Revelations 2:1-7?

[FreeinChrist]

Just had a few questions on Revelations 2:1-7?  

 

The first two really hit home for me, and the other two just openly curious as to what others think?

 

First how can a believer keep from leaving his/her first love?   Revelation 2:4

 

Second, what are the first works referred to in Revelation 2:5?

 

And the other two do you think that the candlestick being moved out its place, Revelation 2:5, could be referring to the Church of Ephesus along with the other 6 churches in Asia mentioned in Revelation 2-3?

 

Who or what is the Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7?

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

Very intriguing passage. Here's my take on it.

This letter is in response to the spiritual zeal of the churches in the area declining.

V2-3 John is writing to believers that have been saved. Writing to a Christian church.

V4 the Ephesians had turned their hearts away from Christ and let their enthusiasm for Christian living die down. Jesus mentions this will happen in mat 24:12. According to Jesus this constitutes a spiritual fall from which they must recover (rev 2:5)

V5 John writes that they need to repent and return to the good works they did at first. To me this brings into question of faith alone. Why would Jesus bring up works and require that the church of Ephesus return to doing that.

Than he says that if they don't do this he will remove their lampstand. Indicating divine judgement.

V6 the Nicolaitiabs are mentioned and they were known to have a casual attitude towards sexual immorality and idolatry. We can see this and the effects of this today with more and more churches embracing so-called gay marriages.

V7 there is hope. To him who conquers, is saying that those that conquer their temptation and stay true to Christ will be saved.

Reflecting on this passage I see a Church that is being attacked on two fronts. One via Roman persecutions ( based on history not specially this passage) and the other, the temptation of the flesh. And the followers are starting to waver and lose faith, perhaps giving into temptations of the flesh.

Jesus is saying to them that they need to repent and stay true to the deposit of faith that was given to them otherwise divine judgment will come upon them.

Two interesting points I see here are, it seems there is a role for good works. And one can loose their salvation.

Now I wait for Shilo to come down on me (Shilo that last line was written in jest)

***edited for iPhone autocorrect oopsies

Edited October 28, 2014 by Judas Machabeus

[Persuaded]

Each letter is in a format, beginning with the addressee (the meaning whose name is important),  then a title of Jesus taken from chapter 1, a commendation (unless none is warranted), a correction (unless none is warranted), the message to the overcomer, and the closing note about "he that hath an ear".

 

It is instructive to see which churches lack one element of the "format", and also to see that the message to the overcomer occurs as a postscript, after the "he that hath an ear" phrase, in only the first two letters, including here with Ephesus.

 

To start, it's helpful to get some background on Ephesus. First off, the name means "desirable", so right away love is in view here.

 

Paul's first encounter with them is Acts 18:19-21, noted for the fact that they asked him to stay longer, versus casting him in prison or stoning him, as in other cities. He returns and spends three years there, and from there the word grew throughout asia.

 

Paul's letter to the Ephesians is out of his love for them, and is not noted for any particular doctrinal correction. The letter contains the clearest account of betrothal and spousal love in Ephesians 5.

 

Later, in Acts 20 Paul meets the elders of the church at Ephesus and warns them:

 

[Act 20:29-31 NKJV] "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

"Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

 

This is a prediction and warning against teachers of false doctrine, among the flock.

 

​Next up is the first letter to Timothy, then the pastor of the church of Ephesus. The letter is full of references to teaching and doctrine, from the beginning we have:

 

[1Ti 1:3 NKJV] As I urged you when I went into Macedonia--remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

 

So love and defense of sound doctrine are major themes in the writings we have, that apply to Ephesus.

 

So with that, here's Jesus Christ's personal letter to Ephesus:

 

[Rev 2:1 NKJV] "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
[Rev 2:2 NKJV] "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
[Rev 2:3 NKJV] "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.
[Rev 2:4 NKJV] "Nevertheless I have [this] against you, that you have left your first love.
[Rev 2:5 NKJV] "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.
[Rev 2:6 NKJV] "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
[Rev 2:7 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '

 

Again, the meaning of the word "Ephesus" is "desirable". I'll suggest it is in the sense of spousal or first love, as is developed throughout the letter.

 

Christ's title is "He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands". He is explicitly among, with, even caressing the stars and candlesticks.

 

The commendation: verses 2,3, and 6 list their good deeds. They seemed to have heeded Paul's warning in Acts 20 about the wolves (false teachers) coming among them, and Paul's teaching to Timothy to be strong in the doctrine, because here they "cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars". They are doctrinally strong, just as they have been warned and taught to be. For the nicolaitans, I prefer the approach that this is just an untranslated word rather than a name or title. It's a compound word of nikos (victory, conquer) and laos ("laity", the people), and describes the practice of a clergy between God and the people. By the time of Pergamos (=perverse/mixed marriage, where the church "marries" the worldly system and becomes the religion of the court), it becomes the doctrine of the nicolaitans, and is somewhat explained in 2:14 as the righteous are tempted away by easy living to their damnation. What the devil couldn't accomplish through persecution of the church in Smyrna (=crushed, like the myrrh spice), he more than achieves by making the formerly persecuted church fat and comfortable in Pergamos.

 

The correction: "Nevertheless". What a terrible word! "You have left your first love". "First love" isn't like first in order, but "best" or "chief". It's the spousal love, that sees only the object of love to the exclusion of distractions. It's not loving something first in a list of ten, it's first in a list of one. That's "first love".

 

Put these two together, and you have a church (or a person, one with ears) that is rigorous in doctrine, but lacks a love relationship with Jesus. It's an easy trap to fall in to, and we probably have seen examples of it all our lives, and even lived in this mode at times of our own lives.

 

The correction continues with "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent." "First works" is "best works", the doctrine and the love. The removal of the lampstand is not removal of the Holy Spirit (Jesus promised that the Comforter would never leave the church), but the witness or display of the Holy Spirit. If you are doctrinally sound but live like a ruthless curmudgeon, can anybody see the Spirit in your life? The lampstand "removed from its place" also refers back to 2:1, where the proper place of the lampstands is in close fellowship with Him, as He walks in their midst.

 

Next is the common phrase for each of the seven letters, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." We all have ears, the letter is for us all. We are also to hear what is said to the other 6 churches, as each has application in a portion of our lives and relationship to Jesus. If you continue to study the other 6 letters, you'll notice that this closing phrase occurs after the promise to the overcomer in the final five letters, rather than before, as here and with Smyrna.

 

The Tree of Life is the same, from the garden, the Proverbs, to here, to Revelation 22. I suggest that it represents pure fellowship with Jesus, unfettered by sin or the curse. Certainly that's a study in its own right, though!

 

[Pro 13:12 NKJV] Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But [when] the desire comes, [it is] a tree of life.

What is "hope"? -I suggest it is the coming of the redeemer, the promise of the second coming.

Who is "the desire of nations"?

[Marilyn C]

Well said Persuaded,

 

I really appreciated reading your comments. Great exposition.

 

Blessings, Marilyn.

[Guest Judas Machabeus]

Wow, awesome response!!

[^j^]

Just had a few questions on Revelations 2:1-7?  

 

The first two really hit home for me, and the other two just openly curious as to what others think?

 

First how can a believer keep from leaving his/her first love?   Revelation 2:4

 

Second, what are the first works referred to in Revelation 2:5?

 

And the other two do you think that the candlestick being moved out its place, Revelation 2:5, could be referring to the Church of Ephesus along with the other 6 churches in Asia mentioned in Revelation 2-3?

 

Who or what is the Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7?

I'd wonder first who is being referred to in 2:2 : "I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars."

 

Who is it that was tested as claiming to be an apostle and were found to be a liar by the church of Ephesus? That one church charged with such a task.

[FreeinChrist]

Very intriguing passage. Here's my take on it.

This letter is in response to the spiritual zeal of the churches in the area declining.

V2-3 John is writing to believers that have been saved. Writing to a Christian church.

V4 the Ephesians had turned their hearts away from Christ and let their enthusiasm for Christian living die down. Jesus mentions this will happen in mat 24:12. According to Jesus this constitutes a spiritual fall from which they must recover (rev 2:5)

V5 John writes that they need to repent and return to the good works they did at first. To me this brings into question of faith alone. Why would Jesus bring up works and require that the church of Ephesus return to doing that.

Than he says that if they don't do this he will remove their lampstand. Indicating divine judgement.

V6 the Nicolaitiabs are mentioned and they were known to have a casual attitude towards sexual immorality and idolatry. We can see this and the effects of this today with more and more churches embracing so-called gay marriages.

V7 there is hope. To him who conquers, is saying that those that conquer their temptation and stay true to Christ will be saved.

Reflecting on this passage I see a Church that is being attacked on two fronts. One via Roman persecutions ( based on history not specially this passage) and the other, the temptation of the flesh. And the followers are starting to waver and lose faith, perhaps giving into temptations of the flesh.

Jesus is saying to them that they need to repent and stay true to the deposit of faith that was given to them otherwise divine judgment will come upon them.

Two interesting points I see here are, it seems there is a role for good works. And one can loose their salvation.

Now I wait for Shilo to come down on me (Shilo that last line was written in jest)

***edited for iPhone autocorrect oopsies

 

Thanks JM.

 

 

Each letter is in a format, beginning with the addressee (the meaning whose name is important),  then a title of Jesus taken from chapter 1, a commendation (unless none is warranted), a correction (unless none is warranted), the message to the overcomer, and the closing note about "he that hath an ear".

 

It is instructive to see which churches lack one element of the "format", and also to see that the message to the overcomer occurs as a postscript, after the "he that hath an ear" phrase, in only the first two letters, including here with Ephesus.

 

To start, it's helpful to get some background on Ephesus. First off, the name means "desirable", so right away love is in view here.

 

Paul's first encounter with them is Acts 18:19-21, noted for the fact that they asked him to stay longer, versus casting him in prison or stoning him, as in other cities. He returns and spends three years there, and from there the word grew throughout asia.

 

Paul's letter to the Ephesians is out of his love for them, and is not noted for any particular doctrinal correction. The letter contains the clearest account of betrothal and spousal love in Ephesians 5.

 

Later, in Acts 20 Paul meets the elders of the church at Ephesus and warns them:

 

[Act 20:29-31 NKJV] "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.

"Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

"Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

 

This is a prediction and warning against teachers of false doctrine, among the flock.

 

​Next up is the first letter to Timothy, then the pastor of the church of Ephesus. The letter is full of references to teaching and doctrine, from the beginning we have:

 

[1Ti 1:3 NKJV] As I urged you when I went into Macedonia--remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

 

So love and defense of sound doctrine are major themes in the writings we have, that apply to Ephesus.

 

So with that, here's Jesus Christ's personal letter to Ephesus:

 

[Rev 2:1 NKJV] "To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, 'These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:

[Rev 2:2 NKJV] "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;

[Rev 2:3 NKJV] "and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name's sake and have not become weary.

[Rev 2:4 NKJV] "Nevertheless I have [this] against you, that you have left your first love.

[Rev 2:5 NKJV] "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent.

[Rev 2:6 NKJV] "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

[Rev 2:7 NKJV] "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God." '

 

Again, the meaning of the word "Ephesus" is "desirable". I'll suggest it is in the sense of spousal or first love, as is developed throughout the letter.

 

Christ's title is "He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands". He is explicitly among, with, even caressing the stars and candlesticks.

 

The commendation: verses 2,3, and 6 list their good deeds. They seemed to have heeded Paul's warning in Acts 20 about the wolves (false teachers) coming among them, and Paul's teaching to Timothy to be strong in the doctrine, because here they "cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars". They are doctrinally strong, just as they have been warned and taught to be. For the nicolaitans, I prefer the approach that this is just an untranslated word rather than a name or title. It's a compound word of nikos (victory, conquer) and laos ("laity", the people), and describes the practice of a clergy between God and the people. By the time of Pergamos (=perverse/mixed marriage, where the church "marries" the worldly system and becomes the religion of the court), it becomes the doctrine of the nicolaitans, and is somewhat explained in 2:14 as the righteous are tempted away by easy living to their damnation. What the devil couldn't accomplish through persecution of the church in Smyrna (=crushed, like the myrrh spice), he more than achieves by making the formerly persecuted church fat and comfortable in Pergamos.

 

The correction: "Nevertheless". What a terrible word! "You have left your first love". "First love" isn't like first in order, but "best" or "chief". It's the spousal love, that sees only the object of love to the exclusion of distractions. It's not loving something first in a list of ten, it's first in a list of one. That's "first love".

 

Put these two together, and you have a church (or a person, one with ears) that is rigorous in doctrine, but lacks a love relationship with Jesus. It's an easy trap to fall in to, and we probably have seen examples of it all our lives, and even lived in this mode at times of our own lives.

 

The correction continues with "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place--unless you repent." "First works" is "best works", the doctrine and the love. The removal of the lampstand is not removal of the Holy Spirit (Jesus promised that the Comforter would never leave the church), but the witness or display of the Holy Spirit. If you are doctrinally sound but live like a ruthless curmudgeon, can anybody see the Spirit in your life? The lampstand "removed from its place" also refers back to 2:1, where the proper place of the lampstands is in close fellowship with Him, as He walks in their midst.

 

Next is the common phrase for each of the seven letters, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." We all have ears, the letter is for us all. We are also to hear what is said to the other 6 churches, as each has application in a portion of our lives and relationship to Jesus. If you continue to study the other 6 letters, you'll notice that this closing phrase occurs after the promise to the overcomer in the final five letters, rather than before, as here and with Smyrna.

 

The Tree of Life is the same, from the garden, the Proverbs, to here, to Revelation 22. I suggest that it represents pure fellowship with Jesus, unfettered by sin or the curse. Certainly that's a study in its own right, though!

 

[Pro 13:12 NKJV] Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But [when] the desire comes, [it is] a tree of life.

What is "hope"? -I suggest it is the coming of the redeemer, the promise of the second coming.

Who is "the desire of nations"?

 

Persuaded, thanks, for the great information, really appreciate it.

 

 

 

Just had a few questions on Revelations 2:1-7?  

 

The first two really hit home for me, and the other two just openly curious as to what others think?

 

First how can a believer keep from leaving his/her first love?   Revelation 2:4

 

Second, what are the first works referred to in Revelation 2:5?

 

And the other two do you think that the candlestick being moved out its place, Revelation 2:5, could be referring to the Church of Ephesus along with the other 6 churches in Asia mentioned in Revelation 2-3?

 

Who or what is the Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7?

I'd wonder first who is being referred to in 2:2 : "I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don't tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars."

 

Who is it that was tested as claiming to be an apostle and were found to be a liar by the church of Ephesus? That one church charged with such a task.

 

 

My thought is men like Hymeneus and Philetus who both denied the Resurrection in some sort, II Timothy 2:16-18.  And perhaps Alexander, I Timothy 1:19-20.  Men like thee and others who followed the gnostic teaching.

 

[disciplehelovestoo]

Just had a few questions on Revelations 2:1-7?  

 

The first two really hit home for me, and the other two just openly curious as to what others think?

 

First how can a believer keep from leaving his/her first love?   Revelation 2:4

 

Second, what are the first works referred to in Revelation 2:5?

 

And the other two do you think that the candlestick being moved out its place, Revelation 2:5, could be referring to the Church of Ephesus along with the other 6 churches in Asia mentioned in Revelation 2-3?

 

Who or what is the Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7?

the only way to keep from leaving one's first love (God) is to seek Him first, above all else, including 'good' works

 

i believe the 'first works' were the two great commandments:

 

Mat 22:37-40 KJV

(37)  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

(38)  This is the first and great commandment.

(39)  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

(40)  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

 

i assume what had happened is that the Ephesians had fallen back into some degree of legalism, as their works were recognized (verses 2 and 3) but their motive was no longer right; they needed to repent of being led by their own limited intellect, reason and knowledge and return to being led by God as they were at the first

 

'first works' may also refer to the two great commandments - always to be 'first'

Edited October 30, 2014 by disciplehelovestoo