2 Cor. 11:3, 4, 13, 14; 1 John 4:1).

     The one who listens to the Spirit’s message and overcomes (cf. Rev. 21:7) is promised access to the tree of life (i.e., eternal life, cf. Gen. 3:22) in God’s Paradise (note the profusion of this tree in Rev. 22:2, 14; an example of progressive parallelism). 

      2:8-11.  Smyrna: “A Church Poor and Persecuted, but fully approved” (Ramsey). 

     This church receives no word of disapproval, but only words of comfort and precious promises.  What this church does not receive (take note) is the promise of relief from the present suffering.  In fact, they are warned of worse to come — tribulation for ten days; that is, for a complete but limited time.  That limit may extend until some are put to death.  However, they are not to fear it, for a crown of life awaits those who pass the test, and those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death; see Rev. 20:14; 21:8.

     Clearly the Lord does not judge the worth of a church by its worldly wealth and numbers, but by its faithfulness, and the wealth laid up that neither moth nor rust can corrupt (9; cf. Ro. 8:32).

     The church in Smyrna suffered the persecution of the Roman government, but it was the Jews who instigated it.  They brought the same charge against them that secured Christ’s death, treason against the emperor. Behind it all was the enmity of the devil. The Jews who rejected Christ then, have their counterparts now in apostate churches.  They claim to be God’s people, but take his name in vain, being in fact servants of Satan, and in league with the powers of the world.

     2:12-17.  Pergamum: “A Church Faithful under the World’s Violence, but yielding to its friendship” (Ramsey).

     Hendriksen (p. 75) points out that these letters follow a pattern of seven parts (where they all apply): 

1. Salutation; 
2.  Christ’s self-designation; 
3.  Commendation;             
4.  Condemnation; 
5.  Warning and Threat; 
6.  Exhortation; 
7.  Promise. 

Here, Christ identifies himself as the One who has the sharp two-edged sword (12; cf. 1:16; Is. 49:2; Eph. 6:17; esp. see Heb. 4:12).  Pergamum was the Roman capitol of the province of Asia.  Among the pagan altars was “the great altar of Zeus”, and “Aesculapius the god of healing was worshiped under the emblem of a serpent” (Hendriksen, p. 82).  For these reasons, Satan, the god of this world (cf. Mt. 4:8-10; 2 Cor. 4:4), is said to be enthroned and at home here.  Yet in spite of severe persecution, even unto death, there was still a faithful body of people here who had not denied Christ (13).

     2:14-15.  These two verses are not describing two heresies, but one.  Just as in Israel’s case, they have some, the Nicolaitans, who like Balaam are teaching that there is no harm in eating the sacrifices of idol’s temples or committing the fornication connected with those temples.  A good share of NT instruction was written to counter this same early Gnostic “knowledge”, most notably 2 Peter 2 and Jude (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1-3).  The church has always been plagued by teachers who turn our freedom in Christ into license to sin; carnality with a pretense of a deeper wisdom.

     Thus if they do not repent, Christ promises to war against them with the sword of his word (16), which is divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses (2 Cor. 10:4).

     2:17.  The hidden manna; see Ex. 16:33, 34; Heb. 9:4.  The hidden manna of the old covenant was that memorial portion (an omerful, or a day’s supply for one man), which was placed in a golden jar before the Testimony (the stone tablets of the covenant).  Then when the Tabernacle was prepared, the ark containing the Testimony, with the jar before it, was covered with the mercy seat and hidden behind the veil in the Holy of Holies.  All these things pointed to Christ.  He was the bread of heaven that gives life to the world (see John 4:32, 33).  And this living bread is his flesh (John 6:48-51).  He who eats of this bread shall not die in the wilderness, but live forever (John 6:57, 58).  And so we are taught to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Mt. 6:11).  Christ’s body broken for us is our memorial portion, hidden from the world in the Holiest Place.  He who overcomes, as a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), shall also be given a white stone with a new name written on it which no one else knows.  Who we really are in Christ is forever our treasured secret known only to God (cf. Rev. 19:12).

      2:18-29.  Thyatira: “A Church Increasing in Works, but tolerating a foul heresy” (Ramsey).

     Thyatira is the exact opposite of Ephesus.  They were strong and growing in the deeds of love, but tolerated false teachers.  Love is good, but we are never to love what Christ hates (cf. 6).  They tolerated the woman Jezebel (20).  Likely she was a real woman, but she personifies all that the OT original stood for, and she is one in spirit with the great harlot of Rev. 17.  The first Jezebel was King Ahab’s wife, “from the proud and idolatrous royal house of Tyre” (Ramsey, p. 155).  She corrupted Israel’s worship and morality, leading them to commit adultery against Jehovah with her idols.  Thyatira’s “Jezebel”, who calls herself a prophetess, does the same in the church.  The Lord has graciously given her time to repent, but having not done so, she will receive an appropriate punishment as a public example, and a warning to those who have been in her adulterous bed (21,22).  The “children” produced by this adultery, the Lord “will kill…with death” (margin, 23).  This odd expression refers to the death of the soul, the second death that cannot hurt those who are faithful (11).  The tribulation and destruction of the children of disobedience are a warning from the One who has the heart searching eyes like flame, and the feet like burnished bronze, who seeks out and tramples down all his and our enemies (18, 23).

     2:24.  The deep things of Satan; Adam and Eve had been given a simple truth by God’s own word.  Satan mocked their simplicity.  He taught them of deep things to be learned by experiencing the tree of knowledge.  “You surely shall not die!” (Gen. 3:4).  Jezebel knows the deep things of Satan that seduce the simple of this world with seeming wisdom.  But it is the knowledge learned in the bed of death.  Such “progressive” teachers “always put themselves in strong contrast with the true ‘messengers’ of Christ, whose office is to deliver to the world a simple testimony, nothing more, nothing less” (Ramsey, p. 156).  Upon those who have believed that simple word, and abstain from evil, Christ adds no other burden (cf. Acts 15:28, 29). Note: Ockham’s razor: a rule in science and philosophy (that also applies to theology) stating that the simplest thing that explains the known facts is usually preferable. (A short modern form is called KISS. “Keep It Simple, Stupid.”)

     2:25-29.  Those who hold fast until the Lord comes shall rule with him over the nations.  He rules them with a rod of iron, dashing them in pieces like a potter’s vessel (25-27; Ps. 2:8, 9).  Stars are the symbol of heavenly rule and authority, and the bright leader of the heavenly host is the morning star, i.e., Christ himself, the herald of the morning of God’s eternal Day (28; cf. Rev. 22:16).