The Lord had mentioned the Nicolaitans already in the letter to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:6). Since the Nicolaitans are mentioned in the letter to Pergamum in the context of “the teaching of Balaam,” it would seem likely that the Nicolaitans held to a belief similar to the teaching of Balaam. In that case, the Nicolaitans too were in favour of syncretism, seeking to blur the line between the church and the world, between service to the Lord and service to the idols. You weren’t to be too radical in insisting on the antithesis; some compromise so as to keep friendly relations with the heathens of town was considered quite acceptable. This was of course contrary to passages such as Leviticus 18:3, Leviticus 18:26–30; Psalm 101:1–8.
15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.