Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
4. thy first love ] It is to be remembered that these words have not in ecclesiastical (or indeed in any) Greek the same sentimental associations as in English; nevertheless it is not unlikely that conjugal love is meant: cf. Jer 2:2. Some understand the word of love to the brethren, because we have “the first works” in the next verse: but the argument is a bad one. Of course those good words (whether of “charity” in the narrower sense or not) proceeded from love to Christ.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee – Notwithstanding this general commendation, there are things which I cannot approve.
Because thou hast left thy first love – Thou hast remitted ( aphekas) or let down thy early love; that is, it is less glowing and ardent than it was at first. The love here referred to is evidently love to the Saviour; and the idea is, that, as a church, they had less of this than formerly characterized them. In this respect they were in a state of declension; and, though they still maintained the doctrines of his religion, and opposed the advocates of error, they showed less ardor of affection toward him directly than they had formerly done. In regard to this we may remark:
(1) That what is here stated of the church at Ephesus is not uncommon:
(a) Individual Christians often lose much of their first love. It is true, indeed, that there is often an appearance of this which does not exist in reality. Not a little of the ardor of young converts is often nothing more than the excitement of animal feeling, which will soon die away of course, though their real love may not be diminished, or may be constantly growing stronger. When a son returns home after a long absence, and meets his parents and brothers and sisters, there is a glow, a warmth of feeling, a joyousness of emotion, which cannot be expected to continue always, and which he may never be able to recall again, though he may be ever growing in real attachment to his friends and to his home.
(b) Churches remit the ardor of their first love. They are often formed under the reviving influences of the Holy Spirit when many are converted, and are warm-hearted and zealous young converts. Or they are formed from other churches that have become cold and dead, from which the new organization, embodying the life of the church, was constrained to separate. Or they are formed under the influence of some strong and mighty truth that has taken possession of the mind, and that gives a special character to the church at first. Or they are formed with a distinct reference to promoting some one great object in the cause of the Redeemer. So the early Christian churches were formed. So the church in Germany, France, Switzerland, and England came out from the Roman communion under the influence of the doctrine of justification by faith. So the Nestorians in former ages, and the Moravians in modern times, were characterized by warm zeal in the cause of missions.
So the Puritans came out from the established church of England at one time, and the Methodists at another, warmed with a holier love to the cause of evangelical religion than existed in the body from which they separated. So many a church is formed now amidst the exciting scenes of a revival of religion, and in the early days of its history puts to shame the older and the slumbering churches around them. But it need scarcely be said that this early zeal may die away, and that the church, once so full of life and love, may become as cold as those that went before it, or as those from which it separated, and that there may be a necessity for the formation of new organizations that shall be fired with ardor and zeal. One has only to look at Germany, at Switzerland, at various portions of the reformed churches elsewhere; at the Nestorians, whose zeal for missions long since departed; or even at the Moravians, among whom it has so much declined; at various portions of the Puritan churches, and at many an individual church formed under the warm and exciting feelings of a revival of religion, to see that what occurred at Ephesus may occur elsewhere.
(2) The same thing that occurred there may be expected to follow in all similar cases. The Saviour governs the church always on essentially the same principles; and it is no uncommon thing that, when a church has lost the ardor of its first love, it is suffered more and more to decline, until the candlestick is removed – until either the church becomes wholly extinct, or until vital piety is wholly gone, and all that remains is the religion of forms.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee] The clause should be read, according to the Greek, thus: But I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love. They did not retain that strong and ardent affection for God and sacred things which they had when first brought to the knowledge of the truth, and justified by faith in Christ.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee; something to accuse thee of, and blame thee for.
Because thou hast left thy first love; of late thou hast not been so warm in the propagation of my gospel, and maintaining my truth. The love of many in this church, both toward God and their brethren, probably was cooled, though not wholly extinguished.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. somewhat . . . becauseTranslate,”I have against thee (this) that,” c. It is not amere somewhat” it is everything. How characteristic of ourgracious Lord, that He puts foremost all He can find to approve, andonly after this notes the shortcomings!
left thy first lovetoChrist. Compare 1Ti 5:12, “castoff their first faith.” See the Ephesians’ first love,Eph 1:15. This epistle waswritten under Domitian, when thirty years had elapsed since Paul hadwritten his Epistle to them. Their warmth of love had given place toa lifeless orthodoxy. Compare Paul’s view of faith so called withoutlove, 1Co 13:2.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee,…. So the Jews represent God saying, concerning their fathers, “Abraham”, c.
, “I have something against them” a. Christ has nothing against his people, his faithful ministers, and true churches, in a judicial way, or to their condemnation, for there is none to them that are in him but he has often many things to complain of in them, and to rebuke and chastise them for, in a way of providence: and what he had against the church at Ephesus, and against the churches in the period which that represents, follows,
because thou hast left thy first love: by which is meant, not hospitality to strangers, or an affectionate care of the poor of the church, or a zealous concern to feed the flock, and maintain church discipline; but the love of the saints to God, and Christ, and one another, which appeared at the beginning of this church state, when they were all of one heart and one soul, as generally at first conversion love is the warmest; and so it was at the first planting of Gospel churches, and therefore here called first love. Now this, though it was not lost, for the true grace of love can never be lost, yet it was left; it abated in its heat and fervour; there was a remissness in the exercise of it; what our Lord had foretold should be before the destruction of Jerusalem was fulfilled in this period of time, the love of many waxed cold,
Mt 24:12; through the prevalence of corruption in some; and through an over love to the world, as in Demas, and others; and through a desire of ease and freedom from reproach and persecution; and through the introduction of errors, which damp the heat of love, and spirit of religion; and through the contentions and divisions among themselves, as at Corinth, Galatia, and elsewhere, which greatly weakened their love to one another, and to divine things; and which was very displeasing to Christ, who, for the restoring of them, gives the following advice. Compare with this 2Ti 1:15.
a Pesikta Rabbati apud Yalkut Simeoni, par. 2. fol. 60. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
This against thee, that ( ). For the phrase “have against” see Mt 5:23. The clause is the object of .
Thou didst leave (). First aorist active (kappa aorist, but with – instead of –) of , a definite and sad departure.
Thy first love ( ). “Thy love the first.” This early love, proof of the new life in Christ (1Jo 3:13f.), had cooled off in spite of their doctrinal purity. They had remained orthodox, but had become unloving partly because of the controversies with the Nicolaitans.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Somewhat. Not in the text, and unnecessary. The following clause is the object of I have. “I have against thee that thou hast left,” etc. “It is indeed a somewhat which the Lord has against the Ephesian Church; it threatens to grow to be an everything; for see the verse following” (Trench). For the phrase have against, see Mt 5:23; Mr 11:25; Col. iii. : 13.
Hast left [] Rev., more correctly, rendering the aorist, didst leave. The verb originally means to send, away or dismiss. See on Joh 4:3. First love. Compare Jer 2:2. The first enthusiastic devotion of the Church to her Lord, under the figure of conjugal love.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,” (alla echo kata sou) “But I hold against thee,” or “I place against thee” I indict or charge against thee the following: The Lord himself sees defects and errors in each of his children and each of his seven churches, even all his churches, which these more broadly represent, Rev 22:16; 1Ki 8:46; 1Jn 1:8; Eph 5:25-27,
2) “Because thou hast left thy first love,” (hoti ten agapen sou ten proten aphekas) “That thou didst (and hast) deserted, abandoned, or drifted away from thy first love,” from love for Jesus Christ personally, and the corresponding tendency to fail to keep His commandments, to love and serve him, one another, and the lost world, Joh 13:34-35; 1Co 13:1-10; Joh 14:15; Joh 15:14; Gal 5:6.
Christ, the bridegroom, is the bride’s first love, the one who is to have priority in fidelity or faithfulness in word and deed from each person of the bride. True love focuses attention on and seeks to correct (in a kind manner) any matter that would destroy or harm harmonious love, Mat 24:12-13. True love says, “I will keep his commandments,” “I will please the bridegroom, at all personal cost.”
When one deserts his first love and obedience to Christ he soon is factious with his brethren, 1Jn 3:22-23; 1Ti 1:5; 1Co 3:1-4.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee.Better, I have against thee that thou didst let go. This is the fault, and it is no trifle which is blamed, as the word somewhat (which is not to be found in the original) might be taken to imply; for the decay of love is the decay of that without which all other graces are as nothing (1Co. 13:1-3), since all religion is summed up in one word, Love. God asks this; we cannot give more; He cannot take less (Norman Macleod, Life, i., p. 324). Great as the fault is, it is the fault which Love alone would have detected. Can any one more touchingly rebuke than by commencing, Thou no longer lovest me enough? It is the regretful cry of the heavenly Bridegroom, recalling the early days of His Brides love, the kindness of her youth, the love of her espousals (Jer. 2:2. Comp. Hos. 2:15). It is impossible not to see some reference in this to the language of St. Paul (which must have been familiar to the Ephesian Christians) in Eph. 5:23-33, where human love is made a type of the divine.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Nevertheless The turning point from commendation to reproof.
Somewhat Not in the Greek, which would read, I have against thee that thou hast left, etc.
First love The glow of holy life at their first conversion (Acts 19,) and so beautifully recognised in Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians. Hengstenberg remarks, “That first love we see still flourishing so long as Paul’s connexion with the Ephesians lasts.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But I have this against you that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and do the works that you did at first, or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand from its place, unless you have a change of mind and heart (repent).’
The ‘works’ that they ‘did at first’ clearly involve love for Christ. Jesus constantly spoke of doing the works of the Father, one of which was that they should trust in the One Whom He had sent (Joh 6:29). This should they do, and not leave the others undone. How crucial it is that we keep our eyes fixed on Christ and not on the church.
These words are simple but they touch the heart. The love that they once had has now cooled down. Let them therefore consider the vision of the glorious Son of Man standing among His people and be enflamed with love for Him again. Otherwise their church will simply cease to exist. They will be removed from the universal church of Christ. It is clear from this that the ‘first work’ for any church is to centre its eyes on the living Christ Himself. Without that their existence is essentially meaningless.
Possibly in mind here is the fact that Adam lost his first love when he sinned in Eden. Thus he lost access to the tree of life and to the Paradise of God (the Garden of Eden is ‘Paradise’ in LXX, a Greek version of the Bible). The reward for restoring that first love will indeed be to enter the new Paradise (Rev 2:7)
Israel also lost its first love. As the words of God in Jeremiah say, ‘I remember concerning you the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, how you went after me in the wilderness in a land that was not sown’ (Jer 1:2). But though God walked among them (Deu 23:14) they too lost their first love and eventually strayed far from God. How history repeats itself. God walked with Adam and yet he lost his first love, God walked in the midst of Israel, yet they lost their first love, and now it is happening to the churches.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Rev 2:4. Thou hast left thy first love. Not quite forsaken, but remitted and relaxed the former love and zeal; which is condemned, and for which they are dreadfully threatened; because the angel and his church, notwithstanding their zeal against the false apostles, by giving way to them at last, or from other causes, had, in a measure, forsaken their first love which they bore to the Lord Jesus. It is very plain, that these epistles, though inscribed to the governors of the churches, are directed to the churches themselves, as represented by them, just as the Jewish church was represented by Joshua their high-priest, Zec 3:1. But it is not improbable, that where some of the churches are blamed, there might be in their ministers some faults, correspondent to those charged upon the society; and particularly that the zeal of this minister of Ephesus might be declining.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Rev 2:4-5 . In sharp antithesis to the praise, [945] follows ( ) the declaration of what the Lord has against the church; [946] viz., that it has left, i.e., given up, its first love. [947] The is not to be taken as comparative, nor is it to be inferred in the sense in itself correct, that the Greek superlative has a comparative force; [948] rather, the love is regarded as actually the first, i.e., that which was actually present at the beginning of the life of faith. [949] This certainly is not “the sedulous care and vigilance with fervor and zeal for the purity of the divine word against false prophets,” [950] which is impossible already, because of Rev 2:2 ( pres.). Opposed to this, but just as inappropriate, is the explanation of Eichhorn: “You are restraining the wicked teachers too captiously and severely.” The reference appears specially to apply to the care of the poor; [951] it is altogether difficult to regard it alone of brotherly love, [952] but of that only so far as it is the manifestation of love to God and Christ, which the indefinite expression may suggest. Zllig and Hengstenb. have properly recalled Jer 2:2 . The lovely description of the fellowship of believers with God as that of a bridal or marriage relation [953] is particularly applicable to the foundation of the grace of God appearing in Christ, [954] and still to be hoped for from him. [955] Against this exposition an appeal cannot therefore be made [956] to Rev 2:2-3 ; since even where the first love has vanished, and works springing only from the purest glow of this first love are no longer found (Rev 2:5 ), the power of faith and love to the Lord is still sufficient for the works praised in Rev 2:2-3 .
To there proof (Rev 2:4 ) is added the call to repentance, and, in case this do not occur, [957] the threatening of judgment. The remembrance [958] of the first better condition, whence as from a moral elevation the church had fallen, [959] should cause a penitential return and the doing of the first works, as they formerly gave testimony to that first love (Rev 2:4 ). In this line of thought, the cannot mean “the loss of salvation you have experienced.” [960] The threat ( . . ., . . . ) is expressed, not only in accordance with the designation of the speaking Lord, Rev 2:1 , but also ( . ) in connection with the prophetic fundamental thoughts of the entire book, as both are inwardly combined with one another, as Christ is the one who is to come, according to his relation described in Rev 2:1 [961] to his church (and the world). But since John states the particular judgment upon an individual congregation as a coming of the Lord, which yet is not identical with his final coming, the peculiar goal of all prophecy, the prophet himself shows how he associates the individual preliminary revelations of judgment with the full conclusion in the final judgment, as well as distinguishes them from one another. [962] But the distinction dare not be urged in such a way that the eschatological reference of the vanishes. [963]
Concerning the dat. incomm. , [964] cf. Winer, p. 147.
. . , . . ., designates, according to the rule underlying the whole representation, [965] nothing else than: “I will cause thee to cease to be the church.” [966] Ewald, unsatisfactorily: “I will withdraw my grace and kindness from thee.” Grotius, incorrectly: “I will cause thy people to flee another way; viz., to those places where there will be greater care for the poor.” [967] Zeger, and many others who regard the angel as the bishop of the church, incorrectly: “I will take the church from thee, that thou no longer preside over it.”
[945] Rev 2:2-3 .
[946] Cf. Mat 5:23 .
[947] De Wette. Cf. Rom 1:27 ; Mar 7:8 ; Pro 4:13 , where is the contrary
[948] Ew., Winer, p. 229.
[949] Cf. N. de Lyra, Areth., De Wette, Hengstenb., Ebrard, Ew. ii., etc.
[950] Calov. Cf. also Vitr.
[951] Grot., Ewald. Cf. also Heinr. on Rev 2:5 .
[952] Heinr., De Wette, Ebrard.
[953] Cf. Hos 2:15 sqq.
[954] Eph 5:25 ; Eph 5:32 .
[955] Rev 19:9 ; Rev 22:17 .
[956] Ebrard.
[957] . Cf. Winer, p. 508: , as once more made expressly prominent at the close. Cf. Winer, p. 568.
[958] ., Rev 3:3 .
[959] Cf. also Rom 11:11 ; Rom 11:22 ; Rom 14:4 ; 1Co 10:12 ; Heb 4:11 . N. de Lyra, Pric., Eichh., Stern, De Wette, Hengstenb., etc.
[960] Kypke, Bretschneider, Lex . on this word, by presupposing the false reading ., which, according to linguistic usage, more readily offers the conception of something lost.
[961] Cf. Rev 1:12 sqq.
[962] Cf. also De Wette, etc.
[963] Against Klief.
[964] Rev 2:16 . Cf. Rev 3:3 , .
[965] Rev 1:12 sqq., 20. Cf. to ., Rev 6:14 .
[966] Aretius. Cf. Heinr., De Wette, Stern, Hengstenb., etc.
[967] Cf. on Rev 2:4 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Ver. 4. Thou hast left thy first love ] Those first ripe fruits that Christ’s soul desireth, Mic 7:1 , that kindness of youth, that spousal love, that God so well remembereth,Jer 2:2Jer 2:2 . This Ephesus had left, and so became Aphesis, remiss and reckless, possessed with a spirit of sloth and indevotion. And surely he is a rare and happy man that can say in a spiritual sense (as it was said of Moses), that after long profession of zeal, his sight is not waxed dim, his holy heat not abated, that runs not retrograde, as did Solomon, Asa, others, with whom the end was worse than the beginning.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Rev 2:4 . Brotherly love, an early and authentic proof of the faith; as in Rev 2:19 , 2Jn 1:5-6 , 3Jn 1:6 , and the striking parallel of Mat 24:12 (see 10) where, as at Corinth (see also Did. xvi. 3) party-spirit and immorality threatened its existence. Jealous regard for moral or doctrinal purity, and unwavering loyalty in trial, so far from necessarily sustaining the spirit of charity, may exist side by side, as here, with censoriousness, suspicion, and quarrelling. Hence the neglect of brotherly love, which formed a cardinal fault in contemporary gnosticism ( i.e. , 1Jn 2:9 ; 1Ti 1:5 f.), may penetrate the very opposition to such error. During any prolonged strain put upon human nature, especially in a small society driven jealously to maintain its purity, temper is prone to make inroads on affection and forbearance; it was inevitable also that opportunities for this should be given in early Christianity, where party-leaders tended to exaggerate either the liberal or the puritan element in the gospel. When Apollonius of Tyana visited Ephesus, one of the first topics he raised was the duty of unselfish charity ( Vit. Apoll. iv. 3). The historical reference here is probably to the temporary decline of the Ephesian hurch after Paul’s departure (see Act 20:29 f., etc.) Its revival took place under the ministry of the Johannine circle, who carrying on the spirit of Paulinism with independent vigour made it the most prominent centre of Christianity in the East. With Rev 2:2-4 , compare Pliny, H. N. ii. 18: “deus est mortali iuuare mortalem, et haec ad aeter-nam gloriam uia”; also Pirke Aboth, ii. 15, where R. Jehoshua, a contemporary Jewish sage, says: “an evil eye [ i.e. , envy, niggardliness], and the evil nature, and hatred of mankind put a man out of the world” ( cf. 1Jn 3:15 ). This emphasis upon brotherly love as the dominant characteristic of the church and the supreme test of genuine faith, is early Christian, however, rather than specifically Johannine (see the account ol the young aristocratic martyr Vettius Epagathus, Ep. Lugd. ). The purity which is not peaceable cannot be adequate to the demands of Jesus, and nowhere did this need reinforcement more than in the townships of Asia Minor, where factiousness and division constantly spoiled their guilds and mutual relations.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
hast left = didst leave.
thy, &c. Compare Deu 7:7-9. Jer 2:1, Jer 2:2. Eze 16:6-10.
love. App-135. Only here and Rev 2:19 in Rev.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I have: Rev 2:14, Rev 2:20
because: Rev 3:14-17, Jer 2:2-5, Mat 24:12, Mat 24:13, Phi 1:9, Phi 3:13-16, 1Th 4:9, 1Th 4:10, 2Th 1:3, Heb 6:10, Heb 6:11
Reciprocal: 1Ki 11:2 – Solomon Psa 85:8 – but Hag 1:9 – Because Mat 25:7 – General Mar 10:21 – One thing Rom 12:11 – fervent Phi 3:16 – whereto 1Ti 5:12 – their Heb 13:1 – General 1Pe 1:22 – see Rev 2:19 – the last Rev 3:2 – strengthen Rev 3:15 – that
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Rev 2:4. Nevertheless. This single word conveys a very important truth, namely, while the Lord does not fail to see all the good a disciple does, yet that will not cause Him to accept the service unless it is correct as a whole. Left thy first love. This phrase may he illustrated by the warmth of feeling that exists in the first part of the relation of husband and wife. The word love is from AGAPE and its chief meaning is to have that regard for another that will cause one to be interested in his welfare and happiness. Such a love will prompt one even to “go out of his way” to do things to please the other. Likewise a Christian should have such a feeling for his brother and for Christ who is the bridegroom of the church. This going “out of his way” does not mean to go beyond the lawful regulations, for that would not be pleasing to a bridegroom regardless of its motive. But there are countless instances where a Christian can make a special exertion to show his love for the Lord. The church at Ephesus had fallen into the frame of mind where it performed its services from the legal standpoint only, and it had ceased to be a “labor of love” as Paul mentions in 1Th 1:3.
Rev 2:5. From whence thou art fallen. They had fallen from a condition of fervent love for Christ and his cause to one of legal or technical formality. Repent. They have not been charged with doing anything wrong; everything they did was right as far as the acts themselves were concerned. It was what they were not doing that made up the Lord’s objection to them; they were right affirmatively but wrong negatively. Yet they were told to repent, which shows a disciple may be condemned for what he is not doing. (See Heb 2:3.) Do the first works means those extra acts of love they did in the beginning of their service to Christ, not that they must repeat the first principles of the Gospel. I will come quickly. He was already walking round midst all the churches, but this means He will come specifically to this particular church to judge it. Will remove thy candlestick. Now we can see the reason for the remarks at chapter 1:12 about the seven candlesticks being separate items. That makes it possible to remove one without disturbing the others. Another important thought is signified in this circumstance, namely, the churches of Christ are independent units as to their government and have no official connection with each other. It should be noted further that notwithstanding the complaints the Lord had against the church, He did not threaten to remove its candlestick (which would be His way of rejecting this church) unless it failed to repent. In connection with this case it is well to consider Mat 11:20 where Jesus upbraids some wicked cities “because they repented not.” In Luk 13:3 Luk 13:5 He declares certain ones will perish “except they repent.” In 2Pe 3:9 the wicked need not perish if they will “come to repentance.” This group of kindred passages gives us an insight into the principle on which God deals with mankind. A church (or individual) does not forfeit its standing with God at the mere point of doing wrong (else we all would be falling daily), but it is when it does wrong and refuses to repent of it.
Comments by Foy E. Wallace
Verse 4-5
7. “Remember . . . and repent, and do the first works” – -Rev 2:5.
This divine injunction goaded the memory in reference to the things of the past; it commanded the will with respect to the present determination; and it exhorted obedience in the restitution of the first works–not in quantity, but in quality. It meant to do the first works in the spirit of first love.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Rev 2:4. Commendation has been bestowed; the deserved blame that had been incurred now follows: Nevertheless I have against thee that thou didst let go thy first love. The Authorised Version is here materially injured by the insertion of the word somewhat, to which there is nothing in the original to correspond. The declension was a serious and not a slight one,the letting go the kindness of her youth, the love of her espousals (Jer 2:2), the love with which the church had met her Lord in the day of His espousals, and in the day of the gladness of His heart (Son 3:11). Nothing but the love of the bride can satisfy the Bridegroom; all zeal for His honour, if He is to value it, must flow from love, and love must feed its flame. There is no contradiction between the state now described and that in Rev 2:2-3. Nor is there any need to think that these latter verses apply only to the angel as if he were a distinct personality, while this verse applies to the church at large. The history of the Christian Church has been too full of zeal without love to justify any doubt as to the verisimilitude of the picture. Let the times immediately subsequent to the successful struggle against Arianism, and again to the Reformation in Germany, testify to the fact.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Rev 2:4. Nevertheless, I have somewhat to allege against thee Exemplary as thou art in many respects; or, as somewhat is not in the original, the verse may be properly read, I have against thee that thou hast left thy first love Namely, the zeal and fervour of it, which thou didst manifest to me and my cause; that love for which the church at Ephesus was so eminent when St. Paul wrote his epistle to them. Neither they nor their pastors need to have left this; they might have retained it entire to the end. And they did retain it in part, otherwise there could not have remained so much of what is commendable in them. But they had not kept, as they might have done, the first tender, affectionate love in its vigour and warmth. Reader, has the love of God, of Christ, and of his people, been shed abroad in thy heart? And hast thou retained it in all its fervour and efficacy? If not, the following exhortation is addressed to thee. It is very plain, says Doddridge, that these epistles, though inscribed to the angels or pastors of the churches, are directed to the churches themselves, as represented by them. Just as the Jewish Church was represented by Joshua their high-priest, Zec 3:1. But it is not improbable that where some of the churches are blamed, there might be in their ministers some faults correspondent to those charged on the society; and particularly that the zeal of this minister of Ephesus might be declining. There is, I think, no reason to be anxious with regard to Timothys character on this account; for it can never be proved that he was a stated pastor of the church of Ephesus, though such confident things have been said concerning it on very slender foundations.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
4. Here the Spirit reveals that these people, with all their sterling orthodoxy, were in a back-slidden state, having lost their first love, instead of exchanging it for perfect love, as the Lord willeth.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 4
Thy first love. The passage (Ephesians 1:15,16) addressed to the same church at an earlier day, by the apostle Paul, contains a striking allusion to the strength of their early love for the Savior and his cause. As is very often the case with Christians, it would seem that their zeal (Revelation 2:2,3) had somewhat outlasted their love.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
2:4 Nevertheless I have [somewhat] {a} against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
(a) To deal with you for.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
3. Rebuke 2:4
The Ephesians, however, were serving Jesus Christ and maintaining orthodoxy as a habit rather than out of fervent love for their Savior (cf. Eph 1:15-16). Many commentators, however, took the first love as a reference to the Ephesians’ love for one another (cf. Act 20:35; Eph 1:15). [Note: See John R. W. Stott, What Christ Thinks of the Church, p. 27.] Yet the emphasis in all these letters on the congregations’ allegiance to Jesus Christ seems to favor the view that love for Him is in view here. Genuine believers are in view. [Note: Richard C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. John’s Revelation, pp. 86-87.] They did what was correct but for the wrong reason. Service and orthodoxy are important, but Jesus Christ wants our love too.
"It is only as we love Christ fervently that we can serve Him faithfully." [Note: Wiersbe, 2:572.]