The church (ekklesia….the “called out” of Babylon) of Ephesus are those who will first hear the Word of Truth and believe in it.
They will identify the false apostles (“note that man and have no company with him”) who call themselves “apostles” but are liars. False apostles will not hear the commandment to work with their own hands in order to support themselves….as the true apostles did. Paul supported himself as a tentmaker….not as a preacher. He labored night and day to support himself. Yet, the “super apostles” will defend their money making from preaching and therefore, show who they really are.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 KJV
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
(7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you
(8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
(11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
(12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
(14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet, we are not to count them as an enemy….but admonish them as brothers. The church of Ephesus had/ will have lost sight of this and were counseled to repent and do the first works. They will grow weary in well doing.
(15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Remember how they had fallen and repent and do the “first works”:
2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which means “victorious over the people”.
Revelation 2:6 KJV
(6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
The “Nicolaitans” are those men who will love to be first among the churches and will not receive the brothers who will speak the Word of Truth to them. Their “deeds” will be to prate against the brothers with malicious words ….neither receiving the brothers who will speak the Word of Truth to them nor will they let others “under” their rulership to receive them nor their words. They will also cast any who will receive them out of their assemblies. “Diotrephes” means “nourished by Jupiter”. “Jupiter” means “father”. Those who will love to be first will exalt themselves…having their congregations call them their flattering titles instead of glorifying God and His words. They will be “nourished” by having men call themselves “father” so to speak. Jesus will remember their deeds which they will do....as He will hate their deeds.
3 John 1:9-11 KJV
(9) I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
(10) Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
We are not to follow the pernicious ways of those who will love to be first in the face of hearing the revealed Word of Truth. He that does good is of God but he that does evil has not seen God…for God is love.
(11) Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
“Diotrephes”…meaning “nourished by Jupiter”…is a reference to honoring/glorifying men over God. We are not to call any man flattering titles…for we are all brothers. There is only one Father which is in heaven. We are to glorify Him rather than men at the crossroads of hearing the Word of Truth. We are not to worship men over God. The highest weight of the glory of men is 666 as shown by the weight of the gold income to Solomon who was the wisest man that ever lived. God’s foolishness is higher than the highest wisdom of men…..so that God should/shall be honored over men.
Matthew 23:5-12 KJV
(5) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
(6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
(7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
(9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
(10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
(11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
They…those who will love to be first…. will fall away from the Truth and will oppose and exalt themselves in the churches. They will exalt themselves over all that is called God. They will sit in their churches….loving to be first….having men honoring them over God instead of hearing His Word of Truth and glorifying Him. They… as God… will sit in the temple of God showing themselves as God as they will exercise their authority over their congregations….preventing others underneath them to hear and believe in the Word of Truth when it will be revealed to them. They will cast those who do out of their assemblies.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-6 KJV
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
“REMEMBER....when I was yet with you, I told you these things? “ These are the words of Jesus who had told His disciples ahead of time of these coming things.
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
Compare to John 16:4 to 2 Thessalonians 2:4. “Remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.” The deeds of those who will love to be first among their churches will “kill” any with malicious words and cast out any who will receive the Word of Truth as they will exercise their authority by saying that they are doing these things in His name…His authority. They will sit in the temple as God as they will do these things….thinking that they are doing Him service.
John 16:1-4 KJV
(1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
(3) And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
They will identify the false apostles (“note that man and have no company with him”) who call themselves “apostles” but are liars. False apostles will not hear the commandment to work with their own hands in order to support themselves….as the true apostles did. Paul supported himself as a tentmaker….not as a preacher. He labored night and day to support himself. Yet, the “super apostles” will defend their money making from preaching and therefore, show who they really are.
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 KJV
(6) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
(7) For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you
(8) Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
(9) Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
(10) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.
(11) For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.
(12) Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.
(13) But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.
(14) And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Yet, we are not to count them as an enemy….but admonish them as brothers. The church of Ephesus had/ will have lost sight of this and were counseled to repent and do the first works. They will grow weary in well doing.
(15) Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Remember how they had fallen and repent and do the “first works”:
2 Peter 1:5-8 KJV
(5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
(6) And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
(7) And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
(8) For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But they hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans which means “victorious over the people”.
Revelation 2:6 KJV
(6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
The “Nicolaitans” are those men who will love to be first among the churches and will not receive the brothers who will speak the Word of Truth to them. Their “deeds” will be to prate against the brothers with malicious words ….neither receiving the brothers who will speak the Word of Truth to them nor will they let others “under” their rulership to receive them nor their words. They will also cast any who will receive them out of their assemblies. “Diotrephes” means “nourished by Jupiter”. “Jupiter” means “father”. Those who will love to be first will exalt themselves…having their congregations call them their flattering titles instead of glorifying God and His words. They will be “nourished” by having men call themselves “father” so to speak. Jesus will remember their deeds which they will do....as He will hate their deeds.
3 John 1:9-11 KJV
(9) I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
(10) Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
We are not to follow the pernicious ways of those who will love to be first in the face of hearing the revealed Word of Truth. He that does good is of God but he that does evil has not seen God…for God is love.
(11) Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
“Diotrephes”…meaning “nourished by Jupiter”…is a reference to honoring/glorifying men over God. We are not to call any man flattering titles…for we are all brothers. There is only one Father which is in heaven. We are to glorify Him rather than men at the crossroads of hearing the Word of Truth. We are not to worship men over God. The highest weight of the glory of men is 666 as shown by the weight of the gold income to Solomon who was the wisest man that ever lived. God’s foolishness is higher than the highest wisdom of men…..so that God should/shall be honored over men.
Matthew 23:5-12 KJV
(5) But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
(6) And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
(7) And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
(8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
(9) And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
(10) Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
(11) But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
(12) And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
They…those who will love to be first…. will fall away from the Truth and will oppose and exalt themselves in the churches. They will exalt themselves over all that is called God. They will sit in their churches….loving to be first….having men honoring them over God instead of hearing His Word of Truth and glorifying Him. They… as God… will sit in the temple of God showing themselves as God as they will exercise their authority over their congregations….preventing others underneath them to hear and believe in the Word of Truth when it will be revealed to them. They will cast those who do out of their assemblies.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-6 KJV
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
“REMEMBER....when I was yet with you, I told you these things? “ These are the words of Jesus who had told His disciples ahead of time of these coming things.
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
Compare to John 16:4 to 2 Thessalonians 2:4. “Remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.” The deeds of those who will love to be first among their churches will “kill” any with malicious words and cast out any who will receive the Word of Truth as they will exercise their authority by saying that they are doing these things in His name…His authority. They will sit in the temple as God as they will do these things….thinking that they are doing Him service.
John 16:1-4 KJV
(1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
(3) And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.