The Nicolaitans – Who Were They?
Categories: Church of Christ Bulletin ArticlesIn Revelation 2:6,15, we read about the “deeds” and the “doctrine” of the Nicolaitans. Just who were the Nicolaitans, what were their deeds, and what was their doctrine?
The word, “Nicolaitans” means “destruction of people”. They were a sect or party of evil influence in early Christianity, especially in the seven churches of Asia (Revelation 1:11). Their apostate doctrine was similar to that of Balaam, “who taught Balak to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14-15; cf. Numbers 22-25; 2 Peter 2:15-16; Jude 1:11). Their intent was not only to commit the immoral excesses of the heathen, in direction opposition to the decree of the church given in Acts 15:20,29, but they also engaged in the orgies of idolatrous feasts. They seemingly brought the impurities of those feasts into the meetings of the early first century church. They are described like the false prophets in 2 Peter 2:1.
While not much is known regarding the Nicolaitans, we do know that the church at Ephesus “hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans” (Revelation 2:6), and that the church in Pergamum had taken a compromising position toward their apostate teaching (Revelation 2:12-15). To accept the teachings of Balaam or the Nicolaitans was a practice condemned by our Lord (Revelation 2:6,15-16). In fact, any idolatrous practice is condemned in the Bible and is to be avoided at all costs (cf. 1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Corinthians 10:14; Gal. 5:19-20; Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5).