EPHESUS AND PHILADELPHIA AS SEEN IN REVELATION

New Testament History and Literature

March 28, 2011

Ephesus and Philadelphia As Seen In Revelation

I. Introduction

II. Ephesus

A. Historical Sketch

B. The Picture of Christ

C. The Significance of the Commendation and Condemnation 

D. The Significance of “To him who overcomes”

III. Philadelphia

A. Historical Sketch

B. The Picture of Christ

C. The Significance of the Commendation 

D. The Significance of “To him who overcomes”

IV. Conclusion and Application

Introduction

Through the churches of Ephesus and Philadelphia we will learn the perils of forsaking the basic commands of Christ, and the privileges that we gain through our faithfulness to those same commands. When placed in a historical context, we see how Christ has personally recognized the insecurities and temptations that are faced by His churches. The churches in revelation are addressed with the disciplinary love of a father. The omniscient Father shows these churches the rewards that will be reaped if they sow  into faithfulness.

Ephesus

Historical Sketch

The church at Ephesus was set in the greatest metropolis of Asia. It had a hustling harbor that brought the city great wealth and riches in merchandise. As the gateway to Asia, it had a well-worn road to Rome. It was considered a politically free province of Rome, and was heavily influenced by the Romans. 

The city was also the center of pagan worship. Ephesians worshiped the goddess of fertility, Diana, and Roman emperors in the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the world.

  The citizens were a mixed population of six different tribes and a strong Jewish community. Paul stayed at Ephesus longer than any other church. 

The Picture of Christ

The revelation to the church at Ephesus is found in Revelation 2:1-7. Verse 1 says He is the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand. Each star stands for a church.

 The greek word for “hold” here is kratein, which means to hold the whole of something, like one would hold an apple or a rock wholly in their hand. This shows that Christ holds the whole of the church and is in total control of all of it, He is not limited to denominations. His right hand is a place of sovereign protection as well as divine authority.

Second, Christ is He who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands, the churches. The Risen Christ walks among all of the churches, and works in all of them as a whole. He is not restrained to just one church. This also depicts Christ’s strong protection and concern for the churches.

The Significance of the Commendation and Condemnation

The Risen Christ commends the church at Ephesus in several ways. They have improved in their discernment of false teacher’s since Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was sent.

 Their deeds and hard work to purify their church have been recognized. They have learned to bear the proper burdens. They have continuously kept patience. Motivated by the name of Christ, they have labored hard. They have not fainted or grown weary in serving the Lord well.

Revelation recognizes the church at Ephesus as the church that has left it’s first love.  The Risen Christ condemns the Ephesians not for forsaking Christ, but for losing the fervency and depth of love that it once had for the gospel. This abandoning of love can be construed in three ways. First it may be interpreted as losing their love for God. For saints this would be the loss of their dependence on His promises. Second it could be interpreted as the lost motivation towards the exercising of their will in spiritual discipline. Maybe had not been filled with the Holy Spirit.

 The third interpretation is the most widely accepted. It is the loss of their love for each other. It may very well be that  their eagerness to stamp out heresy in the church had resulted in a sour and rigid orthodoxy at the expense of fellowship with one another.

The Significance of “To him who overcomes”

“. . . To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God” (Rev 2:7)

.  Some theologians believe that paradise was an intermediate place between the earth and heaven where the righteous would be trained. The best explanation for paradise is in Heaven. In Luke 23:43, Christ tells the crucified criminal that today he will be with Him in paradise.

In New Jerusalem the tree of life bears fruit abundantly for the health and well-being of the whole nation. Common Jewish ideas point to the fruits of the tree of life being wisdom and joy. The eating of it’s fruit signifies the partaking of all the joys that the faithful conquerors will have when Christ reigns supreme.

Philadelphia

Historical Sketch

The city of Philadelphia comes from the greek word philadelphos: one who loves his brother.

 The city was a border town located in Lydia.  This is the reference to the “open door” made in Revelation. Philadelphia was situated on a great volcanic plain. Philadelphia was one of several cities in it’s region that was affected by earthquakes. The tremors were so often and so severe that many of the inhabitants lived in huts outside of the city, because it was so unsafe within the city.

The church at Philadelphia was recognized as the church of brotherly love that endured patiently. The city is one of two out of the seven churches spoken of in Revelation that still stands today. It became a base for spread of Christianity.

The Picture of Christ 

The church at Philadelphia is addressed in Revelation 3:7-13. Christ is pictured as holy and sovereign, sharing nothing less than the life and being of God himself.

 The Risen Christ is He who is true. The word for true here is alethinos meaning “real” or “genuine”. Here we are confronted with a Christ who has no shadow of uncertainty, but is grounded in reality. All uncertainties and earthquakes diminish in the light of his genuine truth

The Risen Christ is also has the key of David. This could be an allusion to Isaiah 22:22 where Eliakim has the key to all the treasure, and only he is able to open it or shut it.

 It also refers to the root of David. Jesus Christ is the only with access to the New Jerusalem.

 This picture of Christ addresses the church that that He alone has the power to open and close the door according to His sovereign will.

The Significance of the Commendation

Their faithfulness was commended greatly, “I know your deeds” (Rev. 3:8). They were loyal to the name of Christ and confessed his publicly. Due to their faithfulness they are promised to be delivered from the hour of trial and testing. They have kept the commandments given to them, and will be blessed accordingly, He will keep them. Nothing can separate them from the love of God; those who are faithful are secure in Christ.

The Significance of “To him who overcomes”

“. . . I will make a pillar in the temple of my God” Rev 3:12). They are promised to stand where all else has fallen. The verse continues, “. . . . never again will he leave it.” The earthquakes sent the citizens scrambling out of their town. In Christ they are secure and do not have to leave.

 They will no longer be exposed to temptations, they have their security in God.

They will also be identified with God with new names. They will have the name of God, the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, and a new name belonging to Christ. Philadelphia understood the idea of name changes because their city was renamed twice by Caesar and Flavius.

Application and Conclusion

From the letter to Ephesus we learn a few things. The Christian walk must  progressively mature. If the areas where we are criticized are improved upon, then our labor will be rewarded in paradise. We must also remember that our fervency for the gospel should not cease in any area, that we must always be yielding to the mind of Christ. 

From the letter to Philadelphia we are encouraged with great truths. In His Truth we are certain and secure, all doubts fade in the light of His genuine reality. In Christ we are made strong like pillars, where all other ground is broken and unsure.We have our identity in Christ, he has named us as His own, he has chosen us to be part of the New Jerusalem, his future plan. We now belong to Christ and are firmly set on his secure path that protects us until we reach the final destination of His divine will.

Sources Consulted

Barclay, William. The Revelation of John: Volume 1 (chapters 1 to 5). Vol. 1. Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster Press, 1960.

Gaebelein, Frank E., ed. The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews through Revelation. Vol. 12. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984.

Keener, Craig S. The NIV Application Commentary: Revelation. 1ST ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2000.

Walvoord, John F. The Revelation of Jesus Christ: A Commentary. Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1966.