The Nicolaitans
One of the chief concerns in the seven letters concerns deceivers working in the seven assemblies. While several groups and one individual are named, the net effect of their several efforts is to cause believers to “commit fornication and to eat food offered to idols.” In short, causing believers to engage in idolatry and otherwise accommodate the surrounding pagan society.
While
persecution by outsiders is a problem in several of the cities of Asia,
strikingly, the criticism of these deceivers is far harsher than Christ’s comments
about persecutors. Thus, internal threats pose a far greater danger than
hostility from outsiders.
Three
groups are active in the Asian congregations – the “false apostles,” the
“Nicolaitans, and those who “teach the doctrines of Balaam.” Additionally,
the church in Thyatira tolerates the “prophetess Jezebel.”
Only
minimal information is provided on the aberrant teachings, primarily through
allusions to characters in the Hebrew Bible. The names of the deceivers are not
their actual names. They are symbolic designations assigned by Jesus.
“Jezebel”
and “Balaam,” for example, are derived from Old Testament stories, and in
the seven letters, they are applied typologically to contemporary deceptions. Since
Revelation describes the practices of all three groups in similar terms,
the same movement may be intended.
In church history, the term “Nicolaitan”
is first used in the book of Revelation, and subsequent comments
about the group by later commentators are based on this single passage. The
name occurs nowhere else in the Bible.
IN EPHESUS
Jesus commends the “messenger” in
Ephesus for weeding out the “false apostles.” Unfortunately, no
information is provided about this group other than the fact they are not true
apostles (“You tried them that call themselves apostles and they are not”). Possibly, they are associated with if
not identical to the “Nicolaitans.”
The “messenger” is also commended for
hating “the deeds of the Nicolaitans.” But again, no additional
information is included. Apparently, this group is comprised of members of the
congregation who were ejected for engaging in certain “deeds.”
Most likely, the term “Nicolaitans” is
a derogatory label. It is a compound of the Greek nouns niké (“victory”)
and laos (“people”). Niké
is related to the verb nikaō used elsewhere in the letters for “overcome”
(“he who overcomes”).
Thus, the name includes the ideas of “conquest”
and “people,” and it may have the sense of “victory over people,” or “he who overcomes
people.” The use of the name is ironic since rather than “overcoming”
deception and idolatry, the members of this group have been “overcome” by false
teaching.
IN PERGAMOS
The “Son of Man” chides the “messenger”
of the Pergamene assembly for tolerating followers of the “teaching of
Balaam, who taught Balak to cast a stumbling block before the sons of Israel to
eat idol-sacrifices and to commit fornication,” and he equates this
teaching with the “Nicolaitans” - (“In like manner, thus, you have
such as hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans”).
This demonstrates that the same deception was
at work in the seven assemblies regardless of which group is named in any of
the seven letters.
The reference to “Balaam” alludes to the Old
Testament story when the prophet Balaam attempted to profit by cursing Israel.
God thwarted his efforts, and instead, caused him to bless the Hebrew nation.
But Balaam found another way by teaching the Moabite king to
corrupt Israel through fornication and idolatry. The Israelites committed “fornication”
with the pagan women of Moab, most likely with temple prostitutes. That they “ate
meat offered to idols” confirms their chief sin was idolatry - (Numbers
25:1-3, 31:16).
The Bible often employs “fornication” metaphorically for
unfaithfulness to the true God, and in Revelation, it refers to idolatry,
especially sins being perpetrated against the saints by “Babylon,” ones that
include rendering homage to the “image of the Beast” - (Revelation 2:20,
14:8, 17:2-4, 18:3, 18:9, 19:22).
IN THYATIRA
The messenger in Thyatira is chastised for tolerating the false prophetess, “Jezebel.”
Her teachings parallel those of the ‘Nicolaitans’ (“to eat
idol-sacrifices and to commit fornication”) since she also promotes
accommodation to the surrounding idolatrous culture.
The “prophetess”
is modeled on the pagan queen Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab who promoted
the worship of Ba’al and persecuted the prophets of Yahweh - (1 Kings
16:31, 18:4-19, 19:1-2).
In the letter, “fornication” is metaphorical
for idolatry, and this is demonstrated by the explanatory “eating meat
offered to idols.” And the “lovers” and “children” of Jezebel
are the adherents of her doctrine within the congregation.
This “Jezebel” is portrayed as a
harlot-like figure because of her seductive powers. This also links her to the
“Great Harlot, Babylon” who causes the earth’s inhabitants to drink the
“wine of her fornication.” Thus, the great final seductress already is
active in the church - (Revelation 17:1-6, 18:3, 18:8-9).
Jesus allows her time to repent, but if she
refuses, he will “cast her into a couch along with them who fornicate with
her.” The “couch” refers to a sickbed, not to one where sexual sin takes
place. This is indicated by her impending punishment with “great tribulation”
and “plagues.”
Moreover, the threatened judgment on her and
her “children” anticipates God’s final judgment on the “Great Whore,
Babylon.” Anyone who partakes of her sins will also reap “her plagues”
- (Revelation 18:1-6).
She claims it is permissible to “know
the deep things of Satan.” Possibly, this is the slogan propagated by her
supporters (“as they say”). More likely, in her mind, she is teaching
the “deep things of God” - deeper spiritual insight that supposedly
protects initiates from harm during idolatrous rites.
Jesus exposes this doctrine for what it is
- the “deep things of Satan.”
And this is a link to the “Abyss,” the deep pit from which the “Beast,”
demons, and Satan ascend to deceive men and “wage war against the saints”-
(Revelation 9:1-2, 11:7, 13:1, 17:8, 20:1-3).
Thus, Satan is attempting to overcome Christians by
encouraging them to engage in pagan rites, including participation in the Roman
imperial cult. This would include offering incense to the image of the emperor.
Any refusal to venerate the emperor would incur serious
penalties, including economic sanctions, and in Pergamos, this could be what led
to the martyrdom of “Antipas, my faithful witness.”
Though we lack many details, at the heart
of these deceptions is compromising with and accommodation to the larger pagan culture,
including its idolatrous beliefs and practices. The motivation for doing so is to
avoid economic deprivation and impoverishment and escape persecution by governing
authorities.
But choosing to engage in idolatry is far
riskier. Doing so may result in the offending believer’s name being removed
from the “Lamb’s book of life.” And that means the apostate will
experience the “second death” in the “Lake of Fire,” a fate far
worse than poverty or anything that Caesar and his representatives might do to
a faithful follower of the “Lamb.”
