2:1-7

NT

Revelation 2:1-7

esv

Description of Jesus' Powerful Presence

“To the angel

Destination

of the church

Descriptive

in Ephesus

Locative

write:

‘The words

Content #1

of him

Producer

who holds the seven stars

in his right hand,

who walks

among the seven golden lampstands.

Praise of Orthodoxy

“‘I know your works,

Content #2a

your toil

and your patient endurance,

and how you cannot bear with those

Negative

who are evil,

but have tested those

who call themselves apostles

and are not,

and found them

to be false.

Content

I know you are enduring patiently

Content #2b

and bearing up

for my name’s sake,

Ground

and you have not grown weary.

Rebuke of Lovelessness

But I have this

against you,

Disadvantage

that you have abandoned the love

[that] you had

at first.

Temporal

Remember therefore

Content #3a

from where you have fallen;

Separation

repent,

Content #3b

and do the works

Content #3c

[that] you did

at first.

Warning of Judgment

If not,

Condition

I will come

Content #4a

to you

and remove your lampstand

Content #4b

from its place,

unless you repent.

Yet this you have:

Concessive

you hate the works

of the Nicolaitans,

Subjective

which I also hate.

Promise of Everlasting Life

He

Explanation

who has an ear,

let him hear

Content #5

what the Spirit says

to the churches.

To the one

Advantage

who conquers

I will grant

Content #6

to eat

of the tree

Source

of life,

Product

which is in the paradise

of God.’

Possessive

To understand this genitive relationship, put the word "the fruit" after "to eat."

phrasing

Notes

Head: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the mind . We want to think accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I think differently about God/myself/others because of what I’ve just phrased? What doctrines are taught in this passage? What specific contribution to those doctrines does this passage make? What other Scripture texts add to the truths taught in this passage? Who is Jesus? According to 2: 1 , he holds the angels of the churches in his right hand - in the place of authority and power. He is sovereign! Our heavenly existence, the spiritual reality of our salvation, is in his control and power. Jesus is also intimately present with his church, walking among the golden lamp stands. He is active , walking and listening and observing. He knows all the we think and say and do. What did Jesus praise the church for? Orthodoxy. What did Jesus rebuke the church for? For abandoning their earlier love, which is defined as earlier "works" (2:5). What works are those? There is an important clue in the fact that Jesus introduces Himself to this church as the one who walks “in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks” (v. 1). Later in Revelation, the “two witness” (11:3) who preach for three-and-a-half years are called “ the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth” (11:4). The candlesticks shine light into a dark world! Mark records Jesus’ teaching that you don’t bring “ a lamp brought in to be put under a basket , or under a bed,” but rather to be set " on a stand ” ( Mark 4:21 )! Matthew quoted Jesus in 5:15 that when that is done, the lamp “ gives light to all in the house.” Jesus then makes the illustration clear in Matthew 5:16: “ I n the same way, let your light shine before others , so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. ” It is interesting that, in Mark’s version of this parable, Jesus follows the teaching about the candlestick with a warning: “ to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away ” (Mark 4:25), which is similar to Jesus’ warning about the lampstand being removed in verse 5 of Revelation 2 ! See also Matt 24:12-14 , which gives support to this idea as well. What does it mean to "conquer" (2:7)? In the context of each letter, overcoming has a different emphasis . Here in this letter it means that you obey what Jesus said – that you shine the light of the gospel, overcoming your lack of love and previous disobedience. So w ho will eat of the fruit of that tree and live forever? Only those who have “an ear,” who obey Jesus’ words here. To “them” only will Jesus give eternal life. This is because not everyone who makes a profession of faith goes to Heaven; only those who live with Jesus as their Lord go to Heaven . For the tree of life, see 22:3-5. The tree of life also speaks of restoration to fellowship with God, to be in His presence, because God cast Adam and Eve out of His presence for their sin. And being in God’s presence, knowing Him, is eternal life, as Jesus said in John 17:3. Heart: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the emotions . We want to feel accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I feel differently about God/myself/etc. because of what I’ve just phrased? What emotions are expressed in this passage? What emotions does this passage exhort me to feel? The reality of who Jesus is should cause us to tremble and worship . The one who knows all is speaking! The one who is in control of our lives is giving commands. So we must fear him - but not in terror; in awe and love (see 1:17-18). See Isaiah 66:2. Be encouraged if 2:2-3 describes you; Jesus knows that you are suffering faithfully. He knows when you follow him, when you cling to sound doctrine, when you reject false teaching. And he approves ! Better is the praise of Jesus than the praise of all people ! The threatened punishment being a useless lampstand is to be snuffed out (2:5-6). This should cause us to fear , lest we continue to disobey, to refuse to repent, and have Jesus destroy our church or make it a "church" in name only. Jesus is so kind and patient to give us time to "repent" in the Condition of 5g and 5l. Jesus is so gracious, to praise even those who lack love (see 1 Cor 13:2). Hands: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the will . We want to act accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I act differently because of what I’ve just phrased? What motivations does this passage give for acting differently? What sins do I need to repent of and put off? What good works do I need to put on? The reality of who Jesus is should cause us to bow in submission to his words. Do we have spiritual ears (2: 7 )? In other words, are we believers , people who have been regenerated by the Spirit? Then we must listen to him and obey him. For it is only those who conquer who receive the end-time reward of eternal life in God's presence (2:7). How you respond to each of these seven letters reveals your spiritual state . If you hear and go away ignoring what is said, careless, disobedient, that reveals that you are probably not even saved at all . What does conquering mean in this letter? It means overcoming our lack of love for Jesus as shown in our refusal to bear witness to his gospel, to shine his light into the dark world. How can we conquer? See 12:11.

notes