Bible Study - Revelation 1-3 Part 6

Last week, we saw that Jesus, not John, is the truly important One in what is said in Revelation, and that Jesus makes it clear that there is much symbolism and imagery in this book. The lampstands are the churches, and the stars are the angels, the messengers, the pastors and teachers of the churches.

As Chapter 2 of Revelation begins, then, John is told to write what Jesus tells him to write to the leader of the church in Ephesus. John records the Words, but these are the “Words of Jesus” Himself, Who is “walking among” the seven churches listed in Revelation 1:11 and actively observing and concerned about them (Revelation 2:1). Jesus cared deeply about those churches, and He still cares about our churches today. His Words are for all of us to listen to and consider.

Ephesus was the capital city of the Roman province of Asia, a port city and commercial center about three miles from the Aegean Sea, in what is today a part of Turkey. Paul had been there on his second and third missionary journeys, and he and others had helped establish a church there. Paul had spent almost three years there, and others who worked there included Aquila and Priscilla, Apollos, and Timothy, at times. You can read about this missionary work in Acts 18:19-20:1. From this center, the Gospel of Christ went out to the other six cities and churches to whom the other messages in Revelation 2-3 were sent.  A colony of Jews lived in Ephesus, with a synagogue, but the great majority were non-Jews of many backgrounds. A prominent temple in the city was dedicated to the goddess Artemis (Diana). The early Christians had challenges from Jews and from followers of Artemis.

Paul left Ephesus, after a time of conflict and “uproar,” with many opposed to him and his Christian teaching. Later, he called the leaders of the church at Ephesus and asked them to meet him at a nearby city and gave them final words of warning and encouragement, and “commended them to God and to the Word of His grace, which would be able to build them up and ensure them of God’s promised eternal Inheritance.” (You can read these Words of God in Acts 20:16-38, and especially v.32.)

Still later, the Apostle John became the leader of the church in Ephesus and the others churches of this area. He also wrote his “Gospel of John” and three letters found near the end of the New Testament. Finally, about 95 AD, he was banished to the island of Patmos by the Roman Emperor Domitian, as we have already heard, and from there, wrote what we are studying now. He writes to the current “angel” (messenger) leader in Ephesus.

Each of the seven letters follows a similar pattern. There is a reference back to something from Revelation 1, indicating that this letter came from Jesus, though written down by John. Then we hear Jesus Himself speaking, “I know…” (Revelation 2:2ff).

First, He commends them for good things that have been happening in and through the church. “I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance…” “I know you are bearing up for My name’s sake, and you have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2-3). (The people were seeking to follow Scriptures like Galatians 6:9 and 2 Thessalonians 3:13.) Paul had also warned them, long before, that “fierce wolves would come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” The Christians at Ephesus had listened and were “dealing with those “who are evil” and “tested those who called themselves apostles, and are not, and found them to be false” (Acts 20:29-30, and Revelation 2:2). (Again, the church at Ephesus was trying to follow Scriptures like 1 John 4:1 and 2 Corinthians 11:12-15)

Then Jesus speaks of the failings of the church at Ephesus. “I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Keep on remembering therefore from where you have fallen” (Revelation 2:4-5). Paul had written, “Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up into Him Who is the head, into Christ… so that the body (of Christ, the church) grows so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16). Jesus had warned that there are times when “many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).

At such times, even God’s people may be so busy criticizing and condemning the wrongs all around them that they forget to “speak the truth in love,” still trying to care for the people so lost, all around them. When Jesus spoke of those coming bad times, He also remembered to encourage His people to endure and keep the faith, and to keep “proclaiming the Gospel,” the Good News of God’s love, throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations.” (Matthew 24:13-14).

All this is a great challenge for God’s people. The church at Ephesus was to keep standing up for the truth and condemning wrongdoing. Jesus also complimented them “for hating the work of the Nicolaitans, which He also hated” (Revelation 2:6). The Nicolaitans were people who wanted to compromise with the paganism all around them, just to make life easier for themselves and be more like everyone else. Why not go along with what others do, even it is wrong, just to get along with others?, they said. Peter had warned, “The time that is past has sufficed for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you" (1 Peter 4:3-4). Nicolaitans needed to be opposed and condemned. But the Scriptures also say so much about “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). The writer to the Hebrews speaks strongly of “holding the confession of our hope without wavering, for God who promised is faithful.” But he also combines that with: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Hebrews 10:23-25).
    Jesus calls the church to “repentance,” then, for forgetting “love” and calls them “to be doing the works they did at first, in love.” I am going to stop here, for now, as I don’t want to go on too long and as I suspect that these Words speak to every church, including our own, in some ways. Jesus added, “Let him who has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7), including our own. The Good News is that there is always forgiveness in Christ and hope in His love, first given to us. We will talk about this more next week and look at the rest of what Jesus says in this first letter to the churches. The Lord’s blessings and strength.