10-01-23 Bible Study Revelation 4

Revelation 2:12-29

Last Sunday we stopped at the end of chapter 2 verse 11 and this evening we begin in chapter 2, verse 12.

12 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.

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The third church was in Pergamum or Pergamos, about 20 miles inland from Smyrna.

My Believer's Bible Commentary said: Pergamos (or Pergamum) means high tower or thoroughly married.

And that was all the information I was given.

Kaye's study Bible gave a little more explanation, but I was curious now,,, so I kept looking.

Did anyone else find anything about this meaning?

After searching through my commentaries and finding little information, I turned to the internet and found this: During the Pergamos period the church was exalted to royal power and kingly authority through a union, or marriage, with the state.

Satan had failed to crush the church and destroy Christianity through persecution, and he therefore changed his policy.

Christianity had won in its great struggle with paganism, and Satan, as it were, joined the church in order to ruin it from within.

When Satan failed to accomplish his purpose through violence, he corrupted the church through worldly alliance.

Anyway,,, after getting sidetracked by that definition,,, we can continue,,, Like Ephesus and Smyrna it was a wealthy city, but it was wicked.

People in its pagan cults worshiped Athena, Asclepius, Dionysus, and Zeus.

Pergamum was famous for its university with a library of about 200,000 volumes, and for manufacturing parchment resulting in a paper called pergamena.

The atmosphere of this city was adverse to any effective Christian life and testimony.

Anticipating Christ’s rebuke for their being tolerant of evil and immorality, John described Him as the One who has the sharp, double-edged sword (also mentioned in 1:16; 2:16; 19:15, 21).

The sword is a symbolic representation of the Word of God’s twofold ability to separate believers from the world and to condemn the world for its sin.

It was the sword of salvation as well as the sword of death.

Verse 13: Following the same order as in the two preceding letters, commendation is given first.

Christ recognized the difficulty of their situation.

They lived where Satan has his throne. This may refer to the great temple of Asclepius, a pagan god of healing represented in the form of a serpent.

Further recognition of Satan is indicated at the close of the verse.

Pergamum was where Satan lives.

The saints there were commended for being true, even when Antipas (which means “against all”) was martyred.

Nothing is known of this incident according to one commentary but then,,,

Another one (Baptist Commentary) says: Antipas,,, is thought, by some, to have been the pastor of it. Though, according to the Apostolical Constitutionss, Caius was the first bishop of it; and it appears, that in the second century there were several in this place that suffered martyrdom for Christ, as Carpus, Papulus, and a woman whose name was Agathonicet. Attalus, the martyr, who suffered in the same century, was also a native of this place.

My Faithlife Study Bible says: We only know that he was a Christian, and probably bore some office in the Church, and became illustrious by his martyrdom in the cause of Christ. There is a work extant called The Acts of Antipas, which makes him bishop of Pergamos, and states that he was put to death by being enclosed in a burning brazen bull. But this story confutes itself, as the Romans, under whose government Pergamos then was, never put any person to death in this way. It is supposed that he was murdered by some mob, who chose this way to vindicate the honour of their god Æsculapius, in opposition to the claims of our Lord Jesus.

And more information about Æsculapius was given in my Preacher's Commentary: It was the seat of the worship of Æsculapius, the god of healing, who was symbolled as a serpent, and represented by a live serpent which was kept in his temple. There is a legend about this god to the following effect: On one occasion, in the house of Glaucus, whom he was to cure, while he was standing absorbed in thought, a serpent entered, and twined round his staff. He killed it, and then another serpent came in, carrying in its mouth a herb with which it recalled to life the one that had been killed. Æsculapius henceforth used that herb, with healing effects, on man.

The symbol of Aesculapius is a snake curled around a staff which is the same symbol that we use for medicine,,, in some places,,, although not all since use the symbol with 2 snakes and wings at the top,,, which is what is more prevalent.

It continued by saying,,, But an elaborate system of magic grew up around this god, attended with deceptive practices. Pergamos became a focus of idolatrous worship, and could be described as the place “where Satan’s seat is.” Outward circumstances of temptation, rather than of trouble, are represented in the picture of this Church. Under pressure of these temptations the Church has partly yielded; but it does not seem to have recognised the seriousness and peril of this partial yielding; and therefore the Living Christ must come to it with the dividing and revealing two-edged sword.

The Christians at Pergamum had been true to God under severe testing but had compromised their testimony in other ways,,, as seen in the next two verses.

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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.

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They had been guilty of severe compromise by holding the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

Balaam had been guilty of counseling King Balak to cause Israel to sin through intermarriage with heathen women and through idol-worship (cf. Num. 22–25; 31:15–16).

Intermarriage with heathen women was a problem in Pergamum where any social contact with the world also involved worship of idols.

Usually meat in the marketplace had been offered to idols,,, and this was addressed by Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 8).

They were also condemned for following the Nicolaitans’ teaching.

Earlier the Ephesian church had been commended for rejecting what appears to be a moral departure (cf. Rev. 2:6).

Some Greek manuscripts add here that God hates the teaching of the Nicolaitans, as also stated in v. 6. It was here in the KJV but not in my HCSB and some of the other translations.

So compromise with pagan morality and departure from biblical faith soon corrupted the church.

Verse 16 Christ sharply rebuked the church with the abrupt command, Repent therefore!

Verse 17: This verse, as in the messages to other churches, is again addressed to those who are willing to hear.

Overcomers are promised hidden manna and a white stone with a new name written on it.

The “hidden manna” may refer to Christ as the Bread from heaven, the unseen source of the believer’s nourishment and strength.

Whereas Israel received physical food, manna, the church receives spiritual food (John 6:48–51).

Scholars differ as to the meaning of the “white stone.” Alford is probably right in saying that the important point is the stone’s inscription which gives the believer “a new name,” indicating acceptance by God and his title to glory (The Greek Testament, 4:572). This may be an allusion to the Old Testament practice of the high priest wearing 12 stones on his breastplate with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel inscribed on it. Though believers at Pergamum may not have had precious stones or gems of this world, they had what is far more important, acceptance by Christ Himself and assurance of infinite blessings to come.

Believer's Bible said:

The overcomer in Pergamos may be the child of God who refuses to tolerate evil teaching in the local church. But what are the hidden manna and the white stone?

Manna is a type of Christ Himself. It may speak of heavenly food in contrast to foods offered to idols (v. 14). Hidden manna may be “some sweet, secret communion with Himself, known in the glory as the One who suffered here.”

The white stone has been explained in many ways.

It was a token of acquittal in a legal case.

It was a symbol of victory in an athletic contest.

It was an expression of welcome given by a host to his guest.

Regardless,,, It seems clear that it is a reward given by the Lord to the overcomer and expressing individual approval by Him.

Alford says that the new name indicates acceptance by God and title to glory.

Taken as a whole, the message to the church in Pergamum is a warning against compromise in morals or teaching and against deviating from the purity of doctrine required of Christians.

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18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

The name Thyatira means perpetual sacrifice or continual offering.

The church in Thyatira may have first heard the gospel from Lydia, converted through Paul’s ministry (Acts 16:14–15).

In this letter the Son of God is seen as having eyes like a flame of fire and feet like fine brass.

The eyes speak of piercing vision, and the brass feet speak of threatened judgment.

This church was outstanding in several ways.

It was not lacking in good works, love, service, faith, and patient endurance.

In fact, its works were increasing in quantity rather than declining.

But then we have verse 20 that says,,,

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20 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. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. 23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

But impure doctrine had been tolerated in the assembly with the result that immorality and idolatry were being practiced.

The church had permitted a self-styled prophetess named Jezebel to lead God’s servants into sin.

Just as Jezebel in the OT had corrupted God’s people with fornication and idolatry,,, much like Ahab’s wife Jezebel corrupted Israel (1 Kings 16:31–33),,, this woman taught that Christians could engage in these practices without sinning.

Perhaps she encouraged the believers to join the trade guilds of Thyatira, even though this involved honoring the guild god or goddess and participating in festivals where food was sacrificed to idols.

She doubtless justified this compromise with the world on the ground that it would allegedly advance the cause of the church.

Because she refused to repent, the Lord was going to give her a sick bed of tribulation in place of her bed of lust.

Those who committed adultery with her would be thrown into a bed of great tribulation and death unless they forsook her and escaped from her deeds.

Then all the churches would know that the Lord is watching and that He rewards according to man’s deeds.

There was probably a literal prophetess in Thyatira named Jezebel.

But Bible students have also seen here a reference to the rise of a false church system with its adoration of images, sale of indulgences, and priestly absolution from such sins as fornication.

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24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: 27 And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

In the church,,, there is a remnant that have true to the gospel.

It’s interesting to note that Jesus didn’t tell them to leave,,, but to remain as a Godly testimony,,, since judgement will come and purge the church.

But to those that remain true,,, they will join Him in His millennial rule,,, according to the B.K.Commentary.

In addition, the faithful will receive the morning star, which appears just before the dawn.

The Scriptures do not explain this expression, but it may refer to participation in the Rapture of the church before the dark hours preceding the dawn of the millennial kingdom.

In this and the following three letters, the formula “He who has an ear, let him hear …” follows the promise to the overcomer rather than preceding it. This may indicate that from this point on, only those who overcome are expected to have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

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