Revelation 2:1-2: To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: “The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false.”
Jesus directs John to write seven letters to the angels of the seven churches. The angels are the messengers to the churches. Their messages are uplifting and also convicting. Jesus is in the midst of the churches and knows what is happening in each. He also knows what is in the heart of the people of each church. The first letter is addressed to the leading church of Asia-Minor. This is a church started by Paul the Apostle in Acts 18. Paul write the Letter to the Ephesians to this church. He also wrote 1 & 2 Timothy with this church in mind. It had a lot of strength but also some challenges.
Jesus starts off with a positive assessment of the church in Ephesus. They had endured the hardship of being a small group within a large pagan city. One of the challenges Paul wrote Timothy about was the false teachers who can come to Ephesus. Apparently, this problem still existed when John wrote Revelations. False teaching is always around. People push their teachings and interpretations in order to further their agendas. Sometimes they believe they are right, but they are deceived.
The best defense against false teachers and teaching is to know the truth. Otherwise, the false will masquerade as the true. The Ephesians could not stand the false apostles. They had learned the truth, possibly through the ministry of Timothy and those he appointed as overseers, deacons, and teachers in Ephesus. The opening of this letter emphasizes the importance of discernment within the local church. The Ephesians tested those who said they were leaders. Every church should test its leaders. Denominational systems can make this easier and add support to what the local church should do.
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