“To the angel of the church in 1aEphesus write:Ephesus, the largest city in Roman-controlled Asia Minor, developed into a major trade center because of its access to the Aegean Sea. It was the primary center for the worship of the goddess Artemis (Diana). The Temple of Artemis, the largest building in ancient times, was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The open-air theatre in Ephesus could accommodate 25,000 spectators and was used for both drama and gladiatorial combat.Rev 1:11Rev 1:16Rev 1:12f
These are the words of the One who holds firmly bthe seven stars which are the angels or messengers of the seven churches in His right hand, the One who walks camong the seven golden lampstands :
2 ‘aI know 1your deeds and your toil, and your patient endurance, and that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and have btested and critically appraised those who call themselves capostles , and in fact are not, and have found them to be liars and impostors;Here through 3:18, “your” and “you” are in the singular, referring to the angel of each church. Much of what is said is rebuke and admonishment, so if the angels are heavenly beings, they may serve in some way as representatives of the sinful people in their churches. Jewish tradition maintained that every nation and individual has a guardian angel, and that when God is about to punish a nation, He first punishes its angel. There is even a story of Michael, the guardian angel of Israel, being rebuked by God for the sins committed in the time of Ezekiel. So the original readers of Revelation might have assumed that the angels here are the guardian angels of the individual churches, sharing responsibility for the actions of the members.Rev 2:19; 3:1, 8, 15John 6:6; 1 John 4:12 Cor 11:13 3 and I know that you who believe are enduring patiently and are bearing up afor My name’s sake, and that you have not grown weary of being faithful to the truth.John 15:21 4 But I have this charge against you, that you have aleft your first love you have lost the depth of love that you first had for Me.Jer 2:2; Matt 24:12 5 So remember the heights from which you have fallen, and arepent change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will and bdo the works you did at first when you first knew Me; otherwise, I will visit you and remove your clampstand from its place—unless you repent.Rev 2:16, 22; 3:3, 19Heb 10:32; Rev 2:2Matt 5:14ff; Phil 2:15; Rev 1:20 6 Yet you have this to your credit, that you hate the works and corrupt teachings of the 1aNicolaitans that mislead and delude the people, which I also hate.There is scant information about the cult of the Nicolaitans, but it appears they adopted a syncretistic worship, combining Christianity and idolatry. They may have held heretical views similar to those mentioned in vv 14 and 20.Rev 2:15 7 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. bTo him who 1overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, I will grant the privilege to eat the fruit from cthe tree of life, which is in the dParadise of God.’ Gen 2:9; 3:24; 1+@John 5:5The definition of one who overcomes is recorded in 1 John 5:5.Matt 11:15; Rev 2:11, 17; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9Rev 2:11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7Gen 2:9; 3:22; Prov 3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev 22:2, 14Ezek 28:13; 31:8f; Luke 23:43
8 “And to the angel of the church in 1aSmyrna write:In ancient times Smyrna (modern Izmir, Turkey) was a beautiful, cosmopolitan city. Located on the Aegean coast, it vied with Ephesus and Pergamum in importance in Asia Minor. It was closely identified with Rome and the cult of emperor worship. Smyrna was later the home of Polycarp, the great Christian church leader who, at the age of eighty-six, was burned at the stake for his refusal to worship the Roman emperor.Rev 1:11Is 44:6; 48:12; Rev 1:17; 22:13Rev 1:18
These are the words of bthe First and the Last absolute Deity, the Son of God who cdied and came to life again: Is 44:6
9 ‘I know your asuffering and your bpoverty (but you are crich), and how you are blasphemed and slandered by those who dsay they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of eSatan they are Jews only by blood, and do not believe and truly honor the God whom they claim to worship.Rev 1:92 Cor 6:10; 8:9; James 2:5Rev 3:9Matt 4:10; Rev 2:13, 24 10 Fear nothing that you are about to suffer. Be aware that the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be atested in your faith, and bfor ten days you will have tribulation. Be cfaithful to the point of death if you must die for your faith, and I will give you dthe crown consisting of life. Rev 3:10, 11Rev 3:10; 13:14ffDan 1:12, 14Rev 2:13; 12:11; 17:141 Cor 9:25; Rev 3:11 11 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. bHe who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God will not be hurt by the csecond death .’ 1+@John 5:5; Rev 20:14The Valley of Hinnom located south of Jerusalem was the place where garbage burned continuously. Often regarded in ancient times as symbolic of hell (the lake of fire), reserved for the wicked. Paradise or Abraham’s bosom (cf Luke 16:22) was the place reserved for the good in anticipation of heaven. Mentioned in Matt 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15, 33; Mark 9:43, 45, 47; Luke 12:5; James 3:6.Matt 11:15; Rev 2:7, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9Rev 2:7, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:7Rev 20:6, 14; 21:8
12 “And to the angel of the church in 1aPergamum write:Pergamum (modern Bergama, Turkey) was built on a promontory about sixteen miles from the Aegean Sea. It was famous as a worship center for many pagan gods including Zeus (Jupiter, king of gods), Dionysus (Bacchus, god of wine and intoxication), and Asklepios (god of healing). The enormous altar dedicated to Zeus is on display in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. Pergamum also had an important temple dedicated to the worship of Caesar. Refusal to take part in the imperial cult was considered treason. A culturally sophisticated city as well as a center for pagan worship, Pergamum’s library, believed to contain over 200,000 volumes, was second only to the Library of Alexandria.Rev 1:11Rev 1:16; 2:16
These are the words of Him who has and wields bthe sharp two-edged sword in judgment:
13 ‘I know where you dwell, a place where aSatan sits enthroned. Yet you are holding fast to My name, and you did not deny 1bMy faith even in the days of 2Antipas, My cwitness, My dfaithful one, who was killed among you, ewhere Satan dwells.I.e. your faith in Me.Antipas was a pastor or leader of the church at Pergamum.Matt 4:10; Rev 2:241 Tim 5:8; Rev 14:12Acts 22:20; Rev 1:5; 11:3; 17:6Rev 2:10; 12:11; 17:14Rev 2:9 14 But aI have a few things against you, because you have there some among you who are holding to the corrupt bteaching of Balaam, who taught 1Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, enticing them cto eat things that had been sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of sexual 2immorality. Num 25:1, 2; 31:16The king of Moab in the time of the exodus, who hired Balaam to curse Israel.Pagan worship often included the use of temple prostitutes who served as “priestesses.”Rev 2:20Num 31:16; 2 Pet 2:15Num 25:1f; Acts 15:29; 1 Cor 10:20; Rev 2:20 15 You also have some who in the same way are holding to the teaching of the 1aNicolaitans.See note v 6.Rev 2:6 16 Therefore arepent change your inner self—your old way of thinking, your sinful behavior—seek God’s will; or else bI am coming to you quickly, and I will make war and fight against them with cthe sword of My mouth in judgment.Rev 2:5Rev 22:7, 202 Thess 2:8; Rev 1:16 17 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches. bTo him who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God, to him I will give the privilege of eating some of the 1hidden cmanna, and I will give him a 2white stone with a dnew name engraved on the stone ewhich no one knows except the one who receives it.’ Ps 78:24; Is 62:2; 1+@John 5:5This probably refers to the pot of manna placed in the Ark of the Covenant by Moses (Ex 16:33; Heb 9:4). Manna was a food supernaturally provided to Israel by God during their wanderings in the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt.White stones were sometimes used as tickets of admission to public assemblies. Here the white stone may symbolize admission to the Messiah’s banquet.Rev 2:7Ex 16:33; John 6:49fIs 56:5; 62:2; 65:15Rev 14:3; 19:12
18 “And to the angel of the church in 1aThyatira write:Thyatira (modern Akhisar, Turkey) was famous for its dyeing and indigo trade. It was the home of Lydia, the seller of purple fabrics, who was converted under the ministry of Paul (Acts 16:14). Located in a valley, midway between Pergamum and Sardis, it was originally established as a military base by one of the generals in the army of Alexander the Great.Rev 1:11; 2:24Matt 4:3Rev 1:14f
These are the words of bthe Son of God, cwho has eyes that flash like a flame of fire in righteous judgment, and whose feet are like burnished white-hot bronze: Dan 10:6
19 ‘aI know your deeds, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your last deeds are more numerous and greater than the first.Rev 2:2 20 But aI have this charge against you, that you tolerate the woman bJezebel, who calls herself a prophetess claiming to be inspired, and she teaches and misleads My bond-servants so that they ccommit acts of sexual immorality and eat food sacrificed to idols. 1+@Kin 16:31; 2+@Kin 9:22, 30Rev 2:141 Kin 16:31; 21:25; 2 Kin 9:7, 22, 30Acts 15:29; 1 Cor 10:20; Rev 2:14 21 aI gave her time to repent to change her inner self and her sinful way of thinking, but she bhas no desire to repent of her immorality and refuses to do so.Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9Rom 2:5; Rev 9:20f; 16:9, 11 22 1Listen carefully, I will throw her on a bed of sickness, and those who acommit adultery with her I will bring into great anguish, unless they repent of her deeds.Lit Behold.Rev 17:2; 18:9 23 And I will kill her children with 1pestilence thoroughly annihilating them, and all the churches will know without any doubt that I am He who asearches the 2minds and hearts the innermost thoughts, purposes; and bI will give to each one of you a reward or punishment according to your deeds. Ps 62:12; Jer 17:10Lit death.Lit kidneys, i.e. inner man. In Jewish thought, the kidneys were considered a source of wisdom (cf Ps 16:7).Ps 7:9; 26:2; 139:1; Jer 11:20; 17:10; Matt 16:27; Luke 16:15; Acts 1:24; Rom 8:27Ps 62:12 24 But to the rest of you in aThyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not explored and known the 1bdepths of Satan, as they call them—I cplace no other burden on you,I.e. participated in and experienced evil.Rev 2:181 Cor 2:10Acts 15:28 25 except to hold tightly to awhat you have buntil I come.Rev 3:11John 21:22 26 And ahe who overcomes the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God and he who keeps My deeds doing things that please Me buntil the very end, cTO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY and POWER OVER THE NATIONS; 1+@John 5:5Rev 2:7Matt 10:22; Heb 3:6Ps 2:8; Rev 3:21; 20:4 27 AND HE SHALL aSHEPHERD and RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, bAS THE EARTHEN POTS ARE BROKEN IN PIECES, as I also have received authority and power to rule them from My Father; Ps 2:8, 9Ps 2:9; Rev 12:5; 19:15Is 30:14; Jer 19:11 28 and I will give him athe 1Morning Star.In 22:16 this expression designates Christ as the true Messiah, the root and the descendant of David. Here, the gift probably is the privilege of knowing Christ at a much higher level (see Phil 3:8).1 John 3:2; Rev 22:16 29 aHe who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’Rev 2:7