Revelation Study Week 7: Chapter 2:12-17

The Compromising Church

The New Revised Standard Version (The Message to Pergamum) Rev 2:12-17

12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword:13 “I know where you are living, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel, so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice fornication. 15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Literal Meaning

Vs. 12v “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword:

Hebrews 4:12 “12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

Revelation 1:16 “16 He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.”

Revelation 2:12 “12 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword:”

Proverbs 5:4 “4 But in the end she is as bitter as poison, as dangerous as a double-edged sword.”

The double edged sword was a dangerous sword that was used to bring judgement.

The right of the sword…was given to rulers and meant they had the ability to enact justice i.e. the death penalty. The double edged sword was used to execute those given the death penalty.

Vs. 13 “I know where you are living, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you are holding fast to my name, and you did not deny your faith in me even in the days of Antipas my witness, my faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan lives.

The idea of Satan’s throne could represent the fact that Pergamum was the center of Emperor worship in Asia Minor. it may be better to translate “where Satan is king,” “where Satan rules.” It is possible that Satan’s throne is an allusion to the giant altar to the god Zeus, placed on a cliff some 250 meters (820 ft) above the city. The phrase means not only that Satan rules over Pergamum, but that Pergamum is, so to speak, the capital of his worldwide empire.

In spite of where they live, they were holding fast to the name of Jesus and they did not deny faith in him.

In our society the worst we really face because of our faith in Jesus is ridicule and minor persecution at most. For the church in Pergamum it could cost them their lives or at the very least their livelihood.

Not much is known about Antipas except what we read here. He was a witness for Jesus, he was faithful, and he died because of it.

Vs. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel, so that they would eat food sacrificed to idols and practice fornication.

What does it mean to hold to the teaching of Balaam. We know from the OT that Balaam was a prophet of God of Israel (numbers 22-24).

What was he teaching? Well he is mentioned two other times in the NT

Jude 1:11 “11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.”

2 Peter 2:15-16 “15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. 16 But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.”

We wouldn’t be wrong to think that they are being spiritual prostitutes…selling there spiritual teachings for money…but it was more than that.

Numbers 31:15-16 “15 “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. 16 “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people.”

It isn’t limited to making money but to leading people away from God for any reason!

What we see is the devil couldn’t use Balaam to curse God’s people, so he used him to coerce God’s people!

Vs. 15 So you also have some who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

The Nicolaitan, our best guess is, taught there was a separation between laity and clergy (teachers within the church). Or a hierarchy within the people of God. the latter being more important than the first.

Vs.16 16 Repent then. If not, I will come to you soon and make war against them with the sword of my mouth.

It is Fairly strait forward, change or you will receive judgement!

VS. 17 Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches. To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white stone, and on the white stone is written a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it.

Hidden manna may refer to Exodus 16:32-34 “32 Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.” 33 Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Then put it in a sacred place before the Lord to preserve it for all future generations.” 34 Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded Moses. He eventually placed it in the Ark of the Covenant—in front of the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant.”

But is definitely a reference to what God wants to give you and only he can give you as opposed to meat sacrificed to idols (what the world has to offer). Jesus says in John 6:35 that he is the bread of life…is he the hidden manna?

The white stone with a new name written on it has a lot of speculation surrounding it...

It may symbolize or be:

1. the jewels in the breastplate of the high priest;

2. the white and black stones placed in an urn during a trial to vote for guilt/acquittal;

3. the white stones with names on them as a kind of ticket given to guild members or victors at the games for admission to feasts;

4. secret amulets with the names of gods on them; or

5. a token signifying a gladiator was freed from the arena.

Of these, the one that best fits the context is option three, the use of stones as tickets for admittance to a feast. This continues the idea of the messianic feast as reward to the victors in the race of life

Grant R. Osborne, Revelation: Verse by Verse, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016), 59.

It is also believed by some to refer to the white healing stones given out by the healers. Pergamus had a school of medicine. People would come in the front door of this place of healing, receive their treatment, then exit out the back and write their name and ailment they were healed from on a white stone for all to see.

Universal Understanding

We live in a world that would try to entice us, but we are called no only to be faithful, but to be holy set apart, in the world but not of the world. More than by name only!

Prophetic Nature

The problem with Pergamos was not denying Christ, but allowing outside influence to deter them from following God the way he desires. It was allowing people to think they could be God’s people and still do what ever they want. They thought if they had the right name, they would be OK!

Last week we talked about Smyrna being the persecuted church and something happened that stopped the persecution of the church and that happened in 313AD. What was it?

Emperor Constantine had a vision on the battlefield, that vision lead to his victory and from then on he not only identified as a Christian, but said everyone would be. Pergamos is the combination of two word…perga and gamos.

Perga - Tower or fortress or place of government

gamos - marrage

Pergamos is the marriage to a tower, fortress, place of government. Constantine united (or married) the place of government with christianity.

While persecution stopped, new problems arose. Now everyone was instantly Christian, but people didn’t stop their pagan ways and so paganism was incorporated into Christian worship of God. Because everyone was instantly Christian, even babies, infant baptism started. People became Christian by name only! And it hasn’t stopped yet

Personal Application

Am I Christian by name only?

Am I allowing things of the world into my relationship with God causing me to not be Holy before God?

Am I allowing others to lure me away from God as Balaam did to God’s people?