2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.
2 “‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. 3 I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. 6 Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’
As we begin our survey of the seven letters in Rev. 2-3 we would do well to note that the style of these letters recalls the oracles of Yahweh which are found throughout the writings of the OT prophets. The phrase “the words of” or “thus says” are used in these writings to introduce the speech of the Lord, indicating that Jesus’ words to the churches must be understood in similar way, as coming from God Himself. This prophetic speech, when combined with the imagery of Christ holding the seven stars in His right hand (His sovereign, kingly work) and walking among the lampstands (His high-priestly work), demonstrate that Christ is once again portrayed for the churches as Prophet, Priest, and King. He alone possess the authority, power, and knowledge which allows Him to speak accurately of His churches’ true condition.
Because Jesus knows His church, He can both affirm their good works while also pointing out areas of sin or unfaithfulness. He begins by commending some of the churches work, stating that they hold to sound doctrine which has allowed them to “test” those claiming to be apostles and find that they were liars. They have also endured patiently under pressure from the surrounding culture for the sake of His name. Although they are faithful in these areas, the Lord points out that they have “abandoned” or moved away from the love which they had at first. Commentators are divided as the whether the Lord is referring to their love for Him or for others, but throughout scripture these concepts are related closely to one another (Lev. 19:2,18; Luke 10:27). In spite of their doctrinal knowledge and their bearing up under persecution, the church at Ephesus had lost is love for Christ and was therefore not serving Him and others as they had done in the early years of the church’s existence.
The solution to this problem is the “remember” the history of God’s work among them and to seek fellowship with Him so that they might once again know Him rather than simply knowing about Him. They must repent, agreeing with Christ’s assessment and turning to Him in worship in order that He might once again empower them for His service. Should they fail to do so, Christ promises to come to them and remove their lampstand.
The letter concludes with a hopeful promise to the one who overcomes. Although the church is under threat because it has lost fellowship with Christ, they are invited by Him to once again delight in His promises, specifically the hope of an eternal fellowship with Him in a restored creation. The promise that He will give to the one who conquers the right to eat from the Tree of Life anticipates the restored fellowship between God and man in the New Creation. Here, God’s people will no longer be weighed down by the burdens of life in a fallen world or distracted and overwhelmed by their sins or the sins of others. Jesus’ invitation to the church at Ephesus is to be restored in fellowship with Him spiritually while anticipating the complete restoration of relationship with Him in the New Heavens and New Earth.
As we take time to examine the words of Christ in this letter, let us reflect on ourselves and our church. Are we a place that holds to the cardinal doctrines of the faith and who can resist the pressures of the surrounding culture? If we are, are we also making sure that we are walking in fellowship with Christ so that we are also passionate about the things which He is passionate about: serving the body, reaching the lost, caring for those in need?
May the Lord grant to us a spirit of humility as we gather to worship Him and to consider these things together.
Soli Deo Gloria.
-Thomas