Matthew Henry Commentary Revelation 2:1-7

"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: I know thy works, and thy toil and patience, and that thou canst not bear evil men, and didst try them that call themselves apostles, and they are not, and didst find them false; and thou hast patience and didst bear for my name`s sake, and hast not grown weary. But I have [this] against thee, that thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore whence thou art fallen, and repent and do the first works; or else I come to thee, and will move thy candlestick out of its place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." — Revelation 2:1-7 (ASV)

These churches were in such different states regarding purity of doctrine and the power of godliness that the words of Christ to them will always suit the circumstances of other churches and believers. Christ knows and observes their state; though in heaven, yet He walks in the midst of His churches on earth, observing what is wrong in them and what they lack. The church of Ephesus is commended for diligence in duty.

Christ keeps an account of every hour's work His servants do for Him, and their labor will not be in vain in the Lord. But it is not enough that we are diligent; there must be bearing patience, and there must be waiting patience. And though we must show all meekness to all people, yet we must show righteous zeal against their sins. The sin Christ charged this church with is not having left and forsaken the object of love, but having lost the fervent degree of it that first appeared.

Christ is displeased with His people when He sees them grow remiss and cold toward Him. Surely, this mention in Scripture of Christians forsaking their first love reproves those who speak of it with carelessness and thus try to excuse indifference and sloth in themselves and others; our Savior considers this indifference sinful. They must repent: they must be grieved and ashamed for their sinful decline, and humbly confess it in the sight of God. They must endeavor to recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly and watch as diligently as when they first set out in the ways of God.

If the presence of Christ's grace and Spirit is slighted, we may expect the presence of His displeasure. Encouraging mention is made of what was good among them. Indifference to truth and error, good and evil, may be called charity and meekness, but it is not so; and it is displeasing to Christ. The Christian life is a warfare against sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh. We must never yield to our spiritual enemies, and then we will have a glorious triumph and reward.

All who persevere will derive from Christ, as the Tree of Life, perfection and confirmation in holiness and happiness, not in the earthly paradise, but in the heavenly. This is a figurative expression, taken from the account of the Garden of Eden, denoting the pure, satisfactory, and eternal joys of heaven, and the looking forward to them in this world by faith, communion with Christ, and the consolations of the Holy Spirit. Believers, accept your wrestling life here, and expect and look for a quiet life hereafter; but not until then: the word of God never promises quietness and complete freedom from conflict here.