INTRODUCTION TO REVALATION 2 This chapter contains the epistles to the churches at Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, and Thyatira. It begins with that to Ephesus, in which the sender of it describes himself by some of his characters mentioned in the preceding chapter; takes notice of some things commendab... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF EPHESUS WRITE,.... Of the city of Ephesus, Revelation 1:11 and Acts 18:19. The church here seems to have been founded by the Apostle Paul, who continued here two years, by which means all Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, Acts 19:10; of this church, Acts 20:17;... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THY WORKS,.... The good works, both of ministers and churches; no evil works are mentioned, nor anything complained of in this church but an abatement of the fervour of her first love. Christ, as the omniscient God, knows all the works of his people, and the springs, and principles, and ends,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HAST BORNE,.... Not evil men, nor false apostles, but "burdens", as the Ethiopic version reads, and as the word signifies; meaning afflictions, reproaches, and persecutions, which pressed sore, and lay heavy on these ministers and churches; and yet they bore them with constancy and cheerfulness,... [ Continue Reading ]
NEVERTHELESS I HAVE [SOMEWHAT] AGAINST THEE,.... So the Jews represent God saying, concerning their fathers, "Abraham", c. יש לי עליהם, "I have something against them" a. Christ has nothing against his people, his faithful ministers, and true churches, in a judicial way, or to their condemnation, f... [ Continue Reading ]
REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHENCE THOU ART FALLEN,.... Believers cannot totally and finally fall away from the grace which they have received; but they may fall into sin, and from a degree of grace, and the exercise of it, as these first and pure churches did, from some degree of their love to God, and... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THIS THOU HAST, THAT THOU HATEST THE DEEDS OF THE NICOLAITANS,.... Though these Christians had left their first love, yet they bore an hatred to the filthy and impure practices of some men, who were called "Nicolaitans"; who committed fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness, and had their wiv... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH AN EAR,.... Such who have new ears given them, as all have who are made new creatures; such who have their ears circumcised, and opened by the Spirit of God; who hear with understanding, affection, and faith; who try what they hear, and approve, embrace, and retain that which is good.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA WRITE,.... Of the city of Smyrna, Revelation 1:11. That there was a church of Christ here is not to be doubted, though by whom it was founded is not certain; very likely by the Apostle Paul, who was in those parts, and by whose means all Asia heard the Gosp... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THY WORKS,.... Good works, as before in Revelation 2:2; AND TRIBULATION; this is Christ's legacy to his people, and which lies in their way to heaven; and never was the way of any to heaven more strewed with it than was the way of the saints in this period. But Christ took notice of it, and... [ Continue Reading ]
FEAR NONE OF THOSE THINGS WHICH THOU SHALT SUFFER,.... God's people undergo sufferings of various sorts, as the Christians of those times did, scourgings, imprisonment, confiscation of goods, and death itself in various shapes; and these are certain, they shall suffer them; they are all known before... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR,.... Revelation 2:7; HE THAT OVERCOMETH; and is not intimidated by poverty, confiscation of goods, tribulation, persecution, and death itself, but through Christ is a conqueror, and more than a conqueror over all these things: SHALL NOT BE HURT OF THE SECOND DEAT... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS WRITE,.... Of the city of Pergamos, Revelation 1:11. In it was a church of Christ, but when it begun, and how long it lasted, is not certain. Antipas, who is mentioned, Revelation 2:13; is thought, by some, to have been the pastor of it. Though, according t... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THY WORKS,.... Both good and bad, and which in that pure part of this church, which opposed the growing corruptions of antichrist, were for the most part good. AND WHERE THOU DWELLEST, [EVEN] WHERE SATAN'S SEAT [IS]. Pergamos was a city very much given to idolatry, here Satan reigned while i... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE,.... The members of this church before their open separation from the apostasy; who still continued in the communion of the corrupt church of Rome, though they remonstrated against the errors and evil practices that crept in; and so were a stumbling block, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HAST THOU ALSO THEM THAT HOLD THE DOCTRINE OF THE NICOLAITANS,.... These impure heretics sprung up in the time of the apostolic church, but their doctrines were not received, and their deeds were hated, see Revelation 2:6. This seems to design the doctrines of the church of Rome, which in this pe... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENT,.... This is said to those who were truly godly in those times, but still retained their communion with these corrupt men, and had not, as yet, separated from then; nor had they protested against these evil doctrines and practices, at least but very coldly, and had too much connived at them;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR,.... Revelation 2:7. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH; the Balaamites and Nicolaitans, and do not give in to the doctrines and practices of the one, or of the other, whatever persecution and trouble he meets with, and endures on that account: WILL I GIVE TO EAT OF THE HIDD... [ Continue Reading ]
AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA WRITE,.... Of the city of Thyatira, Revelation 1:11; a church was formed here very likely by the Apostle Paul; Lydia was a native of this place, who, and her household were converted and baptized by him at Philippi, Acts 16:14; though Epiphanius u seems t... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW THY WORKS,.... Good works, as appears from the particular enumeration of them afterwards, and the commendation of proficiency in them, the last being more than the first, and the distinction from the evil ones in Revelation 2:20; this is said to the faithful followers and professors of Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
NOTWITHSTANDING, I HAVE A FEW THINGS AGAINST THEE,.... By way of complaint; so the Arabic version renders it, "I have a certain complaint against thee". The impartiality of Christ may be observed in taking notice of the bad deeds, as well as of the good ones of his people, and his tenderness in repr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I GAVE HER SPACE TO REPENT OF HER FORNICATION,.... Of idolatry. This may have respect to the time of the witnesses, the Waldenses, and others, who bore a testimony against the Romish idolatry, and reproved for it, and denounced the judgment of God in case of impenitence; and as these things were... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I WILL CAST HER INTO A BED,.... Of sickness and languishing; and which denotes the sickly, pining, and languishing state of the church of Rome, as a just retaliation for her bed of luxury and deliciousness, adultery and idolatry, she had indulged herself in; this was threatened, and was yet... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL KILL HER CHILDREN WITH DEATH,.... Her popes, cardinals, priests, Jesuits, monks, friars, and all that join in the Romish apostasy, they shall be killed with death; there shall be an utter extirpation of them in God's own time; or they shall be killed with the second death: מותנא, when use... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT UNTO YOU I SAY, AND UNTO THE REST IN THYATIRA,.... The copulative and is left out in the Alexandrian copy and Complutensian edition, and if retained, it may be rendered thus, "even unto the rest"; the persons spoken to are the same, the pastor of this church, with his colleagues, and all the res... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THAT WHICH YE HAVE [ALREADY],.... Which was something good, even the faithful word, the form of sound words, the mystery and doctrine of faith; this they had received from Christ and his apostles; they had it in their hearts, and a comfortable experience of the truth and power of it, and had mad... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT OVERCOMETH,.... Jezebel and her idolatries, her children, and all that commit adultery with her; such as are not drawn into the same evil practices with them, but bravely stand their ground against the Romish antichrist and his followers, and bear their testimony against his impious doct... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON,.... Either with the Gospel, which is the rod of Christ's strength, and is the power of God unto salvation, and by which the kingdom of Christ is enlarged, and the power of the church of Christ over the antichristian party is increased; or it may design grea... [ Continue Reading ]
AND I WILL GIVE HIM THE MORNING STAR. So Christ is called, Revelation 22:16; and here it designs an illustrious appearance of Christ at the close of this church state, and a communication of much light and grace from him, which introduced the Sardian church state, or the reformation by Luther, Calv... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR,.... Revelation 2:7.... [ Continue Reading ]