Revelation 2:7 - Wesley's Explanatory Notes

He that hath an ear, let him hear — Every man, whoever can hear at all, ought carefully to hear this. What the Spirit saith — In these great and precious promises. To the churches — And in them to every one that overcometh; that goeth on from faith and by faith to full victory over the world, and the flesh, and the devil. In these seven letters twelve promises are contained, which are an extract of all the promises of God. Some of them are not expressly mentioned again in this book, as "the hidden manna," the inscription of "the name of the new Jerusalem," the "sitting upon the throne." Some resemble what is afterwards mentioned, as "the hidden name," Revelation 19:12; "the ruling the nations," Revelation 19:15; "the morning star," Revelation 22:16. And some are expressly mentioned, as "the tree of life," Revelation 22:2; freedom from "the second death," Revelation 20:6; the name in "the book of life," Revelation 20:12; Revelation 21:27; the remaining "in the temple of God," Revelation 7:15; the inscription of "the name of God and of the Lamb," Revelation 14:1; Revelation 22:4. In these promises sometimes the enjoyment of the highest goods, sometimes deliverance from the greatest evils, is mentioned. And each implies the other, so that where either part is expressed, the whole is to be understood. That part is expressed which has most resemblance to the virtues or works of him that was spoken to in the letter preceding. To eat of the tree of life — The first thing promised in these letters is the last and highest in the accomplishment, Revelation 22:2, Revelation 22:14, Revelation 22:19. The tree of life and the water of life go together, Revelation 22:1-2; both implying the living with God eternally. In the paradise of my God — The word paradise means a garden of pleasure. In the earthly paradise there was one tree of life: there are no other trees in the paradise of God.