“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.”
King James Version (KJV)
2:20 But thou sufferest that woman Jezebel - who ought not to teach at all, #1Tim 2:12|. To teach and seduce my servants - At Pergamos were many followers of Balaam; at Thyatira, one grand deceiver. Many of the ancients have delivered, that this was the wife of the pastor himself. Jezebel of old led the people of God to open idolatry. This Jezebel, fitly called by her name, from the resemblance between their works, led them to partake in the idolatry of the heathens. This she seems to have done by first enticing them to fornication, just as Balaam did: whereas at Pergamos they were first enticed to idolatry, and afterwards to fornication.
Re 2:20 However I have a few things against thee. Of the seven churches only two are blameless, on which see topic 9654. That woman Jezebel. Either a person or a party of which the wicked wife of Ahab was a type. As a woman in Revelation is a symbol of the church, true or false, I believe this symbol is used to designate a faction in the church at Thyatira of an idolatrous spirit. This faction had teachers who claimed the gift of prophecy. Which calleth herself a prophetess. Some have strongly urged that by "Jezebel" is meant a Sybil, half heathen, half Christian, claiming prophetic powers, who is known to have lived in Thyatira. To teach and to seduce my servants. They taught the doctrine of Balaam named in Re 2:14. See note there. See also Re 2:24.