(Reflections and notes on Jesus’ words to the church in Ephesus. Explore the previous parts of this series.)
As we look at the letter to the church in Ephesus there is an outline: Jesus introduces Himself specifically; there is an intended audience; there is an outline of what is commendable; there is a point of contention; there is a word for correction with a warning; and then there is a promise for the conquerors.
Let’s get a picture of Ephesus at the time. It was one of the most influential places in the Roman Empire. Its location made it pivotal as a trade centre as a port. As a result, it was also a place for rich cultural expression. Cultural and religious. Among the gods that were worshipped, was the goddess Artemis. Ephesus is featured fairly frequently in the New Testament. The book of Acts mentions this city often with Apollos coming across Aquilla and Priscilla there and receiving the necessary correction to his understanding of the gospel. The apostle Paul established a base of operations in Ephesus for a few years that meant that his activities quickly spread in the region. As he returns to Jerusalem, Paul passes through and connects with the elders of the church in Ephesus to give them warnings and encouragement. There’s also the letter we have from Paul that was addressed to the church in Ephesus. The apostle John would also engage with the saints in Ephesus which is one of the reasons why he was in a position to communicate with this church in particular as instructed by Jesus.
Listening carefully to what Jesus says to the church in Ephesus reveals much about what Jesus likes as well as what Jesus hates as to the nature of His Bride.
First a word on the angel/messenger in verse 1. There are some who believe that this refers to the pastor or leader of the church. Among a number of reasons why I do not believe it’s making that reference is because the set-up for churches in this era was largely based on a plurality of elders. Unlike some modern expressions of church, there was no ‘main pastor’ or minister or bishop. Some suggest that as it means a messenger, then it oculd just be about a physical messenger who could convey the message. Some think this refers to a literal angelic being who is assigned over that particular church. At present this is the explanation I tend to believe. what’s interesting about that is the implication that God assigns angels to look after churches … it’s a fascinating thought to consider for today. Not necessarily something to get hung up on as though we have to appeal to an angel to sort our church out. More about God’s care for His church that even as angelic influence is prominent in scripture, so that is still pertinent for the collection of believers in given geographical areas.
The Greeting (vs 1) – The last thing Jesus explains the interpretation about in the previous chapter is the first thing that Jesus identifies himself as when addressing this church. He holds and He walks. When it comes to the church – it’s His, and He looks after it. He is Lord – giving Him every right to influence and shape how what belongs to Him should operate. How sensitive are we to the place Jesus has over His church? How do we express that sensitivity especially where there are certain instances where ownership and propriety can seem to go to other parties?
The Commendation (vs 2-3, 6) – Jesus outlines a list of things He sees as walks among the church in Ephesus. These are qualities He clearly applauds in a body of believers. These are saints who work hard and keep on keeping on with the hard work. That is in Jesus’ eyes – not just something that others might remark on. These are people committed to work. What will be interesting to consider when it comes to Jesus’ contention is the nature of that work. Whatever it is – this is work that Jesus acknowledges and commends.
Jesus also points out how the church has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to false teaching. These are clearly no mugs who are just happy to go along with every wind of changes and trendy new teaching that comes along. They will go as far as to check the credentials of those looking to pass themselves off as apostles and ditch them at the sight of false teaching.
There’s something challenging about that quality in considering the deluge of information and fashionable teachings that seek to influence the church. How mindful are saints as a collective to carefully consider what’s being taught and employ the zero-tolerance policy on false teaching?
It’s worth remembering that this church is exercising this slap bang in the middle of one of the most culturally and religiously diverse areas in the Roman Empire. Their diligence in this area is remarkable clearly under circumstances where it would be all too easy for standards to be compromised to be acceptable to the culture.
Jesus then says something fascinating about the Ephesian Church policy on Nicolaitans. “I hate it.” Take a minute to let that sink in. Jesus hates. Seriously. He ain’t joking. Again, in the context of what Jesus will have to correct the church about, Jesus does not leave the issue of what He hates. What do we know about the work of the Nicolaitans? Very little. Some speculate that it might have something to do with a sect/cult that sought to compromise faith in Christ with teachings and practices that endorsed immorality. What is clear is that Jesus hates it and so does the church in Ephesus. Jesus hates it. Jesus endorses an approach to teachings that go against Him. Such should be the response to the teaching that we should utterly detest it. Throughout His Word, there is an encouragement for those who follow Jesus to hate that which rejects Jesus. Sadly, some of us misunderstand that and take that as a license to behave in unpleasant ways to people who hold views that they don’t agree with. Just as tragic, however, is that some have such a fluffy and sentimental view about ‘Jesus is love’ that they couldn’t possibly believe that this Jesus would hate anyone or anything. What the saints in Ephesus are commended for, however, is rightly exercising a hatred for the teaching that sought to come in and corrupt the Body. They were all for doctrinal purity, anything that affected that was not entertained at all. What would it be like to be a part of that kind of church today?
The Contention (vs. 4) Content-wise, Jesus has more to say about the things that He likes about the church in Ephesus than He does about what He doesn’t like. He has a list for the likes and only one thing on His dislike. Just one. I mean, on the balance of things, that sounds pretty, pretty good. Until we find out what that one thing is and just how seriously Jesus takes it.
Jesus’ contention is that this church has lost the love they had at first. This is not Jesus getting all Righteous Brothers on Ephesus and suggesting that the church has lost that loving feeling. No. It’s a lot worse than that. What I love about this, however, is the implicit suggestion that there is a love that we have at first – we as a church as well as we as an individual. Following Jesus is marked by receiving and expressing a certain type of love.
There are those who wonder what Jesus is referring to: is it love for God, or love for others in the church or love for those who are outside of the family? As followers of Jesus that love is the same. It is because of the love for God that we love others and our love for others reflects the love we have for God. This love, however, is something we experience – or at least should experience at the start. We love because He first loved us – it is that love that motivates the love that marks us out as His followers. Indeed it is the distinctive love that the Father has as seen in the Son that marks us out as those who follow Jesus. We do it because we love Jesus – we love Him wholeheartedly as seen in activities that express that – sure prayer, praise and study of His Word, as well as application of that to brothers, sisters, neighbours and enemies.
Most of what you’ve just read are things that you see written by … John – the very brother Christ is entrusting to hear and share with the churches. Entry into the marvellous Kingdom of Light is as a result of that manner of love that the Father has given us that we should be called the children of God. That love influences and impacts how we love others especially in the household of faith. As others observe that love, they will see the difference this love makes to life.
The Correction (vs 5): Remember where you’re coming from. That’s a strong word for the church in Ephesus. To exercise the love it’s crucial to remember that love. Go back and recall. See again what that love is all about. Detect again how the love of the Father stirred a love for others that was something that could only be credited as the love from the Son by the Spirit. What Jesus recommends suggests that there’s been a fair journey away from that. Activity can propel us to other activities that do not take into account what was of great importance to God. That’s why we move on from remembering to returning.
There were things that you did – you walked away from those things to do other things – now turn away from where you’ve been going and turn to those activities that expressed the love of God that you expreienced at first. This is quite the challenge for the church. It’s a rebuke to say there are things even more important than what you are doing. Things that refer back to what you used to do. You need to do those things again.
That is not just a suggestion for the church in Ephesus. It’s something that can be applicable to churches that are busy and rigorous and doctrinally sound, but forget the heart of the call of the church to love even as we have been loved by Jesus. Do those things again. Do what it is to express that love of God to each other. Put those actions and practices back in effect and treasure them for what they are as the indication that the love of God has reached us. In His mercy and gracious kindness events can take place that God uses for us to become aware of those precious values that marks out His Family. So busy with programmes, projects and activities that it is no longer about the love for one another – the supernatural love that forgives, restores, builds, honours, celebrates and protects. It’s the kind of love that we know is spiritual because Paul writes about it to the church in Corinth while He’s talking about spiritual gifts. This love is not just sentiment and warm-hearted feelings. This love is the will to do even when others would not consider it.
Jesus’ observation of the church in Ephesus was that active, truthful, persevering though they were, it was crucial that they returned to the love they had at first. This was a serious matter to Jesus. How serious?
The Warning (vs. 5): This is serious enough that Jesus says failure to address this issue will lead to Him removing the lampstand. In case we don’t get what He’s saying, the context informed us what the lampstand represented – it was the church itself. Jesus is saying that if the church in Ephesus did not return to the love it had at first, there would be no church in Ephesus. There would be no church in Ephesus unless it turned to what Jesus wanted from them. Jesus Himself would remove the church. It’s worth putting it like that, because we can get the impression that once a church is planted, once a church is set up that it’s there to stay and prayers and the like should be offered up to maintain the presence of the church in that location. Jesus, would rather remove a church from the location, than allow a church to continue that does not have the love they should have initially received from Him, experienced to Him and others and marked them out to those who looked on as followers of Jesus. If a church is like that, persists in that, whatever other good things they do, they are not a reflection of what Jesus wants. Jesus won’t just let this happen. It’s His name and character at stake. The Body is supposed to reflect Him. He certainly is the truth, but He is the truth in love and if there is no love … Imagine that for a minute. You have just been commended for some highly rated behaviours and values. It’s literally like you would have got nine out of ten in a test – but Jesus is serious to say if you don’t have that one part to it, that vital element that you walked away from … as intolerant as the Ephesian church was to evil-doers and false doctrine, is as intolerant Jesus would become with them. The contention and the warning highlights a lot about what Jesus values in those who are His lampstands located. It’s a sobering warning that was designed for the church in Ephesus to become alert.
The Conqueror’s Promise (vs 7): Jesus has a word for the conquerors, for the people that overcome. Conquer what? Overcome what? In the immediate context we’re given it lends itself to say if people can conquer lovelessnes as well as a world that promotes lies – if you can be victorious in exercising the love that you experienced at first for God, for His family and for others then there is something in store for you to make it all worthwhile. If we can hear what the spirit si saying, if we can acknowledge what there is to overcome in this scenario and if we value and treasure what is close to the heart of God consider this word. Eating of the tree of life in the paradise of God. We’re given a reminder all the way to the beginning where in the garden set up for the first man in the middle of that farden is the tree of life. We are given that memory and we are told of a journey all overcomers will make. A journey to enjoy the presence of God forever. This tree is so precious and so powerful and so profound that when man rebelled, God had to protect Him from access to the tree of life. God had to banish Him from that tree. But overcomers get access to what had been put off for so long. It’s important to bear in mind that this promise is a lot more than what happens when we die – it’s what we’re living for now in the delight that’s worth living for eternally. Consider what Jesus is saying to a church located in one of the greatest places to be on earth. He is saying that rich and culturally attractive though these places maybe, eating in this scenario is nothing compared to what it is to eat the greatest food possible in the greatest place possible eternally. And that consuming is what it is to have a right relationship with the soure of real life. We love Him because He first loved us. We know Him because He reveals Himself to those who seek to know Him. One day we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is and because of that hope we have in Him, our desire is to purify ourselves as He is pure and that purity is better expressed nowhere better than the love we have for others especially in the household of faith.
Questions based on the letter to the church in Ephesus
- What does this letter tell you about the nature of Jesus?
- What does this letter tell you about things Jesus applauds in a church?
- What do you think Jesus means when He says that He will remove the lampstand?
- How can a church get to a place where they forget their first love?
- What can a church do to ensure it always remember the love it has at first?
- What is the paradise of God?
- As you hear what Jesus says to the church in Ephesus, how will it affect your approach to church?
Recommended Sources
Dr Bob Utley teaching on Revelation 2:1-7 as part of his teaching series on Revelation
David Pawson teaching on Ephesus in his series on the Letters of Jesus
For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
C. L. J. Dryden
Life With CD 