Albert Barnes Commentary Revelation 2:19

"I know thy works, and thy love and faith and ministry and patience, and that thy last works are more than the first." — Revelation 2:19 (ASV)

I know your works. (See Barnes on Revelation 2:2).

He knew all they had done, good and bad.

And charity. Love: love to God and love to man. There is no reason for restricting this word here to the comparatively narrow sense which it now bears. (See Barnes on 1 Corinthians 13:1).

And service. Greek: ministry—diakonian. The word would seem to include all the service which the church had rendered in the cause of religion—all that was the proper fruit of love, or that would be a carrying out of the principles of love to God and man.

And faith. Or, fidelity in the cause of the Redeemer. The word here would include not only trust in Christ for salvation, but also that which is the proper result of such trust—fidelity in His service.

And your patience. Patient endurance of the sorrows of life—of all that God brought upon them in any way, to test the reality of their religion.

And your works. Your works as the fruit of the virtues just mentioned. The word is repeated here from the first part of the verse, perhaps to specify more particularly that their works had recently been more numerous and praiseworthy even than they had formerly been.

In the beginning of the verse, as in the commencement of each of the epistles, the word is used in the most general sense to denote all that they had done. This means that He had such a thorough acquaintance with them in all respects that He could judge their character.

In the latter part of the verse, the word seems to be used in a more specific sense, referring to good works, and with a view to say that they had lately abounded in these more than they had formerly.

And the last to be more than the first. Those works which had been recently performed were more numerous and more commendable than those which had been rendered formerly. That is, they were making progress; they had been acting more and more in accordance with the nature and claims of the Christian profession.

This is a most honourable commendation, and one which every Christian and every church should seek.

Religion in the soul and in a community is designed to be progressive. While we should always seek to live in such a manner that we may have the commendation of the Saviour, we should regard it as a thing to be greatly desired that we may be approved as making advances in knowledge and holiness.

As we grow in years, we should grow alike in the disposition to do good and in the ability to do it. As we gain in experience, we should also gain in a readiness to apply the results of our experience in promoting the cause of religion.

One who is merely stationary in religion would deserve little commendation. Only the one who is constantly making advances properly develops the nature of true piety and shows that it has set up its reign in the soul.