115. "'Thus you have also those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.'" (2:15) This symbolically means that they have among them also people who make works deserving of merit.

That the works of the Nicolaitans are merit-seeking works may be seen in no. 86 above.

Among people who place everything having to do with the church and salvation in good works, and not anything in doctrinal truths - those meant by the church in Pergamum - there are some who perform hypocritical works, and some merit-seeking works, but still not all. So we are told that "you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam," and, "you have also those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans." Moreover, all works connected with worship are either good, or merit-seeking, or hypocritical. Therefore the latter two are spoken of here, and afterward good works in the next verse.