Revelation 2:1-3 - Ephesus

As we read over the writings to these seven churches, we’ll see a slight pattern. There is a description or title that Jesus uses to describe who He is, there is a commendation or good news, criticism or bad news, corrections to be made, and challenge or promise. You can readily see it in this text.

Also, how are we to read these words today? Most scholars indicate that there is a local application. For the Ephesians, this was their actual church and this was an actual problem for this church. Next, this is an admonition for all the churches at that time and this is also an admonition for all the churches of all time. The letter is for the individual church, the seven churches and the complete church throughout time. Revelation, more than any other book, seems to leave time as a variable and not a constant (which is the “revelation” that Einstein got that led to his famous E=mc^2 formula). In addition and perhaps most importantly, I believe this speaks to each us personally. We are to read these commendations and criticisms and analyze our heart and faith.

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.  I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary."

There is a lot of emphasis on this church in the Bible. Paul writes a letter to them and spends years with them. Timothy is there working when he writes his letter. And John writes to them and also spends much time with them. These are some very faithful leaders in the early church!

The temple to Artemis is referenced. This is often referred to as Diana who was purportedly the daughter of Zeus and sister of Apollo if you’re into that mythology. The Arcadian Way was in this city. Ephesus at that time was the largest city of Asia Minor. Eventually, Cayster river would deposit too much silt into their harbor and make the harbor unusable and that would kill the city’s relevance. The temple to Diana is referenced as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”. The city is referenced as “the Vanity Fair of the Ancient World” as well. It was easily the capital of Asia at that time.

The worship in the temple of Diana is most often referred to as religious prostitution. Not only did the temple work as a bank to hold your money (which the false god Diana would supposedly watch over and protect), they would offer immorality in the name of worship. One of their own philosophers, Heraclitus, who was known as the weeping philosopher said the citizens were “fit only to be drowned, and that the reason he could never laugh or smile was because he lived in such terrible uncleanness”.

So, the city was wealth and opulence and found ways to justify their rules for their morality as they saw fit.

In addition to their temple to Diana, they city quickly absorbed and participated greatly into the worship of the Roman “Caesars” as gods. It was in this time that the Roman Emperors started declaring themselves to be god and requiring citizens to treat them as such. Ephesus built temples to them and absorbed that worship into their everyday life.

This message to this church starts by declaring who is saying these words. The one “who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven lampstands.” The first point is for them to recognize who is writing this specific message to them. In a city that put such emphasis on worship of Artemis and Roman emperors, Jesus is saying with clarity that the one writing to them is the one who holds the universe in His hand and walks among them. He alone is their protection and the only authority and He is there with them.

Undoubtedly, the Christian Ephesians had been at odds with their society and endured ostracizing, rejection, ridicule, anger, and judgments. No doubt this affected them economically as they were boycotted and repressed, which would cause them to be noticed and deemed a lower class. Yet Jesus commends them for their what they’ve done, the hard work to do it and persevering through it. He goes further to commend that they do not tolerate evil people and they test them to know their doctrine. Jesus is pleased with their good deeds, their dedication, and their sound doctrine.

The Message Bible says, “I see what you’ve done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit. I know you can’t stomach evil.” In reading 1 John you can see just how seriously John had written to them to test the doctrine of people in their church to know who was of God and who was a false teacher. Here they are commended for their work on this in their church. This should cause us to ask ourselves a few questions: 

1. What do you believe about Jesus – His person and His work?
2. What is the gospel, and how are people born again? 
3. Do you believe a holy life should complement our confession of Christ? (or should we live how we decide to)
4. Do you teach anything contrary to or in addition to the Word of God and the witness of the apostles?

These are important question to ask ourselves, our local church, our denomination church, and our universal church.

Jesus commends them further in verse 6 for opposing the Nicolaitans. He says He hates their actions! There are only two mentions of these people in the New Testimony and that is in Revelation. The church father Irenaeus who wrote Against Heresies indicated that these were the followers of Nicolaus who was a teacher in one of the first churches. He taught that they could lead lives of indulgence unrestrained. Remember the Gnostics from 1 John? Most scholars believe this is a direct reference to this corrupt strain of religion. Some have postulated that it was their way of not having to stand against society at that time. They could “worship Caesar in the flesh and Christ in the Spirit”. Maybe it was their way to be a part of society and also have their spirit covered as well. A way to ride the fence in both societies. I would call them a misfit and we have many such misfits in society today. Jesus was very clear that He hates such practice.

May we be careful in what we believe and how we act to not be as these were and have Jesus hate what we do.