The Nicolaitans in the Book of Revelation
The Nicolaitans were a sect mentioned in the Book of Revelation whose deeds and doctrines were strongly condemned [1, 2]. The church in Ephesus was commended for hating their "deeds" (Revelation 2:6), while the church in Pergamum was rebuked for having members who held their "doctrines" (Revelation 2:15) [4].
While not much is definitively known about the Nicolaitans, their teaching appears to have involved eating food sacrificed to idols and engaging in sexual immorality [7]. These practices were in direct opposition to the decree issued by the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:20, 29, which prohibited such behaviors [1, 7]. Some scholars suggest they were a group of professing Christians who misused the doctrine of grace to justify a false freedom or licentiousness [4].
Early church fathers, such as Irenaeus and Tertullian, identified the Nicolaitans as followers of Nicolas, one of the seven deacons mentioned in Acts 6:5 [6]. However, other sources, like Clement of Alexandria and Epiphanius, also connect them to Nicolas [6]. Smith's Bible Dictionary notes that there is no reason to identify Nicolas with the sect of Nicolaitans beyond the similarity of the name, as traditions on the subject are not considered reliable [5].
The Nicolaitans are often associated with those who held the "doctrine of Balaam" (Revelation 2:14) [1, 4]. This comparison suggests that, like Balaam, they led people into sin, specifically by encouraging them to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication [1, 11]. Adam Clarke notes that the Nicolaitans were commonly supposed to be a sect of Gnostics who taught impure doctrines and practiced impure acts, including the community of wives and the indifference of adultery and fornication [10]. John Gill describes their practices as "filthy and impure" [9].
The condemnation of the Nicolaitans in Revelation 2:6 and 2:15 highlights a significant challenge faced by the early church: the infiltration of teachings that promoted moral compromise and idolatry within Christian communities [2, 3]. The call to "repent" in Revelation 2:16 indicates the seriousness with which these doctrines were viewed and the need for the church to reject them [8].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nicolaitans — (followers of Nicolas), a sect mentioned in (Revelation 2:6,15) whose deeds were strongly condemned. They may have been identical with those who held the doctrine of Balaam. They seem to have held that it was lawful to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication, in opposition to the decree of the Church rendered in (Acts 15:20,29) The teachers of the Church branded them with a name which expressed their true character. The men who did and taught such things were followers of Balaam. (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11) They, like the false prophet of”
- Revelation “But this you have, that you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. -- Revelation 2:6”
- Revelation of John “Revelation of John 2:15 (LITV) — So you also have those holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Nicolaitanes — The church at Ephesus (Rev. 2:6) is commended for hating the "deeds" of the Nicolaitanes, and the church of Pergamos is blamed for having them who hold their "doctrines" (15). They were seemingly a class of professing Christians, who sought to introduce into the church a false freedom or licentiousness, thus abusing Paul's doctrine of grace (comp. 2 Pet. 2:15, 16, 19), and were probably identical with those who held the doctrine of Baalam (q.v.), Rev. 2:14.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Nicolas — (victor of the people), (Acts 6:5) a native of Antioch and a proselyte to the Jewish faith. When the church was still confined to Jerusalem, he became a convert and being a man of honest report full of the Holy Ghost and of wisdom, he was chosen by the whole multitude of the disciples to be one of the first seven deacons, and was ordained by the apostles. There is no reason except the simplicity of name for identifying Nicolas with the sect of Nicolaitans which our Lord denounces, for the traditions on the subject are of no value.”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 2:6: But--How graciously, after necessary censure, He returns to praise for our consolation, and as an example to us, that we would show, when we reprove, we have more pleasure in praising than in fault-finding. hatest the deeds--We should hate men's evil deeds, not hate the men themselves. Nicolaitanes--IRENÆUS [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 [Her”
- Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 2:6: 2:6 Not much is known of the Nicolaitans, but their teaching (2:15) seems to link them with those who ate food sacrificed to idols and who were involved in sexual immorality, behavior prohibited by the council in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:20, 29). Irenaeus argued (about AD 180) that the Nicolaitans were dependent on Nicolas (Acts 6:3-5) and that John’s writings were directed against the heresies of the Nicolaitans who followed Cerinthus (see 1 John Book Introduction, “Setting”).”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 2:16: The three oldest manuscripts read, "Repent, therefore." Not only the Nicolaitanes, but the whole Church of Pergamos is called on to repent of not having hated the Nicolaitane teaching and practice. Contrast Paul, Act 20:26. I will come--I am coming. fight against them--Greek, "war with them"; with the Nicolaitanes primarily; but including also chastisement of the whole Church at Pergamos: compare "unto THEE." with the sword of my mouth--resumed from Rev 1:16, but with an allusion to the drawn sword with which the angel of the Lord confronted ”
- Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 2:6: But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans,.... Though these Christians had left their first love, yet they bore an hatred to the filthy and impure practices of some men, who were called "Nicolaitans"; who committed fornication, adultery, and all uncleanness, and had their wives in common, and also ate things offered to idols; who were so called, as some think (c), from Nicolas of Antioch, one of the seven deacons in Act 6:5; though as to Nicolas himself, it is said (d), that he lived with his own lawful married wife, and no other, and that h”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 2:6: The deeds of the Nicolaitanes - These were, as is commonly supposed, a sect of the Gnostics, who taught the most impure doctrines, and followed the most impure practices. They are also supposed to have derived their origin from Nicolas, one of the seven deacons mentioned Act 6:5 (note). The Nicolaitanes taught the community of wives, that adultery and fornication were things indifferent, that eating meats offered to idols was quite lawful; and mixed several pagan rites with the Christian ceremonies. Augustine, Irenaeus, Clemens Alexandrinus, and Tertullian, have ”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 2:15: thou--emphatic: "So THOU also hast," As Balak and the Moabites of old had Balaam and his followers literally, so hast thou also them that hold the same Balaamite or Nicolaitane doctrine spiritually or symbolically. Literal eating of idol-meats and fornication in Pergamos were accompanied by spiritual idolatry and fornication. So TRENCH explains. But I prefer taking it, "THOU also," as well as Ephesus ("in like manner" as Ephesus; see below the oldest reading), hast . . . Nicolaitanes, with this important difference, Ephesus, as a Church, hates them”