The Nicolaitans appear only twice in Scripture, yet Jesus says He hates their deeds and doctrines. This study explores what their name means, why their influence was so dangerous, and how their spirit still appears in religious systems today. It’s a call to discernment, repentance, and a return to direct communion with God.
The Doctrines of the Nicolaitans
In the past, I’ve stumbled across the name Nicolaitans in Scripture. It appears only twice—in Revelation chapter 2.
Revelation 2:6 (LEB)
“But you do have this: that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, things which I also hate.”
Revelation 2:15–16 (LEB)
“So likewise you also have those who hold fast to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent! But if you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war with them with the sword from my mouth.”
This morning, while searching Revelation 2 again, that name caught my attention. I’ve looked before, trying to understand who the Nicolaitans were and what doctrines God hated—but found little clarity. For God to hate something, it’s worth understanding why.
This time, I came across an explanation from BibleStudy.org that helped illuminate the meaning:
“The Greek word for Nicolaitans is Nikolaites (Strong’s Concordance #G3531), which combines three words. Niko or Nikos means conquest or victory—those who dominate the defeated. Lai or Laos means people. Taken together, Nicolaitans means ‘conquerors of the people,’ referring to those who dominate the church of God.”
Human Traditions and God’s Commandments
(Matthew 15:1–20, LEB)
Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for elevating human tradition above God’s commandment:
“This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.”
He taught that defilement comes not from what enters the mouth, but from what proceeds from the heart—evil thoughts, pride, and hypocrisy. The Nicolaitan spirit mirrors this same corruption: human hierarchy replacing divine relationship.
The Nicolaitan Spirit
The word Nicolaitans symbolizes religious systems that claim divine authority flows from the top down—from leaders to the people. Someone interprets Scripture and dictates what others must believe. Catholicism is one example, but this pattern appears across denominations and even non‑Christian religions. Those who question the hierarchy are often labeled heretics—disturbers of the status quo.
Holding Fast to Tradition
On November 27, 2019, I reflected on Revelation 2:15:
“So likewise you also have those who hold fast to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.”
I realized I had focused too much on the leaders. This verse places equal weight on the congregation—those who hold fast to false teaching. To hold fast means to cling, to refuse change, to resist repentance.
The Coming Kingdom
Daniel 2:44 (NIV) “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed...”
Jeremiah 31:34 (LEB) “They will no longer teach each one his neighbor, saying, ‘Know Yahweh,’ for all of them will know Me...”
There will come a time when man shall no longer teach man. The Quakers grasped this truth—that no intermediary is needed to know the Father.
The Sign of Jonah
In 2014, I wrote The Sign of Jonah. I now see how this connects to the Nicolaitan doctrine. Jesus said the only sign given to a wicked generation would be the sign of Jonah—repentance and direct obedience to God.
Matthew 12:39 — “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign…” Luke 11:30 — “For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation.”
The Ninevites repented at Jonah’s preaching. Jesus declared that something greater than Jonah is here.
Conclusion
The Nicolaitan doctrine represents the corruption of spiritual hierarchy—the conquest of the people by religious authority. Christ calls His church to repentance, to direct communion with God, and to reject any system that replaces His voice with human control.
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