Revelation Verse-by-Verse 2:1-3

The overall tone of the Glorified Lord’s remarks to this assembly [Ephesus] is positive. He reminds them of the fact that He is the One that holds the seven stars in His right hand, and that walks among the assemblies. This is very encouraging, especially when the Lord says the next three things He says: [verse 2]

· I know thy works- Literally, I see the works you have produced

· and thy labour- Literally, intense labour united with trouble and toil

· and thy patience- Literally, “in the N. T. the characteristic of a man who is unswerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings” [1]

He that is walking amidst the assemblies and holding the messengers in His right hand really does see and delight in the deep costly faith and works of His genuine servants at Ephesus.[2] This fact ought to be sufficient to undergird all saints throughout the Church Age, whatever they may face for their commitment to good works in His name.

He goes on [verse 2] to commend them for their loyalty to the Truth.

…how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars

Even this early in the ‘Church Age’ there were men that claimed to be apostles of the Lord that were lying. The Glorified Lord commends these at Ephesus because they ‘tried them’[3] rather than accepting what they taught as Truth simply because they proclaimed it persuasively and ‘authoritatively.’ Twenty-first century believers would do well to take a lesson from this commendation by the Glorified Lord. ‘Everything that glitters isn’t gold’ goes the old adage. And everyone that claims to be a messenger of God is not.

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

Here we see very openly that the Glorified Lord sees the demanding work of bearing testimony to the Light in a dark world. The simple Greek words used are emphatic. In each commendation there is the sense of performing the identified task under trying conditions. It is as if the Glorified Lord is almost surprised to see their endurance.

Thomas Manton has a persuasive comment here:

To lift up some heavy weight from the ground argues some strength; but to carry it for an hour, or all day, is a more perfect thing.[4]

[1] Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on this Greek word. [2] Here, recall the emphasis upon this entire Revelation of the Glorified Lord being given unto “His servants” in the very first verse of this Revelation! [3] This same John spoke of the need for this ‘trying’ process elsewhere as well: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1. [4] Thomas Manton in The Biblical Illustrator (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, Twenty-three Volume Edition, ISBN 0-8010-3280-6), Volume 23, Commenting on Revelation 2:3.