Keys to Revelation - Chapter 2
Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New York
International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
BIBLE TEXT COMMENTARY
REV 2:1 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor
church in Ephesus write: These are [holds] - to have power over
the words of him who holds the [stars] - the pastors of the
seven stars in his right hand and seven churches (Rev 1:20)
walks among the seven golden [walks among] - patrolling His
lampstands: churches, intimately knowing
each one
REV 2:2 I know your deeds, your [deeds..hard work] - wearisome toil
hard work and your perseverance. I
know that you cannot tolerate [wicked men] - not the pagans, but
wicked men, that you have tested those who claimed to be Christians
those who claim to be apostles but but were not
are not, and have found them false.
REV 2:3 You have persevered and implies strenuous and exhausting
have endured hardships for my name, labor
and have not grown weary.
REV 2:4 Yet I hold this against [Yet] - The church was "doing" a lot
you: You have forsaken your first for Christ, but was lacking the
love. element of Love.
REV 2:5 Remember the height from [Remember] - recall the height of
which you have fallen! Repent and of the Love that used to exist
do the things you did at first. If [Repent] - to change one's thinking,
you do not repent, I will come to to think differently
you and remove your lampstand from [at first] - the way you used to be
its place. when first in love with Christ
[remove..lampstand] - take away the
light (ministry, effect, impact)
REV 2:6 But you have this in your [practices of Nicolaitans] - word
favor: You hate the practices of nikao means "to conquer" and laos
the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. "the people." Suspect they were a
Sect that imposed a clerical hier-
archy on the laity. Much like the
Roman Catholic Church and her Pope.
REV 2:7 He who has an ear, let him [has an ear] - everyone has ears but
hear what the Spirit says to the not everyone listens. Jesus is say-
churches. To him who overcomes, I ing take to heart what I am saying.
will give the right to eat from the [overcomes] - (1 John 5:5) Those who
tree of life, which is in the by Faith, and Repentance come to
paradise of God. Christ in humble submission.
[tree of life] - First given in Gen
2:9 is restored to man in his new
Paradise, the Eternal Home..Rev 22:2
REV 2:8 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor
church in Smyrna write: These are
the words of him who is the First
and the Last, who died and came to
life again.
REV 2:9 I know your afflictions [afflictions] - imprisonment and
and your poverty--yet you are rich! death for the cause of Christ
I know the slander of those who say [poverty] - lack of wealth and jobs
they are Jews and are not, but are because of their Christianity
a synagogue of Satan. [synagogue of Satan] - no longer
God's place of worship since they
reject Jesus and the cross. Judaism
has become a false religion.
REV 2:10 Do not be afraid of what [devil..put] - much like Job's
you are about to suffer. I tell suffering, which tested his love for
you, the devil will put some of you God.
in prison to test you, and you will [ten days] - either a literal 10 day
suffer persecution for ten days. Be period or a set time of suffering of
faithful, even to the point of limited duration.
death, and I will give you the [Be faithful] - Don't recant by
crown of life. denying Christ, proving a lack of
true conversion. Hold firm because
Christ is on your side.
REV 2:11 He who has an ear, let [has an ear, overcomes] - Rev 2:7
him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches. He who overcomes will [second death] - The first death is
not be hurt at all by the second our physical death, but then the
death. Christian never dies again, however
the unbeliever goes to his second
death of eternal punishment in the
Lake of Fire (Dan 12:2, John 5:29,
Rev 20:14)
REV 2:12 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor
church in Pergamum write: These are
the words of him who has the sharp, [sword] - The Word of God from the
double-edged sword. mouth of God Himself--Jesus Christ.
REV 2:13 I know where you live-- [his throne] - Satan is not omni-
where Satan has his throne. Yet you present and moves about the earth,
remain true to my name. You did not but there are places where his
renounce your faith in me, even in influence and power is more evident.
the days of Antipas, my faithful [Antipas] - A martyr of the early
witness, who was put to death in Church.
your city--where Satan lives. REV 2:14 Nevertheless, I have a [Nevertheless] - God wants us to
few things against you: You have strive for perfection, even though
people there who hold to the we will fall short, but He never
teaching of Balaam, who taught will accept a compromise in His
Balak to entice the Israelites to Church or His people.
sin by eating food sacrificed to [hold to teaching] - Some there
idols and by committing sexual were into false doctrines that in-
immorality. cluded worship of idols and sexual
sins. (see Num 31:15-16). REV 2:15 Likewise you also have [Nicolaitans] - see Rev 2:6
those who hold to the teaching of
the Nicolaitans.
REV 2:16 Repent therefore! [will..come..fight] - Jesus will
Otherwise, I will soon come to you fight against His own churches if
and will fight against them with they will not repent of their false
the sword of my mouth. doctrine. Even if 99 doctrines are
"right on" but one is false and the
church or christian is unwilling to
change then Christ will oppose them.
REV 2:17 He who has an ear, let [has an ear, overcomes] - Rev 2:7
him hear what the Spirit says to [hidden manna] - In Exodus 16:32
the churches. To him who overcomes, God had some manna hidden in the
I will give some of the hidden Ark as a testimony of God's grace
manna. I will also give him a white and faithfulness, likewise God
stone with a new name written on promises the new manna which is
it, known only to him who receives Christ in His fullness (John 6:31-
it. 33).
[white stone] - used in Bible times
as a token which provided many priv-
ileges. Normally received stone as
a reward for service or victory.
[new name..known only] - On this
stone, which most likely will be a
precious stone (large diamond) a
very private name will be inscribed
that will be special between Jesus
and each of His loved believers.
REV 2:18 "To the angel of the [angel] - messenger, pastor
church in Thyatira write: These are
the words of the Son of God, whose [blazing..eyes] - eyes of judgment
eyes are like blazing fire and and discernment, burning indignation
whose feet are like burnished [burnished bronze] - same as Rev 1:15
bronze. feet were glowing like in a furnace
which are feet of judgment.
REV 2:19 I know your deeds, your [know] - Christ knows our inner self
love and faith, your service and even more than we do (1SA 16:7).
perseverance, and that you are now [more than] - This church is really
doing more than you did at first. growing and active.
REV 2:20 Nevertheless, I have this [Nevertheless] - See Rev 2:16
against you: You tolerate that [Jezebel] - Probably not her real
woman Jezebel, who calls herself a name but rather a woman like Jezebel
prophetess. By her teaching she who is teaching false doctrine and
misleads my servants into sexual leading Christians into serious sin.
immorality and the eating of food
sacrificed to idols.
REV 2:21 I have given her time to [given her time] - The grace of God
repent of her immorality, but she with sinners, even wicked ones try-
is unwilling. ing to destroy God's people, He is
willing that they repent, but she
refuses.
REV 2:22 So I will cast her on a [cast on a bed] - Not unusual for
bed of suffering, and I will make God to judge or discipline a person
those who commit adultery with her in the same area as their sin. She
suffer intensely, unless they was involved in sexual sins in bed
repent of her ways. so she will not suffer pain in bed.
REV 2:23 I will strike her [children] - could be her own child-
children dead. Then all the ren, but most likely those she
churches will know that I am he who brought up in her false teachings.
searches hearts and minds, and I [repay..deeds] - Those who have done
will repay each of you according to deeds of wickedness get the payment
your deeds. of Eternal Hell, whereas those who
have done deeds of righteousness
will receive Eternal Life.
REV 2:24 Now I say to the rest of
you in Thyatira, to you who do not
hold to her teaching and have not [deep secrets] - the demonic teach-
learned Satan's so-called deep ings of Satan that promise power and
secrets (I will not impose any life but only bring utter chaos and
other burden on you): punishment.
REV 2:25 Only hold on to what you [hold on] - be steadfast and endure
have until I come. all your life until either you die
our Jesus returns. This is one of
the key evidences of salvation, that
a person continues in Christ to the
end of their lives.
REV 2:26 To him who overcomes and [overcomes] - Rev 2:7
does my will to the end, I will [will to the end] - If you endure to
give authority over the nations-- the end you will be saved and be
rewarded. The endurance is also a
gift, "God who gives endurance"
(Rom 15:5).
[authority over nations] - During
the Millennium (1,000 year rule of
Christ, we will rule and reign with
Him (Rev 20:6).
REV 2:27 'He will rule them with Quote from Psalm 2:9 about the
an iron scepter; he will dash them Righteous and Rigorous Rule of
to pieces like pottery'-- just as I Jesus Christ during the Millennium.
have received authority from my Father.
REV 2:28 I will also give him the [morning star] - In Rev 22:16 Jesus
morning star. declares that He is the "Bright
Morning Star," and for all that
overcome they will receive the
precious gift of Christ.
REV 2:29 He who has an ear, let [hear] - Again Jesus reminds those
him hear what the Spirit says to who have ears to hear to listen
the churches. carefully to His words and instruc-
tion.
Tony Capoccia
BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD
Box 130
Shreveport, LA 71110
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