To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,
‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars, and you have persevered and had patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’
The Greek word angelos, translated as “angel” can also be translated, “messenger.” His description is associated with the city he represents. Each city had its own messenger. He would be our modern-day postal service to whom an author would entrust to deliver a letter. The same may not only deliver the letter but read it once he arrived with it.
One of the descriptions given to the Son of Man in Revelation is that He holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. As lights in the world, each saint in the city of Ephesus that lets their light so shine before men is likened to a golden candlestick (Phil. 2:9, John 5:14-16). Jesus said of himself, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12, cf. John 1:4-9). God is the source of true light and when we walk in the light and are in fellowship with God, we are only a reflection of that true light and (1 John 1:5-7). Jesus walking in the midst of them explains this sweet fellowship and the resulting light emitting from His people. Not only does his walking in their midst indicate this connectedness and fellowship, but it is the reason He has firsthand knowledge of them and their works.
Their commendable works are described in verse two. They are known for their toil and patience (endurance) and in particular their intolerance of evil men who are false apostles. They did as John taught in 1 John 4:1. They tried or tested the spirits to see if they were from God because they claimed to prophets. They also “did bear” for His name’s sake and had not grown weary, according to verse 3 (cf. Gal. 6:9). After giving a warning to them, He continues this commendation in verse 6 that they “hate the works of the Nicolaitans, a gymnasial cult that started in Pergamum in the days of the Attalid rulers.
But, Jesus has something against them. He said they had left their first love. They no longer sought Him and His kingdom, first (cf. Matt. 6:33). Many things can compete for our affections and in the case of the saints in Ephesus, something in this life had crowded the Lord out of their hearts. His ultimatum was simply, “Remember where you are fallen, repent and do the first works or I will come to you and move your candlestick out its place.” We are told in Hebrews 6:6 that it is is “impossible to renew one to repentance once fallen if they continue to reject the Son of God and put him to an open shame.” This is what happens if repentance does not occur, soon.
It appears that they did not listen to the warning because, by the time Paul arrives in Ephesus, there is evidence that no one had heard of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-7). The candlestick was gone. Paul found some disciples of John, was able to teach them the gospel, and impart a gift(s) of the Spirit. Of course, this assumes an early date for this letter.
Finally, a promise is given to each of the cities and the one given the Ephesians is the following: “To him that overcomes, to him will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” You will notice that the statement is addressed in the third person singular. The called out in the city of Ephesus were made up of individual saints. Repentance and doing the first works can only be applied to each individual, not churches. The tree of life in the garden of Eden was not accessible to man after the fall (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:22-24). Access to it is made available through the work of Christ but it is conditioned upon “overcoming” sin. This is not a reference to sinless perfection but to one’s faith in Christ. He must take a preeminent position in our hearts.