Revelation: - Knights of Columbus, Supreme Council

conclusion in each case is addressed to the whole Church – “He who has an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Similarly, the promise for
“him who overcomes” is meant for all Christians, since for everyone who
successfully triumphs over the trials of persecution and kindred temptations,
the reward is eternal life. Thus the seven churches fulfill their symbolism as
representatives of the universal Church while at the same time specific
churches are ad dressed.
Another common feature that is shared by the set form of the let ters is
that in almost every case the title chosen for Christ is one of the details taken
from the in augural vision. Thus he who holds the seven stars in his right hand, etc.
(2:1), the first and last, etc. (v. 8), he who has the sharp two-edged sword (v. 12),
who has eyes like to a flame of fire, etc. (v. 18), and so on through the list. The
only exception, really, is in 3:7 the letter to the church at Philadelphia, where
it is referred to the true one (a frequent enough expression in John’s Gospel for
“God”), he who has the key of David, etc., a figure taken from Isaiah 22:22 and
selected because of the particular content of the letter to Philadelphia, about
the open door (a Pauline expression). In 3:14, the letter to the church at
Laodicea, the reference is partly to a title in the inaugural vision, the faithful
and true witness, and partly a new reference to Proverbs 8:22 and 1:15-17, the
beginning of the creation of God.
The Church at Ephesus
The Church at Ephesus (2:1-7) is almost entirely praised. Ephesus has
borne up well under persecu tion and has produced much fruit of good works,
as we might expect from the esteem which Paul had for this church. They had
followed out the Apostle’s injunction to re ject false teachers, and they had not
grown weary in serving God. Only their charity had grown some what cold.
There is, therefore, the danger that Ephesus might lose its pre-eminent place
among the churches of God. The danger seems to be remote, however. Ephesus
has rejected the heresy of the Nicolaites, which is also mentioned in v. 15,
relating to the church at Pergamum, and possible in v. 24 (“the depths of
Satan”), relating to the church at Thyatira. What this false teach ing of the
Nicolaites was we are not told with certainty, but it was probably one of those
sects that flourished in Asia Minor, which Paul had had to fight chiefly in his
letter to the nearby Colossians, and which are also combated by John in his
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