Revelation 2:11

11 He that hath ears, hear he, what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:11 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 2:11

He that hath an ear, let him hear
(See Gill on Revelation 2:7);

he that overcometh;
and is not intimidated by poverty, confiscation of goods, tribulation, persecution, and death itself, but through Christ is a conqueror, and more than a conqueror over all these things:

shall not be hurt of the second death;
by which is meant eternal death, in distinction from a corporeal and temporal one; and lies in a destruction of both body and soul in hell, and in an everlasting separation from God, and a continual sense of divine wrath; but of this the saints shall never be hurt, they are ordained to eternal life; this is secured for them in Christ, and he has it in his hands for them, and will give it to them. The phrase is Jewish, and is opposed to the first death, or the death of the body; which is the effect of sin, and is appointed of God, and which the people of God die as well as others; but the second death is peculiar to wicked men. So the Jerusalem Targum on ( Deuteronomy 33:6 ) ; paraphrases those words, "let Reuben live, and not die", thus;

``let Reuben live in this world, and not die (anyynt atwmb) , "by the second death", with which the wicked die in the world to come.''

Of which sense of the text and phrase Epiphanius makes mention ^F17. See the same phrase in the Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel, in ( Isaiah 22:14 ) ( Isaiah 65:6 Isaiah 65:15 ) ; and in ( Jeremiah 51:39 Jeremiah 51:57 ) ; and in Philo the Jew ^F18.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Contr. Haeres. Haeres. 9.
F18 De Praemiis & Poenis, p. 921.

Revelation 2:11 In-Context

9 I know thy tribulation, and thy poverty, but thou art rich; and thou art blasphemed of them, that say, that they be Jews, and be not, but be the synagogue of Satan.

10 Dread thou nothing of these things, which thou shalt suffer. Lo! the devil shall send some of you into prison, that ye be tempted [that ye be proved]; and ye shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful to the death [Be thou faithful unto the death], and I shall give to thee a crown of life.

11 He that hath ears, hear he, what the Spirit saith to the churches. He that overcometh, shall not be hurt of the second death.

12 And to the angel of the church of Pergamos write thou, These things saith he, that hath the sword sharp on either side [that hath the sword sharp on each side].

13 I know where thou dwellest, where the seat of Satan is; and thou holdest my name, and deniedest not my faith. And in those days was Antipas, my faithful witness, that was slain at you, where Satan dwelleth.