Rev 2:1-7 | Burkitt | STEP | Note here, 1. That the church of Ephesus, with the other six churches of Asia, were, at the time of St. John's writing, very flourishing churches, favoured as much with the special presence influence of Christ as ever any churches were. Note, 2. That these churches are written to as a sort of types of all the Gentile churches unto the end of the world, and patterns also which the Gentile churches were to take warning by, Christ hereby declaring what all other churches, offending and declining in the same manner, might expect. Note, 3. That the first church St. John is commanded to write unto, is the church of Ephesus, and what is written is directed to the angel, the bishop, the president and chief minister in that church, to be communicated to all in the church, both ministers and people, as that which nearly concerned them all. Note, 4. That Christ in the beginning of every epistle doth notify himself by some one of those characters which he gave of himself in the former chapter, either as the faithful and true witness, or as the first and the last, or as having the seven stars in his hand. Thus here, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand. Mark, he holdeth the stars in his hand, to show his power, supporting and directing them, for the good of his people. It is added, that Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Which expression denotes Christ's gracious presence with them, his strict observation of them, his tender care over them, his protecting and defending of them in doing their duty to him, his encouraging or reproving, his rewarding or punishing, as there should be cause: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Learn hence, 1. That the ministers of Christ are stars, yet but stars, they shine but with a borrowed light, with a light derived from the sun: they shine but for a time, the day hastens when these stars shall disappear for ever. Learn, 2. These stars are in the right hand of Christ, in his power, and at his disposal; he appoints them their orbs where they shall shine, and appoints them also their time for shining. Learn, 3. That the church is a candlestick, a golden candlestick. As a candlestick has no more light than what is put into it, and must by continually maintained by a new supply of oil, such is the state of the church; and as a candlestick is a moveable thing, remove the candlestick, and the light is removed with it: so when God removes the light of the gospel from a people, he unchurches them. Farther, the church is called is called a golden candlestick, because as gold is the purest of metals, and excels other metals in preciousness, so God expects his church should differ as much from the world, as gold doth from common clay. Learn, 4. That there is a special gracious presence of Christ with his church in all her adminstrations. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks; it denotes his presence with them, and this presence, and a joyous presence.

Revelation of John 2:1-7

Note here, 1. That the church of Ephesus, with the other six churches of Asia, were, at the time of St. John's writing, very flourishing churches, favoured as much with the special presence influence of Christ as ever any churches were.

Note, 2. That these churches are written to as a sort of types of all the Gentile churches unto the end of the world, and patterns also which the Gentile churches were to take warning by, Christ hereby declaring what all other churches, offending and declining in the same manner, might expect.

Note, 3. That the first church St. John is commanded to write unto, is the church of Ephesus, and what is written is directed to the angel, the bishop, the president and chief minister in that church, to be communicated to all in the church, both ministers and people, as that which nearly concerned them all.

Note, 4. That Christ in the beginning of every epistle doth notify himself by some one of those characters which he gave of himself in the former chapter, either as the faithful and true witness, or as the first and the last, or as having the seven stars in his hand.

Thus here, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand.

Mark, he holdeth the stars in his hand, to show his power, supporting and directing them, for the good of his people. It is added, that Christ walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. Which expression denotes Christ's gracious presence with them, his strict observation of them, his tender care over them, his protecting and defending of them in doing their duty to him, his encouraging or reproving, his rewarding or punishing, as there should be cause: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, and walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.

Learn hence, 1. That the ministers of Christ are stars, yet but stars, they shine but with a borrowed light, with a light derived from the sun: they shine but for a time, the day hastens when these stars shall disappear for ever.

Learn, 2. These stars are in the right hand of Christ, in his power, and at his disposal; he appoints them their orbs where they shall shine, and appoints them also their time for shining.

Learn, 3. That the church is a candlestick, a golden candlestick. As a candlestick has no more light than what is put into it, and must by continually maintained by a new supply of oil, such is the state of the church; and as a candlestick is a moveable thing, remove the candlestick, and the light is removed with it: so when God removes the light of the gospel from a people, he unchurches them.

Farther, the church is called is called a golden candlestick, because as gold is the purest of metals, and excels other metals in preciousness, so God expects his church should differ as much from the world, as gold doth from common clay.

Learn, 4. That there is a special gracious presence of Christ with his church in all her adminstrations. He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks; it denotes his presence with them, and this presence, and a joyous presence.

Observe here, 1. A general declaration which stands in the front of the several epistles, I know thy works, both thy inward and outward works, to observe and mark them, to punish or reward them, as the case requires. This proves the divinity of Christ, that he is truly and essentially God; he knows the hearts of men, which none but a God can know. Ver. 23. All the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts.

Observe, 2. The commendation which is here given of this church for her labour in propagating the gospel, for her patience in bearing affliction and persecution for in, for the strictness of her discipline, that she did not bear with, nor tolerate and endure, such persons as were either erroneous in judgment or scandalous in practice; for her faithfulness in trying the authority of those who pretended to an immediate call from God to be apostles, but were found liars and false prophets; such were those two succeeding heretics, Ebion and Cerinthus, and their followers.

Mark here, How our Lord Jesus Christ doth observe and approve, doth commend and praise, whatever is good in his church, and whatever is commendable and praiseworthy in the members of it; yet, at the same time, when commends them for what is good, he reproves them for what is evil and amiss; and accordingly,

Observe, 3. The reprehension given, ver 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

As if Christ had said, "I observe amongst you a great abatement of your former zeal and fervour; you have not that hearty love to me, and to one another, which you had at first, but verily you grow cooler when you should grow better."

Learn hence, 1. That where there is truth of grace, there may yet be a sad decay and declining in grace.

2. That Christ takes notice of, and is displeased with, such decays and declining in grace, and severely checks and reproves his people for them: I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love.

We had Christ's commendation and reprehension of the church of Ephesus before, we have this admonition and exhortation now. The words before us are partly monitory, and partly minatory; monitory in the former part of the verse, Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent.

Note here, That Christ did not surprisingly come upon this church at unawares; they were admonished before chastised, warned before laid waste; Christ doth premonish before he punishes. In the minatory part we have a great guilt and sin supposed, a great judgment for that guilt denounced, the unchurching of them that had committed it; and the means prescribed for the averting of that judgment, to wit, repentence.

Learn hence, 1. That a people professing religion and godliness may fall.

2. That fallen professors should and ought to remember from whence they are fallen.

3. That fallen professors should be repenting professors, and do their first works.

4. That without repentance and reformation, God will certainly remove a people's candlestick, take away the gospel from them, as the severest judgment which he can inflict upon them.

Remember, repent, and do the first works, else I will remove thy candlestick out of its place: that is, such a tempest of persecution shall arise, as will shake your tottering candlestick out of its place. The universal church only has a promise of stability; any particular church may be unchurched finally.

As if Christ had said, "Though thou art not what thou shouldest be, yet this thou hast commendable in thee, that thou shouldest be, yet this thou hast commendable in thee, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, (who held community of wives, and ate things offered to idols,) which impure sect I also hate for their licentious doctrine and lewd practices, which tend to the ruin and bane of human societies."

Note here, 1. That it is not unlawful to call heretics by the name of their leaders; the Nicolaitans are here so called from one Nicolas, supposed to be the deacon mentioned, who having a beautiful wife exposed her as common, to avoid the imputation of jealousy.

Note, 2. That Christ hated all licentious doctrines and loose practices, and so should we.

That is, "Let all that hear and read these words unto the churches, which the Holy Spirit has uttered, consider them, and set their hearts to regard them as matters of great importance, and which nearly concern them."

Observe, That this form of speech, He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear, Christ often used at the end of his parables, when he would stir up the people to more than ordinary attention; and he uses it here in this and the next chapter, at the end of every one of these epistles to the several churches.

As if Christ had said, "Let all such as fall away from their holy profession for fear of persecution consider what they lose, even eternal life, which I only will give to such as persevere; for to him that overcometh trials and temptations, will I give a share of my merits, and thereby a title to eternal happiness, signified by the tree of life in paradise."

Note here, 1. It is not said, to him that striveth or resisteth will I give the crown of Life, but to him that overcometh. Lazy wishes are so far from saving men, that endeavours, yea, striving against temptation, without conquering and overcoming, will not save. It is not enough that we resist, but we must conquer; not sufficient that we strive, but we must overcome: To him that overcometh.

Note, 2. From the promise that Christ makes of eternal life, I will give, a clear argument for Christ's being God, essentially God; how is it else that he assumes to himself a power of dispensing eternal life? I will give to eat of the tree of life.