Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. SOMEWHAT ... BECAUSE - rather, 'I have against thee (this) that,' etc. Not a mere "somewhat:" it is everything. How characteristic of our gracious Lord, that He puts foremost all He can find to approve, and only afterward notes the shortcomings! LEFT THY FIRST LOVE - to Christ. Compare . See their first love, . This letter was written under Domitian, thirty years since Paul had written to them. Their warmth had given place to lifeless orthodoxy. Compare Paul's view of faith so-called without love, ....

1-7 These churches were in such different states as to purity of doctrine and the power of godliness, that the words of Christ to them will always suit the cases of other churches, and professors. Christ knows and observes their state; though in heaven, yet he walks in the midst of his churches on earth, observing what is wrong in them, and what they want. The church of Ephesus is commended for diligence in duty. Christ keeps an account of every hour's work his servants do for him, and their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. But it is not enough that we are diligent; there must be bearing patience, and there must be waiting patience. And though we must show all meekness to all men, yet we must show just zeal against their sins. The sin Christ charged this church with, is, not the having left and forsaken the object of love, but having lost the fervent degree of it that at first a...

Verse Revelation 2:4. _NEVERTHELESS I HAVE_ SOMEWHAT _AGAINST THEE_] The clause should be read, according to the Greek, thus: _But I have against_ _thee that thou hast left thy first love_. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ....

NEVERTHELESS I HAVE SOMEWHAT AGAINST THEE - Notwithstanding this general commendation, there are things which I cannot approve. BECAUSE THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE - Thou hast “remitted” (ἀφῆκας aphēkas) or let down thy early love; that is, it is less glowing and ardent than it was at first. The love here referred to is evidently love to the Saviour; and the idea is, that, as a church, they had less of this than formerly characterized them. In this respect they were in a state of declension; and, though they still maintained the doctrines of his religion, and opposed the advocates of error, they showed less ardor of affection toward him directly than they had formerly done. In regard to this we may remark: (1) That what is here stated of the church at Ephesus is not uncommon:...

EXPOSITION REVELATION 3:1 _The epistles to the seven Churches. _Once more we have to consider rival interpretations. Of these we may safely set aside all those which make the seven letters to be pictures of _successive periods _in the history of the Church. On the other hand, we may safely deny that the letters are _purely typical, _and relate to nothing definite in history. Rather they are _both historical and typical. _They refer primarily to the actual condition of the several Churches in St. John's own day, and then are intended for the instruction, encouragement, and warning of the Church and the Churches throughout all time. The Catholic Church, or any one of its branches, will at any period find itself reflected in one or other of the seven Churches. For two Churches, Smyrna and Philadelphia, there is nothing but

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, for there is none to them that are in him but he has often many things to complain of in them, and to rebuke and chastise them for, in a way of providence: and what he had against the church at Ephesus, and against the churches in the period which that represents, follows, BECAUSE THOU HAST LEFT THY FIRST LOVE: by which is meant, not hospitality to strangers, or an affectionate care of the poor of the church, or a zealous concern to feed the flock, and maintain church discipline; but the love of the saints to God, and Christ, and one another, which appeared at the beginning of this church stat...

II. THE THINGS WHICH ARE, THE SEVEN CHURCH MESSAGES, AND THEIR PROPHETIC MEANING CHAPTER 2 _ 1. Ephesus: The post-apostolic period (Revelation 2:1)_ 2. Smyrna: The period of persecution (Revelation 2:8) 3. Pergamos: The corruption period (Revelation 2:12) 4. Thyatira: The Romish corruption (Revelation 2:18) The two Chapter s which follow the introductory chapter contain seven messages to seven local churches which were in existence in the province of Asia in the days when the Apostle John was prisoner in the isle of Patmos. The view held by the late Dr. Bullinge

THE LETTER TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS. Revelation 2:1. Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia (Revelation 1:4 *). The worship of Artemis, for which it was notorious, is referred to in Acts 19, which also gives an account of Paul's three years-' work in the city. Paul's speech to the elders of Ephesus (Acts 20:18) throws no little light on the character of the church. The Epistle to the Ephesians is probably a circular letter, but there can be little doubt that Ephesus was one of its recipients. Tradition connects the Apostle John with Ephesus, and probably the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles reflect the influence of his teaching. HE THAT HOLDETH: this description of Christ is borrowed

The church at _Ephesus_ was founded by Paul (Acts, XVIII. and XIX.); enjoyed the labors of Aquila and Priscilla, of Apollos and of Timothy; had at one time the presence of the great apostle for three years and. half, and finally enjoyed the presence of John. The seat of government for the province of Asia, and the commercial metropolis of Asia Minor, the strong church established in this great center received an unusual share of attention, and was honored with two epistles, one from the apostle of Christ, and the other directly from the Lord. During the half century of its existence, which had passed when John wrote, it had fallen from its first love and was threatened with extinction. It continued to have. visible existence until the Mahometan torrent swept over Asia Minor about six hundred years after John wrote. When the light appears after. century of darkness, confusion, and carnage...

To the angel of the Church in Ephesus, write: These things says he who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands. I know your works--I mean your toil and your steadfast endurance, and I know that you cannot bear evil men, and that you have put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and who are not, and have proved them liars. I know that you possess steadfast endurance. I know all that you have borne for my name's sake and I know that you have not been worn out by your efforts. All the same I have this against you--that you have left your first love. Remember, then, whence you have fallen, and repent, and make your conduct such as it was at first. If you do not, I am coming to you, and I will remove your lampstand from its place, if you do not repent. But you do possess this virtue--you hate the works of the Nicolaitans,...