Thyatira

[Rev. 2:18] And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of G-d, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
[Thyatira - in Lydia, south of Pergamos. Lydia, the purple-seller of this city, having been converted at Philippi, a Macedonian city (with which Thyatira, as being a Macedonian colony, had naturally much intercourse), was probably the instrument of first carrying the Gospel to her native town. John follows the geographical order here, for Thyatira lay a little to the left of the road from Pergamos to Sardis.
Thyatira is about forty-five miles southeast on the road from Pergamum to Sardis, was a town of considerable commercial importance in which there were many traders and artisans. Ancient records indicate the presence there of many trade guilds. Archaeologist have found inscriptions that mention guilds of woolworkers, lined workers, makers of outer garments, dyers, leatherworkers, tanners, potters, bakers, slave dealers, and bronze smiths. Such guilds combined some of the features of our modern trade unions with certain religious features. Banquets of the members of the guild often took place within a pagan temple or shrine, where an animal was offered to the idols and then eaten by the members of the guild.
This obviously put Believers in a difficult dilemma. If they did not participate in such feasts and ceremonies of the guild, they would be unable to make a living. If they did participate, they were being unfaithful to the L-rd.Son of G-d . . . eyes like . . . fire . . . feet . . . like fine brass - or "glowing brass" whence this description is resumed). Again His attributes accord with His address. The title "Son of G-d," is from Psalms 2:7,9, which is referred to in v. 27. The attribute, "eyes like a flame". answers to v. 23, "I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts." The attribute, "feet like . . . brass," answers to v. 27, "as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers," He treading them to pieces with His strong feet.]
[19] I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.
[The oldest manuscripts transpose the English Version order, and read, "faith and service." The four are secondary to "thy works"; thus, "I know thy works, even the love and the faith (these two forming one pair, as 'faith works by love,' Galatians 5:6), and the service (ministration to the suffering members of the Church, and to all in spiritual or temporal need), and the endurance of (that is, shown by) thee (this pronoun belongs to all four)." As love is inward, so service is its outward manifestation. Similarly, faith and persevering endurance, or "patient continuance (the same Greek as here, Romans 2:7) in well-doing," are connected. And thy works; and the last - Omit the second "and," with the three oldest manuscripts and the ancient versions; translate, "And (I know) thy works which are last (to be) more in number than the first"; realizing 1 Thessalonians 4:1; the converse of Matthew 12:45, 2 Peter 2:20. Instead of retrograding from "the first works" and "first love," as Ephesus, Thyatira's last works exceeded her first (v. 4,5).]
[20] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
[The seven leading churches allowed their membership to involve themselves in semi pagan views under various heretic leaders. Another individual singled out for idolatrous practices was a woman prophetess given the secondary title Jezebel.
John identifies her with the name of her OT counterpart, Jezebel, Ahab’s Phoenician queen, who corrupted the faith of Israel with the many whoredoms and sorceries of her native idols, Baal and Astarte (2 Kg. 9:22; and 1 Kgs. 16:31-33).]
[21] And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
[Space - Greek, "time." Of her fornication . . . she repented not - The three oldest manuscripts read, "and she willeth not to repent of (literally, 'out of,' that is, so as to come out of) her fornication." Here there is a transition from literal to spiritual fornication, as appears from v. 22. The idea arose from Jehovah's covenant relation to the Old Testament Church being regarded as a marriage, any transgression against which was, therefore, harlotry, fornication, or adultery.
Her teaching of what the writer witheringly calls the deep things of Satan in verse 22 had the effect of compromising Christian commitment by taking part in pagan practices. We should not minimize the importance of problems confronting first-century Believers, for it was economic suicide to reject the minimum requirements for guild membership. Every generation of Believers must face the question: How far should I accept and adopt contemporary standards and practices?]
[22] Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
[Behold - calling attention to her awful doom to come. I will - Greek present, "I cast her." A bed - The place of her sin shall be the place of her punishment. The bed of her sin shall be her bed of sickness and anguish. Perhaps a pestilence was about to be sent or the bed of the grave, and of the hell beyond, where the worm dieth not. Them that commit adultery with her - spiritually; including both the eating of idol-meats and fornication. "With her," in the Greek, implies participation with her in her adulteries, namely, by suffering her (v. 20), or letting her alone, and so virtually encouraging her. Her punishment is distinct from theirs; she is to be cast into a bed, and her children to be killed; while those who make themselves partakers of her sin by tolerating her, are to be cast into great tribulation. Except they repent - Greek aorist, "repent" at once; shall have repented by the time limited in My purpose. Their deeds - Two of the oldest manuscripts and most ancient versions read "her." Thus, G-d's true servants, who by connivance, are incurring the guilt of her deeds, are distinguished from her.]
[23] And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
[Her children - (Isaiah 57:3, Ezekiel 23:45,47). Her proper adherents; not those who suffer her, but those who are begotten of her.
Kill . . . with death - Compare the disaster that overtook the literal Jezebel's votaries of Baal, and Ahab's sons, 1 Kings 18:40, 2 Kings 10:6,7,24,25. Kill with death is a Hebraism for slay with most sure and awful death; so "dying thou shalt die" (Genesis 2:17). Not "die the common death of men" (Numbers 16:29). All the churches shall know - implying that these addresses are designed for the Church of all ages and places. So deliberately shall G-d's hand be seen in the judgment on Thyatira, that the whole Church shall recognize it as G-d's doing. I am he - the "I" is strongly forcefully: "that it is I am He who". Searcheth . . . hearts – G-d's peculiar attribute is given to Messiah. The "reins" are the seat of the desires; the "heart," that of the thoughts. The Greek for "searcheth" expresses an accurate following up of all tracks and windings. Unto every one of you - literally, "unto you, to each." According to your works - to be judged not according to the mere act as it appears to man, but with reference to the motive, faith and love being the only motives which G-d recognizes as sound.]
[24] But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden.
[You . . . and . . . the rest - The three oldest manuscripts omit "and"; translate then, "Unto you, the rest." As many as have not - not only do not hold, but are free from contact with.
And which - The oldest manuscripts omit "and"; translate, "whosoever." The depths - These false prophets boasted peculiarly of their knowledge of mysteries and the deep things of G-d; pretensions then expressed by their arrogant title, Gnostics ("full of knowledge"). The Spirit here declares their so-called "depths," (namely, of knowledge of divine things) to be really "depths of Satan"; just as in Revelation 2:9, He says, instead of "the synagogue of G-d," "the synagogue of Satan." They who thus think to fight Satan with his own weapons always find him more than a match for them. The words, "as they speak," that is, "as they call them," coming after not only "depths," but "depths of Satan," seem to favor this latter view; otherwise I should prefer the former, in which case, "as they speak," or "call them," must refer to "depths" only, not also "depths of Satan." The original sin of Adam was a desire to know EVIL as well as good, so in those who professed to know "the depths of Satan." It is the prerogative of G-d alone to know evil fully, without being hurt or defiled by it. I will put - Two oldest manuscripts have "I put," or "cast." One oldest manuscript reads as English Version. None other burden - save abstinence from, and protestation against, these abominations; no "depths" beyond your reach, such as they teach, no new doctrine, but the old faith and rule of practice once for all delivered to the saints. Exaggerating and perfecting Paul's doctrine of grace without the law as the source of justification and sanctification, these false prophets rejected the law as a rule of life, as though it were an intolerable "burden." But it is a "light" burden. In Acts 15:28,29, the very term "burden," as here, is used of abstinence from fornication and idol-meats; to this the L-rd here refers.]
[25] But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
[That which ye have already - (Jude 1:3, end). Hold fast - do not let go from your grasp, however false teachers may wish to wrest it from you. Till I come - when your conflict with evil will be at an end. The Greek implies uncertainty as to when He shall come.]