BEMA Episode Link: 175: Revelation — Ephesus and Their First Love
Episode Length: 16:52
Published Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2020 01:00:00 -0700
Session 4
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings travel to Ephesus, hearing the first of John’s seven letters in its context.

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BEMA 158: Ephesians — Family Membership

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Transcript for BEMA 175

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA 175: Revelation - Ephesus and Their First Love

Title & Source Summary

Episode: BEMA 175: Revelation - Ephesus and Their First Love Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: Revelation 2:1-7 (The Letter to the Church in Ephesus)

This episode examines the first of seven letters in the book of Revelation, written to the church at Ephesus. The discussion explores the historical context of Ephesus during the reign of Emperor Domitian (circa AD 81-96), comparing it to the earlier period when Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians (mid-60s AD). The hosts analyze what changed over those 25 years and what “first love” the Ephesian church had forsaken, while acknowledging their faithfulness in combating false teaching.

Key Takeaways

• The seven letters in Revelation follow the actual postal delivery route through Asia Minor, beginning with Ephesus as the likely location where John penned the letter.

• Ephesus was the second-largest city in the Roman Empire and served as Domitian’s neochorus (capital city), making it a center of both Christian influence and intense persecution.

• The church at Ephesus successfully fought against false teachers and the Nicolaitans, maintaining right practice (orthopraxy) but losing something vital in the process.

• The Nicolaitans promoted syncretistic engagement with pagan Roman culture, claiming one could participate in idolatrous practices physically while remaining spiritually pure before God.

• The “first love” that Ephesus lost may have been their initial passionate love for Christ, their love for one another, or their commitment to inclusion and diversity between Jews and Gentiles.

• Between Paul’s letter to Ephesus (mid-60s AD) and John’s Revelation (late 80s-early 90s AD), political persecution intensified dramatically under Domitian’s anti-Jewish campaign.

Main Concepts & Theories

Historical Timeline and Context

The episode establishes a critical 25-year gap between two major writings about Ephesus. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians was written around 62-65 AD, shortly before his death. The book of Revelation was written during the reign of Emperor Domitian, approximately AD 81-96, with scholarly consensus placing it in the late 80s to early 90s AD.

This quarter-century gap witnessed dramatic changes in the political and religious landscape. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 became a pivotal event. According to the Oracle of Delphi, the eruption occurred because Romans had destroyed the Jerusalem temple, and the God of Israel was expressing divine anger. Domitian exploited this interpretation, running a fear-based political campaign promising to destroy the Jews and their God. This created an environment of intense persecution for Jewish believers and those associated with the Jewish faith, particularly in Ephesus, which served as Domitian’s neochorus.

Ephesus as a Strategic Center

Ephesus held unique significance in both the Roman Empire and the early Christian movement. As the second-largest city in the empire outside of Rome, it served as a major port city and was frequently chosen by emperors as their political seat of power. This made it a coming-and-going political center with strategic importance.

For Christianity, while Antioch is often referenced as an early headquarters, Ephesus became the more enduring center as the movement exploded throughout biblical Asia and Asia Minor. Its central location and status as a port city made it the natural home base for the Christian movement. Church tradition holds that the apostle John served as pastor to Asia from Ephesus and lived there with Mary, the mother of Jesus, caring for her until her death as Jesus had commissioned him from the cross.

The church in Ephesus was pastored by Timothy, whom Paul had mentored. This detail adds depth to understanding the letter’s context - the young pastor Timothy was leading a church that successfully navigated tremendous challenges.

The Nicolaitan Heresy

The letter specifically commends the Ephesians for hating the practices of the Nicolaitans. While historical details are debated, the best understanding suggests the Nicolaitans promoted full syncretistic engagement with pagan Roman culture. Influenced by Gnostic heresy, they proposed a dualistic approach where one could engage in pagan practices physically while keeping the spirit pure and devoted to God.

This would be analogous to crossing one’s fingers behind one’s back while offering incense to pagan gods, claiming “I’m not truly worshiping those gods; God knows what’s in my heart.” The hosts note how this kind of thinking - justifying compromise by claiming pure intentions - remains prevalent in contemporary Christian practice.

The Nicolaitans may be related to or identical with the false teachers addressed in Jude, 2 Peter, and Colossians, though the exact relationships remain unclear. What is clear is that the issue was orthopraxy (right practice) rather than orthodoxy (right belief). The false teaching was primarily about how to live, not what to believe.

The Battle Against False Teachers

Because Ephesus was “the head of the snake” in reference to the Christian movement (as described by various historians and political commentators), it constantly battled false apostles and false teachers. As a major city with numerous temptations and a diverse population, maintaining faithfulness was an ongoing challenge.

The letter commends the Ephesians for their hard work, perseverance, and inability to tolerate wicked people. They tested those claiming to be apostles and found them false. They endured hardships for Christ’s name and did not grow weary. This suggests a church deeply committed to discernment and maintaining the integrity of the faith.

The Lost First Love

The central critique in the letter is that the Ephesians had “forsaken the love you had at first.” The hosts acknowledge uncertainty about what specifically this refers to, offering several possibilities rooted in the letter to the Ephesians:

1. Love for Christ: The church may have lost the depth and richness of their initial passionate relationship with Jesus. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians emphasizes knowing “the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge” and the “riches” and “depth” of Christ’s love.

2. Love for One Another: They may have lost the love they initially had for fellow believers, particularly in a diverse community dealing with significant persecution and pressure.

3. Love for Inclusion and Diversity: Ephesians 2 speaks extensively about Christ tearing down “the dividing wall of hostility” between Jew and Gentile. In the temple, a physical wall separated the Court of the Gentiles from areas reserved for Jews, with signs warning that Gentiles who crossed would face death. Paul used this imagery to describe how Christ created a new spiritual reality without such divisions.

The early chapters of Ephesians use pronouns carefully to distinguish between “we” (Jews who had the ancestral faith) and “you” (Gentiles being invited into that faith). The Ephesian church may have initially embraced this radical inclusion but later cooled in their commitment to diversity and welcoming outsiders.

The irony noted in the episode is that while fighting for right practice and maintaining faithfulness against false teaching, something in the Ephesian believers died - a fire cooled off. They maintained orthodoxy and orthopraxy but lost something of their mission and passion. This presents a cautionary tale about the possibility of being “right” while losing what matters most.

Methodological Approach to Revelation

The hosts clarify that they are introducing their methodology for interpreting Revelation gradually across the seven letters rather than attempting to teach all interpretive principles in one episode. They acknowledge that many details in the letter to Ephesus remain unclear from history, making it not the best church letter for demonstrating their fuller methodology.

The approach involves slowly layering principles: introducing a principle, examining it more deeply, leaning fully on it, then adding additional layers. By the time they complete the seven letters, listeners will be equipped to understand John’s methodology in apocalyptic literature and know what to look for throughout Revelation.

The hosts promise to return to Ephesus repeatedly throughout their study of Revelation since the letter was likely penned there and Ephesian culture and imagery will appear throughout the book.

Examples & Applications

The Postal Route as Interpretive Key

The order of the seven churches in Revelation is not random but follows the actual postal delivery route of the time. When a letter arrived at the port city of Ephesus, it would be distributed along established routes. This practical detail helps readers understand the structure and organization of the text. It reminds modern readers that Revelation was a real letter to real churches facing real circumstances, not merely abstract symbolism.

Domitian’s Political Campaign

The connection between Mount Vesuvius’s eruption, the Oracle’s interpretation, and Domitian’s subsequent political strategy illustrates how ancient rulers manipulated religious sentiment for political gain. Domitian ran what the hosts describe as a “fear-based political campaign,” promising to destroy the Jewish people and their God in response to perceived divine anger. This created the intense persecution context the Ephesian church faced, making their faithfulness all the more remarkable.

Timothy’s Leadership

Knowing that Timothy, Paul’s young protege, was pastoring the Ephesian church during this tumultuous period adds personal dimension to the letter. The “little young punk named Timothy” (as Marty affectionately describes him) was leading a church that successfully navigated false teaching, persecution, and compromise in the second-largest city of the empire. This provides encouragement that faithful leadership is not dependent on age or experience alone.

The Temple Wall of Division

Paul’s reference to the “dividing wall of hostility” in Ephesians 2 draws on a specific physical reality in the Jerusalem temple. A small wall, approximately two to three feet high, separated the Court of the Gentiles from areas where only Jews could enter. Though physically easy to step over, signs warned that Gentiles who crossed faced death. This tangible barrier represented the deep spiritual and social division between Jews and Gentiles. Paul’s claim that Christ demolished this wall was radical - he announced a new reality where ethnic and religious barriers no longer separated people from God or each other.

The Nicolaitan Compromise

The Nicolaitan teaching that one could participate in pagan worship physically while remaining spiritually pure offers a cautionary example of rationalized compromise. The hosts note how contemporary believers often employ similar logic: “God knows my heart” becomes justification for questionable practices. Whether in business ethics, entertainment choices, relational integrity, or other areas, the temptation to compartmentalize faith and practice remains constant.

Losing Love While Maintaining Orthodoxy

The Ephesian church’s situation presents a sobering warning. They correctly identified false teaching, maintained right practice, persevered through persecution, and did not grow weary - yet they lost their first love. This illustrates how it is possible to be doctrinally and practically correct while losing the heart of faith. Churches and individuals can win theological battles while losing the war for authentic relationship with God and love for people.

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

The Complete Letter to the Ephesians

Since understanding what the Ephesians lost requires understanding what they once had, a thorough study of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians would provide essential background. Particular attention to the pronoun usage distinguishing Jews and Gentiles, the “dividing wall of hostility,” and Paul’s emphasis on the love of Christ would illuminate potential meanings of “first love.”

The Other Six Letters in Revelation

The hosts indicate that each subsequent letter will reveal more of their interpretive methodology for apocalyptic literature. Studying these letters in sequence and in their historical contexts will be essential for understanding Revelation as a whole.

Comparative Study of False Teachers

Investigating the relationships between the Nicolaitans, the false teachers in Jude, the false teachers in 2 Peter, and the heresy addressed in Colossians could reveal patterns in early church conflicts. Were these the same group with different names, related movements, or distinct heresies sharing common elements? Understanding the specific practices and beliefs these groups promoted would clarify what the early church fought against.

Life of the Apostle John

Since John was pastoring from Ephesus and penned Revelation, likely from Ephesus before or after exile to Patmos, understanding his biography, relationship with Mary the mother of Jesus, and role in the early church would provide valuable context for interpreting his writings.

Domitian’s Reign and Persecution

A deeper study of Emperor Domitian’s reign, his anti-Jewish policies, the political significance of the neochorus system, and the specific conditions facing Christians in Ephesus during this period would illuminate the pressures the church faced and why maintaining faithfulness was so challenging.

Ephesus in Paul’s Ministry

Episode 158 of the BEMA podcast covered Ephesus in detail during the study of Acts. Reviewing Paul’s time in Ephesus, his relationships there, the riot sparked by his ministry, and the establishment of the church would provide essential background for understanding both Paul’s letter and John’s later message.

The Concept of Orthopraxy versus Orthodoxy

The distinction between right practice and right belief, and why the early church conflicts centered more on orthopraxy, deserves deeper exploration. How does this differ from contemporary Christian debates? What does it mean to prioritize how we live over what we believe, or to understand that what we truly believe is demonstrated by how we live?

Apocalyptic Literature in Jewish Context

Understanding the genre of apocalyptic literature, its conventions, symbolism, and purpose in Second Temple Judaism would provide tools for interpreting Revelation. What would John’s original audience have understood from this style of writing that modern readers miss?

The Tree of Life Promise

The letter concludes with a promise to “the one who is victorious” - “I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Exploring the symbolism of the tree of life from Genesis through Revelation, and what “eating from” it represents, would reveal the significance of this promise.

Comprehension Questions

1. What major historical and political changes occurred between Paul’s letter to the Ephesians (mid-60s AD) and John’s letter in Revelation (late 80s-early 90s AD), and how did these changes affect the church’s situation?

2. Who were the Nicolaitans, what did they teach, and why did both John and the Ephesian church hate their practices? How might their teaching relate to contemporary Christian compromise?

3. What are the three possible interpretations offered for what the Ephesians’ “first love” might have been, and what biblical or historical evidence supports each interpretation?

4. How does the episode distinguish between orthodoxy and orthopraxy, and why is this distinction important for understanding the conflicts addressed in Revelation and other New Testament letters?

5. What is significant about the order of the seven churches in Revelation, and why does the letter begin specifically with Ephesus? What details about Ephesus make it an appropriate starting point?

Personal Summary

This episode introduces the seven letters of Revelation by examining the message to Ephesus, a church that got many things right but lost something essential. The Ephesian believers successfully identified false teachers, maintained right practice, and persevered through intense persecution under Domitian’s reign. They hated the Nicolaitan heresy that promoted compartmentalized faith where one could engage pagan practices while claiming spiritual purity. Yet despite these commendable qualities, they had forsaken their first love.

The uncertainty about what specific “first love” they lost is instructive. It may have been their passionate love for Christ, their love for one another, or their commitment to the radical inclusion of Jews and Gentiles that Paul emphasized in his earlier letter. Perhaps all three are interconnected. What seems clear is that in fighting for truth and faithfulness, something in their hearts grew cold. They maintained correct doctrine and practice but lost the fire of their original devotion.

This presents a sobering warning for contemporary believers and churches. It is possible to be theologically correct, morally upright, discerning about false teaching, and faithful under pressure while simultaneously losing what matters most - love for God and love for people. The Ephesian church reminds us that winning battles for truth can coincide with losing the war for authentic relationship and genuine love.

The episode also establishes the importance of historical context for interpreting Scripture. Understanding Ephesus as the second-largest city in the empire, Domitian’s fear-based political campaign against Jews, the intensification of persecution, and the specific challenges facing this strategic church helps modern readers appreciate both the original message and its ongoing relevance. As the hosts continue through the seven letters, they promise to gradually build the tools needed for understanding John’s apocalyptic methodology and the full message of Revelation.

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