Revelation 2:25

But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

2:18-29 Even when the Lord knows the works of his people to be wrought in love, faith, zeal, and patience; yet if his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, observe them committing or allowing what is evil, he will rebuke, correct, or punish them. Here is praise of the ministry and people of Thyatira, by One who knew the principles from which they acted. They grew wiser and better. All Christians should earnestly desire that their last works may be their best works. Yet this church connived at some wicked seducers. God is known by the judgments he executes; and by this upon seducers, he shows his certain knowledge of the hearts of men, of their principles, designs, frame, and temper. Encouragement is given to those who kept themselves pure and undefiled. It is dangerous to despise the mystery of God, and as dangerous to receive the mysteries of Satan. Let us beware of the depths of Satan, of which those who know the least are the most happy. How tender Christ is of his faithful servants! He lays nothing upon his servants but what is for their good. There is promise of an ample reward to the persevering, victorious believer; also knowledge and wisdom, suitable to their power and dominion. Christ brings day with him into the soul, the light of grace and of glory, in the presence and enjoyment of him their Lord and Saviour. After every victory let us follow up our advantage against the enemy, that we may overcome and keep the works of Christ to the end.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

But that which ye have ... - All that there is of truth and purity remaining among you, retain faithfully. Compare Revelation 3:11.

Till I come - To receive you to myself, John 14:3.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

25. that which ye have already—(Jude 3, end).

hold fast—do not let go from your grasp, however false teachers may wish to wrest it from you.

till I come—when your conflict with evil will be at an end. The Greek implies uncertainty as to when He shall come.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

But that which ye have already; than you already groan under. Or, no other precepts than what you have had from the apostles: the precepts of God are called burdens, Matthew 11:30 Acts 15:28.

Hold fast till I come; hold fast your profession, your faith and holiness, till I come to judgment.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But that which ye have already,.... Which was something good, even the faithful word, the form of sound words, the mystery and doctrine of faith; this they had received from Christ and his apostles; they had it in their hearts, and a comfortable experience of the truth and power of it, and had made a profession of it, which they now held, and are here exhorted to hold fast:

hold fast till I come; meaning the coming of Christ, either at the Reformation by Luther, Calvin, and others, which began at the close of this church state, when the hands and hearts of those professors would be more strengthened, which seems to be the first sense of the words; or to judge Jezebel, destroy antichrist, which will be by the brightness of his coming; till which time the doctrine of the Gospel is to be held fast: and such an exhortation will be always necessary, since, till then, there will be always more or less an opposition to it, and attempts made to wrest it out of the hands of its professors, to cause them to hesitate about it, and to intimidate them in the profession of it, by loading them with reproaches, calumnies, and persecution.

Geneva Study Bible

But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. that which ye have] Comparing Revelation 2:6, we shall probably understand this “what thou hast to thy credit,” thy present faithfulness: so that the sense will rather be like Php 3:16 than Jdg 1:3. Cf. Revelation 3:11.

Bengel's Gnomen

Revelation 2:25. Πλὴν) Amos 3:2, רק. Septuagint, πλὴν.—ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἥξω) Ἤκω, derived from the preterite of the verb ἵημι, already in the present involves the preterite [I am come, I am present]. And so the future, ἥξω, I will be present, ch. Revelation 3:3, is nearer than the present ἔρχομαι itself, when taken alone. Thus, ἥκω, ἥκει, ἥκουσι, John 8:42; John 2:4; John 4:47; 1 John 5:20; Luke 15:27; Mark 8:3, note. Whence, Hebrews 10:7; Hebrews 10:9, ἥκω is used for the preterite באתי, Psalm 40:7; and thus the Septuagint everywhere: Numbers 23:1 (or Numbers 22:36); Deuteronomy 33:2; Joshua 23:14-15; Jdg 16:2; 1 Samuel 16:2; 1 Samuel 29:6; 1 Samuel 29:10; 2 Samuel 3:23. There is a remarkable instance in Ecclesiastes 5:14, ἐπιστρέψει, ὡς ἥκει.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - Howbeit. Not simply ἀλλά or δέ, but πλήν, which occurs nowhere else in St. John's writings. Although no other burden than this is imposed, yet remember what it implies. Hold fast the love, and faith, and service, and patience, and the growth in these virtues, for which thou hast been commended (ver. 19). Comp. Revelation 3:11, where a similar charge is given to the Church at Philadelphia. The Greek for "till I come" is remarkable - ἄχρις οῦ α}ν ἤξω; where the α}ν conveys a touch of indefiniteness as to the date specified - until the time whensoever I shall come. We have a similar construction in 1 Corinthians 15:25. Revelation 2:25

Vincent's Word Studies

Hold fast (κρατήσατε)

See on Mark 7:3; see on Acts 3:11.

Till I come (ἄχρις οὗ ἂν ἥξω)

The conditional particle ἂν marks the time of His coming as uncertain.