The Nicolaitans were a sect of corrupt professors of Christianity of whose doctrines and deeds little or nothing is certainly known.  It is most generally supposed that they were a sort of Antinomians, who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness; and there is a tradition, not well sustained, that their heresy was derived from Nicolas, a proselyte of Antioch, one of the seven deacons of whom we read, Acts vi. 5.  The similarity of name seems to have suggested this fancy; for there is no historical evidence that one who was “of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom,” was permitted thus to fall away.  Their deeds, however, were hateful to Christ, and therefore hateful to his real disciples:  for one of the infallible marks of a state of grace is to hate what,—­yes and whom,—­our Lord hates. (Ps. cxxxix. 21, 22.) All who read or hear these things are interested in them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.  What Christ saith in each of these epistles, the Spirit saith; and what is said to each church is said to all the seven; that is, to the whole visible church.  “To him that overcometh” false apostles, the deeds of the Nicolaitans, any doctrines or practices in opposition to the truth of Christ, or militating against the honor of Christ; to such he “will give to eat of the tree of life,” from which Adam was excluded upon the breach of the first covenant.  (Genesis iii. 22-24.) What the first Adam lost by the fall, the last Adam will restore with interest, (1 Cor. ii. 9.) The felicity of the saints in glory can be represented only by sensible things; and even then but very imperfectly. (1 Cor. xiii. 12; 1 John iii. 2.)

8.  And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

9.  I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich,) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

10.  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer:  behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days:  be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

11.  He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Vs. 8-11.—­Smyrna is the second in order of the seven churches addressed through the ministry as the official representatives.  Our Saviour here assumes those titles mentioned in ch. i. 17, 18, which bespeak his divine personal dignity and voluntary humiliation, his eternal Godhead and true manhood,—­“God manifest in the flesh,” having by death triumphed over death, to deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage. (Heb. ii. 15.) This church was subjected to “tribulation,”—­persecution in name, substance and person.  The members were either of the poorer sort of the citizens of Smyrna,