The Works, Labor and Patience of Ephesus Revelation 2:2

After John the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”, he began to write to the “seven churches in Asia”. He started with the church located in “Ephesus”, and in chapter two and verse two of Revelation, John wrote Jesus' words, “I know your works, labor and patience” where we read:

I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot not bear them which are evil: and you have tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars:

The verse begins, “ I know your works, and your labor, and your patience, and how you cannot bear them which are evil:” John began with Jesus' words, “I know” which means “Jesus perceives, notices, discerns and discovers” “your works” or “the church in Ephesus' business, employment and that in which they were occupied”, “and your labor” which means “and the church in Ephesus' intense grief, trouble, weariness and pains”, “and your patience” or “and the church in Ephesus' steadfastness, constancy and endurance”, “and how you cannot bear them” which refers to “and the way the church in Ephesus did not carry, sustain, uphold or support people” “which are evil” or “who are of bad nature, base, wrong, wicked, troublesome, injurious, pernicious, destructive and baneful”. Jesus “knew” all the efforts, business, steadfastness and ability not to support to people who were troublesome and destructive” that existed within “the church of Ephesus”.

The verse goes on to say, “and you have tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars:” John added Jesus' words, “and you have tried” or “the church in Ephesus examined, made trial of and tested for the purpose of ascertaining quality” “them which say” which means “ people who speak, utter, proclaim and declare” “they are apostles” which refers to “people who claim to be delegates, messengers and ones sent forth with orders”, “and are not” which means “they are not delegates, messengers and ones sent forth with orders”, “and have found them” or “and came upon, hit upon, met with, sought, learned, discovered and understood these people to be” “liars” which means “lying, deceitful, erroneous, false and wicked”. Jesus knew the church in Ephesus was able to discern when people were “lying” about being true “sent out ones” or “apostles”.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see how Jesus knew the “good characteristics” within the church of Ephesus. They had “works”, they “labored” painstakingly, they were “steadfast and constant” and they did not “uphold or sustain” people who were “evil”. They also “examined or tested” people who said they were “apostles” to determine whether they were “lying” or not. These are great attributes not only within a “church body”, but also within individuals who know Jesus Christ as their personal “Savior and Lord”. Jesus who has the “seven stars in his right hand” and “walks in the midst of the seven candlesticks” oversees and acknowledges the great traits within the church of Ephesus. If He were to examine us today, would He discover the same traits?

Next time John shares more of how Ephesus has, “borne, patience, labor and not fainted”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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