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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Revelation 2:18-29

The form of each epistle is very much the same; and in this, as the rest, we have to consider the inscription, contents, and conclusion. I. The inscription, telling us, 1. To whom it is directed: To the angel of the church of Thyatira, a city of the proconsular Asia, bordering upon Mysia on the north and Lydia on the south, a town of trade, whence came the woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who, being at Philippi in Macedonia, probably about the business of her calling, heard Paul preach... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Revelation 2:18-29

2:18-29 And to the angel of the Church in Thyatira write: These things says the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire and whose feet are like beaten brass. I know your works--I mean your love and your loyalty and your service and your steadfast endurance; and I know that your last works are more than your first. But I hold it against you that you make no effort to deal with the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and whose misleading teaching causes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:18

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write ,.... Of the city of Thyatira; see Gill on Revelation 1:11 ; a church was formed here very likely by the Apostle Paul; Lydia was a native of this place, who, and her household were converted and baptized by him at Philippi, Acts 16:14 ; though Epiphanius F21 Contra Haeres. l. 2. Haeres. 51. seems to grant, what some heretics objected to the authority of this book, that there was no church at Thyatira when this letter was written;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:19

I know thy works ,.... Good works, as appears from the particular enumeration of them afterwards, and the commendation of proficiency in them, the last being more than the first, and the distinction from the evil ones in Revelation 2:20 ; this is said to the faithful followers and professors of Christ in this interval: and charity ; by which is meant not a relieving the wants of the poor; much less such a charity as connives at the errors and heresies of men; but the divine grace of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:20

Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee ,.... By way of complaint; so the Arabic version renders it, "I have a certain complaint against thee". The impartiality of Christ may be observed in taking notice of the bad deeds, as well as of the good ones of his people, and his tenderness in representing them as few; and these things he had against them not in a judicial way to their condemnation, but in a providential way, in order to chastise them for them, for their good; and they are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:21

And I gave her space to repent of her fornication ,.... Of idolatry. This may have respect to the time of the witnesses, the Waldenses, and others, who bore a testimony against the Romish idolatry, and reproved for it, and denounced the judgment of God in case of impenitence; and as these things were repeated time after time, this may be called a space given to repent in; just as Jezebel had a space given her to repent in, from the time that Elijah declared the word of the Lord, that the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Revelation 2:22

Behold, I will cast her into a bed ,.... Of sickness and languishing; and which denotes the sickly, pining, and languishing state of the church of Rome, as a just retaliation for her bed of luxury and deliciousness, adultery and idolatry, she had indulged herself in; this was threatened, and was yet to come, and began at the time of the Reformation, signified by the next church state; and, ever since, the whore of Rome has been visibly sickening and decaying. The Alexandrian copy reads,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:18

These things saith the Son of God - See the notes on Revelation 1:14-15 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:19

I know thy works - And of these he first sets forth their charity, την αγαπην , their love to God and each other; and particularly to the poor and distressed: and hence followed their faith, την πιστιν , their fidelity, to the grace they had received; and service, την διακονιαν , and ministration; properly pious and benevolent service to widows, orphans, and the poor in general. And thy patience - Την ὑπομονην σου· Thy perseverance under afflictions and persecutions, and thy... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 2:20

That woman Jezebel - There is an allusion here to the history of Ahab and Jezebel, as given in 2 Kings 9:1-10:36; and although we do not know who this Jezebel was, yet from the allusion we may take it for granted she was a woman of power and influence in Thyatira, who corrupted the true religion, and harassed the followers of God in that city, as Jezebel did in Israel. Instead of that woman Jezebel, την γυναικα Ιεζαβηλ , many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read την... read more

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