Revelation 2:8-11
⁸ “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life.
⁹ I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
¹⁰ Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.
¹¹ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.”

The Gulf of Smyrna was supposedly settled by Aeolians (Greeks from the sector north of Athens) approximately 1000 years BC, and later by the Ionians (Athenians and their immediate neighbors). Legend says that the city derived its name from an Amazon (female warrior) named Σμύρνα (Smyrna), who named the town after herself.¹ It was in Smyrna that the famous Greek poet Homer, author of the epics the Iliad and the Odyssey, was probably born around 850 BC. The Romans built a shrine to Homer during the early part of their reign.

Various armies conquered the city of Smyrna four times (5 times if you count the Roman occupation) during its history. (1) The Ionians conquered the city from the Hittites around 688 BC. In 600/575, it was captured by King Alyattes of Lydia, by means of a siege mound that enabled him to overrun its massive defenses. This disaster resulted in very severe damage to the city. (2) which was repeated around 545 by the Persians when they destroyed the temple of Athena. (3) The Persians then conquered the city around 545 BC. (4) In 334 BC, Alexander the Great conquered (and rebuilt) the city. The city then became a “subject” of Rome in 197 BC.² During the Roman period, Smyrna developed into a wealthy port city and one of the most important cities of the province, with a population of nearly 100,000 residents.³

Located about 35 miles north of Ephesus, it had a temple dedicated Athena and, during the Roman period, a temple dedicated to the Caesars. Smyrna was the chief exporter of myrrh in ancient times.⁴ Myrrh was an aromatic substance used as a healing ointment, perfume, incense, and for embalming the dead. The area around Smyrna had forests of sweetgum trees which created the sap from which myrrh was produced.⁵

The ancient city of Smyrna was a commercially successful metropolis primarily due to its harbor and favorable location along one of the major trade routes through Asia Minor.⁶ When the Romans took over Smyrna, they built one of the largest marketplaces in the entire empire. It had three floors, a basement, and indoor plumbing. In addition to Rome’s largest shopping center, Smyrna also boasted a twenty-thousand-seat theater. Smyrna soon became a major center for Emperor worship. The city built several temples dedicated to successive Emperors like Tiberius, Hadrian, and Caracalla.⁷ The deep-water harbor made Smyrna an active trading hub, which in turn made Smyrna a wealthy city. Ancient writers, such as Aristides, were so impressed with the stately public buildings, built on top of the local hill, that they referred to them as the crown of Smyrna.⁸

Aelius Aristides (Greek historian/orator 117-181 AD) relates that around 150 BC, an altar to Zeus occupied a central position in the agora. Two high reliefs depicting a large group of gods, possibly connected with the altar, have been uncovered, on which Demeter is shown standing next to Poseidon. It may well be that placing these deities side by side was intended to demonstrate that Smyrna at that time dominated commerce by both land and sea.⁹

If you were to tour the ruins today, one would a see the Ephesian gate, a gymnasium (near harbor), a stadium (west side), a theater (holding 20,000 and located on the northwest mountain slope), temples to Zeus (including a large altar), Cybele (the Mother Goddess, near the harbor), Aphrodite, Dionysius, and the Emperors (probably Tiberius in 26 AD and Domitian before 96 AD), the harbor, a library, and a massive agora with a bema on the west and a basilica on the north.¹⁰ The city was severely damaged an earthquake in 178 AD, and rebuilt by the Romans. In ancient times, Smyrna was famous for its wine called Pramnos. Vintners mixed the wine with cheese, flour, and honey. They used honey to sweeten the wine and added water before drinking. Drinking wine without adding water was considered a barbaric behavior.¹¹ Out of all seven cities mentioned in Revelation, only Smyrna survives today as an inhabited city. It has been renamed Izmir and occupies the exact location of ancient Smyrna.

^8a To the angel of the church in Smyrna. Following the pattern of the other letters, this one was also to the angel of the church. What, or rather, who, are these angels? Theologians have struggled for two thousand years, trying to determine who exactly they are. The Greek word “ἀγγέλος - aggelos” (Strong’s G32, GK# 34) is typically translated as an angel or a messenger. There are several thoughts on who they are:
     1. actual angels.
     2. a human representative of them, i.e., the bishop of the church.
     3. they are a personification of the church.
In the first theory, if the angel is an actual angel, then we can infer that each church has its own “guardian” angel. There is a major problem associated with ἀγγέλος being an “angelic” angel. The problem lies in that it seems improbable that Christ would use a human to write a physical letter to an angel, rebuking it for falling short in its duties as a Christ-follower.¹² If the angel is an actual angelic representative of the local church, and answerable for its failure, then the seven angels in chapters 1 through 3 failed miserably. Is that type of failure even possible for an angel? I don’t think so.

The second theory is that the Greek word aggelos is a human messenger instead of an angel. This theory deems the letter addressed to a human messenger rather than an angelic one. The main problem is that aggelos is always translated as an angel in Revelation and used in that context.¹³ This interpretation does not mean that aggelos cannot refer to a human being as a messenger; it is simply not typical in the book of Revelation. The problem with assigning the pastor or bishop as messengers are that they are not referred to as messengers (or angels) anywhere in the New Testament. If it were a common practice to refer to the chief person in the church as a messenger, this would be evident in the other letters in the New Testament, especially in Paul's. John did not use the appropriate word if he was addressing an elder, deacon, or pastor. The word aggelos could mean the person who delivered the letter. But that would require seven different messengers, one from each of the churches, to have traveled to Patmos to get the letter to deliver it. While this is not impossible, as John could have easily summoned a messenger from each church to receive the appropriate correspondence, it is not probable. Another problem with this theory is the letter is not written to a single person but to the entire church.

The third theory (I tend to side with this one) is that the “angel” is simply a personification of the church itself.¹⁴ A personification is an imaginary person or creature conceived to represent something. In this case, the angel represents the church. The angel of the churches was not simply touched by the faults of the church but were guilty of them as well.¹⁵ John wrote to an “angel” about the sins of the church. Since judgment is coming for those sins, it is not logical that the angel would be a heavenly being. The letter starts as if being written to an angel, but there is no doubt that the congregation is the focus of the letter. It is my opinion, therefore, that the “angel” is a symbol, or personification, of the church rather than one of the heavenly angelic hosts.

^8b…The words of the first and the last. Jesus revealed himself to each church in a way that was unique to their context and specific problems. Jesus described himself to the church at Smyrna in a way that he designed to show them that he understood what they were going through. The comment from God about being the first and the last goes all the way back to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 44:6 states, Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Isaiah repeats the theme three times (Isaiah 41:4; Isaiah 44:6; Isaiah 48:12), emphasizing that God’s existence is throughout eternity. Before anything existed, God was there. After everything ceases to exist, God will be there. The first words that were ever spoken were God’s words. If there is such a thing as last words being spoken, they will be his. The most important words that anyone will ever hear or read belong to God. When God speaks, we need to listen.

In referring to himself as the first and the last, Jesus is proclaiming his deity. He is proclaiming that he is God. The prophecies in Isaiah, specifically those from the first and the last, are from God. Here we see Jesus applying that title to himself. Jesus is God. As John wrote in his gospel, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). Now we see the Word speaking. Jesus has just informed the church at Smyrna that God is speaking. Listen up!

^8c…who died and came to life. While the first title (the first and the last) bears witness to his deity, the second (who died and came to life) bears witness to both his divinity and humanity. As a man, Jesus knows full well what it is to experience tribulation and suffering, even to the point of death. The most important aspect about Jesus is his resurrection.¹⁶ You could even go so far as to say that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is by far the most important historical event that ever occurred.¹⁷ Jesus’ resurrection conquered death and the grave. The resurrection proves that Christ’s life has meaning. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. The resurrection removes the fear of death because Jesus lives.

Let’s paraphrase verse 8 back together again piecing together what we have learned. And to the congregation of the church in Smyrna write: 'The words of the first and the last, who died and rose from the dead.'

^9aI know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich). Until the latter half of the first century, Christians enjoyed a degree of protection from state persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire by being classified as a sect of Judaism. The Roman Empire broadly considered Christians to be a movement within Judaism, which was exempt from worship of the emperor up to the reign of the Roman Emperor Nero.¹⁸ However, the scene began to shift after A.D. 64. During that year, a massive fire destroyed a significant portion of Rome. Nero came under suspicion for deliberately causing the fire to suit his own interests (possibly giving rise to the famous expression, Nero fiddled while Rome burned). Like many politicians before and after him, the emperor sought a scapegoat to deflect pressure and suspicion away from himself and found a convenient target in the Christian church.¹⁹ Thus began a pattern of Roman state persecution toward Christians that occurred at varying intervals until the Emperor Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan in A.D. 313, establishing religious toleration for Christians throughout the Roman Empire.²⁰

The word know is the Greek word “οἶδά – oida” (Strong’s G1492, GK# 3857), which means to be aware, behold, consider, believe.²¹ Christ has been watching the church at Smyrna and knows what they are going through. He then let the church know what he had observed. He knows all about their tribulation and poverty. As far as this church was concerned, the tribulation had already started. The word tribulation is the Greek word “thlipsin” (Strong’s G2347, GK# 2568), which means persecution, affliction, distress, tribulation.²² All distress and affliction suffered by Christians, caused by the pressure of the world on them, must always be understood in the light of their solidarity with Christ’s afflictions.²³ Jesus Himself knew all about tribulation; He faced far worse than we ever will. So when Jesus said that He knows, it is not just an observational knowledge. He has been there and suffered through it. He knows through experience. The world only hates Christians because the world hated Jesus first (John 15:18). We are guilty by association.

In Smyrna, emperor worship got an early start. The city built a temple dedicated to Tiberius, who was Caesar during the time of Jesus. The city then built subsequent temples for each Caesar who came into power. Smyrna was home to numerous guilds of fishermen, tanners, silversmiths, and goldsmiths. However, worship of pagan deities and the Roman emperor was a prerequisite for membership in the guilds and the trades they represented.²⁴ This would have made it difficult for a Christian to obtain a good-paying job. There is much debate about when John wrote the book of Revelation. If it had an early date of around 68-69 AD, then Nero would have been Caesar. If it had been later, around 96 AD, then Domitian would have been Caesar. Neither of those two was particularly fond of Christians. Domitian, however, persecuted the Christians on a much larger scale than Nero. No matter what year Revelation was written, in Smyrna, where Caesars were worshiped as gods, Christians would have been the outcasts of society.

We can make an educated guess as to why the Christians in Smyrna were living in poverty. Their refusal to participate in emperor worship likely contributed significantly. Those refusing to participate were seen as politically disloyal and unpatriotic and would be arrested and punished according to Roman law (e.g., exile, loss of property, fines, capital punishment).²⁵ Another aspect to consider is the Fiscus Judaicus, a tax for being Jewish or Christian (Christians were considered a sect of Judaism).²⁶ The tax was two Drachmai (two Roman denarii) which the equivalent of two days wages. Tax collectors were supposed to collect this tax only once a year, but greedy tax collectors would collect it more often than that. Caesar Tiberius had previously declared Christianity to be an illegal religion just before the end of his reign. This law assisted Nero in his cause against Christians.

Verse nine appears to connect their tribulation with their poverty, suggesting that the latter is a direct consequence of the former. We can speculate, but that’s all we can do: speculate. The word poverty is the Greek word ptocheian (Strong’s G4432, GK# 4775), which means beggary, poverty, destitution.²⁷ The Greek word here refers to extreme and abject poverty.²⁸ You get the impression that these Christians literally had nothing. It seems that they had suffered the loss of everything for Christ’s sake.

However, Jesus gave them a word of encouragement, but you are rich. The word “but” is the Greek word alla (Strong’s G235, GK# 247). While translating alla as but is technically accurate, it does not convey the meaning of the word. Alla is a strongly adversative conjunction (gives an opposite meaning to the statement) that marks opposition, contrast, difference, or objection.²⁹ It would be better to translate alla, in verse 9 as “however.” In verse 9, we can see two “realities” in play. The Smyrnans saw the reality of their poverty, but Jesus saw the “reality” of their incredible wealth. Even while living in abject poverty due to tribulation, Jesus saw their riches. So why would Jesus refer to these Christians as being rich? Their material poverty (caused by their faith in Jesus) was offset by a far greater wealth than money or possessions (also caused by their faith in Jesus). Being poor yet rich is a paradox that is difficult to grasp. True wealth is stored in Heaven by God, as opposed to material wealth, which we cannot take with us when we die. These Christians may have lacked worldly possessions, but their faith and their testimony had purchased them treasures in Heaven. They were poor on earth, but they were rich in Heaven! The people in control may have taken everything they had, but they had treasures in Heaven that the government could not take (see Matt. 6:19-21). These people had nothing, yet they possessed everything (see 2 Cor. 6:10).

^9b and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not. The word slander is the Greek word “blasphemian” (Strong’s G988, GK# 1060), which means blasphemy, slander, reproachful speech.³⁰ Blasphemy and slander are similar, yet different. Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt (or lack of reverence for God).³¹ Slander is the utterance of false charges or accusations which defame and damage another's reputation.³² Slander is a legal term used to describe defamation or the act of harming a person or business's reputation by telling one or more people something that is untrue and damaging about them.³³ Blasphemy is against God, slander is against people. Interpreters need to be careful when translating blasphemian as blaspheme or slander because it can completely change the meaning of the verse. In the case of verse 7, I think it should be translated as slander, since the Christians were under verbal attack. The use of slander against the Christians was followed by persecution and tribulation. The people slandering the Christians were not content with just verbal abuse; they wanted to destroy them.

Those who say that they are Jews and are not. The word Jews is an interesting word. There is a Greek word Israelite (Ίσραηλίτης - Israelites - Strong’s G2475) but Jesus did not use it in this statement. The Greek word used here is “Ίουδαίους – loudaious” (Strong’s G2453, GK# 2681), which translates as Judeans.³⁴ The word Jew did not enter the English language until around 1275 AD.³⁵ Many times in the New Testament, the word “Jews” is specifically referring to the religious leadership.³⁶ The Gospel writers often referred to large groups of Israelites as “crowds” or “people.” The use of the word “Jews” (especially in the Gospels) may have been a way to let the readers know that it was mainly the religious leaders who opposed Christ. If that same thought process is being used in this verse, then it lets us know that “Jews” refers to religious leaders. But then we immediately encounter a problem.

The problem we encounter is the phrase those who say that they are Jews and are not. There is really only one way to look at that phrase. That is to take the phrase at face value, without reading anything into it. These people were not actually Jewish but were only pretending (falsely claiming) to be Jews. There is a strong possibility that these people are not just stirring up trouble for the Christians, but they may have been hoping for a backlash against the Jewish population as well.

^9c but are a synagogue of Satan. Christ specifically points out where these “people pretending to be Jews” are operating out of. They are from the synagogue of Satan. The word synagogue (Strong’s G4864, GK# 5252), means assembly.³⁷ The synagogue was the center of the Jewish religious community: a place of prayer, study, education, social and charitable work, as well as a social center.³⁸ The early church (for the most part) avoided using the word synagogue to describe itself. Instead, they used the Greek word “ekklesia,” which also translates as “assembly.”³⁹ However, in James 2:2, the meeting of Christians is referred to as a synagogue. The word synagogue, therefore, can refer to either a Christian or Jewish assembly.

However, another option is also possible. The word synagogue could refer to any place where religious people assemble. Please remember that even idol worshipers are religious. The people who worshiped the emperors were also very religious. Smyrna was filled with temples where religious devotees assembled. The Greeks and Romans were very religious people, but their zeal was not for God. My point is that we should not automatically assume that "synagogue" refers only to a Jewish assembly. Because this verse is talking about people who are pretending to be Jewish suggests that the word synagogue is not referring to a Jewish place of worship. My opinion is that this can only refer to a Gentile assembly of people who hate Christians (and possibly Jews as well).

The word Satan is the Greek word “Santana” (Strong’s G4567, GK# 4928), which means accuser or adversary.⁴⁰ The word is not actually a Greek word, but was transliterated from the Hebrew word.⁴¹ The word was borrowed from the Old Testament, rather than using the Greek words for either accuser or adversary. The Hebrew scribes did not capitalize the word satan, nor was it used as a name. The advantage of using "satan" over the Greek word "antidikos" is that "satan" implies evil intentions, whereas "antidikos" does not. I believe for that reason, the Hebrew word for accuser/adversary is used instead of the Greek word. The phrase synagogue of Satan could literally be translated as the assembly of accusers.⁴² The people who are slandering the Christians are, more than likely, a group of Gentiles (masquerading as Jewish people) with evil intentions. Since this portion of the verse is referring to people falsely claiming to be Jews, it would make more sense to use the phrase assembly of the accusers.

Let’s paraphrase verse 9 back together again piecing together what we have learned. I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jewish but are not, but rather are an assembly of accusers.

^10a Do not fear what you are about to suffer. The word fear is the Greek word “phobou” (Strong’s 5399, GK# 5828), which means to fear, be afraid, alarmed.⁴³ The American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychology defines fear as, an intense emotion aroused by the detection of a present, clearly identifiable threat.⁴⁴ The church does not need to fear what is coming. The opposite of fear is knowledge and understanding.⁴⁵ Even though what was coming would cause extreme discomfort, pain, and even death, Christ would be right there with them. They understood that Christ had also suffered and conquered death. The words of Jesus would give them the courage to stand fast in their faith.

The word suffer is the Greek word paschein (Strong’s G3958, GK# 4248), which means 'to suffer,' 'to experience,' or 'to undergo.'⁴⁶ It is often used to describe enduring hardships, pain, or trials.⁴⁷ This verb is in the present active infinitive form, which means to expresses an active or ongoing action.⁴⁸ This verb form means that the Church in Smyrna was suffering when Jesus dictated the letter and that the suffering would continue. Suffering tends to do one of two things to a Christian: it either pulls them closer to Christ or it pushes them away. Jesus gave the Church a “heads up” that he was not only aware of the situation, but he was in it with them. They were not alone.

^10b Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested. It is interesting that Jesus specifically used the word devil (diabolos - Strong’s G1228, GK 1333) instead of using the word Satan. We tend to use the two terms interchangeably, but they are not synonymous. They are two distinct terms. The Greek word diabolos means to slander or backbite.⁴⁹ The New Testament uses the Greek word diabolos to describe a person who speaks maliciously about a person, verbalizing charges designed to sour their reputation.⁵⁰ The New Testament does not always translate diabolos as devil. In 1 Timothy 3:11; 2 Timothy 2:26; and Titus 2:3, the word is translated as slander. If you translate diablos as the slanderer, it would then tie directly to verse 9b, “and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not.” (Emphasis mine.) The slanderer causing the slander was about to throw some of the Christians into prison.

The purpose of throwing the Christians into prison was “that you may be tested.” The word tested is the Greek word peirazo (Storng’s G3985, GK #4279) and means to tempt or to test depending on the context. The difference between a test and a temptation is in the motivations and expectations; the devil tempts that the believer might fail God’s standards of faith and so sin; God tests that he might determine and sharpen true character, with no focus on making the believer fail.⁵¹ In this context it is not God who is doing the testing, but accuser who is doing the tempting. The temptation before the Smyrnan’s was to recant their Christianity and conform to emperor worship. John Stott put it pointedly: The ugly truth is that we tend to avoid suffering by compromise. Our moral standards are often not noticeably higher than the standards of the world. Our lives do not challenge and rebuke unbelievers by their integrity, purity, or love. The world sees in us nothing to hate.⁵²

^10c and for ten days you will have tribulation. There is much debate about the ten days of tribulation spoken of in this verse. Are they ten literal days, or 10 figurative days? The word days literally means a twenty-four-hour period, but figuratively, it means an undetermined period. So which should we use? This entire verse (up to this point) has been taken literally, and so, therefore, should the remainder of the verse. It makes no sense to change from literal suddenly, define one word figuratively, and then switch back to literal. From a grammar perspective, it makes more sense to see the 10 days as ten literal days, or 10 twenty-four-hour days in a row.

^10d Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life. This plea to be faithful unto death underscores the ultimate cost of discipleship. It echoes Jesus' teachings in Matthew 16:24-25 about taking up one's cross and following Him. Jesus’ death and resurrection proved that Christians will have life after death. His death and resurrection prove that not only does a Christian’s life have meaning, but so does his death. But Jesus also offered a reward for being faithful unto death, the crown of life. This promise is consistent with other New Testament passages, such as James 1:12 and 1 Peter 5:4, where crowns symbolize victory and eternal life. In Greek and Roman life, the crown was a symbol of triumph and honor.

Let’s paraphrase verse 10 back together again piecing together what we have learned. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Be ready, for the accuser is about to throw some of you into prison, to tempt you, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.'

^11a He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The phrase he who has an ear qualifies everyone who will listen and obey. It is a phrase Jesus often used when speaking in parables. Whenever Christ says, "He who has an ear, let him hear," He calls for people to pay careful heed. It’s another way of saying, “Listen up! Pay close attention! What I said was important!” Those who have “ears to hear” allow the Word to bear fruit to the glory of God. It is up to the hearer to decide whether to take the Word seriously and try to understand and obey it. The church is tasked with paying close attention and seeking God's wisdom regarding the written Word. Only a few are willing; the rest have ears but do not have “ears to hear” (Matthew 7:13–14, 24–27).

^11b The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death. What does it mean to conquer? The word conquer (Strong’s G3528, GK 3771) means victory, victorious, overcome, subdue, to prevail.⁵³ To define what a conqueror/overcomer is, we need to look at Jesus. Revelation 5:5-6 states, “And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. 6 And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.” The book of Revelation points out that the Lion's victory came through the death of the Lamb. The concept of victory through death goes against human wisdom, common sense, and reason. This concept of victory is not how a human army wins a war. The real victors are those who lose their lives for the sake of Christ. Being faithful to Christ up to (and including) death defines those who “overcome.”

What is the second death? This phrase is only found in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 21:8 explains the second death in the most detail: But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death. It is called a “death” because it is a separation from God.⁵⁴ It is called the second death because it follows a persons physical death (if they have not accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior).

Let’s paraphrase verse 10 back together again piecing together what we have learned. Listen up and pay attention to what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will not experience the second death.

Jesus's letter to Smyrna was to a persecuted church. They were being persecuted for bearing witness to Jesus Christ. Jesus commended them for their faithfulness in the face of persecution and tribulation. They were poor, afflicted, and their lives were on the line. Yet in the midst of their incredible struggles, Jesus sent them a letter of hope and encouragement. As modern Christians, we need to reflect upon what it means to follow Christ in the world. Are we ready to follow Christ even if it means being executed for our faith? We need to be like the church at Smyrna, faithful rather than fearful.

Second, Ephesus was a church that was careful about sound doctrine yet judged for an absence of evangelism. It is an easy mistake to believe the right things (doctrines) about God while at the same time not spreading the good news of the gospel and making disciples. More than knowing and understanding the correct doctrine(s) (with your mind) is required. We must love people (with our hearts) enough to want to see them have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus makes a strong case that there is a connection between correct doctrine, love for God and fellow, and evangelism. If any of these are missing, Jesus has a problem with our church. If any of these are missing, now is the time to repent and change. Then came the “but.”

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