Sermon Tone Analysis

*Pergamum*

 

Rev 2:12-17  And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;  (13)  I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, /even/ where Satan's seat /is/: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas /was/ my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth.

(14)  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

(15)  So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

(16)  Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

(17)  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth /it/.

*Intro.:*

As we leave the Smyrna on our journey.

Shortly we would come to them to the small Turkish town Pergamum.

About 20,000 in population and in a small valley, said he sits on an ancient hill.

And in this very attractive city of small band of Christians worship the savior.

It is to that church that the third letter  is  addressed.

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*Pergamos*

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The proper form of the name is /Pergamum/.

The name Pergamum means thoroughly married.

It is a compound of two Greek words meaning thoroughly, and marriage.

So per gamun means thoroughly married.

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The original city was built on a lofty hill, which afterward became the citadel as houses sprang up around its base.

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The local legends attached a sacred character to the place, which, together with its natural strength, made it a place of deposit for royal treasure.

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The city was mainly indebted to Eumenes II.

(b.c.

197-159) for its embellishment and extension.

In addition to walks and public buildings, he founded the library, which contained two-hundred-thousand volumes, and was second only to that of Alexandria.

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The kingdom of Pergamum became a Roman province b.c.

130; but the city continued to flourish, so that Pliny styled it /by/ /far/ /the/ /most/ /illustrious/ /of/ /Asia/.

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All the main roads of Western Asia converged there.

Pergamum was celebrated for the manufacture of ointments, pottery, tapestries, and parchment, which derives its name (/charta/ /Pergamena/) from the city.

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It contained a celebrated and much-frequented temple of Aesculapius, who was worshipped in the form of a living serpent fed in the temple.

Hence Aesculapius was called the God of Pergamu you m, and on the coins struck by the town he often appears with a rod encircled by a serpent.

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There was also in this city, a temple to the god Zeus.

Zeus was believed to be the father of all gods, and this will become significant, because we are told that in this city Satan’s seat dwelled.

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There is also in this city the first temple that was built to Emperor worship.

Add this to the two previous mentioned temples, and you see that this city was a city wholly given over to idolatry.

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And again in knowing this, we begin to appreciate why the Lord referred to Pergamum as the dwelling place of Satan's seat.

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All false religion is satanically inspired, satanically motivated, some religions are openly satanic, while others reveal their satanic origins as they fail to teach the truth of Scripture.

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The city also had springs which had mysterious healing powers.

Much like Lourdes, France.

The healing that was experienced in Pergamum was not divine, but satanically enabled.

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The city has been described as a sort of union of a pagan cathedral-city, a university-town, and a royal residence, embellished during a succession of years by kings who all had a passion for expenditure and ample means of gratifying it.

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#. *The Description of the Lord - The sharp sword with two edges*

See on Rev_1:16.

a.

A two edged sword was used by the Roman army in a devastating way.

Using this sword as a sledge hammer meat cleaver.

The Roman soldier would bring it down forcefully slicing men, in half.

b.

The use of the word here portrays the Lord as Judge, defending his children and judging his enemies.

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*The Commendation Rev 2:13** – *

#. *Dwellest (**κατοικει**͂**ς**) *See on Luk_11:26; see on Act_2:5.

i.

Satan's seat is in a scholarly, religious, miraculous healing, cosmopolitan area.

*                                                            ii.

*The Christian Church was dwelling, where Satan exercised his dominion.

*                                                          iii.

**Seat (**θρόνος**) *rightly, /throne/, which is a transcript of the Greek word. it is intended to represent Satan as exercising dominion there.

The word is used in the New Testament of a /kingly/ throne (Luk_1:32, Luk_1:52; Act_2:30): of /the/ /judicial/ /tribunal/ or /bench/ (Mat_19:28; Luk_22:30): of /the/ /seats/ /of/ /the/ /elders/ (Rev_4:4; Rev_11:16

#. *Holdest fast (**κρατει**͂**ς**) *See on Mat_7:3; see on Act_3:11.

i.

My name See on 1Jo_1:7.

- right in the midst of Pergamum is a group of Christians who are holding fast to the name of Jesus.

ii.

In the midst of that idolatry, hedonism, are those who are convinced that Jesus is the son of God, the savior of the world.

iii.

While Satan captures the multitudes of small remnant faithfully cling to Christ.

This must have brought great pleasure to the Lord.

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My* faith  *See on Act_6:7.

*                                                              i.

*When pressed by their society, they would not surrender the faith that was delivered to them.

ii.

*Antipas - *There is no other record of this martyr.

Some of them martyred here in Pergamum because of their faith in Christ.

#. *Satan's dwelling*                                                               i.      he again recognizes that they live where Satan exercises his dominion.

#. *The Complaint - Rev 2:14* –  Pergamum tolerated false teaching.

#. *Doctrine (**διδαχὴν**) */teaching/.

*                                                              i.

**Balaam - *See Num_25:1-9; Num_31:15, Num_31:16.

Compare 2Pe_2:15; Jud_1:11.

He was hired by Balak to curse the children of Israel.

Using God to enrich yourself.

*1.       **A stumbling-block (**σκάνδαλον**) Is */offend/, Mat_5:29, and see on /offense/, Mat_16:23.

*2.      **Before (**ε**̓**νώπιον**) *Lit., /in/ /the/ /sight/ /of/.

See on Luk_24:11.

3.       *Things sacrificed to idols (**ει**̓**δωλόθυτα**) *In  times of persecution, tasting the wine of the libations or eating meat offered to idols, was understood to signify recantation of Christianity.

*4.      **Rev 2:15* – *So *Even as Balak had Balaam for a false teacher, /so/ hast thou the Nicolaitan teachers.

*                                                            ii.

**Nicolaitans - *See on Rev_2:6.

1.

It is impossible to know what this doctrine is.

2.      There is some speculation, however, some believe it's the doctrine of self-indulgence, living as you please, because we live under grace.

3.       Others speculate that this is the beginning of the clergy and laity dichotomy.

4.      Nico - to conquer, laitans - the people.

The name means to rule over the people.

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#. *The Counsel  - *Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

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*Repent*, change your ways put out of your church.

i.

Do not tolerate false teachers.

ii.

John does not command them to convert the false teachers

                                                          iii.

He does not say show Christian love to those false teachers.

iv.