September 30, 2014 Revelation Chapter 2

Revelation Chapter 2

Originally posted Wednesday December 10, 2008

General Comment: As we read the messages to the seven churches we will see a general pattern in John's approach. All of the letters have several features in common:

1.   Each is addressed to the angel of one of the seven churches. In the Rabbinical and Church fathers' writings there was speculation about certain biblical characters being incarnations of angels (Jacob/Israel, John the Baptist). in Jewish thought there were guardian angels that stood in the presence of God on behalf off human beings. MT 18:10 is a good example of this thinking in Jesus' day: Referring to the new converts to Christianity (little children) Matthew writes that "in heaven their angels continually see the face of [God]" Angels also are understood to be heavenly messengers. In fact the word for angel - "angelos," is accurately translated as "messenger." For example John the Baptist is an angelos (MK 1:2). Angels as messengers appear in the stories of Abraham, Lot and Jacob (Jacob's ladder).

2.   The words are spoken to John, who is instructed to write them.

3.   Each uses a different title or description of the speaker.

4.   Positive comments are made to five of the churches while the other two have nothing positive mentioned.

5.   Negative comments are made to five of the churches while the other two have nothing negative mentioned.

6.   Each church receives words of admonishment, exhortation and/or encouragement.

7.   Each of the seven are given a promise related to those who remain faithful in the coming trials. These are called the "victors."

Ephesus is the first church to be addressed and with good reason. Paul spent three years of his missionary work in Ephesus. It served as his base of operation from which he and his co-workers traveled throughout the western province. The other five churches and more were established in the mid first century and Paul's work there was continued by his "disciples" after his death. Ephesus was a well organized and powerful Christian center by the end of the century. It was the home of the Johannine church which produced the Gospel, letters and the Revelation. Tradition has it that Jesus' mother, Mary, moved to and lived in Ephesus before the destruction of Jerusalem (see John 19:25b-27). In 431 CE a Church Council held in Ephesus declared her to be "mother of God."

The city - occupied by some 500,000 mostly Gentile pagans, also had a significant Jewish community along with many disciples of John the Baptist and Samaritans as evidenced in John's Gospel. Ephesus was the location of the enormous temple of Artemis (the Roman Diana), the virgin goddess of the hunt - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, In Christian times it would be the site of great church councils, religious schisms and the birth place of a number of heretical Christian sects.

Readers who have a Harper or other good biblical atlas - recommended for all serious students of the Bible, will see the clustered pattern of the location of the seven churches.

Revelation, Chapter 2:1-7 The Message to Ephesus

1. Written to the angel of the church in Ephesus, these are the words of the one who holds the seven stars and walks among the seven lampstands (1:16a, 13).

2. Positive recognition: The works, struggles and patient endurance are well known to the speaker. The Ephesians have been diligent in identifying those among them who do not live in godliness. They are quick to spiritually discern the difference between authentic and false apostles who come among them to preach and teach. In repeated times of persecution they have remained faithful in their faith in Christ without becoming weary. The church at Ephesus, like so many in the latter part of the 1st century onward, was harassed by Gentiles who believed Christians were atheists and elitists in their avoidance of the pagan temples. This attitude frequently involved the City Magistrates and Roman Governor since Christianity was not considered to be a "legal" religion (see 1 Cor. 15:32).

3. Negative appraisal: Even so, they have "abandoned [their] first love." As we have read in previous letters love is the essential glue that holds the community together. It is mutual and self giving. Its character is that of one's love of God and Christ and their love for the believer. Without this abiding love the community disintegrates and becomes the prey of the ambitious and teachers of myth and speculation.

4. Admonishment/encouragement: The church needs to consider this first love from which she has "fallen" (from grace). Now there is an urgent need for the church to repent and return to those former works of love. Not to do so will bring spiritual ruin, the rejection of the church in the present, characterized by the removal of the lampstand. Notice however that there is no mention of the removal of the star - the angel of the church, from the hand of Christ. The church may be uprooted from its heavenly representation but not from the possibilities of repentance before the Parousia which is yet to occur. In the church's favor - and a door to re-establishing her lampstand, is her hatred of the Nicolatians. The reference to the Nicolatians is obscure and given to considerable speculation. They are associated with a threat to the church and based on other letters they may be classed with the false prophets and teachers of Jude and John's letters. One early Christian writer mentions them as "living lives of unrestrained indulgence" (Iraenaus). The name may lend itself to interpretation through translating it from its Latin roots as "conquerors of the laity." By the time of Revelation the church had become structured with a hierarchy of bishops and other officials. This may be a warning to the church against the inherent dangers of power. Even with leaders, no matter their rank, their teachings and direction must be open to discernment and testing. They are not kings. They are called forth by God as humble shepherds in imitation of Christ.

5. Promise to the victors: The opening phrase, "Let anyone who has an ear listen." appears in all seven addresses to the churches. This is reminiscent of Jesus' saying in MT 11:15. Also common to all seven letters is the directing of these last words to "everyone who conquers" (is victorious over the world of Satan). It is to these victors that permission will be given to enjoy the fruit of "the tree of life" in the new Eden (the paradise of God). Eating the fruit of the tree of life, as we note in Gen. 2:9 and 3:22, is to share in the eternal life which belongs to God. The meaning is derived from the Jewish tradition that God will one day transform the earth into a paradise representing the closing of the circle of history - beginning and ending in Eden. The idea is also found in Isaiah and Paul's writings about a renewed earth.

The second part of the phrase common to the letters is "Listen to what the spirit is saying to the churches." Is this the spirit associated with the seven stars or angels held in the speakers hand or is it the Holy Spirit or Spirit of Christ? Because these words precede the promise to those who are victorious over the world of Satan, it is best to attribute them to Christ as the speaker. Of course, Spirit of Christ and Holy Spirit were often used synonymously in the New Testament.

Revelation 2:8-11 Message to Smyrna

1. Written to the angel of the church in Smyrna, these are the words of the first and the last [one], who was dead and is now alive (1:17).

2. Positive recognition: While the church in Smyrna is materially poor, her faith and hope has made her rich. The church is also suffering affliction from the world but their poverty and affliction are as nothing compared to the riches promised by Christ. The church is the object of slanderous statements and rumors by members of the Jewish community. One of the common slanders of the time was the ridicule of the virgin birth stories of Matthew and Luke, both of which would be in circulation in Asia minor. In such derogatory language Jesus was said to be the illegitimate son of Mary who had become pregnant either by being raped or as a result of a consensual relation with a Roman soldier. Such a slur was considered as blasphemy by Christians who believed that Jesus was the Son of God. The speaker rejects these rumor mongers as not being true Jews. Indeed, they are of the "Synagogue of Satan!" Satan is the prime antagonist in Revelation - the enemy of God and all Christians, who will do anything to malign or tempt believers to renounce Christ. 

3. Negative Appraisal: The speaker offers no criticism of the church in Smyrna

4. Admonishment/Encouragement: The present experience is framed in eschatological terms. In the last days before the Parousia there will be tribulations but the church is not to fear the suffering about to occur. The words are specific in their prediction that some will be thrown into prison where they will be tested for ten days. This is the work of the devil. Under the reign of the Emperor Domitian Christians were imprisoned and often tortured to extract confessions of their allegiance to Christ. The speaker encourages those who face this suffering to endure, to be "faithful [even] until death." If they do so they will receive "the crown of [eternal] life. The irony of the martyr receiving a crown is found is relationship to the Emperor. Domitian wears the crown of the earthly power and empire which is temporary. The martyr wears the eternal crown

5. Promise to the victors: Those who are tested conquer the world and remain faithful to the end will not be harmed "by the second death." We will see this term later in our reading in relation to the final judgment. In brief, this is an extension of the belief that at the final resurrection all humanity will be judged and their eternal fate determined. Revelation has a rather dark image of this second death, associated with the famous lake of fire. Other lines of early Christian thought understood the second death to be spiritual death, essentially non-existence and with no fire. Another view, perhaps held by Paul, although this is not clear, he may have been an advocate of ultimate and universal salvation after the fashion of Isaiah. The point is that Revelation is but one strand of thought regarding the ultimate fate of humanity.

Revelation 2:12-17 The Message to Pergamum

1. Written to the angel of the church in Pergamum, these are the words of "him who has the sharp two-edged sword (1:16b). The sword generally represents the Word of God which can either condemn or save, based on one's response to the word as preached. It also can be the symbol of authority, in this case the authority to wield it in judgment.

2. Positive recognition: The church is located in the place not only where Satan's throne is located but where Satan dwells. The presence of Satan is symbolized by the practice of the Imperial cult in its worship of the Emperor. In Domitian's last years as Emperor he demanded he be worshipped as a god. There were temples dedicated to the Emperor in most cities including Pergamum. Worship included making offerings to the Emperor and singing by male choirs (hymnodes) chanting poems as part of the worship for which they would receive crowns.

In the presence of such evil - by Christian standards, the church continued to confess Christ as Lord (and not the Emperor), refusing to renounce their faith even when Antipas, one of their number, was martyred.

3. Negative Appraisal: There are a few things that need correcting in Pergamum. There are some among them who "hold to the teaching of Balaam" (Num. 23-24). The reference is to those who are worshipping in the pagan temples, eating food sacrificed to idols and participating in the sexual rites with temple prostitutes. Not only are these members participating in ungodly acts, they are encouraging others to do the same (creating stumbling blocks) without any action being taken by church officials. Also there are members who are following the teachings of Nicolaitans who we have already met in Ephesus (2:6). The presence of these groups is a stain on the entire church, including those who are not part of their ungodliness. It seems odd that the issue of eating food sacrificed to idols is still alive after Paul's strong stance against such restrictions in 1 Cor. 9. It is probable that as time went on the fervor regarding the end times grew sharper and higher disciplines with respect to paganism were imposed. This fervor is not unlike what we are witnessing in our own culture. With each passing year and each new "threat" - real of imagined, the claims that the last days are here become more strident and the urging to be more draconian in following the minutiae of religious rules gets louder. The Montanist heretics of the early 2nd century would fit well in any number of modern groups.

4. Admonishment/Encouragement: The situation requires immediate repentance. If they will not repent - and that would include dealing with those following and promoting false teachings, the sword will become a weapon with which Christ will come and make war on the church in Pergamum. Does this mean that the Parousia would not occur if everyone repented? That is an unlikely scenario. The Parousia is an event involving all humanity and not just the Church.

5. Promise to the Victors: Those who have remained faithful despite the testing in persecution and others who repent will receive "some of the hidden manna" (symbol of the great Messianic banquet alluded to so often in Jesus' acts in John's Gospel). They will receive a white stone (purity and honor) on which a new name is written, known only to the recipient. The new name may be an identifier of the carrier as a Christian in contrast to the mark of the beast discussed later.

Revelation 2:18-29 The Message to Thyatira

1. Written to the angel of the church in Thyatira, these are the words of the Son of God (1:14b-15a; Dan. 10:6).

(Of interest is that Lydia, the first Christian convert in Europe, was a "seller of purple" from Thyatira which was renowned for is dyeing and indigo industry).

2. Positive Recognition: The church is known for its "works" which include their "mutual love, faith, service and patient endurance." The comment that the church's "last works are greater than the first" is an indication that something has happened to improve their practice of love, faith and service.

3. Negative Appraisal: The problem in the Thyatira church is close to that of Pergamum. Both are examples of the church being seduced into accommodating herself to the world's standards rather than standing in sharp contrast to those standards.  As with Pergamum that tolerated those who were following the teachings of Balaam, here it is the toleration of a self-professed prophetess named Jezebel. She is teaching and charming others into participation in cultic sex and eating food offered to idols. She has been given time to repent from her own practice of such ungodly acts and teaching others to do the same but she has not.

The description of the woman relates her to the Jezebel of 1 Kings 16:31 who led her husband, Ahab, the king of Israel, into the worship of Baal, a Canaanite cult which also practiced cult prostitution.

4. Admonishment/Encouragement: The speaker warns the church that Jezebel will soon be thrown on a bed. She and those who follow her adultery (here, the worship of other gods) will be thrown  "into great distress unless they repent." The "bed" is often used in scripture to denote the soiled bed of adultery. In this context the adultery includes both the sexual practices of pagan worship as well as the worship of pagan gods especially while at the same time Jezebel and her "children" are claiming to be Christians. Her children are those in the church who have followed her teaching that such dual allegiance is acceptable and that they are freed of restrictions regarding sexual morality. They will be struck dead. The point is made that such an event will be as an example to the church that the "one who searches minds and hearts" will deal with everyone according to what their deeds deserve.

5. Promise to the Victors: The promise is extended to those in Thyatira who have not succumbed to the teachings of Jezebel and compromised their faith by participating in worldly ungodliness - "the deep things of Satan." There will be no other burden placed on those who are faithful other than "holding fast" to that faith until the Parousia. To the victors - those who conquer within themselves the world's ungodliness and do godly works until the end, will be given authority over the nations (MT 19:28). This authority is to share with Christ in the Messianic role of shepherding the nations. To the victors - to all who conquer, Christ gives the morning Star so that they "shall shine forth as the brightness of the firmament...into the eons" (Dan. 12:3).