Revelation 2:2,3

Revelation 2:2,3

Revelation 2:2 "'I know your works, your difficulties and your patient suffering, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and have proved them to be liars.

Revelation 2:3 You have persevered and have suffered for my name without losing heart.

Verse 2 and 3 are combined verse. In these two verse Jesus told 7 good thing about this church. Those are

1.       I know your works,

2.       your difficulties and

3.       your patient suffering, and

4.       how you cannot bear with those who are evil,

5.       you have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and

6.        Have proved them to be liars.

7.       Revelation 2:3 you have persevered have suffered for my name without losing heart.

Through this 7 point, what we can able to understand from the early church is, what and all the church was accepted, what and all the church was rejected and what and all the church discerned the good and evil.

1.    I know your works

Because of St. Paul’s great work the gospel started to spread in this place. After seeing many miracles and wonderers of God the people of Ephesus were start accept the Jesus and they start giving the testimony to Jesus.

Acts 19:11 God did extraordinary deeds of power through the hands of Paul.

Acts 19:12 Even handkerchiefs or cloths that had touched his skin were laid upon the sick and their illnesses were cured, and evil spirits also departed from them.

These things we can able to understand from these words.

2.    Your difficulties

Even though Ephesus city was strong hold of goddess Diana St.Paul was teaching the Gospel very boldly among them.

Acts 19:8 Paul went into the synagogue and for three months he preached and discussed there boldly, trying to convince them about the Kingdom of God.

Because of this, the believers of goddess Diana stand against St. Paul

Acts 19:35 Finally the town clerk was able to calm the mob. He said, "Citizens of Ephesus, who does not know that Ephesus is keeper of the temple of the great Artemis, and of her image which fell from the sky?

Acts 19:26 But, as you can see and hear for yourselves, this Paul has led astray a great number of people, not only here in Ephesus, but also throughout most of the province of Asia. And he has convinced them that gods made by human hands are no gods at all.

Acts 19:27 The danger grows that not only our trade will be discredited, but even that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will count for nothing. She whom Asia and all the world worships may soon be stripped of her renown."

Acts 19:28 On hearing this they became enraged and began shouting, "Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!"

And they start to give problem to Christians.

Acts 19:9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation,  

3.   …your patient suffering

But St. Paul didn’t bother about what ever trouble given by the believer goddess Diana, he keep on preaching the gospel among the Ephesus people acts 19:9 second part of the verse we can see this.

Acts 19:9 …he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus.[1]

Like this St.Paul very patiently preached the gospel for two year

Acts 19:10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

Because of this many Ephesians left from the false religions and start accept out Lord and savior Jesus Christ, because of that our Lord name was glorified we can see this in acts 19:17-20

17 This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus; all of them were very impressed and the name of the Lord Jesus came to be held in great honor.

18 Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices.

19 Many who had practiced magic arts collected their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of these was assessed, it came to fifty thousand silver coins.

   20 In this way, the word of the Lord spread widely and with power.

4.   …how you cannot bear with those who are evil,

From these word what we can understand is, the Ephesus church are able to discern the good and evil. Who preached the Ephesus church they thought not only the gospel at the same time they thought about to identify what is evil and how to stand against the evil. We can see this in the book of Ephesus 6:10-17: Paul thought or trained them how to withstand against the evil power

Ephesians 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God to be able to resist the cunning of the devil

Ephesians 6:12 Our battle is not against human forces but against the rulers and authorities and their dark powers that govern this world. We are struggling against the spirits and supernatural forces of evil.

Because of this teaching only the Ephesus church able to identify the evil thing and avoid it. That’s why Jesus telling  how you cannot bear with those who are evil

5.    .…but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and (6) have proved them to be liars.

·         First we should understand the meaning of apostles. Originally the apostles word came from Greek language. In Greek language it is called apolostolos. The meaning of this in English is “Messenger”. Jesus had chosen 12 disciples as apostles to preach the message of gospel.  

·         In early church after seeing the Paul’s ministry they also want to do the same type miracle and wonders to attract the people. So Paul warning the Leaders of Ephesus

29 I know that after I leave, ruthless wolves will come among you and not spare the flock.

30 And from among yourselves, some will arise corrupting the truth and inducing the disciples to follow them.

31 Be on the watch, therefore, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to warn everyone even with tears.

·         Paul continuously telling about the false apostles in 2 Cor. 11:12,13

2 Corinthians 11:12 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.

We can see these type of false apostle in the Ephesians we can see this in Acts 19:13

Acts 19:13 Some Jews who traveled around driving out evil spirits, also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those possessed by evil spirits, saying, "I command you by this Jesus whom Paul preaches."

7.Rev 2:3  You have persevered and have suffered for my name without losing heart.

Jesus told about church continues is work in the mist of all trail without losing the hope