Letters to the Seven Churches (I)

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write this: 'The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this:

NAB footnote:Ephesus: the leading city of the Roman province of Asia, with a famous temple of Artemis (Diana) and a large Jewish community.

"I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors."

Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.

Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.

Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

But you have this in your favor: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

NAB footnote:Nicolaitans: these are perhaps the impostors of Rev 2:2. There is little evidence for connecting this group with Nicolaus, the proselyte from Antioch, mentioned in Acts 6:5.

Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.

NAB footnote:Victor: referring to any Christian individual who holds fast to the faith and does God's will in the face of persecution. The tree of life: a reference to the tree in the primeval paradise (Genesis 2:9).

"To the angel of the church in Smyrna, write this: 'The first and the last, who once died but came to life, says this:

NAB footnote:Smyrna: modern Izmir, ca. thirty miles north of Ephesus, and the chief city of Lydia, with a temple to the goddess Roma. It was renowned for its loyalty to Rome.

"I know your tribulation and poverty, but you are rich. I know the slander of those who claim to be Jews and are not, but rather are members of the assembly of Satan.

NAB footnote:The church in Smyrna was materially poor but spiritually rich. Accusations made by Jewish brethren there occasioned the persecution of Christians.

Saul's insight:Note that this is the first instance of relating the word 'rich' to spiritual riches, not material. We conclude that the author intends to use economic terms to describe spiritual conditions. This theme continues throughout the book.

Do not be afraid of anything that you are going to suffer. Indeed, the devil will throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will face an ordeal for ten days. Remain faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Saul's insight:"Ordeal for ten days" could be him referencing the law of Moses, i.e. the ten commandments. It's difficult to satisfy the law. To obey the law is to be rewarded with the "crown of life."

Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The victor shall not be harmed by the second death.

NAB footnote:The second death: this refers to the eternal death, when sinners will receive their final punishment; cf Rev 20:6, 14-15; 21:8.

Saul's insight:The victor is not harmed by the second death (which is physical), because the individual has first died to themselves in Christ (first death). We'll see the death and mayhem in the chapters to follow used to describe the first deaths. That is, the conversion of large groups of people. Respectfully, to the writers of the NAB footnotes, I argue that the second death refers to their final judgement, not necessarily their final punishment. There are those who are not harmed by the second death.

"To the angel of the church in Pergamum, write this: 'The one with the sharp two-edged sword says this:

NAB footnote:Pergamum: modern Bergama, ca. forty-five miles northeast of Smyrna, a center for various kinds of pagan worship. It also had an outstanding library.

Saul's insight:The sharp two-edged sword represents the word of God, which goes out and converts, i.e. slays humans so that they have the first death and are not harmed by the second death.

"I know that you live where Satan's throne is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives.

NAB footnote:Satan's throne: the reference is to emperor worship and other pagan practices that flourished in Pergamum, perhaps specifically to the white marble altar erected and dedicated to Zeus by Eumenes II.

Yet I have a few things against you. You have some people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the Israelites: to eat food sacrificed to idols and to play the harlot.

NAB footnote:Like Balaam, the biblical prototype of the religious compromiser, the Nicolaitans in Pergamum and Ephesus accommodated their Christian faith to paganism.

Likewise, you also have some people who hold to the teaching of (the) Nicolaitans.

Saul's insight:The Nicolaitans were a first-century heretical sect mentioned in Revelation 2:6, 15, known for promoting sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols, representing a compromise with pagan culture.

Therefore, repent. Otherwise, I will come to you quickly and wage war against them with the sword of my mouth.

Saul's insight:Argue with them.

Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor I shall give some of the hidden manna; I shall also give a white amulet upon which is inscribed a new name, which no one knows except the one who receives it.

NAB footnote:The hidden manna: this is the food of life. White amulet: literally, 'white stone,' on which was written a magical name, whose power could be tapped by one who knew the secret name. New name: a reference to the Christian's rebirth in Christ.

Saul's insight:The hidden manna is the Eucharist.

"To the angel of the church in Thyatira, write this: 'The Son of God, whose eyes are like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished brass, says this:

NAB footnote:Thyatira: modern Akhisar, ca. forty miles southeast of Pergamum, a frontier town famous for its workers' guilds, membership in which may have involved festal meals in pagan temples.

"I know your works, your love, faith, service, and endurance, and that your last works are greater than the first."

Yet I hold this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, who teaches and misleads my servants to play the harlot and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

NAB footnote:The scheming and treacherous Jezebel of old introduced pagan customs into the religion of Israel; this new Jezebel was doing the same to Christianity.

I have given her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her harlotry.

So I will cast her on a sickbed and plunge those who commit adultery with her into intense suffering unless they repent of her works.

I will also put her children to death. Thus shall all the churches come to know that I am the searcher of hearts and minds and that I will give each of you what your works deserve.

NAB footnote:Children: spiritual descendants.

Saul's insight:This death is a reference to the first death, which is the spiritual death to selfishness. Not a physical death, which would be the second death. This theme will continue throughout the text.

But I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not uphold this teaching and know nothing of the so-called deep secrets of Satan: on you I will place no further burden,

NAB footnote:The so-called deep secrets of Satan: literally, 'the deep things of Satan,' a scathing reference to the perverse teaching of the Nicolaitans.

except that you must hold fast to what you have until I come.

To the victor, who keeps to my ways until the end, I will give authority over the nations.

NAB footnote:The Christian who perseveres in faith will share in Christ's messianic authority and resurrection victory over death, symbolized by the morning star.

He will rule them with an iron rod. Like clay vessels will they be smashed,

just as I received authority from my Father. And to him I will give the morning star.

Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.