Revelation Chapter Two

Questions from James Strauss on Chapter 2__

1. Who holds the seven stars in His hand and walks among the seven golden candlesticks__verse 2?

2. How does the Lord commend the Ephesian Church___verses 2-3?

3. Were these commendable characteristics enough to save the church from the purging power of Christ___verses 4-5?

4. What is our first love to be?

5. Does the Lord tell this church that "after all no one is perfect, therefore they are not to worry about their spiritual condition"?

6. Who were the Nicolaitans?

7. Is this message and warning applicable to us today?

8. If John was writing the congregation at Ephesus (singular in chapter 2), why does John conclude with the plural (churches) in verse 7?

9. How long must a Christian remain loyal and continue to mature in Christ___verse 7ff?

A. Message to Ephesus_____

See the Web Site for Ephesus City of Ephesus

Like Strauss, I recommend Dr. Merril Tenny (Revelation Interpreted, pp.50-69).

Here is his preaching breakdown of the seven letters.

1. Commission

2. The Characteristics

3. The Commendation

4. The Condemnation

5. The Correction

6. The Call

7. The Challenge

A. Ephesus___

1. Verse 1__The speaker is identified as the "One holding the seven stars in His right hand." This is Jesus Christ (see 1:16). How does Jesus know what they are doing?__It is answered in the text. Jesus is the One walking among the congregations.

2. Verse 2___Jesus has a personal knowledge of the spiritual condition of the congregation. He says "I know." Jesus knows about their toils and their deeds. He also knows (unlike many modern congregations) they cannot bear (tolerate) evil men. This congregation will not put up with an evil person.

3. Verse 3__ These people were not like many modern congregations. They were extremely concerned about the "name of Jesus" being maligned. The context is that they guarded against this by not tolerating any evil. They worked very hard to root out evil in their midst.

4. Verse 4__What could possibly be wrong with a congregation that worked so hard at protecting the name of Jesus? John emphatically stated that this congregation was not merely in danger of or in the process of leaving their first love___"they left their first love." The act of leaving was completed (aphekas, 1st aor. act. ind.). This strikes at the heart of the denominational, anti-biblical, godless doctrine of Augustine (but believed by some Jews before the time of Christ). The doctrine of "once saved, always saved" is completely false so John says. This congregation was not on its way out, it was GONE! The fact of Christian apostasy is categorically claimed in this verse.

5. Verse 5___Notice this verse__they were commanded as individuals (mnemoneue__sing. pres. imp) to remember. What were they to remember before they could be restored? They must recall "from where they have fallen (peptokas__) and "repent (metanoson__sing.aor. imp). Thus these are individual duties (notice the sing. aor. imp. and not the plural). Every member of the church at Ephesus was commanded to "repent." Once again, "they had fallen." They were gone. If they repent they will be restored to fellowship with the Lord.

6. Verse 6__ We find out more about their problems. They were commended for hating the works of the Nicolaitans. Who exactly were the Nicolaitans? The name if formed by combining nikon (to conquer) with laos (the lost people). The patristics identity them as the followers of Nikolaos, the "proselyte" from Antioch. (See Acts 6:1-6).

7. Verse 7___ And now Jesus warns__ and challenges the congregation. "The one having an ear, let hear what the Spirit keeps saying to the congregations."

Once again, this is a personal charge to each individual. Each person is to pay attention immediately! The promise of the Lord is for "the one overcoming" and no one else (pres. part). Thus we have a continual struggle.

B. Message to Smyrna

The Website for Smyrna

Smyrna was called the "City of Life" and was also home to the Imperial Cult (Emperor Worship). Today it has about 250,000 inhabitants. The street called the "Golden Street" was lined with the temples to "Aphrodite, Asklepios, Appolo, and Zeus" The patristic father Polycarp was an Elder at the church of Smyrna.

1. Verse 8__Christ acknowledges their situation___Jesus addresses the as the first and the last who became in a single act dead and alive by their own will. As usual, John addresses the "angel" of the congregation at Ephesus.

2. Verse 9__ This congregation is under "pressure." They are being oppressed. The English translation "tribulation" is misleading.

They are being oppressed by others.

Their suffering was known to God. Once again, Jesus acknowledges their poverty.

On the other hand, Jesus says they are "RICH." This great metropolis where they lived was "rich" but they (the Christians) were poor and reduced to begging. But__they were wealthy in other ways. They had faith and their commitment to Christ. These people were being blasphemed by Jews or those pretending to be Jews.

It takes a Christ-given faith to maintain a progressive attitude in the face of being blasphemed. The Jews were the guilty people. They were of the Synagogue of Satan. In other words, their Synagogue was in service to Satan and not God.

3. Verse 10__In the Midst of their tribulations Christ commands them "do not fear the things you are about to suffer." I am sure they thought they had suffered enough. Now Jesus tells them more is on the way. "The devil is about to throw some of you in prison." This was taking place during the persecution by the Romans. They were being put to the test to determine their commitment. The time of the test is numbered 10 days or just some complete period of time.

4. Verse 11___ The one continually hearing, let him hear what the Spirit keeps on saying to the congregations. The idea is that Smyrna is not the only congregation to which this applies.

The one who is continually victorious will by no means be hurt by the 2nd death. This means eternal damnation according to other Jewish literature of the time. Death of the body is the first death. Death of spirit is the second death. In Christianity, the first death is "baptism" (Romans 6:3-4). Those who participate in "first death" escape the "second death."

C. Message to Pergamum

The Web Site for Pergamum

Pergamos (The Greek form of Pergamum). The city of Pergamum is about 55 miles from Ephesus in the valley of Caicus. There are two important things about this city that ought to be mentioned.

1. They had a library of 200,000 books and the very word "parchment" comes from the city's name.

2. It was the international center for Asklepios worship. Asklepios was the god of healing. He was a soter or savior. The emblem was an Asian serpent. Pergamos gloried in the presence of the Temples to Atene, Zeus, and was also a center for the cult of Caesar. The Caesar's claimed to be gods but the congregation at Pergamos acknowledged only one God.

a. Verse 12___John is once more commanded to write. Christ is speaking as the "one having the sharp two-edged sword." He speaks the word of God and it shall not return to Him void.

b. Verse 13__ "I know you dwell where the throne of Satan is." The congregation is not to run away. They are to be a permanent fixture. There is no neutral ground when it comes to the Lord Jesus. They were holding fast to their faith.

c. Verse 14___Their stand for Christ was to be a valiant one, but they permitted some error in the congregation. "The teachings of Balaam" were espoused and fellowship was not broken with the heretics (see Numbers 22-24; Jude 11; and 2nd Peter 2:15 for the teachings of Balaam).

d. Verse 15___ There were "two" heretical groups in the congregation__the followers of Balaam and the Nicolatians. Condemnation was the answer from Christ to these people. They were probably teaching some form of Gnostic doctrine much like the modern Evangelical movement.

e. Verse 16___ Given the above set of conditions what must the congregation above do to reconcile with the Lord? The answer is "Repent." Unless they meet the necessary conditions of repentance "I am coming quickly and will fight against them." The Word of God is the Sword.

f. Verse 17___"The One having an ear " (always spoken to individuals and not a group) let him hear what the Spirit says. The one who overcomes will be given manna and a white stone.

1. This "white stone" is symbolic but it means a mark of identification and on this stone will be a new name. The color white stands for many good things. Standing for purity, justice, nobility, victory, and joy. There were stones which spoke of acquittal at a trial. There were stones which were rewards for heroism, faithful service and victory. These stones allowed the bearer complimentary entrance to the games or theater. Then there was the white stone that friends shared with each other which guaranteed a warm reception any time and any place they met. All of these thoughts are in the "white stone" that Jesus speaks of.

2. Only the owner of the stone knows whose name is written on the stone. We later read that Jesus has a name (19:12-13) that no one knows but Him.

D. Message to Thyatira

Thyatira on the Web

The next congregation to receive the analytic glance is Thyatira. Lydia, the first Christian convert from Europe was from Thyatira. (Acts 16:11-15) Not much is known about this city.

a. Verse 18__The Postman from Patmos. A new title for Jesus in the book of Revelation. The "Son of God." If we go back to 1:14-15--Jesus is like the "Son of Man."

b. Verse 19__ This is a maturing congregation. Their deeds as of late are greater than they were at first. They received high praise from Jesus.

c. Verse 20__ This highly rated church has a surprise in store. Jesus has something against them. They were not concerned about the purity of their doctrine as they should have been. "The one calling herself a prophetess, Jezebel, was seducing the saints. John's imagery takes us back to the time of King Ahab and Jezebel. Here is the question to be asked. Was Jezebel a real person or a set of doctrines referred to as Jezebel? Look at verse 24.

The text plainly says that "Jezebel" was a set of "teachings."

d. Verse 21___These were doctrines that advocated fornication.

e. Verse 22___Now, judgment is announced on those who hold to these teachings. "Look here, I am casting her into bed, and the ones committing adultery with her into great affliction. Believers of "false doctrine" are here condemned. But notice, repentance is not some intellectual accent. They must change their behavior!!!

f. Verse 23___"All the churches" is plural. This is not just speaking of the seven churches. Jesus searches through the church. He knows the minds and hearts.

g. Verse 24___see above__Jesus acknowledges their burdens and knows they are great.

h. Verse 25___They are to hold on at all costs. Their suffering at present will not compare to the glory that waits for them.

i. Verse 26___Here we are told that the person who once was a "good church member" will receive the wrath of God. Those who continually overcome to the end are considered faithful. Those who are faithful will be given authority over the "Gentiles."

This is a comparison of the "True Israel" to the rest of the world. See Romans 9-11.

j. Verse 27___The true Shepherd will "shepherd them with an iron staff, as the clay vessels or vessels of the potter are broken.

k. Verse 28__The "Morning Star" is probably Christ.

l. Verse 29___The conclusion of this letter is the same as all the rest.