Deeds of the Nicolaitans
Nicolaitanism probably represents a movement present in the churches at Ephesus and at Pergamos to subject the people of God to one or more powerful leaders. The term is derived from nikao, "to conquer," and laos, "people," hence, "people conquerors." Very plausibly, the Nicolaitan movement marks the beginning of a form of priesthood in the church. It is a separation of people into the priest class and laity.
It is "us and them" philosophy.
Bible teaches all believers are priests and have direct access to the Father through Jesus.
Rev 20:6, Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.
Paul said he was nothing special.
1 Cor 9:16, For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t do it!
Jesus said those who want to be chief must become servants.
Mat 20:20-28, Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. {21} "What is your request?" he asked. She replied, "In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?" {22} But Jesus told them, "You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow I am about to drink?" "Oh yes," they replied, "we are able!" {23} "You will indeed drink from it," he told them. "But I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen." {24} When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. {25} But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. {26} But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, {27} and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. {28} For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
The ones who are special are those who have needs. They need our attention.
1 Cor 12:18-27, But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. {19} What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! {20} Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. {21} The eye can never say to the hand, "I don’t need you." The head can’t say to the feet, "I don’t need you." {22} In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. {23} And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, {24} while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. {25} This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. {26} If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. {27} Now all of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it.
Those who are healthy don't need the doctor. Those who are doing great don't need encouragement as much as those who have fallen.
Many have always acted like the Pharisees and looked at themselves as the unique mediators between the common people and God. They see themselves as the ones chosen to interpret God's Word.
They always fought anyone who would translate the Scripture into a language of the common person.
Many today fight modern translations and teach the King James Version as the only correct one. But they are really just Pharisees trying to protect their position. If people can read and understand the Scriptures for themselves, the Pharisees lose part of their position.
The King James Version people read today is not the original King James Version. It has undergone several extensive revisions.
For example here is a quote of John 4:3-8 from the original 1611 King James Version:
S.Iohn 4:3-8, "He left Iudea, and departed againe into Galile. {4} And hee must needs goe thorow Samaria. {5} Then commeth he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, neere to the parcell of ground that Iacob gaue to his sonne Ioseph, {6} Now Iacobs Well was there, Iesus therefore being wearied with his iourney, sate thus on the Well: and it was about the sixth houre. {7} There commeth a woman of Samaria to draw water: Iesus sayth vnto her, Giue me to drinke. {8} For his disciples were gone away vnto the city to buy meate."
It may look like I made a lot of typing errors, but I didn't. The early English was much different than today's.
Here is the same Scripture from the King James Version used today:
John 4:3-8, He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. {4} And he must needs go through Samaria. {5} Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. {6} Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. {7} There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. {8} (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)
Here is the same Scripture from The Living Translation.
John 4:3-8, So he left Judea to return to Galilee. {4} He had to go through Samaria on the way. {5} Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. {6} Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. {7} Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Please give me a drink." {8} He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
The translators of the King James Version wrote the following (I "modernized" their spelling).
"But how shall men meditate in that, which they cannot understand? How shall they understand that which is kept close in an unknown tongue? as it is written, "Except I know the power of the voice, I shall be to him that speaketh a Barbarian the he that speaketh shall be a Barbarian to me." The Apostle excepteth no tongue; not Hebrew the ancientest, not Greek the most copious, not Latin the finest. Nature taught a natural man to confess, that all of us in those tongues which we do not understand, are plainly deaf; we may turn the deaf ear unto them."
They wrote pages about the people condemning them for translating the Scriptures. Things haven't changed. The Pharisees always attack people they think are invading their exclusive territory.
Even during the Reformation in the 1500's and 1600's, the main controversy was about translating the Scriptures from Latin into the language of the common people. For example, Martin Luther translated the Scripture into German. The Roman Church wanted to keep the Scriptures in Latin so the common people would look to the priests and church for guidance.
I feel if I communicate God's Word using a translation the hearer does not understand - I have failed.
If I use a translation they understand, but refuse to listen, because they only want a certain version, it is their fault communication failed.
But it really doesn't matter whose fault it is. It up to us to do everything we can to solve the problems. I use whatever translation I feel can get the point across in a way that is consistent to God's Word and Will.
But back to the main subject, no one is God's exclusive messenger. Jesus is the only High Priest and all believers have the same access to God. We are to work together to grow into the body of believers Christ wants us to be. No one can do God's perfect will by himself because His will includes each believer fitting into the body as He wills.
1 Cor 12:6-7, There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. {7} A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.
It is not surprising that those who feel they are the "experts" and are telling everyone else how to run their lives often fail to straighten out their own lives. God wants us to all work together and these "experts" don't listen to others. They are rejecting the help they have to have to straighten out their lives.
When we profess to be so wise, we are really fools.
I know it would hurt the pride of the Pharisee to admit he needs help and doesn't know all the answers. But which is better - to suffer in our false pride and sin, or to lose a little pride and fix up our lives? I don't think anyone needs help answering that question - they just need help reading it.
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