8.

REVELATION SERIES:
The Epistle to Thyatira – Revelation 2:18-29

As we have previously seen, the angels of the various churches are to be recognized as
the elder or elders of the churches, who are protected by the Lord Jesus Christ (1:16,20).
For the Christians in Thyatira this would have been a most comforting message,
especially given that God’s judgment upon the professing church would be from His
hands. God knows the reality of each one’s state, and therefore He would judge aright
and not make any mistakes.

Please Read Revelation 2:18-29

Verse 18: Thyatira was situated 65km southeast of Pergamos on the south bank of the
Lycus River. The large Lycus Valley was part of the main trade and war route through the
area. The city itself was founded by Seleucus I as a military outpost in order to guard the
approaches to his empire. It fell to the Romans in 190 BC.

Being on the main trade route, Thyatira was an important trading city with various
trades having been established there. These trades included wool workers, linen
workers, clothes makers, leather workers, potters, bakers, slave traders and so on. Each
of these trades had their own ‘trade-guilds,’ with their own guardian god and ritualistic
requirements. To be outside a trade-guild meant certain poverty and persecution. Each
guild meeting included a common meal dedicated to its particular god and frequently
included immorality. Thyatira also had a temple to the sun god Apollo (Tyrimnes), who
was the patron of all the trade guilds.

The beginnings of the church in Thyatira can probably be linked to Lydia (Acts 16:13ff),
who was a trader in purple. This purple was a turkey-red dye obtained from the madder
root that is prolific in the Lycus Valley.

The message sent to the church in Thyatira comes from the Son of God (1:6; 2:27;
3:5,21; 14:1), who has true authority over the church, as opposed to the trade-guilds
and false prophets. Within the local cultic worship of Apollo Tyrimnos was merged the
worship of the emperor (identified as Apollo incarnate), so that both were seen as sons

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of Zeus. Here Christ is identifying Himself in clear contrast to the false claims of the
emperor and Apollos.

The Self-designation of Christ again comes from the initial vision (1:14,15; Dan 10:6) and
is particularly relevant to the church at Thyatira. The flaming eyes represent the
penetrating power of Christ’s insight (1:14; 19:12; Heb 4:13) and the feet the idea of
sovereign strength in judgment (1:15; 2:26ff).

Verse 19: Of course the sovereign and omniscient Lord knows the real state of affairs in
Thyatira, and of the true and false works of those who profess His name. He knows the
real love of His people and how it issues in works of service. He also knows the faith of
His people and how it endures the assaults of the world.

The works of the Christians in Thyatira, which flow from right and proper motives, are of
a progressive kind. Real spiritual growth is clearly evident among the ‘remnant’ of
Thyatira (2:24), with an increase in both quality and quantity in their Christian works.

QUESTIONS: How do people try to hide things from God? Why is this a useless pursuit?

Explain how works of service and patience are evidence of love and faith?

Verse 20: Christ’s condemnation of the church at Thyatira related to their toleration of
the Nicolaitan heresy. By ‘allowing’ it to continue under the leadership of this ‘Jezebel,’
the church displayed a spirit of leniency, a lack of discipline and a tendency toward
compromise. One variant reading of the text translates as ‘your wife Jezebel,’ suggesting
that this ‘Jezebel’ was the wife of the bishop in Thyatira.

‘Jezebel’ was a woman who professed to interpret God’s will and was obviously a
woman of some influence in the church, being able to introduce a compromise with
paganism into the church at Thyatira. This woman was a first century parallel to the Old
Testament Jezebel, who fostered idolatry and immorality in Israel (1 Kings 16:29ff; 2
Kings 9:30ff). The name Jezebel has become synonymous with seduction to idolatry and
immorality (1 Kings 16:31; 18:4,13,19; 19:1,2).

The teaching of this New Testament Jezebel was basically that of the Nicolaitan heresy
(2:15), teaching the people that they didn’t need to separate themselves from the
world, and therefore idolatry and immorality, allowing the professing believers of
Thyatira to continue in their trades and associated pagan feasts without the fear of
poverty and persecution.

QUESTIONS:Is there any indication in this verse of how important church discipline is to
God? Explain?

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Verse 21: The Lord had shown grace and great longsuffering (Rom 2:4) toward this false
teacher, but this Jezebel despised His grace, refusing to turn from her falsehoods. The
text suggests that the woman may already have been warned, perhaps by John himself
and that now the opportunity for repentance had passed.

NOTE: INDIVIDUAL DISCOVERY QUESTION HERE: Explain what verse 22 means by being cast
‘into a sickbed?’

Verse 22: The Greek of this verse suggests a ‘futuristic present,’ thereby stressing both
the imminence and certainty of God’s coming judgment upon the Nicolaitans in
Thyatira.

The ‘Jezebel’ of Thyatira would suffer a disease of some severe form (1 Cor 11:27-29)
and her disciples great tribulation. The only way that these people could escape this
judgment would be to repent.

Verse 23: Those who had followed this ‘Jezebel’ into the Nicolaitan heresy will be killed
with death (cf LXX Ezek 33:27, ‘I will kill with death,’ i.e. pestilence; Rev 6:8).

The motivation of the Nicolaitans appeared to be a way of escaping the persecution and
poverty that followed upon a true profession of salvation in Christ, but the imminent
judgment of Christ upon them would clearly demonstrate that Christ truly sees the
heart of the matter and that each person would receive the just reward for their
practice (Jer 17:10; Mt 16:27; Rom 18:6; 20:12,13; 22:12).

QUESTIONS: Explain the longsuffering of Christ? How should believers demonstrate this
quality in their lives?

What does the omniscience of Christ in verses 2:20-23 teach us about motives and
behaviour before Him? What does this mean for you?

Verses 24,25: This verse contains precious encouragement to the remnant that had not
fallen into the Nicolaitan error, or into ‘the depths of Satan, as they call them.’

The depths of Satan are either called so by the Nicolaitans themselves, or by ‘the rest in
Thyatira,’ according to the interpretation accepted. If called so by the remnant in
Thyatira, the depths of Satan are what the Nicolaitans call the deep things of God (1 Cor
2:10), as if the experience of greater sin is an experience of greater gospel freedom. But
if they were so called by the Nicolaitans themselves, it would mean descending into
greater sin in order to appreciate more fully the grace of God in the gospel and
therefore bring more glory to God (Romans 4).

Revelation Bible Study Series: 8. The Epistle to Thyatira – Revelation 2:18-29 3

Upon the remnant that had not fallen into error, no more burden would be placed
except that of continued perseverance in the face of pressure to compromise with
paganism and therefore to remain steadfast in their profession of faith.

QUESTIONS:What is being referred to by ‘till I come’ in verse 25? Please give reasons for
your answer.

How does this apply to our situation today?

Verses 26,27: As has been noted previously, the overcomer is the one who perseveres
to the end. It is by a faithful allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ in the face of all worldly
pressure that one overcomes. For the one who does persevere to the end, a
tremendous blessing and privilege awaits them - sharing in the Lord’s rule (Mt 11:28; 1
Cor 6:3; Rev 5:10; 22:5).

This rule properly belongs to Christ (12:5; 19:15), but believers share in this rule with
Him. The quote given comes from Psalm 2:8 and describes the Messiah’s rule as one of
sovereign power over all rebellious peoples, no one being able to oppose. As Christ has
received His authority from the Father, so believers will receive this right to rule (Ps
2:7-9).

NOTE: INDIVIDUAL DISCOVERY QUESTION HERE: What is the ‘Morning Star’ of verse 28?

Verse 28: Believers will also receive ‘the Morning Star,’ which has been interpreted as
many things. The primary reference however appears to be to Christ Himself (22:16) and
is probably an allusion to believers ruling with Christ (Num 24:17; Mt 2:2) as the
morning star rules the heavens.

Other interpretations include an allusion to Lucifer (Is 14:12), to the immortality of

believers (Dan 12:3), the dawn of eternal life, a reference to Venus as symbolic of final
victory and sovereignty (as in Roman times), or as the Holy Spirit.

Verse 29: The final verse again reminds the reader that this letter is relevant to all
believers and that only the regenerated ear will be able to both hear and heed the
message to the church at Thyatira.

QUESTIONS: To what ‘end’ does verse 26 refer? How does this affect the application of
this verse?

What does ruling with Christ mean for the believer?

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INDIVIDUAL DISCOVERY

What is it to ‘walk with Me in white, for they are worthy (3:4)?’

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Revelation Bible Study Series: 8. The Epistle to Thyatira – Revelation 2:18-29 5