启示录 2:7

5. Promise 2:7

An invitation preceded the promise, as in all the letters to follow (cf. Revelation 1:3). Jesus was the only person to issue this invitation in Scripture. The Gospels also record Him doing so seven times (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:43; Mark 4:9; Mark 4:23; Luke 8:8; Luke 14:35). This invitation always occurs where Jesus appealed to His hearers to make a significant change.

In addition to the implied promise of the whole church’s continuance if obedient (Revelation 2:5), Jesus Christ gave a promise to the individuals in the church. "Him who overcomes" probably refers to all Christians (cf. Revelation 2:2-3; Revelation 2:10 c, 13, 19, 25; Revelation 3:3; Revelation 3:8; Revelation 3:10; 1 John 5:4-5). [Note: L. S. Chafer, Systematic Theology, 3:306; W. Robert Cook, The Theology of John, pp. 173-83; R. E. Manahan, "’Overcomes the World’-1 John 5:4" (M.Div. Thesis, Grace Theological Seminary, 1970), pp. 38-39; William Newell, pp. 42, 52, 339; James E. Rosscup, "The Overcomer of the Apocalypse," Grace Theological Journal 3:2 (Fall 1982:261-86; Ryrie, Revelation, pp. 22-23; Smith, p. 65; Stott, pp. 97-98, 118-25; Lehman Strauss, The Book of the Revelation, pp. 108; Walvoord, The Revelation . . ., pp. 59, 98-99; Ladd, pp. 41, 69; Thomas, Revelation 1-7, pp. 151-53; and Beale, pp. 234, 269-72.] The promises given to overcomers in all seven letters and in Revelation 21:7 bear this interpretation out. Some interpreters who hold this view appeal to 1 John 2:13; 1 John 4:4; and 1 John 5:4-5, where John referred to his readers as overcomers. However, in 1 John 2:13; 1 John 4:4 John said his readers had overcome the world, not that all Christians are overcomers. In 1 John 5:4-5 he wrote that only believers in Christ can overcome the world, not that every believer in Christ does overcome the world. Some students of Revelation have concluded that the overcomers are not all Christians but only faithful Christians. [Note: E.g., Donald G. Barnhouse, Messages to the Seven Churches, pp. 38, 43-44, 47, 56-57, 74-75, 84, 94-95; J. Sidlow Baxter, Awake My Heart, p. 323; R. R. Benedict, "The Use of Nikao in the Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation" (Th.M. Thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1966), p. 13; Harlan D. Betz, "The Nature of Rewards at the Judgment Seat of Christ" (Th.M. Thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1974), pp. 36-45; Zane C. Hodges, Grace in Eclipse, pp. 107-11; Ralph D. Richardson, "The Johannine Doctrine of Victory" (Th.M. Thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1955), pp.20-29; William R. Ross Jr., "An Analysis of the Rewards and Judgments in Revelation 2, 3" (Th.M. Thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1971), p. 20; Mounce, pp. 90, 106, 256; Joseph C. Dillow, The Reign of the Servant Kings, pp. 37, 470, 474; Chitwood, p. 48; and J. William Fuller, "’I Will Not Erase His Name from the Book of Life’ (Revelation 3:5)," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 26 (1983):299.] The Lord held out a reminder of what would inevitably be the Ephesians’ in the future to motivate them to follow Him faithfully in the present. Similarly other New Testament writers wrote of our blessings in Christ to motivate us to live in harmony with our calling.

". . . the promises to the conquerors are fundamentally assurances to the faithful of the benefits of Christ’s redemption, expressed in the language of apocalyptic. In the nature of the case the promises afford inspiration for faith and fortitude in all who may be called to lay down their lives for Christ, and they are intended to do so." [Note: Beasley-Murray, p. 78.]

John prefaced the promise with a special exhortation to give attention.

"These promises pertain to Christians alone, and their realization awaits the future Messianic Era. The time when Christians will enter into these promises must follow the time set forth in chapter one-Christ appearing as Judge in the midst of the seven Churches. The Church must first be brought into judgment, and then overcoming Christians will realize that which has been promised." [Note: Chitwood, p. 45. Cf. Thomas, Revelation 1-7, p. 153.]

The promise itself seems to be that those who remember, repent, and repeat the first works (Revelation 2:5) will partake of the tree of life. There is a connection between the tree of life and man’s rule over the earth. Adam in his unfallen state had access to this tree, but when he fell God kept him from it (Genesis 1:26-28; Genesis 3:22). In the future, believers will have access to it again (cf. Revelation 22:14).

"A number of other Jewish texts use the eating of the fruit of the tree of life as a metaphor for salvation (1 Enoch 25:5; 3 Enoch 23:18; T. Levi 18:11; Apoc. Mos. 28:4; Apoc. Elijah 5:6), and this metaphor continues to be used by Christian authors (T. Jacob 7:24). . . The tree of life is not simply a symbol for eternal life alone but also represents the cosmic center of reality where eternal life is present and available, and where God dwells. . .

"One tradition often used in apocalyptic literature originated in Genesis 2:9; Genesis 3:23-24 and involved eschatological access to the tree of life in the heavenly paradise, clearly a metaphor for the enjoyment of eternal life." [Note: Aune, p. 152.]

Paradise is a Persian loan word meaning a walling around, hence a walled park or garden (cf. Genesis 2:8-10 in LXX; Revelation 22:1-4; Revelation 22:14).

"To eat of the Tree is to enjoy all that the life of the world to come has in store for redeemed humanity." [Note: Swete, p. 30.]

The tree of life appears four times in the Book of Proverbs and its use there helps us understand its presence in Genesis and Revelation. Solomon referred to wisdom (Proverbs 3:18), righteousness (Proverbs 11:30), satisfied hope (Proverbs 13:12), and controlled speech (Proverbs 15:4) as a tree of life. These are all the fruits that would have provided Adam and will provide the overcomers with what they will need to flourish in the millennial kingdom and beyond. The tree of life in Eden and the tree of life in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2; Revelation 22:14; Revelation 22:19) appear to be literal trees. [Note: See Daniel K. K. Wong, "The Tree of Life in Revelation 2:7," Bibliotheca Sacra 155:618 (April-June 1998):211-26.]

In church history, conditions described in this letter characterized the apostolic age especially.