Revelation 2:20
Verse
Context
To the Church in Thyatira
19I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.20But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.21Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
Sermons
David Wilkerson
Vance Havner
Dwight Pentecost
Carter Conlon
Zac PoonenZac PoonenSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
That woman Jezebel - There is an allusion here to the history of Ahab and Jezebel, as given in 2 Kings 9:1-10:36; and although we do not know who this Jezebel was, yet from the allusion we may take it for granted she was a woman of power and influence in Thyatira, who corrupted the true religion, and harassed the followers of God in that city, as Jezebel did in Israel. Instead of that woman Jezebel, την γυναικα Ιεζαβηλ, many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read την γυναικα σου Ιεζαβηλ, Thy Wife Jezebel; which intimates, indeed asserts, that this bad woman was the wife of the bishop of the Church, and his criminality in suffering her was therefore the greater. This reading Griesbach has received into the text. She called herself a prophetess, i.e., set up for a teacher; taught the Christians that fornication, and eating things offered to idols, were matters of indifference, and thus they were seduced from the truth. But it is probable that by fornication here is meant idolatry merely, which is often its meaning in the Scriptures. It is too gross to suppose that the wife of the bishop of this Church could teach fornication literally. The messenger or bishop of this Church, probably her husband, suffered this: he had power to have cast her and her party out of the Church, or, as his wife, to have restrained her; but he did not do it, and thus she had every opportunity of seducing the faithful. This is what Christ had against the messenger of this Church.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
a few things--omitted in the three oldest manuscripts. Translate then, "I have against thee that," &c. sufferest--The three oldest manuscripts read, "lettest alone." that woman--Two oldest manuscripts read, "THY wife"; two omit it. Vulgate and most ancient versions read as English Version. The symbolical Jezebel was to the Church of Thyatira what Jezebel, Ahab's "wife," was to him. Some self-styled prophetess (or as the feminine in Hebrew is often used collectively to express a multitude, a set of false prophets), as closely attached to the Church of Thyatira as a wife is to a husband, and as powerfully influencing for evil that Church as Jezebel did Ahab. As Balaam, in Israel's early history, so Jezebel, daughter of Eth-baal, king of Sidon (Kg1 16:31, formerly priest of Astarte, and murderer of his predecessor on the throne, JOSEPHUS [Against Apion, 1.18]), was the great seducer to idolatry in Israel's later history. Like her father, she was swift to shed blood. Wholly given to Baal worship, like Eth-baal, whose name expresses his idolatry, she, with her strong will, seduced the weak Ahab and Israel beyond the calf-worship (which was a worship of the true God under the cherub-ox form, that is, a violation of the second commandment) to that of Baal (a violation of the first commandment also). She seems to have been herself a priestess and prophetess of Baal. Compare Kg2 9:22, Kg2 9:30, "whoredoms of . . . Jezebel and her witchcrafts" (impurity was part of the worship of the Phœnician Astarte, or Venus). Her spiritual counterpart at Thyatira lured God's "servants" by pretended utterances of inspiration to the same libertinism, fornication, and eating of idol-meats, as the Balaamites and Nicolaitanes (Rev 2:6, Rev 2:14-15). By a false spiritualism these seducers led their victims into the grossest carnality, as though things done in the flesh were outside the true man, and were, therefore, indifferent. "The deeper the Church penetrated into heathenism, the more she herself became heathenish; this prepares us for the expressions 'harlot' and 'Babylon,' applied to her afterwards" [AUBERLEN]. to teach and to seduce--The three oldest manuscripts read, "and she teaches and seduces," or "deceives." "Thyatira was just the reverse of Ephesus. There, much zeal for orthodoxy, but little love; here, activity of faith and love, but insufficient zeal for godly discipline and doctrine, a patience of error even where there was not a participation in it" [TRENCH].
John Gill Bible Commentary
Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,.... By way of complaint; so the Arabic version renders it, "I have a certain complaint against thee". The impartiality of Christ may be observed in taking notice of the bad deeds, as well as of the good ones of his people, and his tenderness in representing them as few; and these things he had against them not in a judicial way to their condemnation, but in a providential way, in order to chastise them for them, for their good; and they are as follow: because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel; or "thy wife Jezebel", as the Complutensian edition and Syriac version read; the name of King Ahab's wife, who seduced him, in the Hebrew language is "Izebel", but is read by the Septuagint in Kg1 16:31, Jezebel, as here; and by Josephus (a) Jezabela; she had her name from "Zebel", "dung", to which Elijah has reference in Kg2 9:37; the Ethiopic version calls her "Elzabel". By her is meant the apostate church of Rome, comparable to Jezebel, the wife of Ahab; as she was the daughter of an Heathen, so is Rome Papal the daughter of Rome Pagan; and as she was the wife of Ahab, and therefore a queen, so the whore of Babylon calls herself; and as Jezebel was famous for her paintings, so the church of Rome for her pretensions to religion and holiness, and for the gaudiness of her worship; and as she was remarkable for her idolatry, whoredoms, witchcrafts, and cruel persecution of the prophets of the Lord, and for murder, and innocent blood she shed; so the church of Rome, for her idolatrous worship of images, for her whoredoms, both in a literal and spiritual sense, and for the witchcrafts, magic, and devilish arts many of her popes have been addicted to, and especially for her barbarities and cruelties exercised upon the true professors of Christ, and for the blood of the martyrs, with which she has been drunk; and as Jezebel stirred up Ahab against good and faithful men, is has this church stirred up the secular powers, emperors, kings, and princes, against the true followers of Christ: and the end of both of them is much alike; as scarce anything was left of Jezebel, so Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, shall be cast into the sea, and be found no more at all: compare Kg2 9:7 with Rev 17:1, which calleth herself a prophetess; as perhaps Jezebel might do, since she was such a favourer of the prophets of Baal, and so familiarly conversed with them, and kept them, even a hundred of them, at her table: and certain it is, that the antitype of her pretends to an infallible interpretation of the Scriptures, and to have a bulk of unwritten traditions; and which interpretations and traditions are to be regarded as an infallible rule of faith and practice. Now what is complained of in the true members and followers of Christ is, that they suffered this woman to teach; when it was insufferable for a woman to teach, and especially such a strumpet: and to seduce my servants to commit fornication; to deceive such who called themselves the servants of Christ, and draw them into the commission of spiritual fornication, which is idolatry; as the idolatrous worship of the Mass, and of images and saints departed: and to eat things sacrificed unto idols; as Balaam, or the pope, before had done, Rev 2:14. This may have respect to the latter part of this period, when the eyes of many began to be opened to see these false doctrines and idolatrous practices, and yet had not courage enough to oppose them as they should, (a) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 1. 4, 7.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).
Revelation 2:20
To the Church in Thyatira
19I know your deeds—your love, your faith, your service, your perseverance—and your latter deeds are greater than your first.20But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols.21Even though I have given her time to repent of her immorality, she is unwilling.
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
The Laodicean Deception
By David Wilkerson5.9K53:43MAT 6:33ROM 2:19EPH 2:4JAS 1:22REV 2:20In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of heeding the warnings and instructions given by God. He highlights the dangers of gossip and racial prejudice, which have been repeatedly preached about in the church. The preacher shares his personal experience of being consumed by the fear of future events and neglecting the message of the cross. He references Bible verses that warn against refusing instruction and reproof, emphasizing that those who ignore these teachings will face poverty and shame. The sermon concludes with a reminder that all Scripture is profitable for instruction and righteousness, and that it is crucial to listen and learn from God's word.
Knowing What to Do
By Vance Havner4.4K26:10RevivalDAN 12:4MAT 24:44LUK 1:17LUK 4:24ROM 14:171CO 12:28REV 2:20In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of understanding the overall purpose of God in history when discussing current events in the light of the Bible. He uses the story of Rip and the wrong George to illustrate how people often miss the mark when it comes to understanding God's plan. The preacher also highlights the futility of trying to create a kingdom of heaven out of unregenerate humanity and warns against the dangers of pursuing political projects without considering God's purpose. He concludes by discussing the promise of the Lord's return and the need for righteousness, as well as the potential consequences of ignoring God's warnings and living in moral decay.
Voices From Hell Speaking to America - Part 2
By Alan Cairns2.8K08:572CH 7:14PSA 85:6ISA 59:19EZK 32:17JOL 2:28MAT 24:14EPH 6:121PE 4:17REV 2:20
This sermon emphasizes the need for a visitation of the Spirit of God in the midst of corruption and wickedness, calling for prophetic voices to speak truth and uphold the gospel. It highlights the importance of recognizing the fundamental spiritual warfare of our day and engaging in prayer for a sweeping visitation of God's Spirit across the nation and the world.
Apostasy in the Church
By Dwight Pentecost2.6K43:04HEB 6:16HEB 7:2REV 2:20In this sermon, the speaker discusses the concept of apostasy and its origin. He emphasizes that faith cannot be blind and that it is based on knowledge and understanding of the word of God. The speaker highlights the importance of the word of God in revealing the Father and growing in grace and knowledge. He also mentions that the word of God serves as an anchor for believers in their daily and Christian lives. Additionally, the speaker warns about false teachers who use deceptive methods, particularly targeting women, to spread their false doctrines.
The Vow of the Nicolaitan Bride
By Carter Conlon2.5K49:26Churches of RevelationEXO 34:12HOS 2:2REV 2:14REV 2:20In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of going beyond personal convenience in order to fulfill God's plans for our lives. He quotes the scripture where Paul urges believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to God, which is a reasonable service. The preacher also highlights the significance of making vows to the Lord and keeping them, as it affects not only our relationship with God but also our relationships with others. He warns against a legalistic and shallow approach to holiness and consecration, emphasizing the need for a genuine love relationship with Jesus Christ and a burden for His children.
Through the Bible - 2 Kings
By Zac Poonen2.4K57:112KI 5:22ROM 1:14ROM 13:82TI 1:6REV 2:20In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of fulfilling our debt of love towards one another, as stated in Romans 13:8. He highlights the idea that we owe it to others to share the gospel and the love of God with them. The speaker encourages believers to seek God and stir up the gifts of the Holy Spirit within them, including the gift of prophecy, in order to fulfill this debt. He also discusses the significance of using music in worship that lifts the spirit and directs people towards God, rather than focusing on admiration for the musician. The sermon concludes with a reminder that the Holy Spirit is all we need to do the Lord's work, and we should not underestimate its power.
(Revelation) Revelation 2:20-3:22
By Zac Poonen1.6K1:00:23Overcoming SinSpiritual VigilanceREV 2:20Zac Poonen explores the messages to the seven churches in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, emphasizing the importance of spiritual vigilance and obedience. He highlights the dangers of spiritual immorality and complacency, particularly in the churches of Thyatira and Sardis, where false teachings and hypocrisy led to spiritual death. Poonen encourages believers to overcome sin and remain faithful, warning that those who do not take their spiritual condition seriously risk being cast out. He contrasts the faithful churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia, which exemplify perseverance and brotherly love, with the lukewarm church of Laodicea, which represents spiritual pride and self-deception. Ultimately, he calls for repentance and a return to true devotion to Christ, reminding the church that overcoming is essential for eternal reward.
(Revelation) Revelation 18:21-20:6
By Zac Poonen1.6K59:57REV 2:20REV 18:4REV 18:21REV 18:24In this sermon, the preacher discusses the reasons for rejoicing in heaven. The first reason is when a sinner repents, the second reason is when a believer overcomes Satan, the third reason is when the harlot is judged, and the fourth reason is when the bride of the lamb is ready for marriage. The preacher emphasizes that these reasons for rejoicing are significant and should be celebrated. The sermon also highlights the importance of being a bond servant of God and fearing Him in order to enter into the praise of heaven and understand the judgment of the harlot.
Obadiah and Elijah
By C.I. Scofield01KI 18:1MAT 10:321CO 16:13PHP 1:282TI 1:7HEB 11:35REV 2:20C.I. Scofield preaches on the contrast between Obadiah, a secret disciple who compromised his faith for worldly favor, and Elijah, a fearless servant of God who stood against evil despite the risks. The lesson highlights the importance of unwavering faith and courage in the face of apostasy and idolatry, emphasizing the need to stand boldly for God's truth even when surrounded by corruption and persecution.
Bishop Wilson's Meditations on His Sacred Office, No. 5.-- Thursday
By J.H. Newman0DEU 1:17EZK 2:6MRK 8:33LUK 15:221CO 16:222CO 10:42CO 13:101TI 1:20REV 2:20J.H. Newman preaches on the importance of maintaining peace, love, and discipline within the Church, emphasizing the need to correct and punish those who cause unrest or disobedience. He prays for God's assistance in rooting out strife and variance, and for the Church to experience tranquility. Newman highlights the authority given by God's Word for spiritual discipline and the necessity of repentance and pardon for the salvation of souls.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
That woman Jezebel - There is an allusion here to the history of Ahab and Jezebel, as given in 2 Kings 9:1-10:36; and although we do not know who this Jezebel was, yet from the allusion we may take it for granted she was a woman of power and influence in Thyatira, who corrupted the true religion, and harassed the followers of God in that city, as Jezebel did in Israel. Instead of that woman Jezebel, την γυναικα Ιεζαβηλ, many excellent MSS., and almost all the ancient versions, read την γυναικα σου Ιεζαβηλ, Thy Wife Jezebel; which intimates, indeed asserts, that this bad woman was the wife of the bishop of the Church, and his criminality in suffering her was therefore the greater. This reading Griesbach has received into the text. She called herself a prophetess, i.e., set up for a teacher; taught the Christians that fornication, and eating things offered to idols, were matters of indifference, and thus they were seduced from the truth. But it is probable that by fornication here is meant idolatry merely, which is often its meaning in the Scriptures. It is too gross to suppose that the wife of the bishop of this Church could teach fornication literally. The messenger or bishop of this Church, probably her husband, suffered this: he had power to have cast her and her party out of the Church, or, as his wife, to have restrained her; but he did not do it, and thus she had every opportunity of seducing the faithful. This is what Christ had against the messenger of this Church.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
a few things--omitted in the three oldest manuscripts. Translate then, "I have against thee that," &c. sufferest--The three oldest manuscripts read, "lettest alone." that woman--Two oldest manuscripts read, "THY wife"; two omit it. Vulgate and most ancient versions read as English Version. The symbolical Jezebel was to the Church of Thyatira what Jezebel, Ahab's "wife," was to him. Some self-styled prophetess (or as the feminine in Hebrew is often used collectively to express a multitude, a set of false prophets), as closely attached to the Church of Thyatira as a wife is to a husband, and as powerfully influencing for evil that Church as Jezebel did Ahab. As Balaam, in Israel's early history, so Jezebel, daughter of Eth-baal, king of Sidon (Kg1 16:31, formerly priest of Astarte, and murderer of his predecessor on the throne, JOSEPHUS [Against Apion, 1.18]), was the great seducer to idolatry in Israel's later history. Like her father, she was swift to shed blood. Wholly given to Baal worship, like Eth-baal, whose name expresses his idolatry, she, with her strong will, seduced the weak Ahab and Israel beyond the calf-worship (which was a worship of the true God under the cherub-ox form, that is, a violation of the second commandment) to that of Baal (a violation of the first commandment also). She seems to have been herself a priestess and prophetess of Baal. Compare Kg2 9:22, Kg2 9:30, "whoredoms of . . . Jezebel and her witchcrafts" (impurity was part of the worship of the Phœnician Astarte, or Venus). Her spiritual counterpart at Thyatira lured God's "servants" by pretended utterances of inspiration to the same libertinism, fornication, and eating of idol-meats, as the Balaamites and Nicolaitanes (Rev 2:6, Rev 2:14-15). By a false spiritualism these seducers led their victims into the grossest carnality, as though things done in the flesh were outside the true man, and were, therefore, indifferent. "The deeper the Church penetrated into heathenism, the more she herself became heathenish; this prepares us for the expressions 'harlot' and 'Babylon,' applied to her afterwards" [AUBERLEN]. to teach and to seduce--The three oldest manuscripts read, "and she teaches and seduces," or "deceives." "Thyatira was just the reverse of Ephesus. There, much zeal for orthodoxy, but little love; here, activity of faith and love, but insufficient zeal for godly discipline and doctrine, a patience of error even where there was not a participation in it" [TRENCH].
John Gill Bible Commentary
Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,.... By way of complaint; so the Arabic version renders it, "I have a certain complaint against thee". The impartiality of Christ may be observed in taking notice of the bad deeds, as well as of the good ones of his people, and his tenderness in representing them as few; and these things he had against them not in a judicial way to their condemnation, but in a providential way, in order to chastise them for them, for their good; and they are as follow: because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel; or "thy wife Jezebel", as the Complutensian edition and Syriac version read; the name of King Ahab's wife, who seduced him, in the Hebrew language is "Izebel", but is read by the Septuagint in Kg1 16:31, Jezebel, as here; and by Josephus (a) Jezabela; she had her name from "Zebel", "dung", to which Elijah has reference in Kg2 9:37; the Ethiopic version calls her "Elzabel". By her is meant the apostate church of Rome, comparable to Jezebel, the wife of Ahab; as she was the daughter of an Heathen, so is Rome Papal the daughter of Rome Pagan; and as she was the wife of Ahab, and therefore a queen, so the whore of Babylon calls herself; and as Jezebel was famous for her paintings, so the church of Rome for her pretensions to religion and holiness, and for the gaudiness of her worship; and as she was remarkable for her idolatry, whoredoms, witchcrafts, and cruel persecution of the prophets of the Lord, and for murder, and innocent blood she shed; so the church of Rome, for her idolatrous worship of images, for her whoredoms, both in a literal and spiritual sense, and for the witchcrafts, magic, and devilish arts many of her popes have been addicted to, and especially for her barbarities and cruelties exercised upon the true professors of Christ, and for the blood of the martyrs, with which she has been drunk; and as Jezebel stirred up Ahab against good and faithful men, is has this church stirred up the secular powers, emperors, kings, and princes, against the true followers of Christ: and the end of both of them is much alike; as scarce anything was left of Jezebel, so Babylon the great, the mother of harlots, shall be cast into the sea, and be found no more at all: compare Kg2 9:7 with Rev 17:1, which calleth herself a prophetess; as perhaps Jezebel might do, since she was such a favourer of the prophets of Baal, and so familiarly conversed with them, and kept them, even a hundred of them, at her table: and certain it is, that the antitype of her pretends to an infallible interpretation of the Scriptures, and to have a bulk of unwritten traditions; and which interpretations and traditions are to be regarded as an infallible rule of faith and practice. Now what is complained of in the true members and followers of Christ is, that they suffered this woman to teach; when it was insufferable for a woman to teach, and especially such a strumpet: and to seduce my servants to commit fornication; to deceive such who called themselves the servants of Christ, and draw them into the commission of spiritual fornication, which is idolatry; as the idolatrous worship of the Mass, and of images and saints departed: and to eat things sacrificed unto idols; as Balaam, or the pope, before had done, Rev 2:14. This may have respect to the latter part of this period, when the eyes of many began to be opened to see these false doctrines and idolatrous practices, and yet had not courage enough to oppose them as they should, (a) Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 1. 4, 7.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
2:20-21 The mention of Jezebel, who led Israel into pagan idolatry and immorality (1 Kgs 16:31-33; 21:5-26), indicates a serious problem. Like the Old Testament queen who led the pagan cult of Baal (see 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:4; 19:1-3), this unknown Jezebel called herself a prophet but was leading God’s people into various forms of immorality, including sexual misconduct and straying from God into idolatrous alliances and actions (Exod 34:15-16; Ps 106:39; Isa 57:7-8).