Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Revelation
Book: Revelation
Chapter: 2
Overview:
Epistles to the churches in
Asia, with warnings and
encouragements, To the
Church at
Ephesus;
(1-7) at
Smyrna;
(8-11) at
Pergamos;
(12-17) and at
Thyatira.
(18-29)
1-7 These churches were in such different states as to purity
of doctrine and the power of
Godliness, that the words of
Christ
to them will always suit the cases of other churches, and
professors.
Christ knows and observes their state; though in
Heaven, yet he walks in the midst of his churches
On Earth,
observing what is wrong in them, and what they want. The
Church
of
Ephesus is commended for diligence in duty.
Christ keeps an
account of every
Hour's work his servants do for him, and their
labour shall not be in vain in the
Lord. But it is not enough
that we are diligent; there must be bearing patience, and there
must be waiting patience. And though we must show all
Meekness
to all men, yet we must show just zeal against their sins. The
Sin Christ charged this
Church with, is, not the having left and
forsaken the object of
Love, but having lost the fervent degree
of it that at first appeared.
Christ is displeased with his
people, when he sees them grow remiss and cold toward him.
Surely this mention in
Scripture, of Christians forsaking their
first
Love, reproves those who speak of it with carelessness,
and thus try to excuse indifference and sloth in themselves and
others; our
Saviour considers this indifference as sinful. They
must repent: they must be grieved and ashamed for their sinful
declining, and humbly confess it in the sight of
God. They must
endeavour to recover their first zeal, tenderness, and
seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as
diligently, as when they first set out in the ways of
God. If
the presence of
Christ's
Grace and
Spirit is slighted, we may
expect the presence of his displeasure. Encouraging mention is
made of what was good among them. Indifference as to
Truth and
error, good and evil, may be called
Charity and
Meekness, but it
is not
So; and it is displeasing to
Christ. The
Christian Life
is a warfare against
Sin,
Satan, the world, and the
Flesh. We
must never yield to our spiritual enemies, and then we shall
have a glorious triumph and reward. All who persevere, shall
derive from
Christ, as the
Tree of Life,
Perfection and
confirmation in
Holiness and happiness, not in the earthly
Paradise, but in the heavenly. This is a figurative expression,
taken from the account of the garden of
Eden, denoting the pure,
satisfactory, and eternal joys of
Heaven; and the looking
forward to them in this world,
By Faith,
Communion with
Christ,
and the consolations of the Holy
Spirit. Believers, take your
wrestling
Life here, and expect and look for a quiet
Life
hereafter; but not till then: the
Word of God never promises
quietness and complete
Freedom from conflict here.
8-11 Our
Lord Jesus is the First, for
By him were all things
made; he was before all things, with
God, and is
God himself. He
is the Last, for he will be the
Judge of all. As this First and
Last, who was dead and is alive, is the believer's
Brother and
Friend, he must be rich in the deepest poverty, honourable
amidst the lowest abasement, and happy under the heaviest
Tribulation, like the
Church of
Smyrna. Many who are rich as to
this world, are
Poor as to the next; and some who are
Poor
outwardly, are inwardly rich; rich in
Faith, in good
Works, rich
in privileges, rich in
Gifts, rich in
Hope. Where there is
spiritual plenty, outward poverty may be
Well borne; and when
God's people are made
Poor as to this
Life, for the sake of
Christ and a good
Conscience, he makes all up to them in
spiritual riches.
Christ arms against coming troubles. Fear none
of these things; not only forbid slavish fear, but subdue it,
furnishing the soul with strength and courage. It should be to
try them, not to destroy them. Observe, the sureness of the
reward; "I will give thee:" they shall have the reward from
Christ's own
Hand. Also, how suitable it is; "a
Crown of
Life:"
the
Life worn out in his service, or laid down in his cause,
shall be rewarded with a much better
Life, which shall be
eternal. The second
Death is unspeakably worse than the first
Death, both in the agonies of it, and as it is
Eternal Death: it
is indeed awful to die, and to be always dying. If a
Man is kept
from the second
Death and wrath to come, he may patiently endure
whatever he meets with in this world.
12-17 The
Word of God is a
Sword, able to slay both
Sin and
sinners. It turns and cuts every way; but the believer need not
fear this
Sword; yet this confidence cannot be supported without
steady obedience. As our
Lord notices all the advantages and
opportunities we have for duty in the places where we
Dwell,
So
he notices our temptations and discouragements from the same
causes. In a situation of trials, the
Church of
Pergamos had not
denied the
Faith, either
By open apostasy, or
By giving way
So
as to avoid the
Cross.
Christ commends their stedfastness, but
reproves their sinful failures. A wrong view of
Gospel doctrine
and
Christian liberty, was a root of bitterness from which evil
practices grew.
Repentance is the duty of churches and bodies of
men, as
Well as of particular persons; those who
Sin together,
should repent together. Here is the promise of favour to those
that overcome. The influences and comforts of the
Spirit of
Christ, come down from
Heaven into the soul, for its support.
This is hidden from the
Rest of the world. The new name is the
name of
Adoption; when the Holy
Spirit shows his own work in the
believer's soul, this new name and its real import are
understood
By him.
18-29 Even when the
Lord knows the
Works of his people to be
wrought in
Love,
Faith, zeal, and patience; yet if his eyes,
which are as a
Flame of Fire, observe them committing or
allowing what is evil, he will rebuke, correct, or punish them.
Here is praise of the ministry and people of
Thyatira,
By One
who knew the principles from which they acted. They grew wiser
and better. All Christians should earnestly desire that their
last
Works may be their best
Works. Yet this
Church connived at
some wicked seducers.
God is known
By the judgments he executes;
and
By this upon seducers, he shows his certain knowledge of the
hearts of men, of their principles, designs, frame, and temper.
Encouragement is given to those who kept themselves pure and
undefiled. It is dangerous to despise the
Mystery of
God, and as
dangerous to receive the mysteries of
Satan. Let us beware of
the depths of
Satan, of which those who know the least are the
most happy. How tender
Christ is of his
Faithful servants! He
lays nothing upon his servants but what is for their good. There
is promise of an ample reward to the persevering, victorious
believer; also knowledge and
Wisdom, suitable to their power and
dominion.
Christ brings
Day with him into the soul, the
Light of
Grace and of
Glory, in the presence and enjoyment of him their
Lord and
Saviour. After every victory let us follow up our
advantage against the enemy, that we may overcome and keep the
Works of
Christ to the
End.