The First Love
Rev 2:1-7
The Apostolic Church – 33 AD to 100 AD
Previous parts of this series are located in The Bride folder
Then I saw in my dream, that when they (Christian and Faithful) were got out of the Wilderness, they presently saw a Town before them, and the name of that town is “Vanity,” and at the Town there is a Fair kept, called “Vanity-Fair.” It is kept all the year long; it beareth the name of Vanity-Fair, because the Town where it is kept, is “lighter” than Vanity; and also, because all that is there sold, or that cometh thither, is Vanity. As is the saying of the Wise – All that cometh is Vanity. This Fair is not new erected business, but a thing of ancient standing. John Bunyan: The Pilgrim’s Progress
Situated at the very center of the rich and extensive Roman Province of Asia, upon the banks of the luxuriant River Cayster just three miles from the Mediterranean sat a city that was the gateway to Rome; a city the Romans called the Lumen Asiae, the light of Asia. It was the largest city in Asia with 255,000 inhabitants. It was on a traveler’s must see list in the first century; sitting half-way between Jerusalem and Rome on the ancient Asian postal route that also included the cities of Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. It was also a “free city” because of its service to Rome and was therefore exempt from having Roman troops garrisoned there; perhaps the reason it boasted the “right of asylum” for criminals. It lived up to its name; Ephesus; Desirable One.
The city was founded in 1400 BC as a proud, rich port but it fell to Alexander in 334 BC. The city walls were 5 miles long and were paved with marble. The Arcadia Way or market center was 1,735 feet long and 70 feet wide with shops lining both sides of the marble road, which was lit at night. Their famous theater was 495 feet in diameter and seated some 25,000 spectators and the magnificent library of Celsus stood as testimony to the greatness that belonged to Ephesus in the early centuries. It is interesting that modern archeologists discovered a secret tunnel in the library that led to the brothels. Perhaps women were a bit leery when their husbands said they were going to the library to study.
Ephesus was the “market of Asia” as all trade routes from the Euphrates civilizations terminated there. It had everything one could want and yet it was a notoriously evil city, a center of crime and immorality that boasted the Temple of Artemis (Greek); Diana (Roman). It was a huge temple sitting atop “Mount Pion” — one of the seven wonders of the ancient world — that contained hundreds of priestesses that were sacred prostitutes in the worship of the “bee goddess,” functioned as a bank for kings and merchants and was famous for the Ephesian letters, amulets and charms that were touted as remedies for sickness and bringing children to barren families. The temple supported the sale of many talisman souvenirs and charms and you may recall the tribulation caused in the city by Demetrius the silversmith who led a mob against Paul in the theater at Ephesus (Acts 19:24).
It is interesting that the word “Pion” means …. Fair. Ephesus was the wealthiest and greatest city in all Asia and was called the Vanity Fair of the ancient world by the Scottish theologian William Barclay. It was like the one described by Bunyan that blended pagan worship and Christianity in celebration of the pursuit of happiness. But it was so corrupt and evil that the Greek philosopher Heraclitus said that the inhabitants of the city were fit only to be drowned and that the reason why he could never laugh or smile was because he lived amid such terrible uncleanness.
And yet in the midst of this pagan metropolis the church had some of its most exciting triumphs. It was here that 40 years prior to John receiving the Revelation of Jesus Christ Paul ministered and wrote his epistle to the Corinthians. His work was followed by Priscilla and Aquilla (Acts 18:18), Apollos (Acts 18:24) and Timothy (Acts 20:29). But here, just some 34 years after the founding of the church in the Book of Acts (63AD) we have the church at Ephesus struggling with the prejudices of the Jews, dealing with the pride of human intelligence, fending against the influence of the popular idolatry of the day and the effect of riches and sensual indulgence. The “leaven” was already spreading throughout the entire loaf (Gal 5:9) and the church was strenuously working against these evil forces. But in their exhausting efforts there were hidden and serious consequences that necessitated correction; correction from the very one who stood in the midst of and at the center of the church.
Rev 2:1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands:
The first thing we note is that Jesus introduces a new concept to the first century church with His statement that He, like the High Priest in the Old Testament walking (peripatoon; to tread all around; walk at large) to and fro in the temple taking care of the lamps, is involved in never-ceasing activity on behalf of the church. He is tending each and every lampstand in His position as our High Priest, providing constant and vigilant supervision and ultimate authority. He “holds” (krateo; hold fast, retain, take complete hold of the entire thing) the whole church in complete control.
The point here is that if the church will submit to His control (follow Him) it will never go wrong. Each church and each member of the body of Christ is measured against that standard and therein lays our security.
John 10:27-29 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
And because of where He stands …
Rev 2:2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars;
The church at Ephesus was a busy, dynamic church that was energetic in doing the work of the Lord and Jesus acknowledges it. He knows (oida; understands) their works (erga; deeds), their labor (kopon; physical toil that takes every bit of physical and mental strength and involves pain and exhaustion) and their patience (hupomoneen; steadfast endurance that accepts suffering and hardship and turns them into grace and glory). The Ephesians had paid the price through their self-denial and they had been determined and patient in their efforts on behalf of the Lord.
Jesus also notes that they are disciplined and cannot bear those who are evil; those within the church who profess Christ but conduct themselves as unbelievers (carnal Christians). They had no sympathy with the false doctrines and practices of those who called themselves apostles that were attempting to harmonize pagan worship and Christian faith. There were all kinds of those people in Ephesus, the very ones warned about in the Book of Acts:
Acts 20:29-31 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
And by Jesus Himself:
Matt 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
It is the same for us today. It is not enough that we are diligent, we must exercise great “bearing” patience to endure the rebukes of circumstances and we must have “waiting” patience to receive His promise. In the process we must, like the Ephesians, “test” (epeirasas; examine prove) those who say they are apostles and are not.
1John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (dokimazete; discern, examine, prove) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Jesus commended the Ephesian church that they had sought to have a pure ministry, one that was well founded and carefully examined the claims of pretenders, and had refused to recognize those who were false pretenders; certainly an effort to be followed today.
Rev 2:3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary.
To their credit the Ephesians had borne up well (persevered) under their trials and had not given way to murmuring or complaining, and well they might have as this was the time of the second persecution of the church under the Roman Emperor Domitian. They were patient (cheerful endurance) and didn’t compromise with the world around them and tolerate sin; rather they endured the evil and labored against it, adhering to Jesus warning:
Matt 26:41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
We too must not relax but rather persevere against evil with patience and hard work. But as the Ephesians found out, this can be a slippery slope.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.
The issue at hand was the fact that, in spite of all their “good works,” they had left their first love (agapeen; the God kind of love, sacrificial love). Note that He did not say they that they had “lost” their first love; the word “first” (prooteen) means foremost in time, order or importance. In other words they still loved but not with the same intensity. That first rapture of brotherly love was gone. In the early days of the church at Ephesus they had really loved one another but something had gone wrong.
The Ephesians had the earnest toil, the endurance and the orthodoxy or accepted view but despite all the good deeds they had a heart problem; the love was gone. Perhaps they had just “moved on” in their progress to a deeper theological truth or maybe the love of God had just been a good starting place but not the daily bread by which they were given life in the first place. So if they left their first love then what replaced it?
One thing that certainly played a part was “works.” It was their work and struggle that hardened them so that they forgot how to trust in the power of God’s love. They grew past the child-like dependence on Jesus that they knew in the beginning:
1John 4:10-11 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
This problem starts very quietly and by gradual imperceptible shifts of focus it results in the condition the Ephesian Church found itself:
§ First the exciting love of a new Christian for Jesus and his or her new brothers and sisters.
§ After a few years a move into leadership comes with responsibilities in the body of Christ.
§ Then comes church politics and decision making and the temptation to derive spiritual nourishment from the organization and power.
§ Almost without notice the first love has been replaced with activity and church work; that which never nourishes the spirit.
§ In the end the Christian is totally preoccupied with plans, goals and themes that would never have drawn him or her to Christ in the first place; the Ephesus Syndrome.
This loss of love and perspective is certainly nothing new to the Lord:
Isa 1:12-14 “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? 13 Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me.
The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies — I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. 14 Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
Consider Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42 or David and Solomon. David simply sought fellowship with God and is mentioned throughout the Bible (a man after God’s heart) while his son Solomon sought wisdom and later became apostate; He is mentioned in Scripture with mostly derogatory comments. For us today it is no different. All the accepted belief and service are not enough; Jesus wants His bride’s heart as well as her head and hands. Contrast His message here with the one that Paul wrote to them just 35 years earlier:
Eph 1:15-16 Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:
How many times have we seen new churches formed under the reviving influence of the Holy Spirit out of churches that have become cold and dead? But they become churches full of believers that have become so deeply involved in “church business” that they have slipped into being motivated more and more by the search for power and position; at a terrible cost?
Is there a solution to this dilemma?
Yes, and we’ll look at the formula next time … Success = 2rd