Revelation 2-3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:1

Unto the angel of the Church of Ephesus - By αγγελος , angel, we are to understand the messenger or person sent by God to preside over this Church; and to him the epistle is directed, not as pointing out his state, but the state of the Church under his care. Angel of the Church here answers exactly to that officer of the synagogue among the Jews called ציבור שליח sheliach tsibbur , the messenger of the Church, whose business it was to read, pray, and teach in the synagogue. The Church... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:2

I know thy works - For the eyes of the Lord are throughout the earth, beholding the evil and the good; and, being omnipresent, all things are continually open and naked before him. It is worthy of remark, that whatsoever is praiseworthy in any of these Churches is first mentioned; thereby intimating that God is more intent on finding out the good than the evil in any person or Church; and that those who wish to reform such as have fallen or are not making sufficient advances in the Divine... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:3

And hast borne - The same things mentioned in the preceding verse, but in an inverted order, the particular reason of which does not appear; perhaps it was intended to show more forcibly to this Church that there was no good which they had done, nor evil which they had suffered, that was forgotten before God. And hast not fainted - They must therefore have had a considerable portion of this love remaining, else they could not have thus acted. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:4

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee - The clause should be read, according to the Greek, thus: But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:5

Remember - Consider the state of grace in which you once stood; the happiness, love, and joy which you felt when ye received remission of sins; the zeal ye had for God's glory and the salvation of mankind; your willing, obedient spirit, your cheerful self-denial, your fervor in private prayer, your detachment from the world, and your heavenly-mindedness. Remember - consider, all these. Whence thou art fallen - Fallen from all those blessed dispositions and gracious feelings already... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:6

The deeds of the Nicolaitanes - These were, as is commonly supposed, a sect of the Gnostics, who taught the most impure doctrines, and followed the most impure practices. They are also supposed to have derived their origin from Nicolas, one of the seven deacons mentioned Acts 6:5 ; (note). The Nicolaitanes taught the community of wives, that adultery and fornication were things indifferent, that eating meats offered to idols was quite lawful; and mixed several pagan rites with the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear - Let every intelligent person, and every Christian man, attend carefully to what the Holy Spirit, in this and the following epistles, says to the Churches. See the note on Matthew 11:15 , where the same form of speech occurs. To him that overcometh - To him who continues steadfast in the faith, and uncorrupt in his life; who faithfully confesses Jesus, and neither imbibes the doctrines nor is led away by the error of the wicked; will I give to eat of the tree of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:8

Unto the angel - This was probably the famous Polycarp. See below. These things saith the first and the last - He who is eternal; from whom all things come, and to whom all things must return. Which was dead, for the redemption of the world; and is alive to die no more for ever, his glorified humanity being enthroned at the Father's right hand. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:9

I know thy works - As he had spoken to the preceding Church, so he speaks to this: I know all that ye have done, and all that ye have suffered. The tribulation here mentioned must mean persecution, either from the Jews, the heathens, or from the heretics, who, because of their flesh-pampering doctrines might have had many partisans at Smyrna. And poverty - Stripped probably of all their temporal possessions, because of their attachment to the Gospel. But thou art rich - Rich in... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:10

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer - This may be addressed particularly to Polycarp, if he was at that time the bishop of this Church. He had much to suffer; and was at last burnt alive at Smyrna, about the year of our Lord 166. We have a very ancient account of his martyrdom, which has been translated by Cave, and is worthy of the reader's perusal. That account states that the Jews were particularly active in this martyrdom, and brought the fagots, etc., by which he was... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:3

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:4

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:10

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