I -- 2:1-7 -- Letter to Ephesus

I know your works
He doesn’t just see what they are doing now but also their whole “walk” of life
Their “work” included doing battle with false teachers
They had “tested” them and found them to be wanting

Then comes the “but…”
“I have this against you…” – this statement defines their spiritual and moral problem
It is an indication of divine displeasure and will lead to judgment if changes are not made
They have abandoned their “first love” – the love they had at first
This included their love for their fellow man as well as their love for God
The point is that their love had grown cold and was replaced by harsh orthodoxy
They loved truth more than they loved God or each other                   

Call to listen and a promise
“Those who have ears to hear, hear”
This is a prophetic warning to open one’s mind and heart to kingdom truths
God has made these truths available; it is our responsibility to hear them
“Hearing” has the response of “obeying”
These words come to us via the Holy Spirit
It is a lesson for all – applied to “all” churches
They are challenged to be conquerors
This is an athletic and military metaphor – representing victory over vanquished foes
Their reward is to get what Adam and Eve did not – permission to eat from the tree of life
Since it’s a tree, some see a connection with the cross
“It is the cross that gives life”
Symbol of Artemis was a date palm – this symbol countered that image of fertility
Tree stands in the paradise of God
Paradise:  Persian word for enclosed park or garden          

Opening greeting is the same
The characteristic of Christ for this church is “First and Last”
That meant he was sovereign over history as well as the future (Isa 44:6, 48:12)
If Smyrna called itself “first”, they had to remember that Jesus was “first”
Another characteristic is the Lord who was “Dead and came alive”
This is specific for the city who also had many rebirths
Each time the city was rebuilt, it came back stronger, better

No “buts” in this letter
It was perhaps one of the smallest, most insignificant churches in the region
The message is that is it more important to be faithful than to be powerful
Christ “knows” their poverty, tribulation, and slander
In OT, poverty was seen as result of apostasy of nation
All the people had been given land; there should not have been any poverty
The people of Smyrna might have been harassed, lost their jobs
Persecution brought the church closer to God
Therefore, Christ could say “you are rich” (even though they were poverty stricken)
Another problem they were facing was slander
Slandering God’s people is a form of blasphemy against God
Jews are referred to as the “synagogue of Satan”
They are tools of Satan against God
Satan here means “adversary”, therefore they are adversaries against God
Because Christians were not Jews, they were not exempt from Roman rules and regulations about emperor worship
Synagogue of Satan is in collusion with Rome

Affliction is coming
Christ tells them not to be afraid even though suffering is imminent and unavoidable
Their lot would not be pleasant, but God would be with them
He gives no promise of an easy life, just divine comfort and blessing
They will be imprisoned: Rome did not use prison for punishment
People were simply detained awaiting trial or death
Satan will be testing them to see if they would apostate; God was testing faith
Affliction will be limited (10 days); it’s a manageable amount
God is still in control; those 10 days will be horrible, but limited
They will not be tempted beyond what they can bear
Solution is faithful endurance – means putting one’s trust in God
God is sovereign and will vindicate his suffering people
God will bring victory out of what seems like defeat
They will be given the crown of life:  military, athletic metaphor – garland wreath
Smyrna was famous for its games; this would be a good metaphor for them
It also works with the death/life metaphor
Through his death, Jesus brings “life” out of death
They do not have to fear death

“Listen”
Call to listen challenges hearers to obedience
Most of the people in Smyrna, it seems, were willing to hear
The fact that they are suffering suggests that they are listening
They are, then, “overcomers”
“Second Death” is the one that happens after physical death
They might, indeed, be killed by the first death, but they will not be destroyed
God will guarantee their “life”
This letter tells them not to worry about hard times, not to be discouraged

Addressed to the angel
Christ has the “double-edged sword” -- generally a symbol of divine justice
In 1:16 the sword came out of Christ’s mouth – meant words of judgment
This tells the church that God is in charge, not some Roman proconsul
Ultimate power belongs to God; Romans can not do anything about that

The Christ “knows” three things:  the pagan world they live in, their faithful witness, and their endurance under persecution
They “live” where Satan has his throne
It’s like saying Pergamum is the seat of Satan’s power
Satan, here, probably refers to Roman power
Christ also knows their faithfulness
They continue to “hold fast,” grasp forcibly, remain firm
Here they are holding fast to his “name” 
Being true to Jesus’ name is to live up to the responsibility of a new identity – in this case, the ability to resist the Romans
To date, they have not renounced the faith
They have demonstrated their endurance under persecution
Antipas – legend has it that he was “roasted” to death for refusing paganism (possibly during the reign of Domitian)
Basically these people are living in Satan’s hometown
There is total opposition of the pagan (Roman) people

Their weaknesses
Unlike the church at Ephesus that opposed the Nicolaitan heresy, these people have been tolerating it
So even though they’re being faithful, they are allowing a heresy to flourish, thereby putting the whole church in danger
Nicolaitan movement is described as “what Balaam taught”
(Story is in Num 22-24 – Balak asked him to place a curse on the Israelites – instead he blessed them)
Later on “Balaam’s advise” was a metaphor for leading persons into apostasy
Two problems have resulted from the Nicolaitan movement: they eat meat sacrificed to idols, immorality
Apparently this heresy preached adaptation to the imperial cult
Frankly, most Romans did it out of a sense of duty
Immorality here probably means promiscuity
Teachings of Balaam could be literal or figurative
Teachings of Balaam could mean false teachers are trying to deceive
Teachings of Balaam could be simile for Nicolaitans

The solution
Their church is endangered by the heretics
The solution is for them to “repent,” change their ways, their approach
They should be willing to take on these false teachers
Their refusal to do so constitutes a sin
If they don’t, the Christ will come to them
God will be the divine warrior
He will judge the heretics and their followers, as well as everyone
If the church had acted, the heretics would have found no hold
Their choice: war against the heretics, or God will – and you won’t like it
The image of the sword comes into being again

Call to listen
To ignore these words is to do so at their peril
To “hear” means to obey, so they should put these words into practice
Putting into practice means dealing with and eliminating false teachers
Those who do will get a reward:  hidden manna, white stone
“Hidden Manna” could be a reference to Christ as the “bread of life”
Also might be obscure reference to messianic banquet at the end of time
“White Stone” is very elusive
It could mean a real stone, or a reference to Urim and Thummim
A white stone could also be used as a “ticket” to get into an event
Some see another athletic metaphor – white stones were given to the victor
Both of these are eschatological symbols having to do with the messianic feast

Addressed to the angel – lets them know this is important
Their Christological attribute is the Son of God image
This would stress the relationship between God and Christ
This stands over against Apollo who is supposedly the “son of a god”
“Eyes like fire; feet like polished bronze” (Rev 1:14-15)
This would be especially relevant in a guild town
Eyes like raging fire means penetrating insight and judgment of Jesus
In this church there is a cult movement of Jezebel
Christ is aware of this; judgment is imminent
“Polished bronze” was a mixture of copper and zinc
This would have been another dig at Apollo, who was generally depicted on a horse with a double-bladed ax
This church should remember that Jesus is the divine warrior

Four works are listed
Ephesus and Thyatira have serious problems, but they also have a list of good works
Love and faith – motivating force
Service and endurance – results that follow
Love – of both men and God (only used twice in book – here and Ephesus)
Love is a primary characteristic of those who love God
Faith – Trust in God and perseverance regardless of pressure, persecutions
Service – life of active care and help, ministry
Endurance – perseverance in the midst of pressure and hard times
Four terms describe a Christian life of caring for others
They are still doing this; they are being given high praise

But they also have weaknesses
Like Pergamum, they had grown lax in their theological vigilance
They have been tolerating the very heresy the Ephesians had rejected

2:20       In Pergamum, they had false teachers; here they tolerate                “Jezebel”
               The word suggests they might permit it, support it, give it                some money
               No one is trying to take a stand against it
               At issue here is the leader of the movement – known as                Jezebel
               (Jezebel led the northern kingdom into Baal worship.  See                1, 2 Kings)
               Obviously, this leader was a woman who called herself a                prophet
               She claimed that her message was direct from God
               Some scholars think this was a reference to a sibyl outside                the city
               In reality, the leader remains unknown
               She was a leader whose prophetic utterances made her a                leader
               She might have been a prominent woman who housed the                church
               The problem here involves the guilds – a necessity of life                (think trade unions today)
               Guild members would participate in feasts – including                meat sacrificed to idols
               Patron gods were always celebrated at the feast
               Think of the ramifications of this for one’s job security
               Jezebel probably taught that it was ok to participate
               Paul has language that says idols are nothing
               She might have taken that literally
               Christ says she’s been teaching “slaves” idolatry and                immorality

2:21       She’s been given an opportunity to repent
               God has given all of them time to repent, but that time is                running out
               The whole movement is addressed through her

2:22       Oracle of judgment
               Judgment is already announced as a fact
                Instead of a bed of idolatry, she will be on a bed of pain                (sickness)
               “I will strike her children dead” – refers to her followers
               They hadn’t reached her level yet, but they were in her                camp
               They will experience great tribulation
               While the sin is generally Jezebel’s, they are also culpable

2:23       Warning to the churches
               Judgment will come “so all the churches will know”
               This is now the second church to have allowed false                teachers
               The others need to realize this is not ok
               Judgment is required to teach others the seriousness of                the situation
               Each church should self-examine itself
              The “gift” to this church is judgment for their sins
               They will be repaid for what they have done (both good and                bad)
               They will be judged by their works for God sees everything

Further words for the faithful
In contrast to the idolaters, the faithful will “receive no other burden”
The faithful have not followed the false teachings
They have never known the “deep things of Satan”
Scholars aren’t sure what is meant by “no other burden”
Perhaps it means no additional requirements, no additional judgment
It probably doesn’t mean “don’t worry about it”
They should still oppose these teachings
They should retain their faithfulness “until Christ returns”

Those who listen and overcome
Only Christ’s works can be the basis for Christian victory
Belief leads to action
We’ve already listed four good works in the beginning of letter
Basically, there are two promises
I will make the nations your inheritance
They will have a new authority; it includes the power to destroy
They will have a rod of iron to shatter their enemies like pottery
This is not a king’s scepter, but rather a shepherd’s club
Pottery was inscribed with the name of a nation, then broken to symbolize victory over that nation
The image is one of total destruction
The power of the overcomer is power given by God
The chain of command goes as follows: God-Christ-overcomer
Morning star – imagery unknown
There are OT references to stars as messianic symbols (Num 24:17)
The planet Venus was often used by Romans as a symbol of sovereignty
This message goes beyond Thyatira and addresses all “the churches”
Letter to Thyatira says greatest pressures are economic, not religious

Message to the angel
Jesus holds the seven spirits, seven stars
This could be a possible reference to the “sevenfold Holy Spirit”  (Zech 4:2, 10)
This church, nearly dead, can be revived only if the Spirit takes over
Again, holding seven stars suggests complete authority
There is no list of good deeds in this church; their strength is their weakness
They call themselves “alive,” but they are “dead”
Their only claim to fame is their name
They were alive in their past; now they are dead
Life/death very relevant for this community – big religious issue

The solution
Five imperatives are given, all focus on spiritual vigilance
They are like the city that had been conquered and destroyed due to lack of vigilance
They are commanded to be watchful – Wake up!
They have allowed themselves to fall asleep
They are commanded to strengthen what survives        
Most of the church is dead, the few that remain are in danger of dying
The reason for all this is their inadequate works
Possibly “love, faith, service, endurance” are all lacking
They are incomplete, not just in quantity, but also quality
They are to remember, obey, and repent
This is similar to what was said to Ephesus
They are to be obedient to the spiritual realities
Lastly, they are to repent, change the direction of their downward spiral and get right with God and Christ
There is a sense of urgency about this; time is running out
If they don’t do this, they will experience the same fate as that of Sardis

Promise for the “overcomers”
There is a righteous remnant in Sardis – they get a word of encouragement
They are described as “not having soiled their garments”
This would be a good image for Sardis that had a flourishing wool industry
Those who resist temptation “will walk with me in white”
This is almost like a victory march
While others have fallen, they have remained pure and holy
It refers to those who refused to accommodate the Christian walk to pagan demands
In addition to walking with Christ and wearing white, their names will never be erased from the book of life
This picks up on OT images of a heavenly register where all names are recorded
In a similar sense, cities kept records and so did the gods
Since Sardis was one of the oldest city, this would be especially meaningful
To erase someone’s name was to exclude him from the community
Even Jesus said, “Your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20)
The book of life contains only those who “made it” – those who were faithful, unspotted
Finally, the faithful are told their names will be confessed to the Father
Those who are not doing this, by default get the opposite treatment

He who has ears to hear, let him hear
The letter ends with a call to heed this Spirit-filled message
People have to heed the warnings if they are to receive the promises
This really is a message from God, to the angel, to John, to the church

Letter to the Angel
Its beginning is similar to all the other letters
Philadelphia and Smyrna are the only two that are not rebuked
Both have a strong Jewish presence in the city – mention of “synagogues of Satan”
Their Christological attribute is the one who is “holy and true” – a reference to the Messiah
This would be in contrast to what Jews are saying about the “false Messiah”
Jesus also holds the key of David – from Isa 22:22
Eliakim, the chief steward of Hezekiah, was given the key to the house of David
What he shut, no one could open and vice versa; he had access to the king
In this case, Jesus is the Messiah who controls access to the kingdom
Jews might have thrown Christians out of synagogues
Christ has the authority, in turn, to exclude the Jews from the kingdom
His decision is final; when the door is shut, it cannot be opened

Their strengths
They are doing some things right – there is only approval for them
They were in good standing with the Lord and needed encouragement
Christ has the power to open and shut, and now he gives that gift to them
No doubt the church had been excommunicated from the synagogues
But they have the keys to the kingdom
They are a small church, but they have persevered
They have little clout, little stature, but they have what counts
They have kept “my word and not denied my name”
They have guarded the gospel and obeyed it

Rewards and challenges
They will be vindicated among those who had challenged them
Jews are again referred to as “those of the synagogue of Satan”
They call themselves Jews, but they lie
They claim to be God’s people, but they have rejected God’s Messiah
Furthermore, they are persecuting God’s people
The “open door” probably refers to conversion of the Jews
Jewish oppressors will pay homage to Gentile believers
“I will make them come and bow so they will know”
What they will know is that God loves those who believe in the Messiah

Protection
In light of their faithfulness, they get a big promise
God will protect them – but from what
Trials are still expected, so it must be protection during the trials
Some see this as a protection during the end times
Others see it as a protection from Satan and the unbelievers
In NT, persecution is seen as believers’ lot, in fact their privilege
In Revelation, martyrdom is seen as a victory over Satan
It is much like Christ on the cross is seen as a victory over death
Protection does not mean exemption

Exhortation to persevere
This is another reference to Christ’s “coming”
In three other instances it involved judgment (Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis)
Here it involves reward, for which they must persevere
They have the open door, citizenship in the kingdom, promised future vindication, and protection by God
If they don’t persevere, they might lose their crown
This is again athletic language; the winner gets the laurel wreath

Security and Status
To those who persevere, they will get a new security and a new name
All in all, this church gets seven promises
Even though it seems to be the weakest church, it gets the most rewards
They will be a pillar in the temple of God
Pillars represent stability and permanence – great in earthquake country
A lot of pillars have names inscribed on them
Here, God’s name will be written on the believer
A pillar in the temple is metaphorical for the permanent place in the kingdom
And he will never have to leave it
Think of this in terms of earthquake country and having to leave the city
They will never have to do this again
They will be secure in the city and will never have to leave their homes
The fact of the matter, though, is that in the New Jerusalem there will be no need for a temple
Regarding the “name” written on the believer -- to have the name of God on you is to belong to God, to be of His essence, to be His child
Several OT passages talk about God’s name being written on every Israelite
The members of this Church will also have the new city written on them
It reflects the idea of having citizenship in the kingdom of God
The city of Philadelphia had changed its name in honor of the emperor
Now the believers will change their name to the city of God
It brings forth the idea of the New Jerusalem being an eschatological city
Because the “New Jerusalem” comes from heaven, it fulfills the promise of life in the presence of God
God will be with His people and He will live with them
They are citizens of an eternal city – great for earthquake country
Lastly, they will be given a new name of Jesus
We don’t know what that name will be
Clearly, this remains to be heard – in the end of days

Call to listen
They need to hear and to obey
The Spirit is calling them to respond, but whether or not they do so is up to them
This church has had a good history; it needs to be diligent to have a good future
They are to hold fast, just like all the other churches

Message to the angel
Here the angel is being convicted by their bad behavior
Christ is the “Amen” – the word means “to verify” or “truth”
Jesus used it to authenticate his statements, to speak for God
It indicated the truthfulness of his statements
Unlike the Laodiceans, Jesus actually told the truth
Hence, he is the faithful and true witness
God’s truthfulness is seen in his control of creation
Because of their wealth in Laodicea, they thought they were in control
Jesus is saying this is not so.  Jesus is in control, not only of creation, but also of their wealth

Their strength
Like the letter to Sardis, these words are ironic
The best that can be said about them is that they are “hot and cold”
This is the city with no water supply, in close proximity to hot springs
Heropolis had the hot springs; Colosse was known for its pure, cold water
When the water was pumped in from hot springs, it was still lukewarm
He is speaking ironically in saying, “I know your works” – Oh wait, there aren’t any!
Jesus wishes that they were either hot or cold
They should have been known for their healing works – hot and cold
Instead they are “lukewarm” – neither hot nor cold
Their works are useless, devoid
They were about to be vomited out -- like bad water

Solutions to the problem
They were very wealthy; this led to a sense of self-sufficiency and complacency
The whole region was rich – the problem was the smugness that came with it
Someone bequeathed 2000 talents to the city (millions of dollars)
After rebuilding the city in 60CE, everything was new, expansive
They had a gymnasium, a stadium with a 900 foot track
The Church thought because they were materially wealthy, they were also spiritually wealthy
Just as the city did not need Rome, the Church did not need God
The members of this church had no problems with Jews or pagans
They all lived in bliss, succumbed to their affluent lifestyle
In fact, they were “wretched and pitiful,” “poor, blind, and naked”
All these describe extreme unhappiness
They do not deserve pity; they are pitiful – they are challenged to change
“Poor, blind, naked” – indicates they had been going in the wrong direction
They’ve been buying from the wrong store
They are “poor” because they’ve been buying the wrong things
Buying gold from Jesus indicates purifying effect of suffering
In fact, this cannot be “purchased,” it can only be received (gift)
“Wear white clothes” – again ironic in a place where black wool was prized
They can be dressed up in the world’s finest, but still be naked before God
Nakedness stands for judgment and shamefulness; fine clothing indicated honor
In Revelation, white garments indicate righteousness
This is a call to repent, for realizing their shame, receiving the gift
Lastly, they were blind – This is quite ironic in light of their huge medical center
Apparently, they were famous for developing an eye salve
They must “see” that they are all spiritually blind

Additional solutions
“Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline”
Such an expression of love is unusual, until one remembers God loves the defeated
This love demands repentance; it is a wake-up call
The two words “correct and discipline” build on each other
The first is a rebuke, tries to convince the person to do something about it
The second has as its goal the training and guidance of the individual or church
The Father disciplines whom he loves
The only appropriate response is for them to “be zealous and repent”
They must be anxious to “get right with God”
They were blind to their own shortcomings
They are given an invitation
Everyone is challenged to open their lives to Christ, to invite him into their lives
If they do so, they have deep fellowship with him
“Behold” is to get their attention
He is at the door of each of their hearts, knocking to be allowed in
He is a loving visitor trying to enter their homes
But they have to “hear his voice, and open the door”
They are required to respond
The result will be fellowship – they will eat together
To share a meal was to share a life
The promise here is one of acceptance, sharing, and blessing
It may also have overtones of the final messianic banquet

Challenge to overcome and listen
The faithful will share the glory of Christ in eternity
They will sit with him on the throne
This is an important transition to throne images that are coming in chapters 4-5
All who repent and persevere can inherit an eternal throne
In OT Yahweh sits on the throne in majesty and judgment
In NT, Son of Man shares God’s throne
The victorious saints also sit on the throne
This is a major theological stance
Included here is a call to listen and obey
It is the Spirit who is speaking – for everyone to hear
What’s at stake here is eternity itself