Revelation
Chapter 2
Messages to the Seven Churches
To the Church in Ephesus
Write this to the angel of the church in Ephesus, “Thus says the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, and who walks among the seven golden lamp stands:
I know your works, your difficulties, and your patient suffering. I know you cannot tolerate evildoers, but have tested those who call themselves apostles, and have proved them to be liars.
You have persevered and have suffered for my name without losing heart.
Nevertheless, I have this complaint against you: you have lost your first love.
Remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do what you used to do before. If not, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place; this I will do unless you repent.
Yet, it is in your favor that you hate the doings of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches: To the victor, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise.”
To the Church of Smyrna
Write this to the angel of the church in Smyrna, “Thus says the first and the last, he who was dead, and returned to life:
I know your trials and your poverty: you are rich, indeed. I know how you are slandered by those who pretend to be Jews but are not, for they are, in fact, the synagogue of Satan.
Do not be afraid of what will happen to you. The devil will throw some of you into prison, to test you, and there will be ten days of trials. Remain faithful, even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches: The victor has nothing to fear from the second death.”
To the Church of Pergamum
Write this to the angel of the church in Pergamum, “Thus says the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword:
I know where you live, where Satan’s throne is, but you cling firmly to my name; you have not renounced me, not even in the days when Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives.
Nevertheless, I have a few complaints against you: Some among you hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak how to make the Israelites stumble by eating food sacrificed to idols and committing adultery.
Also among you, some follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
Therefore, repent; if not, I will come to you soon to attack these people with the sword of my mouth.
Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches: To the victor, I will give the hidden manna. And I will also give a white stone with a new name written on it, which no one knows, except the one who receives it.”
To the Church of Thyatira
Write this to the angel of the church in Thyatira, “Thus says the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.
I know your works: your love, faith, service, patient endurance; and your later works, greater than the first.
Nevertheless, I have a complaint against you: you tolerate your Jezebel, this woman who calls herself a prophetess, and is deceiving my servants; she teaches them prostitution, and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.
I have given her time to repent, but she is unwilling to leave her prostitution.
So I am going to throw her onto a bed, and inflict severe trials on her partners in adultery, unless they repent of their evil.
I will strike her children dead, and all the churches will know that I am he who probes the heart and mind; I will give each of you what your conduct deserves.
Listen to me, now, the rest of you in Thyatira. You do not hold with this teaching and have not learned ‘the secrets,’ as they are called, which are in fact, those of Satan. So I have no cause to reproach you,
only, hold on to what you have, until I come.
To the victor who keeps to my ways to the end, I will give power over the nations,
to rule them with an iron rod, and shatter them like earthen pots;
he will be like me, who received this power from my Father. Moreover, I will give him the Morning Star.
Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Commentaries
Message to the Seven Churches.
To the Church in Ephesus (2:1-7). Although Jesus Christ acknowledges their loyal effort and perseverance, he nevertheless reproves the community for having abandoned “the first love.” “First” not in chronological order but in its demanding quality and complete surrender of the heart. Here is an admirable summary of the entire journey of Christian conversion, which includes three essential steps: fix your gaze, repent, and act (5).
To the Church of Smyrna (2:8-11). The city, which took pride in its loyalty to Rome, had received many Jews who survived the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans; these had become enemies of the Christians. In the letter, there is not a single reproach from the Lord to this Church, but rather a continuous call for perseverance.
To the Church of Pergamum (2:12-17). The city was well-known in ancient times for its thriving parchment industry and its many pagan temples, among which a giant altar dedicated to Jupiter stood out. The atmosphere was oppressive for the Christian faith. The Lord wants the community to stay faithful despite the surrounding idolatry.
To the Church of Thyatira (2:18-29). Jesus Christ appears—the only time in Revelation—with the most solemn title, “Son of God.” With his penetrating gaze, “eyes like a flame of fire,” and with the firmness of someone standing on feet like burnished bronze, he aims to strengthen the life of the Church.
Thyatira was the least important of the seven cities mentioned, and paradoxically, it has the longest letter. Although Jesus Christ’s favorable judgment is commendable, the severity with which he also reproves it is significant. The community has fallen into neglect and allows heretics (the followers of Jezebel) to continue their work of deception and recruitment. The Lord warns it with strong words, applicable to the Church of all times: The opportunity can no longer be missed. Now that there is time, it is essential to convert!
To the Church of Sardis (3:1-6). Sardis was a thriving commercial hub known for its prosperous white-wool industry, which the letter appears to refer to. Despite this material success, the Christian community was barely surviving. Jesus Christ presents himself as filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit (“the seven spirits of God”) and capable of restoring the Church’s purpose. Through his powerful word, guided by the Spirit, he will bring life back to the community. Our Lord’s rebuke is sharply bitter. The community only “has a name,” maintaining an outward appearance or façade, but internally, in its faith and love, it is dead. However, not all is lost; a lively remnant still remains (4). These few must remain vigilant so that what is still good does not fade away.
To the Church of Philadelphia (3:7-13). Philadelphia was a small city southeast of Sardis. The Christian community is at the end of its strength and receives from the Lord a letter full of praise and encouragement. The Lord makes no reproach; he knows that it is a small community and that it suffers persecution from the Jews. The faithful Christians constitute the true Israel. No one will be able to erase the consecration of their name, indelibly engraved by the Lord.
To the Church of Laodicea (3:14-22). Laodicea was known in ancient times for its famous medical school specializing in eye diseases. The city considered itself self-sufficient (17). Jesus Christ’s judgment is extremely severe. The state of the Church makes him sick. The reason for such intense revulsion is the Church’s lukewarmness: it believes itself to be rich and perfect and, in its blindness, refuses to recognize its extreme poverty. It lives, clumsily, entrenched in the worst sin: religious pride. The community must seek only in the Lord the remedy for its shameful situation: it must put on the white garment of its dignity as the bride of Jesus Christ. Verse 20 is the most beautiful and mysterious in the entire Bible. Despite this severe judgment, the Risen Lord, the one who stands, patiently waits at the door. He knocks insistently, like the Bridegroom in the Song of Songs (cf. Song 5:2). He gently pleads to be let in, but the door can only be opened from the inside, meaning it ultimately depends on the Christian’s freedom. But if the Christian responds generously, the Lord, now the host of the house, will form an intimate covenant with him, founded on mutual love, and will grant him the gift of the Eucharistic supper.