Revelation Series Study Notes: A Diminishing Love (Revelation 2:1-7) Notes For Teaching Revelation

Revelation 2:1-7 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.”

Disclaimer: These study notes are organized thoughts from several books, commentaries, sermons, and my own personal ideas and interpretations. I don’t always know the source.

Unto the angel – The messenger or minister written to the church at Ephesus. 

The Church of Ephesus – Written to the believers in Ephesus.

Note: It was the capital of Asia Minor and was said to have been founded by the Amazons.

Note: It was situated between Smyrna and Miletus on the river Cayster, not far from the Icarian Sea. 

Note: It was one of the most sizeable cities in Asia Minor.

Note: It owed its prosperity partly to the favor of its governors (Who resided in Ephesus). Under the Romans, it bore the honorable title of Asia’s first and most significant metropolis.

• Primary harbor in Asia Minor 
• A population of about 500,000 
• Ephesus was most famous for their worship of the goddess Artemis – Diana. 
• The Temple of Diana was the city’s most famous landmark. 
• The worship of Artemis was unspeakably vile.
• Amid this vile worship was a group of Christians. 

Note: John is supposed to have resided in this city and to have preached the gospel there for many years; and on this account, perhaps it was, as well as on account of the relative importance of the city, that the first epistle of the seven was addressed to that church. 

Note: John seems to have spent much of his life there preaching the gospel.

Revelation 2:1 “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks”

Note: We are introduced to the author – Jesus Christ – the one Who holds the church’s ministers in his right hand and is amid the seven golden candle sticks. 

Revelation 1:12-20 “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:“

Note: Verse 2, I know thy works. It’s the Greek word – Oida. It means to know entirely or to have full knowledge.

Note: When we make decisions, we usually pull together all the facts and then decide. When God acts, He has all the information and knowledge. God knew everything about this church; therefore, His sentence was just.

The Deeds Of The Church At Ephesus

Revelation 2:2-3 “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.”

Labour – Toil to the point of exhaustion (an all-out effort) 

Note: Christianity is not a spectator sport. They did not have an “entertain me” attitude. 

Patience – Preservation in trying circumstances; a genuine acceptance of hardship

Cannot Bear them that are evil – They held to a high, holy standard of living and were sensitive to sin.

2 John 1:10-11 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Note: Paul told them four decades earlier to: “Neither give place to the devil.” (Ephesians 4:27)

Note: They continued on that pathway of running to God and running from sin.

Tried them that say they are apostles: Knowing the Truth and not following after wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Acts 20:28-30 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”

Note: They did not stray from the Truth given to them.

Hath borne: They endured.

Patience: They maintained perseverance in Christ.

For My Name Sake: They did all of this in the name of Jesus Christ (For Christ’s Cause)

Note: They remained faithful to the Lord, loyal to His Word, and to the work where God called them. 

Has Not fainted: They didn’t give up 

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.”

They hated the Deeds of the Nicolaitans:

The Nicolaitans cannot be entirely identified.

Some state that Nicolas was the one who distributed food in Acts 6. They argue that Nicolas was a false believer who eventually became an apostate. 

Others say that the Nicolaitans misrepresented his teaching.

Whatever the origin, the deeds of the Nicolaiadians led people into immortality and wickedness. 

“The teaching of [the] Nicolaitans was an exaggeration of the doctrine of Christian liberty which attempted an ethical compromise with heathenism”Merril C. Tenny

Note: They lived in unrestrained self-indulgence! 

Note: The church at Ephesus hated their deeds and shunned their teaching. The Lord Jesus commended the church for such an attitude.

The Dimishing Love Of The Church At Ephesus

Note: Despite all the praise from the Lord. 

Note: The all-knowing God saw a fatal flaw. 

Note: This church had left their first love.