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THE
CHURCH OF EPHESUS
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Ephesus.
Part of this Church he blames, and part he praises, according to the
character of the name. For Ephesus is said to be interpreted,
"a great fall," as well as "my will in it."
stars.
That is, Who has you in His right hand, and seeks you by His power.
walketh.
Who goes about in the midst of you, and searches the hearts and the
reins of all.
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I
know. I see, that is, that thou art diligent in
the practice of good works, and bearest calmly the insufferable injuries
of the wicked, for thou hast diligently examined the words and works
of the false Apostles, and hast not been willing to give way to them
in anything.
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love.
In the person of some, thou hast forsaken the love which began at first,
and if they do not regain it, I will deprive them of the promised reward
of light. But in others, thou hatest the examples of evil men, idolatry,
that is, and fornication, for these are the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
as is shewn in what follows. |
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ear.
He indicates that he writes for all the churches the things which he
addresses to them individually; for it was not the Church of the Ephesians
alone, which, if it did not repent, was to be removed from its place;
nor was Satan's seat at Pergamos alone, and not rather in every place.
In like manner also, the other things of the several churches are common
to every church.
overcometh.
The "tree of life" is Christ, by the vision of Whom in the
celestial paradise, and in the present body of the Church, holy souls
are refreshed.
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THE
CHURCH OF SMYRNA
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Smyrna.
He speaks to this church of enduring persecution, and its name also
agrees with this. For Smyrna is interpreted "myrrh", which
denotes the mortification of the flesh.
the
first.
He who both created all things, and renewed all things by His death.
This is a suitable preface when he is going to enjoin patience.
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tribulation.
Yea, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom
of heaven."
Fortunatus
has beautifully expressed this in a short verse, saying:
"In narrow realm the poor man reigns possessing God."
Jews.
"They
profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him." For
Jew is a name of religion. And so also the Apostle says,
"who is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart,"
"not in the letter."
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devil.
These words apply to the Universal Church, against which the devil
is always exercising an enmity from which there is no escape.
ten
days.
He means the whole of the time during which the commandments of
the decalogue are necessary. For as long as thou shalt follow the
light of the divine word, thou must needs suffer imprisonment from
the enemy who opposes thee. Some understand that the ten persecutions
of the heathen, from the Emperor Nero to Domitian, are signified.
death.
He shews how far the ten days reach, in that he counsels them to
keep the faith unto death.
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second
death.
He who shall have remained faithful unto the death of the flesh, will
not fear the death of the soul. |
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THE
CHURCH OF PERGAMOS
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Pergamos.
Pergamos
is interpreted, "dividing their horns," for by his judgement
he made a distinction between the virtues of the faithful and the
perfidy of the Nicolaitans, that "the horns of the sinners
might be broken, and the horns of the righteous
one exalted."
sword.
He has fitly mentioned first His judicial power, for He was to assign
rewards to the victors, and punishment to the transgressors.
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seat.
I approve indeed of thy patience, because although thou dwellest
among the reprobate, thou dost not honour Me in name alone, as called
Christian, but with perfect faith, even in the time of a persecution
unto death. But I do not approve of this, that I see seducing teachers
even in thee.
Antipas.
Some understand a martyr
who suffered at Pergamos, others the Lord Christ, who even now is
put to death by the unbelieving, so far as in them lies.
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eat.
These are the two principal things in which all the carnal exercise
themselves, "whose
god is their belly, and their glory in their shame." But besides
this, every evil work is idolatry and spiritual fornication. |
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Nicolaitans.
The Nicolaitans are named from Nicolas the deacon, of whom Clement
relates
that, when he was reproved for his jealousy of a most beautiful
wife, he answered that whoever would might take her to wife, and
says that, on account of this, unbelievers taught that the Apostles
allowed to all a promiscuous and common intercourse with women.
And the Nicolaitans are reported to have put forth some fabulous
and almost heathen statements concerning the beginning of the world,
and not to have kept their meats separate from things offered to
idols.
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manna.
He who shall have despised the allurements of the flesh in spite
of the advice of hypocrites, will of right be satisfied with the
sweetness of the invisible bread which comes down from heaven.
stone.
That is, a body which is now made white by baptism, and is then
refulgent with the glory of incorruption.
name.
That we should be named, and should be, sons of God.
knoweth.
Because "he who says
that he knows God, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar,"
for the hypocrite tastes not how sweet the Lord is.
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THE
CHURCH OF THYATIRA
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Thyatira.
Thyatira
is translated, "for a sacrifice;" and the saints "present
their bodies
a living sacrifice."
eyes.
He explains farther on what eyes of flame are, saying, "I am
He Who searcheth the reins and the hearts, and I will give to every
one of you according to your works."
feet.
This also he explains to be, that "the last works of this church
are more than the first."
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Jezebel.
In thy work indeed, and thy faith, thou art to be praise. But in
this thou art to be blamed, that thou dost not confute with proper
energy the synagogue of false Apostles, which pretends to be Christian.
The name Jezebel, which implies "an issue of blood," belongs
to heretics; and in particular, she is conjectured to be a woman
in the aforenamed church, who teaches the evil deeds which have
been mentioned, who was to be a figure of the Jezebel throughout
the world, whom also he manifestly threatens with vengeance.
seduce.
Under the name of Christ forsooth, she taught spiritual fornication
and idolatry, for how could she openly teach the worship of idols,
when she said that she was a prophetess in the Church.
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bed.
It is brought to pass by the just judgement of God, that she should
lie in a bed of eternal punishment, who made the wretched lie down
in a bed of lust. |
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children.
He here names the posterity and works of the woman, "children,"
and he threatens them not with the momentary death of the body,
but the eternal death of the soul.
hearts.
Under the reins he signifies delights, under the heart thoughts.
works.
Our works and words, no doubt, may be known to men. But with what
intention they are accomplished, and whereunto we desire to attain
by their means, He alone knows Who perceives what each one thinks,
and in what he takes delight. And with that consistency in punishing
fornication and idolatry, which are open faults, can He be said
to be a discerner of secret things, unless these names may be applied
even to the least offences? "Thou wilt destroy,"
he says, "all those who commit fornication from Thee."
And the same Apostle John, who heard this, when he reasoned of false
brethren, ended by saying,
"Little children, keep yourselves from idols."
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you.
As he commends repentance to the ungodly, and threatens them with
punishment, so he exhorts the godly to patience by holding forth
eternal rewards.
known.
So, again, they who work iniquity know not God, although they preach
Him. In this way also, God Who knoweth all men, knoweth not those
who work iniquity.
send.
I will not suffer you to be tempted
above that which ye are able to endure; otherwise: "Beware,"
He says,
"of false prophets," for I send unto you no new doctrine;
but keep that which ye have received unto the end.
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overcometh.
The Church has this power in Christ, as the body in the Lord: for
"in Him," according to the Apostle,
"God has given unto us all things." |
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iron.
With inflexible justice He rule the meek, that they may the more bring
forth fruit, but overthrows the contumacious, that they may either
perish for ever, or that earthly desires may be destroyed in them,
and the impure things of the old man, whatever has been contracted
and wrought in them from the sinful clay. |
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star.
Christ is "the morning star," Who promises and reveals to
the saints the eternal light of life, when the night of the world
is past. |
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