Tuesday 2 September 2025
“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands." (v. 1)
Background
We begin to look at the short letters written to the seven key churches of Asia (western Turkey), as part of the revealing vision given to John.
As Jesus apparently dictates each letter, John is the secretary, and he stresses the accuracy of what he writes. The seven lampstands are the churches. The seven stars are the angels of these churches. We might imagine these as ‘guardian angels’, or as human messengers – perhaps envoys sent to John from the main churches, to minister to him and to take news back to the mainland. The number seven often symbolises ‘perfection’, so these seven churches could possibility represent the whole Christian Church, throughout all time.
Jesus begins each time by reminding the recipient who the message is from. Although these epithets are usually different, they each stress his power and majesty over and against the Roman imperial rule so prominent in these cities.
Today we consider the first two letters – to Ephesus and Smyrna.
Today the ruins of Ephesus are a World Heritage Site. At the time of Revelation, it was a busy harbour city; a centre of power in that part of the Roman Empire. It also has important biblical heritage: Paul spent a couple of years there (Acts 19) and the book of Ephesians in the Bible is addressed to the church there. It continued to be an important centre for the Early Church, hosting the Third Ecumenical Council in 431 AD.
The church in Ephesus would have been very small in comparison to the pagan worship at the magnificent Temple of Artemis (one of the seven wonders of the ancient world), which included a beautiful garden with a tree at the centre where criminals could find refuge (compare with the tree of life in verse 7). The Christians in Ephesus, as elsewhere, had to hold steadfast to their claim that Jesus was the true Messiah and the risen Lord of the world, despite opposition and persecution.
Jesus commends them for standing firm, and for not putting up with strange teachings or false apostles (including the ‘Nicolaitans’, a group of whom we know very little). And yet there is one criticism: they have forgotten (or abandoned) the love (agápē) they once showed. The text suggests that this is not their love for Jesus, but rather their practical love towards others (“do the works you did at first”, verse 5). This is similar to the message of 1 Corinthians 13, and James 2:14-17. Many churches through the ages have fallen into the same trap: they are big on doctrine and righteousness, but poor when it comes to charity and compassion. Jesus says: repent of this, rekindle that outward love and then keep going – persevere in a hostile world.
Smyrna was a port town on the Aegean Sea (modern-day Izmir). The message to the church at Smyrna is brief and encouraging, without criticism. Jesus knows (and identifies with) their suffering and persecution. They even suffer abuse from the local Jewish community – who are criticised for not acting like true Jews. ‘Synagogue of Satan’ (v. 9) is a damning and controversial term, which should in no way reflect Christian views towards the Jewish people in general, but perhaps reflects the persecution felt by Christians in this city at this time.
‘The second death’ (v. 11) refers to the idea that our human bodies may be destroyed in our physical death, but those who trust in Jesus will receive the gift of eternal life so that their souls or personalities will survive any future ‘death’ (eg hell or oblivion).
To Ponder:
- To what extent over the years have churches prioritised doctrine and ‘right teaching’ over genuine, compassionate, self-giving love (agápē)? How does this fault still divide the Church today?
- If you belong to a church, how does it relate to nearby places of worship and communities of other faiths?
Bible notes author: The Revd Andrew Murphy
Andrew is a Methodist presbyter in the East Mercia Circuit, and currently the minister of the churches of Market Harborough, Kibworth and Rothwell, and part of the ministry team at St Giles, Desborough. He is married to Emily, with two children, aged nine and eleven. He has been in the ministry for 17 years, previously serving in the Hinckley Circuit. He trained at the Wesley Study Centre in Durham, is a published hymn writer, supports Newcastle United FC, and is proud of his roots in Consett, County Durham.