“‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Revelation 2:19-20

There is a standard in the pharmaceutical industry when evaluating performance. First, you make a positive comment or observation and then you describe an opportunity for improvement. It’s a polite way to encourage better performance and that format applies to Jesus’ message to the church at Thyatira. Thyatira was famous for its textiles, especially the production of purple dye and its trade guilds. The first known believer was Lydia (Acts 16:40)

Notice that Jesus first recognizes the growth of the church in terms of love and faith and in their works in the community and the endurance of their faith led to spiritual growth.

This church was doing many things well, but they were being led astray by someone teaching false doctrine (Revelation 2:20-23). Evidently a woman claiming to be a prophetess had been influencing some in this church to join the local trade guilds without which a tradesman could not work in Thyatira. This meant participation in the guild feasts that included immoral acts and the worship of idols.

The Jezebel problem refers to the Old Testament queen who led Israel into idolatry with worship of Baal and in every generation there appears to be the same type of spirit that leads even good people into error.

For those, Jesus required repentance and if not, judgment. “And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works” (Revelation 2:23).

And what about those who had not fallen for the trap?

But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come.

Revelation 2:24-25