The Nicolaitanes from Revelation

Hi Brother. This is from Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary that most others agree with ...

"Nicolaitanes — Irenaeus [Against Heresies, 1.26.3] and Tertullian [Prescription against Heretics, 46] make these followers of Nicolas, one of the seven (honorably mentioned, Act_6:3, Act_6:5). They (Clement of Alexandria [Miscellanies, 2.20 3.4] and Epiphanius [Heresies, 25]) evidently confound the latter Gnostic Nicolaitanes, or followers of one Nicolaos, with those of Revelation. Michaelis’ view is probable: Nicolaos (conqueror of the people) is the Greek version of Balaam, from Hebrew “Belang Am,” “Destroyer of the people.” Revelation abounds in such duplicate Hebrew and Greek names: as Apollyon, Abaddon: Devil, Satan: Yea (Greek, “Nai”), Amen. The name, like other names, Egypt, Babylon, Sodom, is symbolic. Compare Rev_2:14, Rev_2:15, which shows the true sense of Nicolaitanes; they are not a sect, but professing Christians who, like Balaam of old. tried to introduce into the Church a false freedom, that is, licentiousness; this was a reaction in the opposite direction from Judaism, the first danger to the Church combated in the council of Jerusalem, and by Paul in the Epistle to Galatians. These symbolical Nicolaitanes, or followers of Balaam, abused Paul’s doctrine of the grace of God into a plea for lasciviousness (2Pe_2:15, 2Pe_2:16, 2Pe_2:19; Jud_1:4, Jud_1:11 who both describe the same sort of seducers as followers of Balaam). The difficulty that they should appropriate a name branded with infamy in Scripture is met by Trench: The Antinomian Gnostics were so opposed to John as a Judaizing apostle that they would assume as a name of chiefest honor one which John branded with dishonor."

This is from Thayers ...

G3531
Νικολαίτης
Nikolaitēs
Thayer Definition:
Nicolaitans = “destruction of people”
1) a sect mentioned in Rev_2:6,Rev_2:15, who were charged with holding the error of Balaam, casting a stumbling block before the church of God by upholding the liberty of eating things sacrificed to idols as well as committing fornication
Part of Speech: noun proper masculine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G3532

This is from Vincent's ...

Rev 2:6
The Nicolaitans
From νικαν to conquer, and λαός the people. There are two principal explanations of the term. The first and better one historical. A sect springing, according to credible tradition, from Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch, one of the seven deacons of Jerusalem (Act_6:5), who apostatized from the truth, and became the founder of an Antinomian Gnostic sect. They appear to have been characterized by sensuality, seducing Christians to participate in the idolatrous feasts of pagans, and to unchastity. Hence they are denoted by the names of Balaam and Jezebel, two leading agents of moral contamination under the Old Testament dispensation. Balaam enticed the Israelites, through the daughters of Moab and Midian, to idolatry and fornication (Numbers 25; Num_31:16). Jezebel murdered the Lord's prophets, and set up idolatry in Israel. The Nicolaitans taught that, in order to master sensuality, one must know the whole range of it by experience; and that he should therefore abandon himself without reserve to the lusts of the body, since they concerned only the body and did not touch the spirit. These heretics were hated and expelled by the Church of Ephesus (Rev_2:6), but were tolerated by the Church of Pergamum (Rev_2:15). The other view regards the name as symbolic, and Nicholas as the Greek rendering of Balaam, whose name signifies destroyer or corrupter of the people. This view is adopted by Trench (“Seven Churches”), who says: “The Nicolaitans are the Balaamites; no sect bearing the one name or the other; but those who, in the new dispensation, repeated the sin of Balaam in the old, and sought to overcome or destroy the people of God by the same temptations whereby Balaam had sought to overcome them before.” The names, however, are by no means parallel: Conqueror of the people not being the same as corrupter of the people. Besides, in Rev_2:14, the Balaamites are evidently distinguished from the Nicolaitans.
Alford remarks: “There is no sort of reason for interpreting the name otherwise than historically. It occurs in a passage indicating simple matters of historical fact, just as the name Antipas does in Rev_2:13.”

This is from Albert Barnes Notes ...

Rev 2:6
The Nicolaitans
From νικαν to conquer, and λαός the people. There are two principal explanations of the term. The first and better one historical. A sect springing, according to credible tradition, from Nicholas a proselyte of Antioch, one of the seven deacons of Jerusalem (Act_6:5), who apostatized from the truth, and became the founder of an Antinomian Gnostic sect. They appear to have been characterized by sensuality, seducing Christians to participate in the idolatrous feasts of pagans, and to unchastity. Hence they are denoted by the names of Balaam and Jezebel, two leading agents of moral contamination under the Old Testament dispensation. Balaam enticed the Israelites, through the daughters of Moab and Midian, to idolatry and fornication (Numbers 25; Num_31:16). Jezebel murdered the Lord's prophets, and set up idolatry in Israel. The Nicolaitans taught that, in order to master sensuality, one must know the whole range of it by experience; and that he should therefore abandon himself without reserve to the lusts of the body, since they concerned only the body and did not touch the spirit. These heretics were hated and expelled by the Church of Ephesus (Rev_2:6), but were tolerated by the Church of Pergamum (Rev_2:15). The other view regards the name as symbolic, and Nicholas as the Greek rendering of Balaam, whose name signifies destroyer or corrupter of the people. This view is adopted by Trench (“Seven Churches”), who says: “The Nicolaitans are the Balaamites; no sect bearing the one name or the other; but those who, in the new dispensation, repeated the sin of Balaam in the old, and sought to overcome or destroy the people of God by the same temptations whereby Balaam had sought to overcome them before.” The names, however, are by no means parallel: Conqueror of the people not being the same as corrupter of the people. Besides, in Rev_2:14, the Balaamites are evidently distinguished from the Nicolaitans.
Alford remarks: “There is no sort of reason for interpreting the name otherwise than historically. It occurs in a passage indicating simple matters of historical fact, just as the name Antipas does in Rev_2:13.”

This one's from Wesley -

Rev 2:6 But thou hast this - Divine grace seeks whatever may help him that is fallen to recover his standing. That thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans - Probably so called from Nicolas, one of the seven deacons, Act_6:5. Their doctrines and lives were equally corrupt. They allowed the most abominable lewdness and adulteries, as well as sacrificing to idols; all which they placed among things indifferent, and pleaded for as branches of Christian liberty.

There's more but they're all saying the same thing.

Hope it helps.

Actually, it's only in 'this' generation that they have been 'redefined' - as has "Jezebel" in what they've come up as a "Jezebel spirit" which has nothing whatsoever to do with what The Word says about the Jezebel that threatened the true prophet and desired the false and in Revelation, tempts to fornication and the followers of Nicolas were also of that same spirit of antinomianism and sexual immorality.

Strong's = G3531
Νικολαίτης
Nikolaitēs
nik-ol-ah-ee'-tace
[From *G3532* - Nikolaos]; a Nicolaite, that is, adherent of Nicolaus: - Nicolaitane.

Sure, they are "know-it-alls" in debauchery and attempting to kill/remove the true prophets and in attempting to get the Church to fall into lawlessness, most especially sexual sin.

Ah, now I can slow down. Sorry Sis KP for such a quick post.
Just got back from a brain scrambling Dr visit with my Dad.

The reason I felt it important to go back to actual Church History on the Nicolaitanes and Jezebel is because much of what is written 'in these days' about those two has been so far off the wall and extra-Biblical, that's it's hard to get through it all without wondering have these people ever read a Bible at all - or do they just love making things up to protect 'themselves'?

Iraeneus sat under Polycarp that was mentored by the Apostle John. He and the history of the Church at Ephesus gave us the correct low-down on Nicolas's following being after the flesh. Their gnosticism was to sin so much in the flesh because they thought the flesh had nothing to do with their spirit.

And those that have taught in this generation of a "Jezebel spirit" seldom touch on Ahab's wife and what she was like or what she did or what John wrote of that Jezebel in the Revelation.

Both of those 'teachings' from this present generation go way beyond what is written and make up these things to protect themselves and to play lone-ranger.

They don't respect that GOD gave to the church, apostles or prophets [except for themselves :], nor pastors or teachers and some would put down some evangelists as well - if they preach on Holiness --- so they Redefined the Nicolaitanes for that reason - to decide who they want over-seeing His Church.
Of course they wouldn't want to properly define Jezebel for the same reason --- because they also don't like real prophets that cut in on their own advancement.

This redefining of both of these teachings or definitions seemed to have started with the beginnings of the 'Apostles & Prophets movement'.

We're to honor those that "labor in The Word" - but they'd call that Nicolaitane, because The Word exposes them as the false prophets and why they also had to redefine "Jezebel" because they are the false prophets that want to destroy or over-ride the Truth of His Word that the true prophets, pastors, apostles, evangelists and teachers would bring against them.

Those that labor in The Word are not those that "labor to bring their own words" - as they do.
What was that acronym for that group? NRA or something like that?

Never in all the yrs of Church History have men and women wrote more of their own words than this generation. It's brain bending and those that truly lift up His Word alone are in the minority or have few that hang in there with them. Numbers are obviously not the way to judge a ministry, and maybe, I guess it never was.

GOD Bless the men that do indeed 'labor' In The WORD and aren't out to defend or promote their own 'ministries' at the expense of the truth of His Word. My heart and tears go out to them. They need our prayers!

HI Sis. We posted at almost the same time.

I wouldn't blame what you've been through as a "spirit of Jezebel" but how we're raised and what we've been through ... "as a twig is bent" - I just don't believe that "a spirit" causes us to do what we do.

It would be so interesting to find a book which speaks more about what God was saying about gender and faith via Jezebel, Elijah, and King Ahab's interactions in the book(s) of Kings. One that does not just focus on Jezebel's role.

There is a book :) The Word!

We only go off when we go out from there.

You're a swell Sister and we need more like you.

Because iniquity abounds the love of most will wax cold.
That's enough right there about sexuality to sufficiently push us back to His Word and what He has to say about that particular sin.
Take it ALL from His WORD and nothing else. It's too risky to go outside of His Word. Way too risky.

Love you and glad you're here.
Hope you are blessed, every single day that you are!