Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Revelation 2:3

"and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name`s sake, and hast not grown weary." — Revelation 2:3 (ASV)

The speaker’s knowledge includes awareness of their activity, of their discernment of evil, and of their patient suffering. Their “deeds,” their “hard work” (GK 3160), and their “perseverance” (GK 5705) are underlined by the phrase “you have... endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (v.3). The Ephesian Christians did not lack serious activity, even to the point of suffering for Christ’s name. Paul attributes the same threefold activity to the Thessalonians and there adds to each quality its motivating source: “faith,” “love,” and “hope” .

Persecution of the Christians at Ephesus began in Ac 20, when a riot was instigated by Demetrius and the silversmiths, whose business was making images of the goddess Artemis (her temple stands in the foreground). But by the late first century the Ephesians had lost their first love.

Christ also knows that doctrinal discrimination accompanies the toil and patience of the Ephesians: they “cannot tolerate wicked men.” These were not the pagans in Ephesus but false brethren who “claim to be apostles but are not.” It is not easy, however, to determine precisely who these people were, what they taught, or how the church tested them. An “apostle” (GK 693) is one who is sent as a representative of another and bears the full authority of the sender. The word is applied first in the NT to the original circle of the Twelve (Mark 3:14; Acts 1:2, 26), who had a special place historically in the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20; Revelation 21:14). But the NT further broadens this original circle to include others such as Paul (Galatians 1:1), Barnabas (Acts 14:14), James the brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19), and still others (cf. Romans 16:7). The name was applied to those who were authentically and specially called by Christ to be his authoritative spokesmen.

Miracles were the signs of apostolic authority (2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4), but miracles may also accompany false prophets (Mark 13:22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Timothy 3:8; Revelation 13:13–14). Thus it was necessary to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” . Beyond their denial of Jesus as Lord, such apostles also sought selfish advantage through their claims (2 Corinthians 11:5, 13; 12:11).

As to whether the authoritative function of apostles continued after the first century, the writings of the Apostolic Fathers are instructive. In no case do their references to apostles relate to any recognized apostles other than those associated with the NT. They apparently understood the special apostolic function to have ceased with the end of the apostolic era.

About fifteen years after John’s writing of Revelation, Ignatius wrote to the church of Ephesus and commended them for refusing to give a home to any heresy. Thyatira had failed (2:20ff.), but the Ephesians had won the victory over false teachers. They had heeded Paul’s earlier warning (Acts 20:28–30).