tried them which say they are apostles, and are not; and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast labored, and hast not fainted. transformed as the ministers of right- 3. And hast borne. — That is, “Thou hast endured well the trials through which thou hast been called to pass; all that thine enemies have been able to do has not driven thee from the profession of my name. Thou hast borne thy trials with patience, without murmuring against God, without complaining of thy hard lot; and, for my name's sake, for thy regard to me and my cause, thou hast labored and hast not fainted." This is certainly in a strain of commendation. We are to reflect that this church was placed in the very focus of idolatry, and had peculiar difficulties to endure on this account. Although, therefore, some fault is subsequently found, yet, upon the whole, the character which is attributed to it is honorable. 4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee this to mean is, that the ardor of their love had lessened, not that their regard for Christ and his cause was entirely gone. Christianity was as good as ever, and as worthy as ever to be loved. It was a great fault in them to permit their attachment to Christ to cool in any degree. They are not accused of not having any love, but merely of having left "their first love." The love they bore to Christianity was not the love they had when they were first brought to the knowledge of the truth. Our Lord himself prophesied that the love of some would wax cold, when afflictions and trials came upon them. "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold;" Matt. xxiv. 9-12. The evident meaning is, that they would lose their first love. Jesus required of men supreme love. He was not in I such haste to gain converts that he am obliged to mention one great would take them on any conditions. fault, viz., "thou hast left thy first He required men to love him and his love." It is not necessary to in-cause with all their heart, might, mind, fer from what is here said, that this and strength; Matt. xxii. 37-40. He church had formerly had a stronger said, on a certain occasion when he love than other churches. Neither saw great multitudes following him, are we to think that their love to "If any man come to me, and hate not Christ was entirely gone. For if the his father, and mother, and wife and latter were true, how shall we ac- children, and brethren and sisters, count for their faith, and patience, yea, and his own life also, he cannot and endurance of persecution for be my disciple;" Luke xiv. 25, 26. Christ's name? All we can suppose | The meaning here we understand to 4. Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee.. But notwithstanding these things I have said in thy favor, all is not right with thee. quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. again; to repent of their fall, and to do their first works, - the works which marked their early course. This was very important. ¶ Will remove thy candlestick. This figure is borrowed from the preceding chapter. be, they were to love Christ and his cause above all things, above the dearest relatives, yea, above life itself. They must be willing to lay down their lives for the cause of Christ, if need be. The same docThe trine is expressed in different phrase-revelator had seen one like unto the ology in Matthew. "He that loveth Son of man in the midst of the seven father or mother more than me, is golden candlesticks; i. 13; and we are not worthy of me: and he that lov- told that these seven candlesticks were eth son or daughter more than me, is the emblems of the seven churches; not worthy of me;" x. 37. It will 20. The removal of the candlebe seen, then, that in the primitive stick, therefore, seems to be put for age of the church, disciples were re- the final death and extinguishment quired to love Christ with a perfect of the church. Its light should exlove. If they had such a love, they pire. It should no longer hold its would have no fear. "There is no place among its sister churches. We fear in love; but perfect love casteth are told that this rebuke of the Lord out fear because fear hath torment. Jesus had the desired effect. We He that feareth, is not made perfect in should judge this from Paul's epistle love;" 1 John iv. 18. The church at to them. The testimony of Ignatius Ephesus in the first place had perfect is to the same effect, given immelove, but the fervency of it abated. diately before his martyrdom, and They were not steadfast in their affec- some years after the Apocalypse was tion, and they left their first love. written. He states that when other How many churches are there, even Asiatic churches were becoming corin this day, and in our own happy rupt, that of Ephesus was flourishing land, who do not even retain so high in a pure faith and practice. - (Epis. a standing as is here ascribed to the ad Ep. sec. 9; Euseb. Hist. Eccl. church at Ephesus! How many have lib. iii. 26; iv. 7.) This church conleft their first love! How many are tinued for some ages in high account obliged to say, among the churches of Christendom but in time gradually sank into that corruption of doctrine, which has darkened all the churches of that region. Since the desolation of the coast of Asia Minor by Turkish tyranny in the 14th century, Ephesus has become little better than a heap of ruins. "What peaceful hours I once enjoyed! But they have left an aching void 5. From whence thou art fallen. - This shows that the "somewhat" which the Son of man had against this church was no trifling matter. Although it was not absolutely death, 6. Hatest the deeds of the Nicolaiyet it would lead to that, if not coun-tanes. — The faults and good deeds of teracted. It was a fallen state; it this church were both freely named. was a state in which it would not do Although they had permitted the ferfor them to remain. Their first love vor of their first love to abate, yet was the true love, and it should have there was one thing they had cherbeen cherished. They were called on ished, viz., hatred of the deeds of the to remember whence they had fallen; Nicolaitanes. There is some doubt to look back to their first condition as what this name is derived from. The Christians; to sigh for that state sect itself unquestionably existed in ; name. 7 He that hath an ear, let the days when the Apocalypse was written; but who they were named for is a harder matter to determine. Some writers suppose they were the followers of "Nicholas, a proselyte of Antioch," mentioned in Acts vi. 5. It is thought, with how much reason we cannot determine, that he fell into certain evil practices and errors, which were embraced by those who bore his The sect unquestionably was impure. Irenæus alleged against them that they held to a community of women, and were guilty of eating things offered to idols. Too much credit, however, should not be given to the charges which some of the fathers bring against the heretics. If we go not at all beyond the divine record, we can say with certainty, that they were a sect which existed in the revelator's day, and that their deeds were, and ought to have been, detestable in the sight of good Christians. The words "which I also hate," prove that their deeds were probably even more heinous in the sight of the Son of man than in the sight of the partially apostatized church of Ephesus. ear." 7. He that hath an ear.— -The signification is, he that hath a disposition to hear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. There were some who did not desire to hear. To hear, in the language of the Scriptures, is to "give ear," to "incline the Some would not hear, and their ears were said to be "uncircumcised;" Jer. vi. 10. Stephen referred to this in his address to the rebellious Jews, on the day of his martyrdom. He seems almost to quote from Jeremiah: "Ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: your fathers did, so do ye;" Acts vii. 51. A deaf ear is an ear that cannot hear, or will not; but an open ear is one that is ready to hear; Isa. xlviii. 8. He that hath an ear to hear, that is, an open ear, or a disposition to as him hear what the Spirit saith listen, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. This refers to the whole communication of the Spirit to the churches; not to that which precedes only, nor to that which succeeds only. All of it was worthy of attention. To him that overcometh. This phraseology is peculiarly like the apostle John. He used the word overcometh for Christian perseverance and triumph. He learned it of his Master; John xvi. 33. For John's use, see 1 Epis. ii. 13, 14; iv. 4; v. 4, 5; and Apoc. ii. 7, 11, 17, 26; iii. 5, 12, 21. No New Testament writer is distinguished for this phraseology like John. The use of such language shows that the duty of the Christian, especially in the days of the revelator, was considered a contest. He was engaged in a struggle with enemies. This was true of all the Christian churches in the beginning. Paul said to these Ephesians, "Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places;" vi. 11, 12. He represents them as engaged in a contest, or struggle; and he tells them that with the shield of faith they shall be able to "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;" 16. T Tree of life. This was the reward. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life." The metaphor doubtless is drawn from the account of Eden, in the book of Genesis, where we first read of "the tree of life." "And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil;" Gen. unto the churches; To him that | overcometh will I give to eat of ii. 8, 9; see also 22, 24. Solomon employs the metaphor repeatedly in the book of Proverbs; iii. 18; xi. 30; xiii. 12; xv. 4. In the New Testament we read nowhere of the "tree of life" except in the Apocalypse. In the midst of the paradise of God. This is an exact copy from the description of the garden of Eden in Genesis, where we read that the tree of life was in the midst of the garden. In describing the New Jerusalem, John says, "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations;" xxii. 2. Again, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city;" 14. To eat of the tree of life was the reward of overcoming in the Christian warfare. The whole is metaphorical; and describes the rich blessings of the gospel. The tree of life is said to be in the midst of the paradise of God, or New Jerusalem. He who fell away from the purity of the gospel, could not, of course, eat of the fruit of this tree; but those who maintained their devotedness to God and his truth, enjoyed continually its fruit. This is the same as the fruit of the Spirit; Gal. v. 22, 23. None could partake of this fruit, except such as overcame the world. The lesson taught is, that he who would enjoy the full advantages of Christianity, or, in other words, "eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God," must be faithful at all times, and thus overcome the world. It signified originally, a beautiful garden, park, or inclosure. In the Septuagint, the word is used to signify the garden of Eden. In the Saviour's time the Jews had it in common use to signify the state of departed souls, - a region in hades, the state of the dead. It is another name for what is called "Abraham's bosom." That it belonged to hades is evident from the following facts: It is said that Christ, at his death, went to hades, or hell, that is, the state of the dead. At his resurrection he was said to leave that state or place. Peter applied to him the prophecy, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thy Holy One to see corruption;" Acts ii. 27. When our Lord was on the cross, and the dying thief (thinking perhaps that Christ would deliver himself from his enemies, and establish his kingdom on earth) said to him, "Lord, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom," Jesus replied, and cut off all the thief's hopes of deliverance, that they were both on that day to die. To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise;" to-day shall we both enter the state of the dead. What Peter called hades, or hell, Jesus called paradise. The Jews believed in distinctions in the conditions of men in that state; but there is no proof that our Lord meant to recognize those distinctions. When he spoke of "Abraham's bosom," Luke xvi. 22, it is not to be supposed he referred to the immortal state, but to the communion which the true believer had with the faith of Abraham; and it is to be understood as parallel with the words, "Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Paradise. This is the only in- Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of stance of this word in the Apocalypse. heaven;" Matt. viii. 11; Luke xiii. It occurs in two other places in the 28, 29. The whole figure is designed New Testament, viz., Luke xxiii. to show this one thing only, that 43; and 2 Cor. xii. 4. It is a very believers sat down to the same gospel ancient word, and is neither of He- feast of which the patriarchs by faith brew nor Greek origin, but Persian. I partook. This was a strong argu . the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. 8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write; These in a gorgeous and enchanting manner, the bliss which the faithful Christian had in his soul. EPISTLE TO THE CHURCH AT SMYRNA. 8. Smyrna. - We will look first at its present condition. Smyrna was the place still known by that name. It is an ancient and celebrated city and seaport of Asia Minor, the greatest emporium of Western Asia, on the west side of the Meles, a stream which, although of small dimensions, has acquired an immortality of renown, at the bottom of a gulf of its own name. The whole seven of the ment to present to a Jew. As the Christians at Ephesus, who labored and struggled in the Christian contest, and overcame, were admitted to the richest privileges of the gospel, to an intimate communion with God, they were supposed to have arrived at that state to which Adam, in the garden, was forbidden to go. He had a right to every tree of the garden but two, viz., the "tree of knowledge," and the "tree of life." By partaking of the former, he violated his Maker's command; and lest he should partake of the latter, and live forever, he was expelled from the garden; Gen. iii. 22-24. Now it was declared of the faithful Christians, that they had ever-churches mentioned in the Apocalasting life; John iii. 36; v. 24; 1 John iii. 14. The unbeliever remained in death. He had not partaken of the "tree of life." John dwells much on this fact, that the believer had everlasting life. "For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world;" John vi. 33. Again, "I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever;" Idem. 48-51. Adam and Eve, as we have shown, were refused that intimate communion with God signified by eating of "the tree of life." John, who sought to seize on almost every glowing and striking metaphor of the Old Testament, took up this one of the "tree of life in the midst of the paradise of God;" and wishing to exalt the faithful Christian, in his description, to the highest degree of bliss, he carries him where Adam was not permitted to go, and lets him eat of that tree whose fruit Adam did not taste. But, as we have said, the whole is metaphorical, and describes lypse were in the western part of Asia Minor, and lay within a circle of about one hundred and fifty miles in diameter. There is not one within whose precincts the trumpet of the gospel now gives so distinct and certain a sound. While in this city Mohammed is acknowledged in twenty mosques, and Jews assemble in several synagogues, the faith of the Messiah is taught in an Armenian, five Greek, and two Roman Catholic churches, and in two Protestant chapels, one connected with the English, the other with the Dutch consulate. See Elliott's Travels. It was a very ancient city. Christianity flourished there early; but the place is mentioned in Scripture only in Rev. i. 11, and ii. 8. The famous Polycarp was one of its earliest, if not, in fact, its earliest bishop. It is believed by some he was appointed by John, the author of the Apocalypse, with whom he was in part contemporary. He suffered martyrdom here at a very advanced age, in consequence of his devotion to the Christian religion. He had reason to expect it from the warnings given to the church at Smyrna in the Apocalypse. This church sent her bishops to the councils of the Christian church |