Revelation 2 
LETTERS FROM JESUS  (1)

 The Book of Revelation is a word from the Lord to the church.  "To the seven churches in the province of Asia" (1:4). Specifically, these churches are named: "Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea" (1:11).  "Asia" here means the ancient province of Asia, or what we would now roughly call Turkey.  On a map, the churches are listed in a clockwise circle (see map), beginning with the location nearest Patmos (where John was now an exile, 1:9), Ephesus. These churches are all facing trouble.  As we have argued elsewhere, the persecutions of Domitian are raging. The hostility is fierce and some are having to give their lives for the cause of the gospel.  But, trouble comes from within as well as from outside the church. The temptations of the flesh and mind impinge upon the health of the church.  False doctrine as well as immorality call for the King of church to issue covenantal warnings. The trouble is not, as A. W. Tozer, once said, that the church is in the world; rather the trouble comes from the fact the world is in the church.

The description of the churches as "lampstands" is drawn from the visionary symbols of the first chapter (2:1; c.f. 1:12, 13, 20), and before that, the vision of Zechariah 4:2-6 and the earlier description of the tabernacle lampstands in Numbers 8 and Exodus 25.  From these passages comes the idea that the lampstands are meant to emanate the light of God, the Holy Spirit.  The Zechariah passage is particularly insightful: "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the LORD Almighty" (Zech 4:6). The church is meant to be community in which the presence of God shines (note the way the lampstand is mentioned directly after the "bread of presence" in Exodus 25;30-31).

With an allusion to 1:16, Jesus is now identified as the one who "holds the seven stars in his right hand" (2:1). The stars are the "angels of the seven churches" (1:20). Some have seen this as a reference to the church’s earthly ‘messengers,’ of leaders.  But the more natural meaning is that of angels, guardians whose function it is to watch over the church and protect it. Perhaps it is our worldliness that prevents us from accepting this interpretation. Why should it be difficult for us to think of angels protecting the church in a corporate sense, just as they do individual Christians (Heb 1:14)?

In the midst of these divine luminaries, Jesus now walks. Some shine more clearly than others. And there are some whose light is going out. In response, Jesus comes with a word from the Lord: "these are the words" (2:1, 8, 12, 18; 3:1, 7, 14, literally, "Thus says:" ¾ a typical Old Testament formula of divine speech and authority). When the Lord speaks, we are meant to listen.

Ephesus
    Good news and bad news forms the content of he first letter (2:1-7). The background seems crucial to understand the form of the letter. Augustus had allowed Ephesus to build two temples in his honor, and Domitian had called Ephesus "guardian of the Imperial cult."  At the Olympic games, shortly before this letter was written, Ephesus had given particular honor to Domitian.  Earlier in its history, we know from Acts that other forms of religion included the worship of Artemis and the practice of magic (Acts 19:8-9, 23-40).

The commendation begins with the assertion, "I know your deeds" (2:2). This is further explained along three lines:

i. "hard work" (2:2). The word used here is a specific one, including the thought of diligence and effort (c.f. 1 Thess 2:9).  Diligence and conscientiousness are the features Jesus noted in the Ephesian Christians.

ii. "perseverance" (2:2). In the face of opposition, these Christians had continued in their witness to Jesus Christ. They had not yielded to the pressures to conform. They had stood firm, enduring the cross that came in the wake of their bold testimony.  "You have persevered and have endured hardships for My name, and have not grown weary" (2:3).

iii. Orthodoxy. Hatred of the Nicolaitans (2:6) had earned them the commendation of the Saviour, for He also bore a similar "hatred."  All kinds of theories persist as to their identity and character.  Some, from the identification given by Irenaeus in the second century, have equated him with Nicolas of Acts 6:5.    Others have seen here a reference to the Gnosticism of the first century.   It is not necessary to be certain here.  Paul had warned of false teachers ("Wolves" is what he called them) in his farewell address to the Ephesians (Acts 20:29).  In response the Ephesians had "test(ed) everything" and held fast "to the good" (1 Thess. 5:29).

But there is a complaint which Jesus holds "against" them: "You have forsaken your first love" (2:4). It is not clear whether it is a loss of love for God, or for each other that is in view; commentators have taken both opinions, and modern commentators favor the latter.  Probably, both are in view, for a lack of love to God will invariably be accompanied by a lack of love for one another (c.f. Heb 6:10).

Keeping the flame of love glowing brightly is something we have to work at in marriage, and in our love-relationship with Jesus Christ, things are no different.  It is all too possible for us to grow cool, accepting grace with indifference.   It is to this that Hosea witnesses.  Israel had "cooled" towards her Saviour-Lord and He in turn goes to woo her back.

"Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.
There she will sing as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt."
"In that day," declares the LORD,
"you will call me 'my husband’…
"I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,
in love and compassion.
I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD."
(Hos 2:146, 19-20)

This letter is a warning to those who can detect false doctrine a mile away, but whose hearts do no beat in tune with love of God shown in the gospel. The danger is formalism. The cure is "repentance" (2:5). Turning away from sin and turning towards God is the direction to which Christ calls this church.  Re-learn the joy of love to God and to one another, as the "royal law" (Jam 2:8), and the "greatest" fruit of the Spirit’s work in our hearts (1 Cor 13:13).  Only then can we be assured of partaking of "the tree of life," symbol of eternal life (2:7; c.f. Gen 2:9; Rev 22:2, 14, 19).  Failure to repent is catastrophic: Jesus threatens to remove the candlestick! License leads to apostasy, which in turn leads to death.

Nothing is said in the New Testament about the church at Smyrna, or when it was founded.  It is enough to know that it existed, and that it suffered greatly for its faithfulness.  Following a suffering Saviour will inevitably bring its share of trouble.  It is this way, Paul suggests, we make up "what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions" (Col 1:24).  Paul could warn the Philippians that "it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him" (Phil 1:29). The Christians at Smyrna evidently knew all about this. "Suffering," wrote Dietrich Bonhoeffer, "is the badge of the true Christian."

What was the nature of their suffering? Four elements are singled out.

i. Poverty (2:9). Perhaps because the Jews were refusing to do business with them, or because they Christians were drawn from the needier sections of society, they were poor.

ii. Slander (2:9). The Jews were (lit.) blaspheming the Christians. "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts" (Prov 26:22).

iii. Prison (2:10). Something more ominous now comes to which Jesus adds: "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer" (2:10). He warns of imprisonment and persecution "for ten days".  The relative short duration of confinement, though symbolic of course, is meant as encouragement. In any event, it is a "test."  God is molding his own into the shape he wants them to be.

iv. Death. "Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life" (2:10).  Polycarp, according to Irenaeus and Tertullian, was consecrated as bishop of Smyrna by the apostle John himself.  He would, then, have read this warning of Jesus to Smyrna. No doubt when he was executed in 154 AD he was encouraged by the thought that all things happen according to a divine plan and purpose.

What comfort would the Christians have drawn from this?  Three things: that the one who speaks is "the First and the Last" (2:8), and whose identity therefore is divine; that Jesus also suffered, but "came to life again" (2:8) and is therefore able "to bring with him" those who sleep in Jesus (1 Thess 4:14); and that he knows their trouble (2:9), which reassures in the darkest hour that we are never alone.  This sovereignty assures "a crown of life" to the faithful (2:10). They will have no fear of the Day of Judgment, or "the second death" (2:11).

Pergamum
   Jesus knows not only what we do (2:2), and our extent of our suffering ( 2:9), but He also knows where we are (2:13).  The letter to the church at Pergamum (2:12-17) was written to a city some fifty-five miles from Smyrna. Like Ephesus and Smyrna, it too had its temples and altars. Like Smyrna’s temple to Tiberius, Pergamum had been granted permission to erect one to Augustus.

It is a concern for the truth that first emerges. Jesus commends them: "you remain true to My name.  You did not renounce your faith in Me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city-- where Satan lives" (2:13).   Nevertheless, there is criticism: "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam…" (2:14).   There was fidelity of sorts, but not uniformly so. Some had evidently succumbed to error.

Doctrine is important.  Certain truths are of "first importance" (1 Cor 15:3). They are undeniable. Without them, as the Athanasian Creed insists at its beginning and end, we cannot be saved. Other truths are secondary, over which Christians may disagree but still be assured of their salvation. But truths such as those Paul enumerates in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 15, truths such as Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, are essential to what a Christian is. Without these, the entire faith is lost. Rupert Meldenius’ words are often cited: "In essential things, unity; in non-essential things, liberty; in all things, charity."

What essential truth is Jesus thinking of here, when He says "…you remain true to My name. You did not renounce your faith in Me" (2:13)?  It is those truths directly concerned with who Jesus is and what he had come to do.  The person and work of Jesus are among the essential truths of the gospel. They are non-negotiable. The Christians at Pergamum, like Athanasius standing "against the world" (contra mundum), had stood firm against any attempts to deny these truths.  So firm had one been that he had been prepared, like Polycarp later in Smyrna, to die for his faith. His name was Antipas.  Perhaps he had refused to say those words demanded by imperial Rome, Kurios Kaisar (Caesar is Lord).  Perhaps, for two words, he had been prepared to lay down his life.

The particular false teaching making the rounds in Pergamum was known as the teaching of Balaam (2:14), and the teaching of the Nicolaitans (2:15).  A single error is meant by these two descriptions. What it was can be ascertained by recalling the story of Balaam in the Old Testament. Numbers 22 and the succeeding chapters tells of Balak, the King of Moab, who summoned Balaam the prophet to come and curse the tribes of Israel who were about to cross the river Jordan and enter the promised land.  But Balaam found that every-time he opened his mouth, words of blessing merged rather cursing.  Greed (according to 2 Pet 2:15 and Jude 11) caused Balaam to devise another plan, suggesting that Moabite girls should seduce the Israelite men by inviting them to take part in their idolatrous feasts.  It is an age-old error: that the liberty we know in our relationship with God is a license to sin.  God will be gracious to us no matter what.  Balaam knew otherwise, of course, to the great shame of the Israelites and to antinomians ever since.  It is a concern that is with us still. When church members think that they can live in sin on the basis that they are saved and therefore secure, tragedy is about to occur.

The message, as before is "repent" (2:18; c.f. 2:5).

Once again Satan lies behind the trouble. He :has his throne" there (2:13). It will be part of the message of Revelation to point out to us that Satan’s power is limited and ultimately doomed.  But that does mean he has no power at all! He is very much alive and active, even though the fatal wound has already been given to him. In defense of the church at Pergamum, Christ comes with a "sharp, double-edged sword" (2:12; c.f. 1:16). The King of Kings comes into the battle to destroy his ancient foe. God’s way of destroying error is by proclaiming the truth.  Some of the early church Fathers believed that the two edges of the sword represented the Old and New Testaments.

Write Thy new name upon my heart

Thy new, best name of love.