Nicolaitions

[LittleLambofJesus]

So what concocted story was made up to make us believe that Acts 7 is about the Nicolatians?

I don't understand the question, Acts 7 doesn't mention the Nicolaitans.

-CryptoLutheran

In Acts 6, 2 of the chosen 7 appear to come pretty close to the transliterated word for "nicolatians". I remember doing a study Greeek study on that passage in Acts 6 sometime back.

Here are the transliterated greek word used. Thoughts?

Acts 6:5
And pleases the Word before all the multitude,
and they choose stefanon, a man full of faith and Holy Spirit, and filippon, and procoron, and nikanora, and timwna, and parmenan, and nikolaon, a proselyte of antiocea

and Nicanor/nikanora <3527> , Nicanor = "conqueror"
and Nicolaus/nikolaon <3532> Nicolas = "victor of the people"

Reve 2:
6 But this thou are having. That thou are hating the works of the Nicolaitans/nikolaitwn <3531> which I also am hating.
15 Thusly are having also thou ones holding the teaching of the Nicolaitans/nikolaitwn <3531> likewise [*which I hating]

Kindgdom Bible Studies Revelation Series 34
EPHESUS AND THE NICOLAITANS

In the religious world there are those called &#8220;clergy&#8221; and there are those who are called &#8220;laity.&#8221; These are titles that have come to us from religious Babylon! What were the &#8220;deeds&#8221; of the Nicolaitanes? They were exalting the &#8220;clergy&#8221; over the &#8220;laity&#8221;! The clergy class were dominating the laity, the people. The clergy exalted themselves whereas the laity were abased. The clergy became the authority, the power, the lordship in the church. They became the fountain of all truth, they had the last word, they called all the shots. The rest of us poor folks are just &#8220;laity,&#8221; the dumb sheep that just follow and do what we are told.

Those seeking power want to control, to rule over others. They want to take charge and get their way. They&#8217;re not interested in leading by example, by humility, love, counsel, mercy, goodness and the anointing of the Spirit. They manipulate and maneuver to be in a position of authority so they can control others and coerce them to get in line with their vision. Though some accomplish this as masters of deceit, hiding the real truth behind a façade of pious words and pretended spirituality, their domineering spirit becomes evident when those who are supposed to follow don&#8217;t, but go on to follow the leading of the Spirit. &#8220;Anathema!&#8221; cries the ruler. &#8220;Rebellion!&#8221; cries the tyrant. &#8220;Zap!&#8221; goes the whip.

Power people have little tolerance for people who persist in seeking the mind of the Lord. The religious ranks are swollen with these power grabbers! Authoritarianism is not confined to denominations. It simply appears wherever and whenever prideful, though sincere, men are in authority............


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[ViaCrucis]

So the best we can get in the Acts is, as some of the ancient fathers said, that the Nicolaitans are named after Nicolas the deacon, of whom tradition records as having fallen away into heresy.

"The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practise adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. Wherefore the Word has also spoken of them thus: 'But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate.'" - St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies, I.26.3

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Knee V]

If the Nicolaitans were those who "conquered the laity", then Calvinists are those who believe in being bald.

 

[KEPLER]

Nicolaism (also Nicholaism, Nicolationism, or Nicolaitanism) is a Christian heresy whose adherents are called nicolaitans, nicolaitanes, or nicolaites. "Nico" means "conquer" in Greek, and "Laitan" refers to lay people, or laity; hence, the word may be taken to mean "Lay conquerors" or Conquerors of the Lay People


Nicolaism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What does it mean to conquer the lay people? And why is it called a Christian heresay?

EO claims (or so I've been told) that their tradition says it was a person who had more than one wife. Perhaps that's what's meant by the 'unrestrained indulgences' of your post.

However, when there isn't a biblical reference then we must go to the Greek language for definition.
The Greek word is composed of two words, one meaning conquer or be victorious over and another meaning common people, secular people, or laity. Thus, it means conquering the common people, being victorious over the laity. Nicolaitans, then, must refer to a group of people who esteem themselves higher than common believers.
It can't be a Christian heresay if Rev 2:6 condemns it.

I haven't bothered to read all the replies; perhaps someone has already pointed out the obvious.

However, when there isn't a biblical reference then we must go to the Greek language for definition.

No, this is entirely the incorrect approach. If Scripture does not provide a definition, the next step is examining the contemporaneous sources. The respondents who have pointed you to the ante-Nicene Fathers have taken the correct approach.

Here is why your 'going to the Greek' apporach is incorrect. Not all words can or should be broken down into their component parts. This is what biblical scholars refer to as an exegetical fallacy. Try reversing the situation: If someone were not an English speaker, and tried to figure out what a 'pineapple' was by breaking down the word into its component parts, would they get an accurate definition? What about 'butterfly'?

Nicolaitans were followers of a false teacher named Nicolaus. Their name has NOTHING to do with 'lay conquerors'.

Kepler

 

[KEPLER]

And this from wiki, who ya gonna believe?

Nicolaism (also Nicholaism, Nicolationism, or Nicolaitanism) is a Christian heresy whose adherents are called nicolaitans, nicolaitanes, or nicolaites. "Nico" means "conquer" in Greek, and "Laitan" refers to lay people, or laity; hence, the word may be taken to mean "Lay conquerors" or Conquerors of the Lay People. However, "Nicolaitan" is simply the name given to followers of the heretic Nicolas (Greek: Nikolaos-the name itself meaning 'victorious over people'or 'victory of the people' which he would have been given at birth).[

Nicolaism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is priceless. Are you seriously offering Wikipedia as an actual definitive authority on something?

I tell my undergrad students on the first day of class every semester that if any of them cite wikipedia as a source, their work will be returned to them with the letters P/A scrawled across the top. P/A = paper airplane, which is all their submission would be worth after citing something as notoriously inconsistent as wikipedia.



Kepler

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

The thread is over 4 1/2 yrs old ... I brought it up as a comparative to OrthoUSA's thread. Feel free to look at the first 19 pages for mine and other posters povs. I think that was one of the few 'who ya gonna believe' tongue in cheek references. Thanks for choosing that one as an example.

 

[KEPLER]

The thread is over 4 1/2 yrs old ... I brought it up as a comparative to OrthoUSA's thread. Feel free to look at the first 19 pages for mine and other posters povs. I think that was one of the few 'who ya gonna believe' tongue in cheek references. Thanks for choosing that one as an example.

Sacred Bovine, Batman!

*** slaps self on head ***

I truly had not noticed how old it was...OTOH, that's about the last time I was active on CF, so it all seems quite fresh to me...

Apologies.

K

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Sacred Bovine, Batman!

*** slaps self on head ***

I truly had not noticed how old it was...OTOH, that's about the last time I was active on CF, so it all seems quite fresh to me...

Apologies.

K

no worries .. PA advise taken

 

[Rick Otto]

Authoritarianism... where do you stand?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by ~Cassia~

The thread is over 4 1/2 yrs old ... I brought it up as a comparative to OrthoUSA's thread. Feel free to look at the first 19 pages for mine and other posters povs. I think that was one of the few 'who ya gonna believe' tongue in cheek references. Thanks for choosing that one as an example.
​

Are you trying to catch up with me?

Sacred Bovine, Batman!

*** slaps self on head ***

I truly had not noticed how old it was...OTOH, that's about the last time I was active on CF, so it all seems quite fresh to me...

Apologies.

K

Welcome back.


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