The Church at Ephesus
"I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance." [Revelation 2:2a ESV]
Jesus begins his letter to the church at Ephesus with a strong commendation. He says, "I know," because Jesus is omniscient. He knows what each church is like and his assessment is completely valid and unbiased. The previous verse had spoken about Jesus as 'him who holds the seven stars in his right hand.' The word for 'hold' means 'hold fast.' Jesus has a tight grip on each of these churches. Verse one of chapter two also speaks about Jesus walking among the seven golden lampstands. This would tell me about Jesus' constant unwearied activity in relation to His church. He is guarding His Church against internal and external evils. The description is reminiscent of the activity of the priest, walking to and fro in the sanctuary.
Jesus commends them for their hard work because the church at Ephesus were active and diligent. They were commended for their labour or toil. The Greek word means 'labour unto weariness.' They were also commended for patient endurance which suggests that they were not prepared to give up easily. Here is how Kenneth Wuest translates verse 2.
I know with absolute clearness your words and toil and steadfast endurance and fortitude under trials, and that you are not able to endure evil men, and you have put to the test those who say they are apostles and are not, and you have found them to be false. And you have steadfast endurance and fortitude under trials, and you have endured [persecution] because of my Name, and you have not become weary. [Kenneth S. Wuest: Revelation 2:2-3]
I can imagine the church at Ephesus as they listen to this letter being read. They must have been feeling quite good in themselves. It is interesting that they are commended for their discernment. They were enduring trials and persecution but they were not prepared to tolerate or endure evil men. The members of the Ephesian church regarded evil men as an intolerable burden. Paul had warned them to be on their guard against 'fierce wolves' who were going to come in among them and attack the flock (Acts 20:28-30).There were visitors to the church at Ephesus and they claimed to be apostles. However, the elders of the church heeded the warning given by the apostle who had founded the church and so they checked out the credentials of these apostles. They quickly realised that they were spurious - they may have been Judaisers (teaching Christians that they needed to follow the Jewish religion as well as their Christian faith) or teaching the same as the Nicolaitans - that God's grace allowed you to sin repeatedly because there was forgiveness available.
They had not grown weary. The translators of these verses had a paradox which they had difficulty in translating. The King James Version states: "I know thy labour …… and hast not laboured.' The idea seems to be "You have not become weary with labour."
I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. [Revelation 2:4 ESV].
And then there is an abrupt change of tone with the words, "But I have this against you …." The King James Version has added the words 'somewhat' which might give the suggestion that this was not a significant issue. This is not in the original. This was a serious shortcoming not to be dismissed lightly. "You have abandoned the love you had at first" [Revelation 2:4 ESV]
There are two possible interpretations of this statement. Firstly, and this is the most common explanation, Ephesus had lost its early love for Christ. Secondly, Ephesian believers had lost their love for one another and this became evident in their relationships with each other. However, both interpretations are not incompatible with each other as there is a close connection between our love for Christ and our love for one another (1 John 4:20). In Paul's letter to the Ephesians, he commends them for their 'love for all the saints.' Now thirty years later they have lost this warmth of affection. They are still holding on to the truth and they are orthodox. They have not strayed from the Word of God under the influence of persuasive orators and learned teachers. They are still very active - Ephesus was an active, busy church. If you like to imagine it from a 21st century angle, there would be a programme of activities for all ages - toddlers, children, teenagers, young married couples, single people, elderly etc. There would be Alpha courses and Christianity Explored courses, home fellowship groups, prayer breakfasts, prayer walks. There would be church barbecues and social events to which the neighbours would be invited. The notice board would be crammed with intimations and duty rotas.
But no love. The dipstick was almost dry - there was little or no oil in the sump. Paul had warned about love being essential - the sine qua non.
And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have no love, I am nothing. [1 Corinthians 13:2]
This is a corporate and collective failure. It is not speaking about our individual devotion to the Lord. Also, this condemnation is from a long-term perspective. Our devotion to the Lord waxes and wanes like the changes in the weather. This is not referring to temporary fluctuations. It is longer-term change which is at stake. There is a difference between weather (short-term) and climate (long-term). In the church at Ephesus there has been climatic change.
There is a call for immediate repentance.
Be remembering, therefore, from where you have fallen, and at once have a change of mind, and the early works perform directly ….. [Wuest]
They were expected to have a major change in direction and get back to the heights from which they had fallen. They were not being instructed to express empty words of regret. The repentance would be proved genuine if the church got back to the works they did in their early days.
The church is threatened with judgement. The words 'I am coming' or 'I will come' suggest that the Lord is going to intervene in judgement. The Lord warns them that he will remove the lampstand. Jesus was going to take away the church and remove it elsewhere. There is a report that someone visited Ephesus some years later and found only three Christians there and none of these people had heard 'the names of St Paul or St John [cited in Trench: New Testament Synonyms].
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