Revelation 2, Instructions to Four Ancient Churches

Jesus, identified as the Alpha and Omega of Time, has some words for seven different churches. Here are his messages to the first four.

Revelation 2: 1-7, The message to Ephesus

"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 men, 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.

Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. 

This vision is immersed in the number seven, presumably a sign of completion and perfection.

The church in Ephesus, where John apparently ministered for some time, has many good qualities, including its patience pursuit of truth. (This fits John's letters and their emphasis on acting in both truth and love.)  Yet it has some weaknesses, turning away from its first love and enthusiasm for the gospel.  I give this church a B– grade?

We don't really know who the Nicolaitans were.  There are some ideas here at Wikipedia and here at BibleHub.com but these are conjectures.

This passage continues to emphasize completion/perfection by focusing on the final "tree of life", to be described at the end of the letter.

The Greek word translated "angel" here, and throughout the book, simply means "messenger."

(Given the supernatural aspects of this vision, it probably means a divine being, but that is not necessarily implied by the Greek word.)

Revelation 2: 8-11, The message to Smyrna

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write: These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.  I know your afflictions and your poverty--yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. 

The "First and the Last" is, of course, Jesus, earlier identified as the Alpha and Omega.

What do the ten days signify?  (They are very specific.)

No criticism is given to this church, only encouragement. I give this church an A.

Revelation 2: 12-17, The message to Pergamum

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword.  I know where you live--where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city--where Satan lives.  

Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.  Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.  Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.  

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it. 

The Nicolaitans show up again here along with the "teaching of Balaam". I don't know who Antipas was, but tradition has a Bishop Antipas of Pergamum, appointed by John to this church. I don't know if he was a real historical figure or if that tradition begins with this letter.

Who gets the white stone?  What does it mean? What does the manna signify?

Apparently the error of Balaam is compromise, eg. marrying nonbelievers. (Commentator Merrill Tenney says it is "moral laxity".)

The "two-edged sword" occurs 6 or 7 times in Revelation.

This church receives some criticism, but mainly encouragement. I give this church a B.

Revelation 2: 18-29, The message to Thyatira

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.  I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.  

Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 

Only hold on to what you have until I come.  To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations--  `He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery' -- just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. 

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

A certain individual, here called Jezebel, needs to be confronted. Jezebel was a notorious figure in Old Testament times (queen of Israel and wife of King Ahab, see I Kings 16...) and we apparently have a similar individual or a similar force or idea.

The quote in verse 27 ("He will rule them with an iron scepter") is from Psalm 2:9.

This church gets more serious criticism. I give this church a B–.

In three of the four churches we have some type of false teaching that is to be confronted: the teachings of the Nicolaitans, of Balaam, or of the woman Jezebel. Each church is told to persevere; each church is told of approaching suffering and persecution and is reminded that their suffering is only temporary.  This is the theme of the book.