“This I have against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first” (Rev. 2:4).
Toward the end of the first century (ca. 92-96 AD), a certain Jewish prophet named John wrote what came to be the most provocative text in the Christian Bible: Revelation. This document, appearing last in printed Bibles today, is of hybrid literary character: it is at once apocalypse, prophecy, and letter, and was intended to function as both a liturgical and political guidebook.
The work as a whole was sent to seven actual churches located in ancient Asia Minor (western Turkey today): Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. After John wrote the work’s main series of visions (chs. 4-22), he wrote seven brief letters to each of these churches (chs. 2-3).
The first of such letters is to the seasoned church of Ephesus, the largest and most significant city of those addressed in Rev. 2-3. The Ephesian church was nearly four decades old, not a new church by any means.
This is how John phrases the opening of his letter to the Ephesians (note that Jesus is the speaker here):
“I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil... I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake. But this I have against you: you have abandoned the love you had at first” (2:2-4, ESV).
The Ephesian church is commended for their tireless work and patient endurance, defined further as their refusal to tolerate “wrongdoers” (cf. “those who are evil”). These wrongdoers are immediately identified in v. 2b (not included above) as “those who call themselves apostles but are not, who are actually false.” The Ephesian church had “endured patiently,” safeguarding truth and orthodoxy for nearly 40 years, but Jesus has one thing against them: they have forsaken the love they had at first.
Now, for quite some time, I interpreted such love to be love of Jesus. But after consulting some technical commentaries, carefully studying the Greek, and considering the tenor of this (mini-)letter, I now prefer a different interpretation: the love the Ephesians abandoned seems not to be love of Jesus but rather love of each other, or more broadly: love of all people.
The Ephesian church, in other words, had prized, treasured, and safeguarded doctrinal accuracy and theological truth. However, along the way they abandoned love. They thus prioritized truth and accuracy over heartfelt care and concern.
This, friends, is no small matter. The apostle Paul, in 1 Cor. 13:1-3 says, “If I speak in the tongues of humans and angels... If I have prophetic power... If I have faith to move mountains... If I give away all I have, but I have not love... I gain nothing...” Eugene Peterson, long-time pastor, poet, and theologian, similarly writes “the church is not the church if it has not love.”
I struggle to remember a time in my life at which such a message was more relevant and necessary. Certain branches of Christianity, in North America especially, have become like the Ephesian church: they have prized doctrinal accuracy and theological truth at the expense of their love of others.
A church, however, with truth but not love, cannot be the church. It cannot accomplish its purpose, namely: to reflect the light and love of Jesus Christ.
In our present cultural and political moment, some churches, like that of Ephesus, need to hear this message. They need to own up to this sobering reality, and ask God for help and direction.
Luckily, Jesus doesn’t leave the Ephesians in the dark, but tells them exactly what they are to do:
“Remember therefore from where you’ve fallen; repent and do the works you did at first” (2:5).
The works they did at first were likely deeds of charity, sensitivity, generosity, patience, kindness, and goodness. They were works of humility, support, endurance, hope, and love, definitely love.
Churches that have privileged doctrinal accuracy at the expense of love of the other ought simply to heed the advice of Jesus: “return to the loving actions you did at first, and only then can my light shine through you.”
Jonah Bissell
Associate Pastor