The Nicolaitans were a kind of people within or in close contact with the churches of Asia Minor in the latter part of the Apostolic Age. They are expressly named only in the Book of Revelation. JESUS loathed the Nicolaitans' doctrine and hated their deeds.
To understand why, let's begin reading Revelation 2 :"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'This is the Message from the One Who Holds the 7 Stars in His Right Hand and Who Walks among the 7 Gold Lamp-stands." (1)
"I know what you have done; I know how hard you have worked and how patient you have been. I know that you cannot tolerate evil people and that you have tested those who say they are apostles but are not, and have found out that they are liars. You are patient, you have suffered for my sake, and you have not given up." (2-3)
"But this is what I have against you: 'YOU DO NOT LOVE ME NOW as you did at first. Think HOW FAR YOU HAVE FALLEN! Turn from your sins and DO WHAT YOU DID AT FIRST. If you do not turn from your sins, I will come to you and take your Lamp-stand from its place.' " (4-5)
"But this is what you have in your favor: 'YOU HATE WHAT THE NICOLAITANS DO, as much as I do." (6)
Ephesus, once called by a Roman writer "The Light of Asia, with a population of 300,000, was the chief commercial port city of the Province on the West Coast of Asia Minor. It was the center of the worship of the Mother Earth's power in Western Asia and the city was full of wizards, sorcerers, witches, astrologers, diviners who used all kind of ritual practices, and magic.
Ephesus was the Gate-Way of Asia. One of its distinctions, laid down by STATUTE, was that when a Roman proconsul came to take up office as governor of Asia, he must 'disembark at Ephesus' or 'be baptized by the power of Mother Earth' and then enter his province invested with her power.
For all travelers and trade, from Cayster and the Maeander Valleys, from Galatia, from Euphrates and from Mesopotamia, EPHESUS WAS THE HIGHWAY TO ROME.
In the New Testament Era Ephesus was the 4th greatest city in the World, after Rome, Alexandria in Egypt, and Antioch of Syria. Christians were brought from Asia to be flung to the lions in Rome's arena, and, because of it, Ephesus was called THE HIGHWAY OF THE MARTYRS.
The apostle Paul first visited Ephesus on return from his missionary journey where he "entered the synagogue and 'reasoned' with the Jews. Before that episode he went first to Corinth.
Acts 18, says: "Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently came from Italy with his wife Priscilla, for Emperor Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and stayed and worked with them, because he earned his living by 'making tents,' just as they did. He held discussions in the synagogue every Sabbath, trying to 'convince' both Jews and Greeks." (1-5)
"When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul gave his whole time to preaching the Message testifying to the Jews that JESUS IS THE MESSIAH. When they 'opposed him' and said 'evil things' about JESUS, Paul protested by shaking the dust from his clothes and saying to them, "IF YOU ARE LOST, YOU YOURSELVES MUST TAKE THE BLAME FOR IT! I am Paul, and I am not responsible for it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles." (6-7)
"Paul left them and went and went to live in the house of a Gentile named Titius Justus, who worshiped GOD; his house was next to the synagogue. Crispus, who was the leader of the synagogue, believed in the LORD, together with all his family; and many other people in Corinth heard the Message, believed and were baptized." (8)
"One night Paul had a VISION in which the LORD said to him, "DO NOT BE AFRAID, but KEEP ON SPEAKING and DO NOT GIVE UP, for I AM WITH YOU. No one will be able to harm you, for MANY IN THIS CITY ARE MY PEOPLE." So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching the people the WORD OF GOD." (9-11)
When Gallio was made the Roman governor of Achaia, Jews there (against the Message) got together and 'seized Paul,' and took him into Court. "This man," they said, "is trying to 'persuade' people to 'worship GOD in 'a Way' that is against our Law!"
Paul was about to speak when Gallio said to the Jews there, "If this were a matter of some evil crime or wrong that has been committed, it would be reasonable for me to be patient with you Jews. But since IT IS AN ARGUMENT about WORDS and NAMES and YOUR OWN LAW, you yourselves must settle it. I will not be the Judge of such things!" Gallio drove them out of the Court. Then, they all grabbed Sosthenes, the leader of the synagogue, and beat him in front of the Court. But that did not bother Gallio a bit." (12-17)
After staying with the believers in Corinth for a time, Paul left them and sailed off with Priscilla and Aquila for Syria. Before sailing from Cenchreae Paul had his head shaved because of a Vow he had taken. They arrived in Ephesus , where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He went into the synagogue and held discussions with the Jews. The people asked Paul to stay longer, but Paul would not consent. Instead, Paul told them as he left, "If it is the WILL OF GOD, I will come back to you."
And so Paul sailed from Ephesus. When he arrived at Caesarea, he went to Jerusalem and greeted the Church, and then went to Antioch. After spending some time there, he left and went through the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the Believers." (18-23)
"At that time a Jew named Apollos, who had been born in Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker and had a thorough knowledge of the Scripture. He had been instructed in the Way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm he proclaimed and taught correctly the Facts about Jesus. However, Apollo knew only the baptism of John. He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took Apollos home with them and explained to him more correctly the Way of God. Apollos then decided to go Achaia, so the believers in Ephesus helped him by writing to the believers in Achaia, urging them to welcome him. When Apollos arrived, he was a great help to those who through GOD's Grace had become believers. For with his strong arguments Apollos defeated the Jews (against the Message) in public debates by proving from the Scripture that JESUS IS THE MESSIAH. (24-28)
The name "Nicolaitans" comes from the Greek word "Nikolaus," which is a compound of the words Nikos, meaning 'to conquer' or 'to subdue' and Laos, meaning 'the people,' from where we get 'laity.'
When these two words are compunded into one, they form the name "Nikolaus," which literally means "one who conquers and subdues the people."
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